Gavin Bazunu

[saintquin]

I've been saying for years now that our goalkeeper coaches have made every one we get worse than when they've arrive.

Seeing the goals on the highlight show he's not the worst keeper in this league (yet).

[Saint Fan CaM]

26 minutes ago, Holmes_and_Watson said:

When someone said the other day that Martin had called him the best in the league, I thought they were joking. Not to slate Bazunu, but just that it couldn't possibly be so, could it? It came up again yesterday.

I thought there must be some context. We had some stats posted about last season from Saint Matty 76 (I think) and they showed Baz at the bottom. I think they might have showed him as the worst in premier League history.

Here it is (pinched from a rival forum, as we have no search function worth a bean)

"Just a quick disclaimer that a few people are going to moan about this post so if you're one of them, please just don't read it. Nobody cares if you think it's nonsense or you can't/don't want to understand it, it's not meant for you. It is just a further indication of quite how bad Bazunu has been this season.

The best way to judge keepers statistically is post-shot expected goals, as it actually takes into account the level of the shot being taken. If a player scores from 40 yards from a shot of 0.01 xG, it doesn't reflect properly on the fact that a keeper has a far larger chance than 0.01 of saving it. Bazunu has a PSxG of -11.1, which means statistically he's conceded 41 goals where the expectation is just 25.9. The most interesting thing about that to me is the fact that 25.9 is actually the 6th lowest in the league, behind just Newcastle, City, Arsenal, Brighton and United. 5 times who are a million miles further up the league than we are. This indicates that we haven't been terrible defensively this season, we've just been drastically let down by a goalkeepers underperformance. For comparison to the rest of the league, the next worst is Leeds (Meslier) at -5.8.

It's actually statistically the worst season by a goalkeeper in Premier League history. Bazunu has also made 54 saves in the league, with only Arsenal, Brighton and City's keepers making less. This has him at a 55% save rate, meaning he's now almost conceding a goal for any save he has to make. We have had 92 shots on target against us, which again is within the top 5 of the league. The argument here could be that our defenders are constantly leaving him in situations where he's not able to make the saves, but that's why the PSxG number above disproves that point.

TLDR - statistically we are within the top 5 fewest chances and shots on target faced each game, but Bazunu's underperformance is both the worst in the league by almost double, and the worst the PL has seen."

In terms of influencing results, goalkeeper is the most important player in a team. Successful teams always have a good one. Having the worst condemns you to fail. "

Our common sense was seeing this too. Our defence chopped and changed. There were errors. We'd lose by creating little, a defensive error that in the narrow margins we'd lose by proved costly, and relying on a goalkeeper with that 55% save rate.

And we're seeing the same thing this season.

Martin said “I've been made aware of this narrative around Gav. Last season has happened; you can't impact that. What he can impact is that he’ll be one of the best goalkeepers in the division for how we want to play. If I was going to look at a goalkeeper, I'd want to go and sign Gavin Bazunu. His mentality and how he's been, how he's trained, and how he played on Saturday - he can't do anything.

It's a glowing endorsement. But highlights are "will be" rather than "is" and "for how we want to play rather than "for what you'd normally expect a goalkeeper to be excellent at"

Presumably, our data analysts are seeing that Baz might be okay at passing it out from the back, compared to others. That his build may make him a little quicker to react under some situations. Things like that. And all what Martin wants. Because if Pep can bin Joe Hart for not being able to pass, we must be ahead of the game here with our passing 'keeper! And Martin can't get 80% posession, if the goalkeeper kicks it long or folds under a backpass (which Baz doesn't).

But the goals go in from positioning, from just making the wrong decision (often by just a second), from lack of strength in the parry or in the save.

I still think SR thought Ralph was a great fit, because they looked at figures over the term, rather than noticing that he'd been countered, and couldn't adjust.

With Baz, I often feel it's the same. Too much focus on the data of an individual while the team continue to lose. They may be seeing improvements, but the process, but at what cost when there were plenty of experienced options available last term?

Martin's right about his mentality. There's plenty to improve right across the team, and they often do Bazunu no favours. He's in a spotlight because of the importance of the position, and as the first person people look at when it goes in. He's had a torrid time, but is focused and committed.

If goalkeepers were judged on having scowly expressions, Baz would win the golden gloves every year.

