Gavin Bazunu

[disconnect]

He's better than McCarthy, and dropping him near the end of last season for someone no better (who seemed to concede more soft goals?) felt pretty harsh. Wouldnt be adverse to signing a new number 1 for a season or two so long as Bazunu still got games and it meant McCarthy leaving!

[revolution saint]

I don't recall him making too many fantastic saves that I didn't expect him to make but there were a few I thought he was at fault for.  Seems to me that he's relatively comfortable with the ball at his feet so I expect him to stay and be first choice but personally I'd rather we had a good solid keeper even if his distribution isn't all that.
I don't think he's big enough either - not much he can do about it but his size is probably a disadvantage.

[Dusic]

I think he will stay and be no1 and would expect him to be significantly better for last seasons experience, in a poor team lacking in any stability of selection in defence.

Wonder what will happen with Lis? Will he replace McCarthy as no2 assume AMc goes, or will he end up at Valenciennes? Always felt like a multi club signing as a low risk free transfer.

[once_bitterne]

As we're giving a new contract to Cabellero then I assume this means our 3 keepers will stay as they are.

We really should have signed Sam Johnstone from WBA last season.  He is far superior to anything we have and ended up going to Palace to be their backup keeper (while still getting in the England squad)/

[Turkish]

4 minutes ago, once_bitterne said:

As we're giving a new contract to Cabellero then I assume this means our 3 keepers will stay as they are.

We really should have signed Sam Johnstone from WBA last season.  He is far superior to anything we have and ended up going to Palace to be their backup keeper (while still getting in the England squad)/

available free as well wasnt he? We are much smarter than that.

[notnowcato]

58 minutes ago, Whitey Grandad said:

Spreadsheet soccer. A totally meaninglessly metric. A ‘shot on target’ can be anything from a wild slash from forty yards to something stroked into the net from ten yards. Too many times last season the opposition was given the freedom to waltz into our penalty are and pick their spot.

You're right, in isolation the stat gives no context.  Were we relegated because of Bazunu?  Obviously not.  Our stats at the other end of the pitch were equally piss poor.

The stat that would give some concern would be the expected save stats, which I seem to remember there was some scope for improvement for Gavin.  Many were concerned at the start of last season that the step up from League 1 to EPL for such a young keeper was a huge risk.  Hopefully a reset for Gavin and the chance to prove himself in the Championship is what he needs.

[Turkish]

4 minutes ago, notnowcato said:

You're right, in isolation the stat gives no context.  Were we relegated because of Bazunu?  Obviously not.  Our stats at the other end of the pitch were equally piss poor.

The stat that would give some concern would be the expected save stats, which I seem to remember there was some scope for improvement for Gavin.  Many were concerned at the start of last season that the step up from League 1 to EPL for such a young keeper was a huge risk.  Hopefully a reset for Gavin and the chance to prove himself in the Championship is what he needs.

They say a good goalkeeper is worth 10-12 points a season, how many points was Bazunu worth? 

[Saint Garrett]

Although there is no doubt Baz was a liability last season, you'd like to think this will be his level next season. And as long as we have someone else competent that can step in for him if he's struggling (Macca / Willy) I've got no problem with him being first choice next season. The club has invested a decent amount of money into him, and I can't imagine they're going to give up on him that quickly. We can always re-assess in January if necessary.

Is it the ideal solution? Probably not. But I certainly see it as an option. You'd also hope we have a more competent defence for the level we're at in front of him next season too.

Edited 30 June, 2023 by Saint Garrett

[Saint86]

He needs competition for sure, but i would expect him to get game time this year. Strikes me as remarkably strong mentally (all things considered) and he's got good distribution and positioning as a sweeper keeper.

He was a great keeper for league 1 level, he's grown and developed since then, and had a year playing at a very high level. Provided his confidence / headspace is there, we really should be giving him a year to develop at the championship. He was always a development player. What are we going to do, not play him, then get promoted and loan him to another championship side even though we wouldn't use him ourselves? Far better to play him regularly, develop him at a level he should be ready for, and then take that into the prem if possible.

Edited 30 June, 2023 by Saint86

[sydney_saint]

He would probably do okay at a Championship side in the bottom half. If we are serious about promotion, he isn't anywhere near good enough. He was lucky that he joined a club that was willing to stick by him for most of the season and risk relegation. But. We did get relegated. I don't want us risking promotion just for his development all over again. He seemed horribly overpriced when we signed him and that's how it has turned out. 

[Weston Super Saint]

55 minutes ago, Turkish said:

They say a good goalkeeper is worth 10-12 points a season, how many points was Bazunu worth? 

I'm guessing it was a negative number...

[notnowcato]

2 hours ago, Turkish said:

They say a good goalkeeper is worth 10-12 points a season, how many points was Bazunu worth? 

They are?

Determine good. Are we talking Champions League level? Or is it relative to the level being played?

 

 

[Baird of the land]

Wasn't a fan of the signing but can't see beyond him starting as no1 this season, given we invested a lot in him and we've tonnes of other issues.

