Gavin Bazunu G Southampton b.2002

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Originally Posted by seanfhear

I doubt if Bazunu would be too impressed if a fella that is hardly playing was picked before him. I wouldn't blame Bazunu for that either

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He probably should stop conceding so many goals so. The xG stats are a real concern. I think in fairness though he'd understand if Kelleher started in March tbh.

I wonder if he could have come for either of the crosses Brentford scored from? The second more so than the first I think. Tough call as they weren't from far out enough to comfortably read the flight of the ball, but even a punch on either and the header doesn't come in. He seems to flap at a cross or two a game and I wonder if that stops him committing for more crosses?

Whoscored rated him 5.52 for the game, and strangely Southampton's two centre-backs both got 7+ (strangely because they've generally been crap all season) Not sure why the low score but maybe it's as simple as he conceded three goals from four shots and didn't really pull off any good saves, etc, to warrant a higher score

Not getting into the "who is better" argument but wouldn't it be a touch hypocritical for Kenny to bench Bazunu (still starter for a Premier League side and playing ok) for Kelleher who cant buy a game and as such we have no real body of evidence when he dropped McGrath and others from the squads for not having any game time?

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Originally Posted by pineapple stu

I wonder if he could have come for either of the crosses Brentford scored from?

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No. Good decision making not to come for those balls. First cross the Brentford player wanted it more, second cross was slack defending to give a free header.
Just for balance, the local newspaper says the following

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Gavin Bazunu - Rounded by Yoane Wissa inside the first ten minutes but was relieved to see the forward hit the crossbar. Did well to claim the ball after a flick on from a long throw while Christian Norgaard closed him down. Could do little for the goals conceded as Brentford players were allowed time and space to pick out their spots. 6
https://www.hampshirelive.news/sport...atings-8112703

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I think he did fine but it’s three goals against. Southampton’s manager post-match comments are telling, all a bit of a shambles really.

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Originally Posted by SkStu

Not getting into the "who is better" argument but wouldn't it be a touch hypocritical for Kenny to bench Bazunu (still starter for a Premier League side and playing ok) for Kelleher who cant buy a game and as such we have no real body of evidence when he dropped McGrath and others from the squads for not having any game time?

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Maybe Max O’Leary can be brought into the Bazunu or Kelleher conversation? But he had a blunder at the weekend.

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Originally Posted by pineapple stu

I wonder if he could have come for either of the crosses Brentford scored from? The second more so than the first I think. Tough call as they weren't from far out enough to comfortably read the flight of the ball, but even a punch on either and the header doesn't come in. He seems to flap at a cross or two a game and I wonder if that stops him committing for more crosses?

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I actually think you're losing it a bit now tbh. Zero chance any of those crosses were for a goalkeeper to claim.

And though I see elatedscum's point about the third goal, it went in off the post. It literally couldn't have been any wider from him while still being a goal. I think the point would have been more valid for Newcastle's first goal the other night.

My concern is simply that conceding goals becomes a habit. Right now I'd probably prefer a keeper not playing much than a keeper conceding regularly even if generally not his fault. And Kelleher looks more ready for big boy football right now. I think Bazunu still looks like a boy finding his way out there. But let's not go looking for mistakes he didn't even make or obscure ratings sites.

Bazunu has one of the greatest managers in Europe, if not the world in charge at Southampton. I'm sure he can sort their defence out but if Southampton outrageously sack him, you have to hope the next manager tightens things up at the back. He's more comfortable with Egan, Collins and O'Shea in front of him.

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Originally Posted by SkStu

wouldn't it be a touch hypocritical for Kenny to bench Bazunu (still starter for a Premier League side and playing ok) for Kelleher who cant buy a game and as such we have no real body of evidence when he dropped McGrath and others from the squads for not having any game time?

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I don't think so. McGrath wasn't getting his game at Wigan in the English third tier (and I'm not sure was he injured for some of that time). Kelleher is back-up keeper at one of the biggest clubs in the world (well, if you exclude this season's shambles of course). Keepers by their nature are either going to start or not; an outfield player not getting any game time at all is a bigger worry I would have thought (and I've . And we had other options to replace McGrath anyway, who was always a fringe squad player for us really.

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Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

I actually think you're losing it a bit now tbh. Zero chance any of those crosses were for a goalkeeper to claim.

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No need to personalise things Stutts. I'm inclined to agree with you alright but I'm throwing out the suggestion for debate. I only pick the whoscored site as it has player ratings together in one place (and with what seems a more big data angle, which is the way the game is going)- I don't know how obscure it is or indeed how relevant that is to what it's saying. It seems consistent enough with other stats sites in saying Bazunu is having a poor season for a poor side. But I suppose easier to dismiss the source than engage in the debate?

Apologies. I do engage in the debate but think it goes far beyond rational debate at times and I think the comment above was an example of it, and not for the first time either.

I honestly think the reason I'm more nervous about Bazunu starting for Ireland these days is because of the discussion on this site. I have more invested defending Bazunu than I do Kelleher. If Kelleher starts I can't lose!

