Gavin Bazunu

[Miltonaggro]

9 minutes ago, manji said:

Saints doing well . Everyone I know was excited, enthusiastic about yesterday’s game. As I’ve said before, as people on this forum, they need a scapegoat something to moan about. Of course, Bazunu is an obvious target

That, or they are simply attending matches and giving opinion about what they see on the park.  Everyone I know has been doing that every season I have supported Saints, including the season we finished runners up in the top flight. 

[Badger]

Question for those criticising goalkeeper performances  -and NOT Bazunu specific.

If you’re a Birmingham fan do you come away from yesterday raging about their GK and conceding the second, or praising him for preventing it being 5 or 6 ? 

[Gloucester Saint]

2 minutes ago, Badger said:

Question for those criticising goalkeeper performances  -and NOT Bazunu specific.

If you’re a Birmingham fan do you come away from yesterday raging about their GK and conceding the second, or praising him for preventing it being 5 or 6 ? 

Both - some fine saves above average but should do better on AA’s first and arguably on his second pushing Leo’s shot wider to narrow AA’s window to score. In the same way it’s not inconsistent to say Gray’s shot was very hard to save but maintaining Bazunu and McCarthy are liabilities to be dealt with in January. 

[Sheaf Saint]

13 minutes ago, Badger said:

Question for those criticising goalkeeper performances  -and NOT Bazunu specific.

If you’re a Birmingham fan do you come away from yesterday raging about their GK and conceding the second, or praising him for preventing it being 5 or 6 ? 

Yeah there was good and bad. Shouldn't have let in Arma's first goal, but did very well to prevent him getting a hat trick later on, and also did very well to come out and close down Archer from his breakaway run near the end.

[Weston Super Saint]

48 minutes ago, badgerx16 said:

If it had been Bazunun in goal for Sutton last night in the FA Cup, some people would be blaming him for Shrewsbury's second goal.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/videos/c3e0z3e7nk8o

Can we not do that anyway?

[Badger]

23 minutes ago, Sheaf Saint said:

Yeah there was good and bad. Shouldn't have let in Arma's first goal, but did very well to prevent him getting a hat trick later on, and also did very well to come out and close down Archer from his breakaway run near the end.

Plus two good saves from Scienza first half. 

[Miltonaggro]

4 minutes ago, Weston Super Saint said:

Can we not do that anyway?

Well that would involve adding supernatural qualities, and only the Bazunettes are allowed to do that. 

[Badger]

2 minutes ago, Miltonaggro said:

Well that would involve adding supernatural qualities, and only the Bazunettes are allowed to do that. 

Are they the short skirted cheerleaders who drop the pom poms and each other in the pitchside rituals before the game ? 

[Hodgey]

I genuinely think he is improving last few games. I’d still rank him as a lower half Championship keeper, but previously he was a league one gk.

Still worries me with his positioning and he’s way too quiet. I’ve seen defenders call for him to get the ball and he should be bellowing at them and claiming it or telling them to stfu as it’s his call. Hopefully this comes with confidence

[Jonnyboy]

20 minutes ago, Badger said:

Are they the short skirted cheerleaders who drop the pom poms and each other in the pitchside rituals before the game ? 

Yes but they all have Bazunu's face

[saintwbu]

1 hour ago, Hodgey said:

I genuinely think he is improving last few games. I’d still rank him as a lower half Championship keeper, but previously he was a league one gk.

Still worries me with his positioning and he’s way too quiet. I’ve seen defenders call for him to get the ball and he should be bellowing at them and claiming it or telling them to stfu as it’s his call. Hopefully this comes with confidence

He absolutely hammered Manning yesterday in the second half, can’t remember what for, but really went at him. Manning waved him away as clearly wasn’t happy about it. Does seem a bit better the last few games, maybe it’s the beard he’s growing.

[saintant]

7 hours ago, saintwbu said:

He absolutely hammered Manning yesterday in the second half, can’t remember what for, but really went at him. Manning waved him away as clearly wasn’t happy about it. Does seem a bit better the last few games, maybe it’s the beard he’s growing.