He impressed at league 1 level, so hopefully that wasn't his ceiling and that he'll be better at championship rather than being dunked in at the top level with no experience.

[Toadhall Saint]

3 hours ago, Disco Stu said:

If he's first choice next season, we won't be near the top 2.

We won’t be anywhere near top 2 end of.

[hypochondriac]

19 minutes ago, Toadhall Saint said:

We won’t be anywhere near top 2 end of.

Much too early to tell. 

[Sunglasses Ron]

32 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

Much too early to tell. 

Agreed.

You can't make such bold statements when there are so many unknowns. 

After a half dozen games maybe, but not now.

[Wade Garrett]

Giving him another chance would have been like giving Paul Moody another chance.

 

[Give it to Ron]

47 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

Much too early to tell. 

Exactly until we know who is in and out at end of September we won’t know.

Maybe foolish of me but am pinning a lot of hope on Mowbray after reading good reviews from Aberdeen and Boro?

We just simply must recruit better than Orisic, Diallo, Tall Paul, Lyanco and Bazanu

[once_bitterne]

3 hours ago, Turkish said:

available free as well wasnt he? We are much smarter than that.

Yep.  A free.  Why do that when you can piss away £12m on a bloke with holes in his hands.

[Chez]

Another summer, another complete mess in terms of goalkeepers.

Is McCarthy first choice now or was he picked just to be in the shop window? If his wage 60% of the £90k a week, or is it 60% of the reduced wage because he didn't play enough games last year? 

Will Lis be part of the goalkeeping set up this season? He doesn't appear in the Saints first team profiles. 

I'm surprised Cabellero has got a new deal. Perhaps that is a sign that McCarthy will depart, although not sure who is loaning/buying him. 

Are none of the young B team keepers deemed good enough to be considered 3rd choice (maybe even 4th choice?)  

[Charlie Wayman]

4 hours ago, Turkish said:

They say a good goalkeeper is worth 10-12 points a season, how many points was Bazunu worth? 

10-12. Without him we would probably have set a new low points total record for the PL

[Bad Wolf]

Not a great season however he got blamed for a lot of goals that simply wern't his fault The idea that he should have stopped all four goals against Liverpool on the last day is laughable. He was responsible for two (and even then he's hardly got a world class defence in front of him) he'll come good but he did not benefit from being thrown in at the deepend.

[FarehamSaintJames]

1 hour ago, Sunglasses Ron said:

Agreed.

You can't make such bold statements when there are so many unknowns. 

After a half dozen games maybe, but not now.

That’s the beauty of the EFL, you can be in the bottom third and still gain promotion at the end of it.

I won’t be concerned if we start off slowly. I will be concerned if we’re lower end come Christmas.

[Sunglasses Ron]

1 hour ago, FarehamSaintJames said:

That’s the beauty of the EFL, you can be in the bottom third and still gain promotion at the end of it.

I won’t be concerned if we start off slowly. I will be concerned if we’re lower end come Christmas.

Let's face it, Saints and starting slowly are synonymous with one another.

[StrangelyBrown]

For me much depends on who plays in front of him - if we somehow sign a couple of decent centre backs he'll be less of a gamble than if we persist with what we have a CB. A combination of Bazunu and centre backs who switch off is asking for trouble.

[Miltonaggro]

8 hours ago, Turkish said:

They say a good goalkeeper is worth 10-12 points a season, how many points was Bazunu worth? 

<

[Saint_clark]

12 hours ago, Whitey Grandad said:

Spreadsheet soccer. A totally meaninglessly metric. A ‘shot on target’ can be anything from a wild slash from forty yards to something stroked into the net from ten yards. Too many times last season the opposition was given the freedom to waltz into our penalty are and pick their spot.

I can remember plenty of instances of shots being straight at Bazunu or right next to him and him either getting nowhere near them, not being strong enough to keep them out or (at least once) actually palming it into his own net when it wasn't going in. 

[Whitey Grandad]

Just now, Saint_clark said:

I can remember plenty of instances of shots being straight at Bazunu or right next to him and him either getting nowhere near them, not being strong enough to keep them out or (at least once) actually palming it into his own net when it wasn't going in. 

I can’t 

[Saint_clark]

1 hour ago, Whitey Grandad said:

I can’t 

Losing your marbles, Grandad.

[Give it to Ron]

7 hours ago, Whitey Grandad said:

I can’t 

Leeds away for one!

[saintscottofthenortham]

As much as I picked fault in Bazunu last year, I think we'll see him in a very different light this year (should he stay). A year or two at this level will do him the world of good.

[Miltonaggro]

Don’t think Bazunu has the physical strength or craft currently - not big enough not savvy enough. These attributes may come as he develops as a footballer but he genuinely suffered last season as a Sport Republic poster boy and due to the lack of serious competition. Best scenario might be McCarthy exit and replace with a solid all rounder, GB dropping to number 2. Saints been linked with Dragowski and there is some decent experience, power and character there if Melton Mowbray can get it over the line. 

