Gavin Bazunu

[StrangelyBrown]

39 minutes ago, Saint_clark said:

Well I tried saying "Bazunu is shit, McCarthy is slightly less shit" but people dismissed that too. If people want to bury their heads in the sand then go ahead but those defending Bazunu have now said that anyone with the opinion that he isn't good enough, whether objective or subjective, are worthless. 

The evidence of our eyes shows he hasn't been good enough and the stats back it up. What metric are people using to say he should stay in the team, without resorting to saying how he might come good in 5 years time?

I don't think anyone is saying Bazunu isn't shit, it's the McCarthy is slightly less shit that some of us are debating. Both are shit and Bazunu is slightly better at kicking a ball than McCarthy which is why I think he should be in the team. Plus so far Bazunu hasn't conceded 9 in a single game.

[Saint_clark]

1 hour ago, StrangelyBrown said:

I don't think anyone is saying Bazunu isn't shit, it's the McCarthy is slightly less shit that some of us are debating. Both are shit and Bazunu is slightly better at kicking a ball than McCarthy which is why I think he should be in the team. Plus so far Bazunu hasn't conceded 9 in a single game.

But I've seen Bazunu play plenty of passes straight to opposition and the stats show his passing is worse, so once again no matter what way you look at it Bazunu is worse than McCarthy. 

Also wanting a keeper who is better at passing over a keeper who will save more shots is absolutely mental.

[The Left Back]

I’m saying Bazunu should stay in the team because IMO he’s better than McCarthy and Willy. This opinion is based on having watched all three of them live and on TV in most of the matches they’ve played for us. I totally except this is a minority view and other opinions are valid.

I agree his potential is not reason enough to pick him. I happen to believe he’s a better keeper than the other 2. I’m just hoping all this on-line debate doesn’t contribute to booing when his name is read out during the upcoming games.

[StrangelyBrown]

1 hour ago, Saint_clark said:

But I've seen Bazunu play plenty of passes straight to opposition and the stats show his passing is worse, so once again no matter what way you look at it Bazunu is worse than McCarthy. 

Also wanting a keeper who is better at passing over a keeper who will save more shots is absolutely mental.

I've made my point on why I think he's better, we'll have to agree to disagree - after all football is about opinions.

But I don't believe that a keeper who invites pressure on his defense through indecision and being a poor footballer is what is required in a modern team - keepers are expected to be much much more than shot stoppers in a modern system.

However that said all keepers should be half decent shot stoppers, but neither McCarthy nor Bazunu are a shot stopper.

[VectisSaint]

7 hours ago, Nordic Saint said:

Career average goals conceded per game:

Forster

0.9

McCarthy

1.25

Kelvin Davis

1.28

Bazunu

1.43

Premier League only

Forster 1.23

McCarthy 1.62

Bazunu 1.64

SKD 0.68

So based on that we should put Davis back in goal, not.

[Saint_clark]

54 minutes ago, VectisSaint said:

Premier League only

Forster 1.23

McCarthy 1.62

Bazunu 1.64

SKD 0.68

So based on that we should put Davis back in goal, not.

Kelvin Davis was in goal for Sunderland in their disastrous relegation season so I don't think that's his career goals conceded per game. 

[Saint Garrett]

At the end of the day, the club decided to give Macca a new deal, and let Forster go. Issue was Macca turned to shit after signing that contract, and Forster got some self confidence back. We ended up giving the wrong experienced keeper a new contract, and it was never going to be an option keeping them both on 70k a week. 

The club has just made a massive mess out of the keeper situation, and we’re clearly expecting Bazunu to be better than he is, and Macca more able to step in than he has been. Unfortunately, he got injured just as Bazunu was going to be dropped, 

[Nordic Saint]

2 hours ago, VectisSaint said:

Premier League only

Forster 1.23

McCarthy 1.62

Bazunu 1.64

SKD 0.68

So based on that we should put Davis back in goal, not.

And then there's reality.  Kelvin Davis conceded 93 goals in 53 Premier League games, with only 8 clean sheets, at an average per game of 1.75

Edited 9 March, 2023 by Nordic Saint

[Saint_clark]

For the first time this season Bazunus performance earned us something. Fair play to him, much better today. Lets see more of it and not revert to type.