Think it was when Manning fell over, claimed a foul and Brum almost scored with a deflected shot that Bazunu, having already dived, just managed to stop with his leg

[Whitey Grandad]

On 06/12/2025 at 09:35, saintant said:

Still has major problem with positioning. Again he's left a big gap to his left and can't reach the shot. He'd save far more if he understood angles.

But then there shots wouldn't have gone where they did. They don't come in at random. 

[Whitey Grandad]

16 hours ago, Gloucester Saint said:

Both - some fine saves above average but should do better on AA’s first and arguably on his second pushing Leo’s shot wider to narrow AA’s window to score. In the same way it’s not inconsistent to say Gray’s shot was very hard to save but maintaining Bazunu and McCarthy are liabilities to be dealt with in January. 

Not liabilities but we really need better. 

[saintant]

5 hours ago, Whitey Grandad said:

But then there shots wouldn't have gone where they did. They don't come in at random. 

We'll obviously differ on this which is fair enough. From my point of view Bazunu was too close to his near post thus leaving a big space to his left. As the shot went in close to the right post he gave himself too much ground to make up so had no chance of making a save. Had he positioned himself further to the left he at least gives himself a fighting chance but he left practically the whole goal to shoot at. I'd love him to come good but I just don't believe he has the tools to make a top quality keeper and will continue to cost us goals.

[Lord Duckhunter]

2 hours ago, saintant said:

From my point of view Bazunu was too close to his near post thus leaving a big space to his left. As the shot went in close to the right post he gave himself too much ground to make up so had no chance of making a save.

Correct. 
 

And he showed absolutely zero anticipation. Once the bloke cut in on his right foot it was blindingly obvious what he was going to do. Whip it into the right hand corner, his whole body shape indicated it, and I’m sure he’s done it before (as Leo keeps doing). Baz should have anticipated that, and if the guys then good enough to whip it into the other corner, then fair play, but not many at this level can. I’d expect my keeper to shift to the left slightly and set himself to dive that way as soon as the striker checks onto his right foot. Not after he’s hit it, only reacting once he’s taken the shot. 

Edited 5 hours ago by Lord Duckhunter

[PJ]

20 minutes ago, Lord Duckhunter said:

Correct. 
 

And he showed absolutely zero anticipation. Once the bloke cut in on his right foot it was blindingly obvious what he was going to do. Whip it into the right hand corner, his whole body shape indicated it, and I’m sure he’s done it before (as Leo keeps doing). Baz should have anticipated that, and if the guys then good enough to whip it into the other corner, then fair play, but not many at this level can. I’d expect my keeper to shift to the left slightly and set himself to dive that way as soon as the striker checks onto his right foot. Not after he’s hit it, only reacting once he’s taken the shot. 

Exactly this

[The Kraken]

Just for the visual, this is the freeze frame of the moment the ball was struck.

 

Edited 4 hours ago by The Kraken

[saintant]

1 hour ago, Lord Duckhunter said:

Correct. 
 

And he showed absolutely zero anticipation. Once the bloke cut in on his right foot it was blindingly obvious what he was going to do. Whip it into the right hand corner, his whole body shape indicated it, and I’m sure he’s done it before (as Leo keeps doing). Baz should have anticipated that, and if the guys then good enough to whip it into the other corner, then fair play, but not many at this level can. I’d expect my keeper to shift to the left slightly and set himself to dive that way as soon as the striker checks onto his right foot. Not after he’s hit it, only reacting once he’s taken the shot. 

This is my point and his poor positioning often makes it look as though he had no chance to save a shot so he is cut some slack. He's often reactive rather than proactive. It's relatively small things but positioning and being proactive are vital in the skill set of a good keeper.

[saintant]

41 minutes ago, The Kraken said:

Just for the visual, this is the freeze frame of the moment the ball was struck.

I'm not sure why he is so close to his near post. Gray has cut in from the left and Bazunu should already have been shuffling across towards his left post. He's left most of the goal for Gray to aim at.

[CheshireSaint]

1 hour ago, saintant said:

I'm not sure why he is so close to his near post. Gray has cut in from the left and Bazunu should already have been shuffling across towards his left post. He's left most of the goal for Gray to aim at.