But Matty's stats showed we weren't that bad in front of him, compared to what went in.

If Martin sorts out our defending, to at least reduce the efforts on our goal, we can only hope that Baz's save stats improve. Martin's tactic looks as though it would mentally test any goalkeeper, never mind a developing one.

I want all our players to do well, and for Baz to have a great season. I get the feeling it's going to be a painful journey, and at the risk of impacting our larger goals.

Excellent post - one of the best summaries I’ve seen on this forum.

[kristian]

51 minutes ago, saintquin said:

I've been saying for years now that our goalkeeper coaches have made every one we get worse than when they've arrive.

Seeing the goals on the highlight show he's not the worst keeper in this league (yet).

You could have been saying that for years but we've had 3 different keeper coaches in the last 4 years, it's possible they're all terrible, or it might just be the keepers and what's in front of them.

[Galway saint]

Bazanu is the sunken cost fallacy in action.  The club is not yet prepared to throw in the towel. It will come but takes time. Had he cost £4million we would have moved on by now but £15million is a big hit to take so I think he will be given the entire season unless he totally implodes 

 

[badgerx16]

3 minutes ago, Galway saint said:

Bazanu is the sunken cost fallacy in action.  The club is not yet prepared to throw in the towel. It will come but takes time. Had he cost £4million we would have moved on by now but £15million is a big hit to take so I think he will be given the entire season unless he totally implodes 

 

Bang goes automatic promotion.

[Ralph Fastenbüttl]

16 hours ago, JRM said:

For me he just doesn't save enough shots, every team we play against will just plan to get as many shots on target as possible, goals will come

 

 

I'd not actually watched the goals because, well, why the fuck would I. Plus, I think you lot are very unfair on Baz sometimes.

But...

Fuck me, that is some woeful shit. Regardless of the defensive errors (which were admittedly dreadful), that's gotta be one of the worst keeping displays I've seen for Saints. Making excuses for this shit is starting to get pretty tiresome.

It doesn't feel like an exaggeration to say that the lad might cost us promotion.

[Holmes_and_Watson]

1 hour ago, Saint Fan CaM said:

Excellent post - one of the best summaries I’ve seen on this forum.

Thanks. Very nice of you to say.

[ally_uk]

Never rated him is a liability bit like have Holgate and Manning all have weekend our back line...... 

Why can't we just sign a keeper wirh a bit of experience and can actually keep a clean sheet or two 

[Miltonaggro]

2 hours ago, JRM said:

I think you are spot on mate, need to get you a ticket for the next fans forum to make this argument to Martin. 

If he’s still here. 

[bpsaint]

It’s not too late for RM to hold up his hands and admit his mistake by bringing in a free agent GK. we all remember the galvanising effect it had when we bought in Boruc after the window had closed in our first season back in the Prem, it could have the same effect once more.

Here’s the current list of free agent goalkeepers according to Transfer Market

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/spieler/vertragslosespieler/statistik/1/plus//galerie/0?ausrichtung=Torwart&spielerposition_id=alle&land_id=alle&altersklasse=&wettbewerb_id=alle&seit=alle&yt0=Show

Edited 3 September, 2023 by bpsaint

[Osvaldorama]

1 hour ago, ally_uk said:

Never rated him is a liability bit like have Holgate and Manning all have weekend our back line...... 

Why can't we just sign a keeper wirh a bit of experience and can actually keep a clean sheet or two 

Yeah you can carry a couple of passengers in the championship defensively and still be a good team. (Danny Fox springs to mind). But that’s only if the spine of the team is great. 
 

When 3 of your back 5 are horrific and one of the others is Bednarek, and your manager leaves the DM out… what hope do you have?

Feel sorry for Bazunu. He’s so young and I really want it to work. But I honestly cannot understand the club backing him to this insane level  

 

 

[Crab Lungs]

If and when we do tighten up we will still concede when we shouldn’t because he doesn’t save anything.

[Highfield Saint]

At least we’ve got this season’s scapegoat appointed early 

what’s next on the shit list?

 

[Miltonaggro]

39 minutes ago, Crab Lungs said:

If and when we do tighten up we will still concede when we shouldn’t because he doesn’t save anything.