[Ed Rooney]

This thread gearing up for the fuck sake Bazunu your fuckin shit as a 30 yard worldie zooms past him first game of the season. 

[AlexLaw76]

1 minute ago, Ed Rooney said:

This thread gearing up for the fuck sake Bazunu your fuckin shit as a 30 yard worldie zooms past him first game of the season. 

why gear up for it? we all know he is

[Ed Rooney]

Just now, AlexLaw76 said:

why gear up for it? we all know he is

Yeah of course he is 

[Miltonaggro]

40 minutes ago, Ed Rooney said:

This thread gearing up for the fuck sake Bazunu your fuckin shit as a 30 yard worldie zooms past him first game of the season. 

If this Board are serious about promotion SFC will have to have a significant improvement on the 73 goals conceded last season - both the rare worldies and the regular soft as shitties.

[Ed Rooney]

8 hours ago, Miltonaggro said:

If this Board are serious about promotion SFC will have to have a significant improvement on the 73 goals conceded last season - both the rare worldies and the regular soft as shitties.

Agree, you can’t concede that many goals and finish well but… 

Hopefully at this level, we can significantly improve our general play and keep it up the other end a bit more, have a bit more in midfield on and off the ball, create more chances and score more than the piss poor totals we had in the Prem, that was absolutely a major factor in our premiership survival. Unfortunately there are many more experienced over rated outfield players to worry about above a 21 year old who clearly has potential and will only get better year on year.

i agree that Prem football was probably too early for him as GK’s in particular generally take longer to mature to top level, but he is defo not shit and quite often the goals he had no chance with last season were made out on here to be mistakes by him. Got a bit ridiculous in the end 

In my opinion. 
 

 

[Miltonaggro]

22 minutes ago, Ed Rooney said:

Agree, you can’t concede that many goals and finish well but… 

Hopefully at this level, we can significantly improve our general play and keep it up the other end a bit more, have a bit more in midfield on and off the ball, create more chances and score more than the piss poor totals we had in the Prem, that was absolutely a major factor in our premiership survival. Unfortunately there are many more experienced over rated outfield players to worry about above a 21 year old who clearly has potential and will only get better year on year.

i agree that Prem football was probably too early for him as GK’s in particular generally take longer to mature to top level, but he is defo not shit and quite often the goals he had no chance with last season were made out on here to be mistakes by him. Got a bit ridiculous in the end 

In my opinion. 
 

 

He’s a kid Ed, needs time to grow and learn his trade. I think this is on Sport Republic overthinking once again when we could have got likes of Johnstone on a free last summer. By all means keep Bazunu but develop the player, don’t risk a serious promotion push on such a critical position. 

[Saint Fan CaM]

5 minutes ago, Miltonaggro said:

He’s a kid Ed, needs time to grow and learn his trade. I think this is on Sport Republic overthinking once again when we could have got likes of Johnstone on a free last summer. By all means keep Bazunu but develop the player, don’t risk a serious promotion push on such a critical position. 

Got to agree. Kid has lots of potential, but there’s a reason the best keepers in the top two tiers of Brit football are mostly not youngsters. We (and he) deserve better from the club.

[HarvSFC]

Three far superior goalkeepers to Johnstone and Bazunu were available last summer. Neto, Leno and Henderson, moving to the three promoted clubs, so probably would have been open to coming here too. One cost £8m, cheaper than Bazunu, one was a free and the other a loan. Only issue is their resale, I guess, but then the Premier League money would have counteracted that. 

Forest didn't ignore the importance of a good goalkeeper by bringing in both Henderson and Navas.

[Scummer]

Burnley are spending £19m on a goalkeeper from Man City who has only ever played in league one. What could possibly go wrong? 😂

[AlexLaw76]

Man city are very good at shifting keepers for good money 

[Suhari]

3 hours ago, AlexLaw76 said:

Man city are very good at shifting keepers for good money 

I fucking hate it when sellers add a handling fee.

[Wade Garrett]

On 01/07/2023 at 07:51, Ed Rooney said:

This thread gearing up for the fuck sake Bazunu your fuckin shit as a 30 yard worldie zooms past him first game of the season. 

Or another one with no power goes right through him.

[skintsaint]

Burnley got promoted with a young keeper from Man City. Hopefully we can do the same 😅

[Lord Duckhunter]

15 hours ago, Suhari said:

I fucking hate it when sellers add a handling fee.

They let us off it with Baz. 

[goodymatt]

 

Edited 5 July, 2023 by goodymatt

[Miltonaggro]

We need experience this season rather than YTS, an agile athlete at the top of his game: 

[Badger]

3 hours ago, Miltonaggro said:

We need experience this season rather than YTS, an agile athlete at the top of his game: 

Is that Neville Southall ? 

[SotonianWill]

3 hours ago, Miltonaggro said:

We need experience this season rather than YTS, an agile athlete at the top of his game: 

Ah Wayne Shaw, just what we need