[Maggie May]

Three clean sheets in four games now.

[Le Timmier]

1 minute ago, Saint_clark said:

For the first time this season Bazunus performance earned us something. Fair play to him, much better today. Lets see more of it and not revert to type.

Yep, thought he was terrific today. Looked a lot more confident too

[The Cat]

Two excellent saves today and lightning off his line to stop a couple of 1v1's. 

[Miltonaggro]

Fair play to the lad, man of the match today! Onwards and upwards. 

[SambaMaverick]

Didn't put a foot wrong today and we get our rewards. Well done.

[saintscottofthenortham]

Monstrous. 

[Andrew Watson]

Very well played today young man, a top performance.

[Saint Matty 76]

Delighted for him.

Completely echo that I believe that is the first time he's earned us points, hopefully he can use today to kick on and give us a McCarthy 17/18 end to the season. Quick off his line and the Bruno save was spectacular. 

[Dman]

Been critical and personally I think it’s been justified. However, great performance from the lad today. 

[VectisSaint]

On 09/03/2023 at 22:25, Nordic Saint said:

And then there's reality.  Kelvin Davis conceded 93 goals in 53 Premier League games, with only 8 clean sheets, at an average per game of 1.75

I thought the numbers were a bit odd, got stats from the Premier league site, it says 36 conceded (total bollox of course):

https://www.premierleague.com/players/2971/Kelvin-Davis/stats

 

[Sarisbury Saint]

Immense performance, and Bednarek anyone ? 1 goal conceded in 4 games isn’t relegation form.

[Colinjb]

That save to keep us level. Full stretch, top class.

[saintwbu]

Giving him MOTM feels like it diminishes how good we were today as if we were lucky to get a point, but he was still my MOTM. That save from Fernandes was top drawer. This is the first clean sheet it feels like he’s earned himself. 

Edited 12 March, 2023 by saintwbu

[davefizzy14]

Top drawer performance from Bazunu today

[rooney]

Well done Baz a great performance yesterday.

[Chez]

Not trying to defend Bazunu here, but for balance, I wanted to flag up the Leeds goals yesterday against Wwolves and Sa's inability to save any of them.

The first looks like he has no chance, it's pretty close range, but I can imagine if that was Bazunu, his positioning would be questioned and then people would wonder why he never saves anything. For the second, the keeper starts to come for the cross, gets blocked off and its a simple header for Ayling into an empty net. The third goal went straight through Sa's legs and perhaps is the kind of goal we'd slate our own keepers for, but when it happens elsewhere, we don't give it a second thought. 

I think what I am trying to say is, other Premier League keepers let in similar goals to the ones we `demand' our keepers save. And maybe we are a fraction too harsh on our own keepers...I know I always expect better.

[Saint_clark]

Meanwhile Forster gets called up to the England squad.

[SaintZamboni]

18 minutes ago, Saint_clark said:

Meanwhile Forster gets called up to the England squad.

Bazunu is in the Ireland squad so…

[cloggy saint]

20 minutes ago, Saint_clark said:

Meanwhile Forster gets called up to the England squad.

Just by virtue of being English I think, who else is there?

[SaintZamboni]

34 minutes ago, Saint_clark said:

Meanwhile Forster gets called up to the England squad.

Which England squad would that be?

[Saint_clark]

3 hours ago, SaintZamboni said:

Which England squad would that be?

England mens national football team?

3 hours ago, cloggy saint said:

Just by virtue of being English I think, who else is there?

Dean Henderson? Alex McCarthy who apparently is better because we kept him? Joe Hart who is the same age but played all season for table topping Celtic? Freddie Woodman as an outside shout, having kept 16 clean sheets in the championship? 

3 hours ago, SaintZamboni said:

Bazunu is in the Ireland squad so…

Ah yes, totally comparable. England 2 places below France in the rankings and above Italy, Spain, Germany.

Ireland just below Mali and Ivory Coast and just above Saudi Arabia and Burkina Faso.