This is the crux, and then he’ll be losing team mates as well as the crowd. In our first three games we got away with it, yesterday Mowbray had worked out how we’d set up and exactly who to target. More will follow his example. If Martin cares about Bazunu’s development beyond lip service and toeing the boardroom line he’ll take him out of the firing line, as Maresca’s Leicester side could well have him on toast. 

[Harry_SFC]

Well we know McCarthy is just as bad/worse than Bazunu, so I guess it's Lumley's turn..

[Sheaf Saint]

2 minutes ago, Harry_SFC said:

Well we know McCarthy is just as bad/worse than Bazunu, so I guess it's Lumley's turn..

I dunno. Macca is limited, but at least I've seen him occasionally make top drawer saves when I was sure it was going in. Never seen Baz do that.

As a shot-stopper, Macca is far better than Baz, but his distribution is shockingly bad.

[JRM]

24 minutes ago, Highfield Saint said:

At least we’ve got this season’s scapegoat appointed early 

what’s next on the shit list?

 

A scapegoat would imply the fans were lazily looking for someone to blame,  what I see instead is mostly criticism backed up with reasons why. 

I'd love him to become the best keeper in the land on our way back up but its just not going to happen.  

I called out concerns over a year ago when I first saw him play,  too small, not vocal and out of position,  man city took the piss with the fee for a youngster who had only played league one including a year getting relegated with Rochdale 

[Highfield Saint]

13 minutes ago, JRM said:

A scapegoat would imply the fans were lazily looking for someone to blame,  what I see instead is mostly criticism backed up with reasons why. 

 

Definitely not lazy. Some people are working pretty hard to blame him. 

The lazy bit is the fact that now, on here, Bazunu=shit regardless
 

Admittedly it’s from a small but very vocal sample size

[saintquin]

4 hours ago, kristian said:

You could have been saying that for years but we've had 3 different keeper coaches in the last 4 years, it's possible they're all terrible, or it might just be the keepers and what's in front of them.

That's why I said coaches!

[saintant]

21 minutes ago, Highfield Saint said:

Definitely not lazy. Some people are working pretty hard to blame him. 

The lazy bit is the fact that now, on here, Bazunu=shit regardless
 

Admittedly it’s from a small but very vocal sample size

I'm not sure anyone is making Baz a scapegoat. Many of us had concerns last season and he continues to make the same basic errors - he's not the only one and other players get called out too. Far too many shots/headers beat him that a competent keeper should be saving. People are welcome to say otherwise and come to his defence but what I see is a very weak goalkeeper. I'd love him to suddenly start making brilliant saves and cutting out the mistakes but I can't see any evidence that it will happen. Time for RM to take him out of the firing line for his own good because he isn't ready to play at this level.

[Holmes_and_Watson]

51 minutes ago, Harry_SFC said:

Well we know McCarthy is just as bad/worse than Bazunu, so I guess it's Lumley's turn..

It's clear that the coaching team value the things Bazunu does well, to compliment the posession tactic, over the things he needs to develop. As Sheaf Saint said, Macca is better in some areas. I've no idea about Lumley. Was he brought in to q)provide genuine competition to Baz for that posession game 2) As a push to get McCarthy out the door 3) He was free and available and we needed someone to fill Willy's squad place?

2 hours ago, bpsaint said:

It’s not too late for RM to hold up his hands and admit his mistake by bringing in a free agent GK. we all remember the galvanising effect it had when we bought in Boruc after the window had closed in our first season back in the Prem, it could have the same effect once more.

Here’s the current list of free agent goalkeepers according to Transfer Market

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/spieler/vertragslosespieler/statistik/1/plus//galerie/0?ausrichtung=Torwart&spielerposition_id=alle&land_id=alle&altersklasse=&wettbewerb_id=alle&seit=alle&yt0=Show

I think the applies to frees as much as to Lumley and McCarthy. SR watched several, experienced keepers go to other clubs, preferring Bazunu. That could mean they really see the benefits in Bazunu's game and are happy with the speed of development. It might mean they are utterly bloody minded, and determined to persist in chasing a value of this player. If it's the first, then a free agent would have to tick a lot of boxes in the posession game to get in. If it's the second, they'll keep going with Baz regardless. A third option of bringing in a replacement for them all would be a bit of a climb down, not to mention perhaps not helping Martin out tactically ( despite how common sense it must seem to a lot of us).