Looks nearly certain to be playing for his 3rd manager of the season soon after losing to 10 men at home today,difficult first season in the Prem for him and confidence probably not very high at the minute........
A dilemma for Kenny for next month for sure...

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Originally Posted by joey B

Looks nearly certain to be playing for his 3rd manager of the season soon after losing to 10 men at home today,difficult first season in the Prem for him and confidence probably not very high at the minute........
A dilemma for Kenny for next month for sure...

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Sacked him this morning. Really baffling appointment in the first place.

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Originally Posted by BOOMSHAKALAKA

Bazunu has one of the greatest managers in Europe, if not the world in charge at Southampton.

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Not any more

Jones's interview on MOTD last night was cringeworthy. Probably a bit shell-shocked but "we started really well, really regressive" takes football inarticulacy to new levels! Not many managers are as poor in front of a camera as him, and I'd say he's even worse than Kenny in that regard.

I only saw the highlights but Baz was blameless for the goals. A triple-touch OG and a well-placed shot that should never have been allowed to have happened by midfield/defenders, who were simply beaten by greater desire to win the ball.

I wouldn't be surprised to see a new manager change the keeper as a first act though. Sometimes a change of keeper just acts as a kind of reset.

Last night I watched Fraser Forster who recently left Southampton for spurs. Late in his career I know but at times in his career he's been formidable, both for Southampton and Celtic. He looked ordinary enough shipping 4 yesterday, not to blame but failed to save two (I think) "might have saved" shots. I've been playing a mental game with myself since the keeper debate started in earnest on this site and I've been asking myself which keepers on TV are clearly better than ours and which saves/goals we'd be picking apart if our lads were in goal. I think there are a lot of keepers playing to a standard above ours even down into the Championship but at the same time I do see a lot of goals conceded without any goalkeeper criticism that we'd be going "hmm" about. It goes without saying though that being a fan increases your subjectivity I suppose.

Bazunu was the only premier league starter this weekend (I think). (Coleman could start tomorrow)

That feels like a bit of a(n) historic low. Tets - any insight into when we last had only 1 player or 0 players start a premier league weekend?

Probably sometime last season. Coleman was second choice to Patterson for awhile, Hendrick and Clark were surplus to requirements at Newcastle, Doherty was in and out of the team, Collins wasn't a regular starter till the end of the season and Duffy dropped out of the starting XI around Christmas because of injuries.

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Originally Posted by elatedscum

Bazunu was the only premier league starter this weekend (I think). (Coleman could start tomorrow)

That feels like a bit of a(n) historic low. Tets - any insight into when we last had only 1 player or 0 players start a premier league weekend?

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Yeah, it's happened a few times, and obviously getting more frequent in recent years
However, there hasn't been a full weekend of fixtures(ie ten games) with only one Irish starting player yet, but there was only one starting player in the six games on the weekend of Friday, 15th April 2022 - Nathan Collins for Burnley away to West Ham on Sunday, 17th April
There's been only one player in weekends with nine fixtures twice, and in both cases it was Seamus Coleman for Everton

• The weekend of Friday, 10th December 2021 - away to Crystal Palace on Sunday, 12th December
• The weekend of Friday, 26th November 2021 - away to Brentford on Sunday, 28th November

Incidentally, if Coleman does play tonight, he'll reach 400 appearances for Everton

Southampton are 1/5 to get relegated, not looking good for them.

https://twitter.com/ballsdotie/statu...IrZS4jUKA&s=19

Bazunu being linked with Chelsea. Not sure I believe it, or even think it would be a good move just yet but I am convinced he will make this kind of move in next 3 years or so

It's a Chelsea fan with a podcast and who writes online articles that started it, and what he mentions is Bazunu is popular among the Chelsea recruitment team.

The Man City head of academy recruitment, Joe Shields, that signed Bazunu when he joined Southampton as head of senior recruitment in the summer now works as part of the recruitment team at Chelsea.

So could be talked about amongst the recruitment team as a young long term option given they did sign a few young players in the summer. Though did sign that young American keeper whose highly touted in the summer. Possibly a 2+2=5 situation of Joe Shields is now at Chelsea and might look at players he knows like Bazunu and Lavia.

Looking at Bazunu's career path to date, I don't see him wanting to go to Chelsea to be a backup keeper. And that's what he would be if he went there next season. A year in the Championship with Southampton would do him no harm at all. Southampton - assuming they go down - need to do a Burnley and use some smart recruitment around the players they already have to bounce straight back up.

Given the money they've spent this season between two managers that shouldn't have been at Southampton then smart recruitment might not be the new owners forte.

Was clear towards the end of last season that Hasenhuttl's time was up and should have been replaced in the summer but they stuck with him, and the less said about Nathan Jones the better.

Southampton are only 4 points off safety which I'd imagine is unusual for the bottom team after 22 games. Might a good managerial appointment keep them up? Wolves got a big lift after Lopetegui joined.

Edit: Jesse Marsch seems to be in the mix.