Gavin Bazunu G Standard Liege (loan from Southampton) b.2002

Does anyone remember Given having a few difficult spells? Dropped at Newcastle? Remember Robbie Keane barely got a run out with Inter Milan, he only scored 4 goals in a season for Leeds when he was 21.

Players go through bad spells and on learning curves. People may make a judgement on players at a particular moment, I do it myself but we can be too rash in making judgements. Every player goes through peaks and troughs, well most players at this level.

Foot.ie posters might have been worrying about Robbie Keane in 2001, writing about Richard Dunne falling down the league's and all that kinda stuff. Hindsight tells us we should relax and watch these babies develop. I'm not really sure what my point is but I'm clicking post quick reply and nobody can stop me.

BOOMSHAKALAKA!!!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

I thought Bazunu could have done better trying to cut out a low cross last week but Jaysus, Chelsea’s Kepa just carefully shepherded a similar ball into Mahrez’s path for City’s goal. Practically an assist.

---

He actively avoided contact with low crosses at least twice.

Bazunu and Travers both in line for Save of the Month...if there was a howler of the month they might be in line for that too but..swings and roundabouts etc.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BOOMSHAKALAKA

Does anyone remember Given having a few difficult spells? Dropped at Newcastle? Remember Robbie Keane barely got a run out with Inter Milan, he only scored 4 goals in a season for Leeds when he was 21.

Players go through bad spells and on learning curves. People may make a judgement on players at a particular moment, I do it myself but we can be too rash in making judgements. Every player goes through peaks and troughs, well most players at this level.

Foot.ie posters might have been worrying about Robbie Keane in 2001, writing about Richard Dunne falling down the league's and all that kinda stuff. Hindsight tells us we should relax and watch these babies develop. I'm not really sure what my point is but I'm clicking post quick reply and nobody can stop me.

BOOMSHAKALAKA!!!

---

I actually remember discussing Robbie with a Leeds supporting pal over 20 years ago and how bad he was in one-on-ones for Leeds. He went on to become a master of those situations. Except in Paris :(

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

I actually remember discussing Robbie with a Leeds supporting pal over 20 years ago and how bad he was in one-on-ones for Leeds. He went on to become a master of those situations. Except in Paris :(

---

That was Duff that missed in paris

Did Keane not try to round Lloris and ran it too wide and over the line?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Eirambler

Cunningham was the only centre back at that time that I had any confidence in. And even he was originally a right back at club level if I remember correctly, Mick tried to turn him and, bizarrely, Ian Harte into centre backs because we were so short (so was Ian as it turned out and that part of the experiment didn't last too long).

Staunton was a left midfielder, turned left back, turned centre back who was only there because he had no pace left to play any other position, Dunne was talented but unprofessional and miles from the standout defender he would later become and Breen pretty much guaranteed you one shocker of a mistake per game and it was usually just a question of whether we got away with it that day or not. It was a long way from the Moran/McGrath/McCarthy/O'Leary days just a few years previous to that.

---

You've said exactly what I was thinking. Always felt any game Breen was likely to mess up and then funnily enough blame someone else. He was friendly with Connoly for a good while too, their personalities matched. A keen interest in apportioning blame everywhere but at themselves. Staunton was so slow and laboured, we had two very good full backs in the mould of wing backs now but our CD did not inspire any sort of confidence outside of Kenny Cunningham. And i know at the time the feeling around Breen was shared with most Irish supporters.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

I thought Bazunu could have done better trying to cut out a low cross last week but Jaysus, Chelsea’s Kepa just carefully shepherded a similar ball into Mahrez’s path for City’s goal. Practically an assist.

---

That's getting analyzed all over Twitter....What was he playing at? Seemed to have 0 awareness of anything outside of the shot threat. Genuinely could have reached the ball even late on but watched it go by him to the back post.

Bazunu probably could have done a little better with Crystal Palace opener today.

Nearly point blank range so I’d probably give him a break on that one, God knows he needs one!

Solid second half from Gavin, one save, and one vital punch to intercept the last palace attack. He was definitive. Good win from Southampton. Hopefully this will ignite their league form too and help Gav get back on better form.

His distribution is noticeably a lot more hit and hope under Jones mind you, not surprising

Otherwise decent game with a couple of important interventions. Southampton through to the next round.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by tommy_c12000

Nearly point blank range so I’d probably give him a break on that one, God knows he needs one!

---

Suppose they're the margins you're looking at, aren't you? Look at Martinez in the World Cup Final facing a much better-struck shot for example.

But Southampton do feel like a team that need a win. An easy home tie next would be great - but unfortunately it's Man City in the League Cup on Wednesday...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by tommy_c12000

Nearly point blank range so I’d probably give him a break on that one, God knows he needs one!

Solid second half from Gavin, one save, and one vital punch to intercept the last palace attack. He was definitive. Good win from Southampton. Hopefully this will ignite their league form too and help Gav get back on better form.

His distribution is noticeably a lot more hit and hope under Jones mind you, not surprising

---

Yeah his distribution stuck out against Forest as well. He was just lumping it high and long. That's disappointing.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Suppose they're the margins you're looking at, aren't you? Look at Martinez in the World Cup Final facing a much better-struck shot for example.

But Southampton do feel like a team that need a win. An easy home tie next would be great - but unfortunately it's Man City in the League Cup on Wednesday...

---

Ah Jaysus ! !

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by elatedscum

That's a pretty small pool to work with. Think we've had 5 or 6 first choice keepers in the last 30 years, with Given being the only one to earn the gloves young enough to be compared to Bazunu.

But I'll try... John O'Shea? Made a lot of mistakes in an Ireland shirt (and for United too) early in his career. From an Ireland perspective, Trap came in and the mistakes stopped.

---

John O'Sheas a good one, he had 2 good years playing relatively consistently with Utd and mainly in Centre of Defence, the more he played in that position he did alright but had a few dodgy moments. He was moved out then, and definitely had more of them. BUt i never felt as nervous about him as I did about Breen and O'Shea would have been playing in a higher pressured environment definitely more at stake with united.

Played well tonight against City. Solid and unspectacular. Wasn’t overly tested it must be said but he did what he was asked to. Nice to see him keep a clean sheet.

(still a few mins left, hope I haven’t put a hex on him)

Great for him and his club to get into a semi final,City were dreadful but hopefully this is a catalyst for him for the rest of the season....

I wouldn't be getting too carried away with the clean sheet. City were awful no shots on target.

My apologies for the giddiness above :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by paul_oshea

I wouldn't be getting too carried away with the clean sheet. City were awful no shots on target.

---

well haaland would have had two but bazunu prevented them