34 minutes ago, JRM said:

A scapegoat would imply the fans were lazily looking for someone to blame,  what I see instead is mostly criticism backed up with reasons why. 

I'd love him to become the best keeper in the land on our way back up but its just not going to happen.  

I called out concerns over a year ago when I first saw him play,  too small, not vocal and out of position,  man city took the piss with the fee for a youngster who had only played league one including a year getting relegated with Rochdale 

I agree that's not going to happen. We're not see that kind of rapid development, even with the best will in the world (which a number are saying anyway)

Getting Martin's system bedded in will help him. He will still have weaknesses, but at least he'd not have the addition of everything not breaking down in front of him. Martin's system ships in goals, so it's going to be tough. He's now having to develop to counter different areas of weakness in front of him. Again. In addition to areas pointed out by lots.

At the same time he hopefully gradually improves (putting thicker than his wrists reinforcements in his 'keepers jersey at least 🙂), while showing Martin why he's in the team - being key to us holding and using the ball well in posession. If Martin would buy Bazunu given a free choice, then we'll see why (and sometimes we do).

11 minutes ago, Highfield Saint said:

Definitely not lazy. Some people are working pretty hard to blame him. 

The lazy bit is the fact that now, on here, Bazunu=shit regardless
 

Admittedly it’s from a small but very vocal sample size

I think we could all pick apart any number of the goals against us and take a number of players to task. Do that over several goals, and we'd see the same faces emerge (exceptions for new tactics where they all look equally clueless at times, which can be just as much the coaches fault 🙂)

Bazunu can't be blamed in a wider sense. I've no doubt he trains very hard. He wants to be the best he can be. And being our first choice remains a great place for him to learn. Behind that endless scowl, I've no doubt he feels every set of eyes on him. It's a massive amount of pressure at any age. I do hope that he can keep that perspective, after errors by him or others lead to rotten days. He's come back in after being replaced by McCarthy at the end of last season, and done the best he can. No question of his commitment.

It's the responsibility of the manager to know when to rest or play him, without wrecking him. It's the responsibility of SR to use their data and recruitment to give us the best available option in that position, and adequate cover too.

1 hour ago, Crab Lungs said:

If and when we do tighten up we will still concede when we shouldn’t because he doesn’t save anything.

That's going to be a worry. There's a focus on sell ons and ceilings. But those ceilings turn out to be moveable, and players will all hit their levels differently, and have things that will only improve more gradually. But I'll be looking just as much at SR and the coaching for those decisions, well before hanging Bazunu out to dry, as frustrating as it can get during matches (covering myself in advance of commentary threads there 🙂)

[FarehamSaintJames]

He was poor yesterday, but let’s face it, what player wasn’t?

He isn’t our best keeper and we should’ve got a new one last January when he was woefully low on confidence and we clearly needed it. We didn’t, and we’ve stuck with him now.

Just have to get on with it.

Ask yourself, Gavin Bazunu or Alex McCarthy?

[Lighthouse]

3 hours ago, Sheaf Saint said:

I dunno. Macca is limited, but at least I've seen him occasionally make top drawer saves when I was sure it was going in. Never seen Baz do that.

As a shot-stopper, Macca is far better than Baz, but his distribution is shockingly bad.

McCarthy is worse than Bazunu, he came in at the end of last season and conceded 17 in 6 games. His distribution is terrible, puts the defence under pressure and he’s forced into saves Bazunu would never even have to attempt. We concede more goals with McC in goal but whoever we play there won’t stand a fair chance until we sort out the tombola defence in front of him.

[macca155]

There are 5 members of that defence, plus the coach who sets it up. Bazuna is just one of them.

I think he is the least responsible for Saturday's debacle.  Now that is a relative statement, he'll probably not be over keen to watch the DVD on Monday, but I think the spotlight needs to be elsewhere.

None of those players are bad players. They've all fought their way through the academy system. However, at the moment they are set up wrong, playing a weird system, and crucially have no protection in front of them.

Sort that out and Bazuna might just have a chance to develop properly.

 

 

[Turkish]

19 minutes ago, macca155 said:

There are 5 members of that defence, plus the coach who sets it up. Bazuna is just one of them.