 

The willful ignorance towards the fact that we spent £15million downgrading our goalkeeper position is utterly baffling to me. I don't understand why Bazunu is allowed to get away with putting in atrocious performances more regularly than keepers have with us previously. 

[Give it to Ron]

2 hours ago, Saint_clark said:

England mens national football team?

Dean Henderson? Alex McCarthy who apparently is better because we kept him? Joe Hart who is the same age but played all season for table topping Celtic? Freddie Woodman as an outside shout, having kept 16 clean sheets in the championship? 

Ah yes, totally comparable. England 2 places below France in the rankings and above Italy, Spain, Germany.

Ireland just below Mali and Ivory Coast and just above Saudi Arabia and Burkina Faso.

 

The willful ignorance towards the fact that we spent £15million downgrading our goalkeeper position is utterly baffling to me. I don't understand why Bazunu is allowed to get away with putting in atrocious performances more regularly than keepers have with us previously. 

Who would you drop him for? That’s the issue!

[The Cat]

2 hours ago, Saint_clark said:

England mens national football team?

Dean Henderson? Alex McCarthy who apparently is better because we kept him? Joe Hart who is the same age but played all season for table topping Celtic? Freddie Woodman as an outside shout, having kept 16 clean sheets in the championship? 

Ah yes, totally comparable. England 2 places below France in the rankings and above Italy, Spain, Germany.

Ireland just below Mali and Ivory Coast and just above Saudi Arabia and Burkina Faso.

 

The willful ignorance towards the fact that we spent £15million downgrading our goalkeeper position is utterly baffling to me. I don't understand why Bazunu is allowed to get away with putting in atrocious performances more regularly than keepers have with us previously. 

Harry Maguire has also been picked for the England squad. 

Forster in presumably because one of Pickford, Ramsdale or Pope are injured? Henderson is injured too.

Why would be pick McCarthy who doesn't play? Joe Hart plays for Celtic and, probably barely touches the ball and he's not going to select a Championship keeper with no international experience outside of friendlies.

Forster is in because, as a nation, our depth in goalkeeper quality is currently in a poor state and he happens to be next in line.

If Lloris wasn't injured then Forster wouldn't be playing for Spurs and he wouldn't be in the squad. 

[saintwbu]

Fraser Forster has got into the England squad because Nick Pope has pulled out injured. Dean Henderson is also currently out injured, but would normally make the squad. That makes Fraser Forster the 5th choice England goalkeeper. I’m struggling to think of another English goalkeeper in the Premier League who plays even remotely regularly, so he’s essentially in there on the basis of there being nobody else to choose. As someone pointed out on Saturday, he’s the first goalkeeper to concede three goals to us for more than a year - and yet people are clamouring for him back. 

[VectisSaint]

9 hours ago, Saint_clark said:

Meanwhile Forster gets called up to the England squad.

Playing for "Big 6" club. Doesn't matter if he is playing well or not.

[Saint_clark]

You've all convinced me. Gavin Bazunu is utter quality and is in no way responsible for the amount of goals we've conceded this season. No way we could do any better than him. 

Spurs signed Forster because he's worse. 

[Donatello]

Still think he should be doing much better for Spurs' second...decision-making wise. Because the chances of saving a header, from an inswinging cross, 4/5 yards out, are gonna be pretty remote, so the predominant strategy should be one of claiming/clearing the ball. Whereas, if you watch the highlights, that thought never seems to enter his mind. Maybe that's an confidence/experience thing though. 

 

[ErwinK1961]

1 hour ago, Saint_clark said:

You've all convinced me. Gavin Bazunu is utter quality and is in no way responsible for the amount of goals we've conceded this season. No way we could do any better than him. 

Spurs signed Forster because he's worse. 

What are you on about? Literally no-one is saying Bazunu is a better GK than Forster.

You seemed to be using Forster getting a call up to carry the drinks as some form of stick to beat Bazunu with, odd. 

You also seem to forget that FF chose NOT to sign a new contract and left on a free, we didn’t pick Bazunu over him.

We get it, you think he’s sh*t (as I’m sure most fans do), banging on about it every week is tedious. He’s no worse than what else we have, so just got to get on with it and get behind him (and the rest of the team).