You generally only see keepers that close to a post, when the opposition is cutting in parallel to the byline. He should be absolutely shuffling across and from the position and direction the forward is taking, more than a third across, probably just shy of half way across. Nine times from ten, any shot is only going to go exactly where it went. The fact he isn't shuffling just adds to the fact he has no momentum to use and is completely flat footed when the obvious (to everyone else) shot does come in. It's getting a tad boring now. He's just sh1te, simple as that. No positional awareness and little sense of awareness.

City had our pants down well and truly. Have you ever had a car that you invested heavily in so just can't let go? The cambelt goes, costly. Can't get rid now, just hand a new cambelt. Head gasket goes, can't get rid now, just had it skimmed, etc. etc. All your mates tell you to get rid but the more you keep it, the more 'I told you so's you have to suffer. SR have not only got his signing wrong, their insistence on him in the team is just reinforcing their nonsensical position but he just isn't going to come good. He is a dodgy, Friday car that you've just got to cut your losses with.

[OldNick]

Do we have a goal keeping coach? If so its about time he did his job and doesnt just put cones out.

There must be an easy way to show a keeper about his positioning. 

[saintant]

7 minutes ago, OldNick said:

Do we have a goal keeping coach? If so its about time he did his job and doesnt just put cones out.

There must be an easy way to show a keeper about his positioning. 

You'd think it could be corrected or at least improved upon. However, if Bazunu hasn't grasped the positional aspect of goalkeeping by now it is unlikely he ever will. The Gray shot may well have gone in even if he'd been positioned correctly and shuffling across - if this had been the case we'd all be saying no keeper saves that.  It's largely what goes before his dive that is wrong and causes many to question him particularly on shots from range.

[rooney]

11 minutes ago, OldNick said:

Do we have a goal keeping coach? If so its about time he did his job and doesnt just put cones out.

There must be an easy way to show a keeper about his positioning. 

Our old coach, when I played for Hamworthy Fc about 100 years ago, always used to say that a goalkeeper should always put himself in a position that he can move forward to the ball. Therefore, on that basis,  Baz should be nearer the back post. His positioning in the freeze frame above shows he can only dive  backwards.

[Chez]

2 hours ago, The Kraken said:

Just for the visual, this is the freeze frame of the moment the ball was struck.

 

oof. You would expect to see him a little bit to the left at this point. Not a huge amount, but a little.

[Chez]

16 minutes ago, OldNick said:

Do we have a goal keeping coach? If so its about time he did his job and doesnt just put cones out.

There must be an easy way to show a keeper about his positioning. 

Practice makes perfect, but some of positioning is perhaps instinctual (and at times you can get a little lost as to where your posts are), but that's what being a top class keeper is all about: having great positioning, anticipation, speed/athleticism and decision making. 

[Chez]

2 hours ago, saintant said:

I'm not sure why he is so close to his near post. Gray has cut in from the left and Bazunu should already have been shuffling across towards his left post. He's left most of the goal for Gray to aim at.

McArthy has always been chastised for failing to protect his near post and now Bazunu for the far post. If we could merge them together might have the perfect keeper...or the shittest.

[Lord Duckhunter]

4 hours ago, The Kraken said:

Just for the visual, this is the freeze frame of the moment the ball was struck.

 

The blokes travelled a couple of yards inside as well. I’m also sure there must be scouting reports stating that when he comes inside he has a pop (we’ve seen Leo do it 3 or 4 times now, you can’t tell me keepers aren’t expecting it). If the blokes gives him the eyes, twists his foot at point of impact and it flies into the other corner (although looking at it an effort like that will hit a defender), then fair play. But that takes a great ability, not many can manage. From that still pic, I’d want my keeper a couple of yards over, and his body weight moving to lift off his left foot. He doesn’t look set to me. 

Edited 20 minutes ago by Lord Duckhunter

[danjosaint]

Difficult to tell but looks like his weight is on his right foot possibly trying to see the ball, I agree it was a really good strike and would probably gone in anyway but id like to see him across a yard, from where Gray is shooting then its unlikely to be going near post, strikes from there generally go far post