I think he is the least responsible for Saturday's debacle.  Now that is a relative statement, he'll probably not be over keen to watch the DVD on Monday, but I think the spotlight needs to be elsewhere.

None of those players are bad players. They've all fought their way through the academy system. However, at the moment they are set up wrong, playing a weird system, and crucially have no protection in front of them.

Sort that out and Bazuna might just have a chance to develop properly.

 

 

The defenders are different, the system is different, the managers are different even the division is different yet we are still conceding goals from nearly every shot on target. Ask yourself what the common denominator is

[Lighthouse]

1 minute ago, Turkish said:

The defenders are different, the system is different, the managers are different even the division is different yet we are still conceding goals from nearly every shot on target. Ask yourself what the common denominator is

The common denominator is, ironically, things being different every game.

[Turkish]

1 minute ago, Lighthouse said:

The common denominator is, ironically, things being different every game.

But the weakness is our defence is consistent every game 

[Dr Who?]

I’m sorry but he is just not good enough. He was not good enough in the premier league and he is not good enough at this level. We need to sort it and it is criminal that it was not put right in the window. Does not help that are defending is gash as well, from the midfield to defence. Everything about Saturday was completely wrong in the balance of the side and the mistakes made, but our keeper is is invisible, completely awful and should not be anywhere near the starting line up! 

Edited 3 September, 2023 by Dr Who?

[Lighthouse]

1 minute ago, Turkish said:

But the weakness is our defence is consistent every game 

Yep. That's what happens when you change it every game. Let's have six consecutive games of starting KWP, Jan, THB and Manning and see how Baz looks at the end of that.

[Turkish]

1 minute ago, Lighthouse said:

Yep. That's what happens when you change it every game. Let's have six consecutive games of starting KWP, Jan, THB and Manning and see how Baz looks at the end of that.

How will that improve him ability to push shots round the post instead of weakly going through is wrists? 

[The Kraken]

2 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

Yep. That's what happens when you change it every game. Let's have six consecutive games of starting KWP, Jan, THB and Manning and see how Baz looks at the end of that.

I look forward to them sorting out his crisp packet wrists.

[Holmes_and_Watson]

1 minute ago, Lighthouse said:

Yep. That's what happens when you change it every game. Let's have six consecutive games of starting KWP, Jan, THB and Manning and see how Baz looks at the end of that.

Glad you didn't say "Let's have six consecutive games of starting KWP, Jan, HOLGATE and Manning and see how Baz looks at the end of that."

Being talked out of hanging himself off the crossbar by the Samaritans is how that would have ended. 🙂

[VectisSaint]

6 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

Yep. That's what happens when you change it every game. Let's have six consecutive games of starting KWP, Jan, THB and Manning and see how Baz looks at the end of that.

Need settled MF as well, Downes and Charles, just having the same back 4 is not enough, we all know it is the MF that protect the defenders and ultimately the keeper.

[Miltonaggro]

1 hour ago, Turkish said:

But the weakness is our defence is consistent every game 

Yes, if only the pesky opposition would stop shooting at the goal and give Gavin the time and space he needs.

[chiknsmack]

1. Unsighted, could've done better but would've been a great save.

2. Free header at the back post, again could've done better/stayed bigger but not his fault.

3. Great shot across him into the side of the net. Not an expert on positioning, but looks borderline unsaveable regardless.

4. Free header loops in just inside the post. My criticism would be what's he doing pushing the opposition player around instead of getting ready to make a save (you're a keeper and there's no VAR; "accidentally" run your studs down his achilles one time and you'll have your six yard box to yourself for the rest of the game), and why does he take a second little hop after the header but before he dives for it? He looks to have slow reactions at times, but I'm not sure if it's actual slow reactions or these extra little hops leaving him too late to make the save.

5. Manning howler leaves a free shot.

6. Manning slips, untracked near post run leaves a tap in.

7. Unsighted, in off the post. Again it looks like slow reactions but I give the benefit of the doubt to the fact he was shifting his weight to the right to try to see around players in front of him.

8. Untracked run back post, great header downwards. Maybe could've done better (save with his foot or rush the player to cut down the angle once he sees there's a free header incoming)?