[Chez]

49 minutes ago, Saint_clark said:

You've all convinced me. Gavin Bazunu is utter quality and is in no way responsible for the amount of goals we've conceded this season. No way we could do any better than him. 

We could, but we didn't. It's not like there was ever a choice made between retaining Forster and signing Bazunu though.

Ralph made the decision many moons ago now that McCarthy was his number 1...which caused a chain of events that perhaps were inevitable (OK, so maybe not inevitable, but predictable).

Essentially, this decision (made some time earlier) meant McCarthy got the contract extension and Forster walked on a free.

Lots of water went under the bridge after that decision. McCarthy's form went, he also go injured and possibly Ralph lost confidence in him too. Meanwhile, Forster rediscovered his form and looked the more solid of the two. But none of that mattered, as Ralph had made the choice and you could not turn back time. Nothing was going to keep Forster here after being sent out on loan and then made second choice to McCarthy. McCarthy had already been given his contract, signed a year earlier, and we were stuck with him.

We obviously then had two ageing keepers (McCarthy and Cabellero) on the books, so the next man in HAD to be younger and dare I say it, cheaper than McCarthy. It was then just about who? Bazunu was the choice - with Joe Shields key to making that decision.

Once Bazunu was here, it wasn't a surprise he was given the start, as faith in McCarthy may have gone. When Bazunu failed to shine McCarthy would probably have come in, but he was injured and 3rd choice Cabellero was probably just seen as a guy for emergencies.

 

[OldNick]

8 minutes ago, Chez said:

We could, but we didn't. It's not like there was ever a choice made between retaining Forster and signing Bazunu though.

Ralph made the decision many moons ago now that McCarthy was his number 1...which caused a chain of events that perhaps were inevitable (OK, so maybe not inevitable, but predictable).

Essentially, this decision (made some time earlier) meant McCarthy got the contract extension and Forster walked on a free.

Lots of water went under the bridge after that decision. McCarthy's form went, he also go injured and possibly Ralph lost confidence in him too. Meanwhile, Forster rediscovered his form and looked the more solid of the two. But none of that mattered, as Ralph had made the choice and you could not turn back time. Nothing was going to keep Forster here after being sent out on loan and then made second choice to McCarthy. McCarthy had already been given his contract, signed a year earlier, and we were stuck with him.

We obviously then had two ageing keepers (McCarthy and Cabellero) on the books, so the next man in HAD to be younger and dare I say it, cheaper than McCarthy. It was then just about who? Bazunu was the choice - with Joe Shields key to making that decision.

Once Bazunu was here, it wasn't a surprise he was given the start, as faith in McCarthy may have gone. When Bazunu failed to shine McCarthy would probably have come in, but he was injured and 3rd choice Cabellero was probably just seen as a guy for emergencies.

 

Like a few players imo McCarthy has had a rum deal with the fans. I do see him being poor in areas eg distribution but Pope is no better at that. I want my keeper to keep the ball out of the goal, defenders to be able to defend and not so worried if they are silky. As much as I dislike Dyche, he has it right, his defenders bleeding well defend to the end and he is not so worried about them playing around with it.

[Whitey Grandad]

2 hours ago, Donatello said:

Still think he should be doing much better for Spurs' second...decision-making wise. Because the chances of saving a header, from an inswinging cross, 4/5 yards out, are gonna be pretty remote, so the predominant strategy should be one of claiming/clearing the ball. Whereas, if you watch the highlights, that thought never seems to enter his mind. Maybe that's an confidence/experience thing though. 

 

He would never have got there in time. He might just have got in Kane's face but I doubt it. Two defenders and one attacker wasn't it?

And it was more than 4/5 yards out.

[HarvSFC]

Big test tonight against Mbappe and the rest of the French squad. Hopefully does well and doesn't kill his confidence.

[East Kent Saint]

Clean sheet in the first half mainly due to France not getting a shot on target out of 5 attempts !

[suewhistle]

Seems to be doing OK. From The Guardian MbM: " Bazunu makes his second full-length save of the match. Fine strike with goalkeeping to match."

