Any goals his fault??Quote:
Originally Posted by pineapple stu
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Any goals his fault??Quote:
Originally Posted by pineapple stu
He's part of the backline, could be a problem of trust and communication, stuff we won't pick up on but could cause him to be dropped.
Seems to be a couple of close range headers going off the Guardian updates, which sounds more like defenders giving too much space than anything else. I'm guessing a bit there, but they don't call him up on things that I can see. One "farcical" own goal too, which always generates a bit of intrigue!Quote:
Originally Posted by Diggs246
Highlights will be interesting, but encouraging that he's started I guess.
Travers keeping a clean sheet against Villa (1-0 up), while Kelleher on the injury list again of course and not on the bench.
Southampton picking up where they left off from last season which is no shock. They were poor towards the end and better hope a few others struggle this year or they'll find themselves relegated. Bazunu has looked nervous but wouldn't put fault on him for the goals today.
Nothing he could do about any of the four goals to be fair to him.
Nothing. Watched the game and from early moments you knew it was going to be a long afternoon for Southampton. They were a shambles in transition. But none of the goals his fault or where you’d have thought he could do better.Quote:
Originally Posted by Eirambler
If I was going to be critical, he seemed a little reticent and did not seem to command his area as much as we’ve seen him do for Ireland. Maybe a little bit of what IU touches on a few posts above.
Watched the first half of the game. I thought he put in a good enough performance. Could do little about the goals and pulled off a couple of nice saves. The Southampton backline was a shambles.
Got tricked by James Maddison for Leicester's goal on Saturday. Not his finest moment.
To be fair to him, it was a brilliant free kick. The biggest question mark would be around the placement of the wall, but there's no camera angle I've seen that shows it.
Interestingly, on the highlights here, the co-commentator says "I'm really worried about the wall" before the free is taken. (I presume the commentary is live rather than recorded after, with the sort of silly hindsight that Eurosport made famous back in the day)
Brendan Rogers might be available soon if he does not start getting a few results for Leicester. I wonder if he fancies international management at relatively low wages ?Quote:
Originally Posted by pineapple stu
Interesting to see where Rogers would go next if his Leicester sojourn comes to an end ?
Given the fact he speaks Italian and Spanish, it wouldn't be strange seeing him pursue a career on the continent.Quote:
Originally Posted by seanfhear
Good game by Bazunu. Two brilliant saves in the first half, one of them from point-blank range. He played as a last man in defence for the Saints, was very alert when having to go out for a United long ball.
Perhaps a bit hesitant in a couple of high crosses, his defenders dealt with the ball well. Little to do regarding the goal, Fernandes placed the ball in the low corner, it was unstoppable.
Excellent last night again by all accounts,great to see him in good form ......
The Villa goal last night won't be one he looks back on fondly. Not a calamity but his hand wasn't as strong as you'd expect. He's had a good season overall so far, was highlighted before the game on Sky for this but not his best moment.
I think he'll be disappointed with it. Made a decent save but didn't push it away far enough. Another inch or two higher and it was over the bar and we'd all be calling it a great save. Fine lines at that level. Another learning curve for him.
I thought he got too solid a hand to it, or got to it a touch early. It's an outcome-dependent save - if it drops over the bar it's a great save, like one of his saves in Azerbaijan. I think it's one where a lighter touch safely gets it over the bar. Unlucky not to get away with it but I think it's an error.Quote:
Originally Posted by sadloserkid
It's a game of inches etc. He will be disappointed with it but I'd imagine he will make worse mistakes in his career. He's stepped up to the level really well so far but there will be plenty of errors to come. He's 20.
Not great at all for Everton's second. Ball is hit at him with force but he almost Matrix dives out of the way.
Southampton are so poor though. He gets very little help from what I can see.
Finally got his first clean sheet tonight.
Looked pretty solid apart from dropping the ball in stoppage time, nearly costing his team the win. Growing pains and all that with a young goalkeeper but I noticed that in another recent game where he had a few weak clearances/punches.Quote:
Originally Posted by JR89
He?s largely doing well but I think needs to improve on dealing with crosses and corners.
If other teams see this as a weakness. They will give him plenty of practice.
Perhaps as he fills out a bit he?ll get more confident. But fundamentally he needs to get better at judging whether to catch or punch those floating balls into the area, and if he does decide to punch, really get better at making proper contact.
In I believe Southampton?s previous match I counted something like three or four really poor punches. He got to the ball first, disrupted the attack in each case, but did not get proper distance.
He is very young for a top level keeper so I?m not trying to be overly critical here but it is an area he needs to target for serious improvement.
Very young and it's probably the main reason he chose to leave City to get this experience and tested at the highest level. Could have took the easy option and signed the new contract City offered and stayed there as second choice.
Yep not trying to knock Bazunu. He's got great natural talent, a tremendous attitude by all accounts -- and is on a trajectory that has all of us very hopeful. Just highlighting where he's at right now as it will be relevant if he's going to be The Guy during our qualification matches next year.
Hasenhuttl sacked today as Southampton manager. MotD last night had a stat that since March, they had conceded something like ten goals more than xG. You can argue the extent of its usefulness for sure, but it is used and they do have a poor defensive record - only Leicester, Forest and Bournemouth have conceded more, and Leicester are turning things around with only one goal (against Man City) conceded in the last five. Plus a new manager always looks to bring changes anyway, so it may be a worry that what happened to Travers might happen to Bazunu as well now.