9. Thick deflection, which is then curling away from him along the ground. Maybe could've done better.

10. Should've saved it; his first and only howler for a goal this season. The presence of a couple of players in his eyeline didn't help, and you can lay the primary blame with Holgate for turning the ball over and then charging out of position (with a dishonourable mention for Downes' defending afterwards) but not good from Bazunu.

11. Great first save after Holgate gifts his man a free header (pushed wide and well away from goal) but can't save a tap in after Holgate has an airswing on the low ball back in. Arguably, after covering the near post in case the ball back in is a shot, he should be quicker to move back across goal when he sees it's not. But that's harsh.

12. Unmarked man (/kid) back post has a largely free header (token effort from a late-arriving Downes, though arguable KWP should've handed off his man) and heads down well. Could've done better, maybe should've been a little more central.

I'd like to see him stay bigger and be more aggressive, and his slow reactions/extra hops before diving don't help him, AND there have been a few poor saves from him which haven't resulted in goals, but there's also been plenty of terrible play in front of him to put him under pressure.

He's not a very good shot stopper, but he's very good in possession. For the way the manager wants to play, that's better than being a good shot stopper who can't pass to save his life. In an ideal world you'd have both, and mixed in with the dross there have been some great saves from Bazunu so maybe in time he'll provide both (certainly for the price paid for him he should do). He's clearly the best keeper on the books and "YHGTI", so while I get the exact opposite feeling when a shot comes in ("Oh no, this is a goal") to the one I used to get before a JWP free kick ("Oh yes, this is a goal") I'll support him because he's the best and only option right now. (Whether he should be or not is another matter.)

[Saint_clark]

49 minutes ago, chiknsmack said:

so while I get the exact opposite feeling when a shot comes in ("Oh no, this is a goal") 

Amazing. A goalkeeper that anytime a shot comes in you think "oh no, this is a goal" and you're happy with him because he can pass it. 

By the way, for all this lauded passing ability i've only seen him pass it short to the defenders and punt it upfield usually to be given away, not seen any decent distribution to the fullbacks/wingers etc. 

[saintant]

2 hours ago, Saint_clark said:

Amazing. A goalkeeper that anytime a shot comes in you think "oh no, this is a goal" and you're happy with him because he can pass it. 

By the way, for all this lauded passing ability i've only seen him pass it short to the defenders and punt it upfield usually to be given away, not seen any decent distribution to the fullbacks/wingers etc. 

Agree on the distribution point. Highly over-rated from what I've seen so far. Like you say, he is fine at the the simple stuff but, other than that, he tends to just lump it aimlessly. Compare that to the long passes of many other keepers and he's pretty average at best.

[macca155]

12 hours ago, Turkish said:

The defenders are different, the system is different, the managers are different even the division is different yet we are still conceding goals from nearly every shot on target. Ask yourself what the common denominator is

Law of averages Turkish. If your defence is so loose it allows the opposition to pepper the goal with shots, inevitably some are going in.

That isn't a defence of Bazuna, there are issues there but Peter Shilton would struggle behind a defence set up like that.

It's been a mess for years, I can't remember the last manager to have it sorted, Koeman I guess.

It is priority no 1 and needs urgent action.

[SambaMaverick]

11 minutes ago, macca155 said:

Law of averages Turkish. If your defence is so loose it allows the opposition to pepper the goal with shots, inevitably some are going in.

That isn't a defence of Bazuna, there are issues there but Peter Shilton would struggle behind a defence set up like that.

It's been a mess for years, I can't remember the last manager to have it sorted, Koeman I guess.

It is priority no 1 and needs urgent action.

It wasn't really a problem last season - particularly for the first two thirds of the season.

Only Man United, Arsenal, Man City, Brighton and Newcastle faced less shots on target than we did.

That's why some of us have already lost our patience with Bazunu, and he's hardly doing anything to put it right this season - although admittedly the defence is more of a mess.

[Turkish]

22 minutes ago, macca155 said:

Law of averages Turkish. If your defence is so loose it allows the opposition to pepper the goal with shots, inevitably some are going in.

That isn't a defence of Bazuna, there are issues there but Peter Shilton would struggle behind a defence set up like that.

It's been a mess for years, I can't remember the last manager to have it sorted, Koeman I guess.