[TS22]

Had a good game, few good saves, out quick a few times to gather the ball, the goal was a good strike in off the crossbar wasn't at fault.

[skintsaint]

56 minutes ago, TS22 said:

Had a good game, few good saves, out quick a few times to gather the ball, the goal was a good strike in off the crossbar wasn't at fault.

Saint Clark will be in soon to say he should have caught it.

[saintscottofthenortham]

 

Hate to say it again... But he has shot himself square in the foot with his positioning, again. A full dive got him to the centre of his goal. He is a good yard further forward than he should be, too. He thought more than once about coming for it, which was never on the cards, and just had no idea where he was when he finally made his mind up not to.

How more hasn't been said about DCC's antics in giving away the foul in the first place, which is inexplicable, has surprised me. But... You just can't get away with the above, at any level. It's worrying.

Edited 3 April, 2023 by saintscottofthenortham

[aintforever]

I thought his positioning was off and the above shows how bad it was. Looks to me like a classic mistake made through lack of experience. Even a shit keep with a bit of experience would know that it would take an extraordinary header to beat you from there if you were in position.

[Saint_clark]

On 27/03/2023 at 22:38, skintsaint said:

Saint Clark will be in soon to say he should have caught it.

Sorry missed this. He probably had a great game. Unfortunately it doesn't earn us any points when he helps get a result for his national side and if he is immediately back to being shit for us then his performances for them are irrelevant.

[Chez]

12 hours ago, saintscottofthenortham said:

 

Hate to say it again... But he has shot himself square in the foot with his positioning, again. A full dive got him to the centre of his goal. He is a good yard further forward than he should be, too. He thought more than once about coming for it, which was never on the cards, and just had no idea where he was when he finally made his mind up not to.

How more hasn't been said about DCC's antics in giving away the foul in the first place, which is inexplicable, has surprised me. But... You just can't get away with the above, at any level. It's worrying.

Poor positioning. He was equally poor positional wise for the free kick in the second half which he saved. If the free kick had been anywhere near the corner it would have gone in. He got away with it. To counter that, he wasn't half brave saving at the feet of a West Ham player in the second half. I was impressed by that.

I am surprised more hasn't been said by DCC's antics defending the free kick (from which they scored from).

You can see him in the second image above, just watching the guy who was right next to him when the free kick was taken, about to celebrate the goal, scored because he had left him totally unmarked and unchallenged.

He's a CB FFS. A bloody CB.  There is absolutely no desire whatsoever to win the header or even get back into an area where he might win a header. Two days later and I am still fuming about it. I'd like to post "never want to see him start for us ever again", but I always roll my eyes whenever I read posts like that, and perhaps there is a mitigating factor here that I haven't considered?  

Edited 4 April, 2023 by Chez

[Fabrice Fernandes no.1 fan]

1 hour ago, Chez said:

Poor positioning. He was equally poor positional wise for the free kick in the second half which he saved. If the free kick had been anywhere near the corner it would have gone in. He got away with it. To counter that, he wasn't half brave saving at the feet of a West Ham player in the second half. I was impressed by that.

I am surprised more hasn't been said by DCC's antics defending the free kick (from which they scored from).

You can see him in the second image above, just watching the guy who was right next to him when the free kick was taken, about to celebrate the goal, scored because he had left him totally unmarked and unchallenged.

He's a CB FFS. A bloody CB.  There is absolutely no desire whatsoever to win the header or even get back into an area where he might win a header. Two days later and I am still fuming about it. I'd like to post "never want to see him start for us ever again", but I always roll my eyes whenever I read posts like that, and perhaps there is a mitigating factor here that I haven't considered?  

What absolutely baffles me is how many times we have played an offside trap at these sorts of free-kicks this season, and had it very marginally either go for or against us, but persisted. It doesn't seem to be an effective way of defending, we don't clear the ball we just hope that everyone is offside and that our defence (who have been inept all year) suddenly learn to form a cohesive line. The best way to defend that sort of free kick is to try and have DCC be the man who gets his head to the ball, and get it clear, by actually defending the cross.

Overall its shit. We're playing a tactic that doesn't work, with players who aren't good enough, and exposing an already weak goalkeeper in the process.