Time will tell I guess.
Unless the new manager is allowed to bring in a new keeper I'd say Bazunu will be alright. Can't see them going back to McCarthy and Bazunu is their big summer signing so don't see the board sanctioning a move for a new keeper.
In the 14 PL games they've played this season they've only conceded more than one goal in 4 of those games. Just happens to be three of those four games they conceded four goals.
If a new manager comes in and can get them organised it should fix some problems because it's often like Moses parting the red sea the way opposition teams can cut through them on the attack.
Only Wolves and Everton have scored less than Southampton. Issues both ends of the pitch. I suppose that's why they are bottom 3 and sacked their manager?
Definitely issues at both ends - though they've no Irish forwards, so I didn't care about the lack of goals :)
I'd be wary of dismissing the problem as a leaky defence because similar was said here about Travers before he was dropped. A change of manager can be a risky time for any player really. If a new manager has a contact and can bring in players with him, the Board may go with that if it keeps them in the land of printing money.
He's probably safer than Travers for sure. But still not an ideal position to be in.
Just a hunch: I feel Southampton wouldn't suddenly tighten up if, other things being equal, they replaced Bazunu by reinstating McCarthy, but I feel Bournemouth have suddenly loosened up with Travers' return! I haven't seen the weekend's highlights yet though.
Luton have granted Southampton permission to speak with Nathan Jones.
Interesting development. I was watching them yesterday (first half only) and there is just something where my faith in Bazunu gets a little shaken watching him. He doesn't look confident at that level yet is the best way i can describe it.
Yes, I think he looks more at home for Ireland and looked more comfortable in himself in L1. He looks more like a guy worrying about stuff going wrong than a guy relishing the prospect of playing well.
I'd agree. He looks to be going through a bit of a rough patch and isn't making saves that he is capable of making. Possibly needed to go to a club where he wouldn't be quite so under pressure all the time. Anytime I see Southampton it looks like they have never played together at the back. Some of that is going to be down to Gavin himself of course but a more settled (better) unit in front of him would have helped all round. He must feel like every attack is going to involve a shot on target.
It's beginning to look like not playing regularly might work out well for Kelleher.
Had a feeling you might have that response! ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by third policeman
I'd still prefer Bazunu being out there making mistakes and being uncomfortable. It will stand to him in the long run but was always going to involve rocky spells.
Maybe I was being a bit tongue in cheek there, but maybe Bazunu’s elevation to the PL was a bit too premature. I only hope that he comes through this spell without it affecting his confidence.Quote:
Originally Posted by ontheotherhand
In fairness to Gavin and his ex-manager, most of that squad are championship level. Look at the back 4 that played the last game, Larios at right back, 18 years old, signed from City in the summer. He came off injured in the first half and was replaced by another 18 year old signed from City, Romeo Lavia. At centre back, Bella-Kotchap, 20 years old, very promising, signed this summer from Bochum in Germany but doesn’t look ready yet. Salisu at 23 was his partner, he’s never stood out to me. Perraud the most experienced is 25, signed from Brest last summer (2021).
Obviously Ward Prowse is pretty good but there’s too many ordinary footballers. Che Adams certainly doesn’t look like he should be leading the line for a premier league side and he’s a long way from guys like Danny Ings. I’d trust Michael Obafemi to impact better at that level than him. Adam Armstrong isn’t a PL player either. Sekou Mara is 20 and hasn’t scored a goal since signing.
Travers is struggling much much more than Bazunu. He was considered one of the best keepers in the championship last season and you’d have felt the premier league was the obvious next step. But his confidence is just shot. He was somewhat culpable for the third and fourth goals last weekend. The third was a corner headed through his legs and the fourth was a through ball which he didn’t really come off his line quick enough or far enough. For reference the pass is hit from the approx 35 yard range, Travers is on his 6 yard box, then takes a step backwards. He only moves forwards once the ball goes inside the box. The shot is hit at the penalty spot and he’s still inside his 6 yard box despite having 3 seconds to close the angle and possibly reach the ball first.
Hopefully kelleher plays on Wednesday for Liverpool. I’d say both Bazunu and Travers are a little less developed than I would have thought at the start of the season.
He's a strong lad mentally and it's not like he's having a complete shocker. Hopefully he's just a bit off in terms of positioning due to the faster pace of the game added to the chaos of having an unreliable group in front of him.Quote:
Originally Posted by third policeman
I think he'll be fine but it might be a rocky first year. Id expect him to get dropped at some point even. They will try everything to right the shop.
A more gradual rise to the Premiership may have been better all round though. A lot of pressure on him there now with the price tag and position.
If we end up with 3 premiership backup keepers we won't be much worse off than we were with Randolph most of the time. If Bazunu does get dropped I wonder would Kenny put Kelleher in for the friendlies? Will he regardless of what's happening at club level? Hard to say. He may need to use those games to boost Gavin's confidence now. Has Kelleher played a game yet this season or are they waiting for the cups?
Kelleher was injured and missed most of preseason and the six or seven weeks of the season, so had only been back on the bench over the last few weeks, but should get a game tomorrow. It’s a paradox but not playing regularly hasn’t looked like it’s been a problem when he’s played for us or Liverpool. He seems very assured and comfortable.Quote:
Originally Posted by ontheotherhand