It is priority no 1 and needs urgent action.

Koeman though had an experienced keeper, an experienced Centre back and then brought in quality to play alongside them, Alderwierld and Van Dijk. We've relied on a kid on goal who had never played above league one level and obsession with youth and resale value, rather than bringing in quality and experience in key positions. Attacks win games, defences win titles i believe a great man once said.

[Convict Colony]

4 hours ago, chiknsmack said:

1. Unsighted, could've done better but would've been a great save.

2. Free header at the back post, again could've done better/stayed bigger but not his fault.

3. Great shot across him into the side of the net. Not an expert on positioning, but looks borderline unsaveable regardless.

4. Free header loops in just inside the post. My criticism would be what's he doing pushing the opposition player around instead of getting ready to make a save (you're a keeper and there's no VAR; "accidentally" run your studs down his achilles one time and you'll have your six yard box to yourself for the rest of the game), and why does he take a second little hop after the header but before he dives for it? He looks to have slow reactions at times, but I'm not sure if it's actual slow reactions or these extra little hops leaving him too late to make the save.

5. Manning howler leaves a free shot.

6. Manning slips, untracked near post run leaves a tap in.

7. Unsighted, in off the post. Again it looks like slow reactions but I give the benefit of the doubt to the fact he was shifting his weight to the right to try to see around players in front of him.

8. Untracked run back post, great header downwards. Maybe could've done better (save with his foot or rush the player to cut down the angle once he sees there's a free header incoming)?

9. Thick deflection, which is then curling away from him along the ground. Maybe could've done better.

10. Should've saved it; his first and only howler for a goal this season. The presence of a couple of players in his eyeline didn't help, and you can lay the primary blame with Holgate for turning the ball over and then charging out of position (with a dishonourable mention for Downes' defending afterwards) but not good from Bazunu.

11. Great first save after Holgate gifts his man a free header (pushed wide and well away from goal) but can't save a tap in after Holgate has an airswing on the low ball back in. Arguably, after covering the near post in case the ball back in is a shot, he should be quicker to move back across goal when he sees it's not. But that's harsh.

12. Unmarked man (/kid) back post has a largely free header (token effort from a late-arriving Downes, though arguable KWP should've handed off his man) and heads down well. Could've done better, maybe should've been a little more central.

I'd like to see him stay bigger and be more aggressive, and his slow reactions/extra hops before diving don't help him, AND there have been a few poor saves from him which haven't resulted in goals, but there's also been plenty of terrible play in front of him to put him under pressure.

He's not a very good shot stopper, but he's very good in possession. For the way the manager wants to play, that's better than being a good shot stopper who can't pass to save his life. In an ideal world you'd have both, and mixed in with the dross there have been some great saves from Bazunu so maybe in time he'll provide both (certainly for the price paid for him he should do). He's clearly the best keeper on the books and "YHGTI", so while I get the exact opposite feeling when a shot comes in ("Oh no, this is a goal") to the one I used to get before a JWP free kick ("Oh yes, this is a goal") I'll support him because he's the best and only option right now. (Whether he should be or not is another matter.)

This is the sort of posts i like on here, someone has gone and looked at each of the goals and given a fair reflection of what went wrong rather than building a narrative on 1 player.

Teams concede goals together and from the forwards backwards they all carry blame from not tracking back, missing tackles, giving the ball away etc etc before the ball is even near the goalie.

Its like we expect the goalie to be an un-defeatable robot, they make mistakes.

People keep lauding kasper schemical but he conceded 6 v spurs, 4 v bournemouth etc etc, its never just the goalie.

 

[CHAPEL END CHARLIE]

It's not all his fault of course, but methinks the decision to rely upon this young and inexperienced goal keeper was - arguably - one of the principle factors behind last season's utter disaster. I'm also thinking that Bazunu is showing every sign of costing us a golden promotion opportunity this season, unless something changes that is. It's well nigh incomprehensible to me why we have placed ourselves in danger of repeating last season's critical error - I can only think that our coaching staff must be seeing something in him that a ordinary fan,such as myself, just can't. 

But right or wrong surly signing a experienced - that is top of the championship level at least - back up keeper should really have been very near the top of our transfer priority list given the generous amount of money available. 

[Osvaldorama]

Just seen on Twitter that he’s statistically second worst this season so far for expected shots conceded. 
 

At least that’s an improvement from last season I guess 

[Baird of the land]

Interesting hearing on TSP that leicester have 5 senior keepers.

Reinforces the feeling that we should have done something different than the Lumley signing even if we were aiming for Bazanu to suddenly find his feet. Right now we're in a position where we really have no alternative to keep persisting with him and hope that he has more competent displays where we protect him better (Qpr) than games like saturday where he was poor and we exposed him badly.

 

[Convict Colony]

If Wilcox thinks we need a keeper he will get a free one or loan one.

[Dman]

Just now, Convict Colony said:

If Wilcox thinks we need a keeper he will get a free one or loan one.

We're not getting another keeper. We're stuck with Baz at the very least until McCarthy leaves the club. 

[saintant]

12 minutes ago, Dman said:

We're not getting another keeper. We're stuck with Baz at the very least until McCarthy leaves the club. 

If Baz continues to make errors (I get that he's not the only one) and we find ourselves losing ground in the promotion race because of the goalkeeping weakness I think JW will have no choice but to look for another keeper in January.  

[stevy777_x]

2 hours ago, Convict Colony said:

This is the sort of posts i like on here, someone has gone and looked at each of the goals and given a fair reflection of what went wrong rather than building a narrative on 1 player.

Teams concede goals together and from the forwards backwards they all carry blame from not tracking back, missing tackles, giving the ball away etc etc before the ball is even near the goalie.

Its like we expect the goalie to be an un-defeatable robot, they make mistakes.

People keep lauding kasper schemical but he conceded 6 v spurs, 4 v bournemouth etc etc, its never just the goalie.

 

Kasper Schmeichel does not have a catastrophic save to shots ratio like Bazunu’s which was the worst across european leagues last season.

You can blame team collective for goals conceded but not when we systematically concede when the majority of opposition’s shot on target

[Lord Duckhunter]

2 hours ago, Convict Colony said:

 

Teams concede goals together and from the forwards backwards they all carry blame from not tracking back, missing tackles, giving the ball away etc etc before the ball is even near the goalie.

Its like we expect the goalie to be an un-defeatable robot, they make mistakes.

 

 

Most keepers do 3 things. 
 

1. Make really good saves 

2. Make saves they should make.

3. Make errors.

 

He only does the last 2. Any shot or header anywhere near the corner or struck decently is a goal. 
 

You can analyse the goals he’s conceded all you want, but a championship keeper should be saving some of the ones he lets in that aren’t outright howlers. He doesn’t save anything a third of fourth tier keeper wouldn’t save. 
 

Fucking hell, he’s either the unluckiest keeper in the world, every shot on target is unsaveable or he’s fucking pony. I know which one I think it is

[sydney_saint]

2 hours ago, Turkish said:

Koeman though had an experienced keeper, an experienced Centre back and then brought in quality to play alongside them, Alderwierld and Van Dijk. We've relied on a kid on goal who had never played above league one level and obsession with youth and resale value, rather than bringing in quality and experience in key positions. Attacks win games, defences win titles i believe a great man once said.

The thing about the resale is that it just don't work for keepers. I understand the model with kids in attacking positions. Tella has one good season in the Championship and he's worth 20m. Lavia a dozen excellent prem matches and he's worth over 50m. If Edozie bags 15 goals this season he will probably be worth 30-40m. People can disagree with the approach (I do to a certain extent, the club should be more than how much we can sell players for) but I can at least see the logic behind it.

With Baz, I don't see the logic. The math isn't mathing. Keepers just don't sell for that much.

I just had a look on Transfermarkt. He is already the 43rd most expensive goalkeeper in history, and would have been in the top 40 when we signed him! To double in value, he would have to be in the top 10 most expensive goalkeepers of all time! The amount we paid isn't a 'project'. That's how much you pay for an established and experienced prem goalkeeper, not some kid who is statistically one of the worst in Europe who has never paid above League One level. The clubs needs to admit it has totally fucked this up. Even IF he turns out good, the reward isn't going to be some massive transfer cheque. It could be decent, but we aren't going to see Lavia type money. And right now he has contributed to us losing premier league status, and could cost us promotion. It's just not worth the perseverance.