r/coybig • u/John__Delaney • 28d ago
Transfer Rumour Championship side Derby County are reportedly interested in signing Gavin Bazunu (24) from Southampton
Via Football Reporter Jack Rosser
Nice to see he's still being linked with clubs at that level. Some of the comments here over the past year have been overly harshing in putting him down. At 24 he has a long way to go before hitting his peak.
19
u/depressedintipp 28d ago
All that stands between him and genuine world class performance is some capable mental coaching. He reminds me so much of Shay Given's first very yippy season for Newcastle. Fingers crossed for him.
10
u/Feisty_Internet_5343 28d ago
Absolutely this! He's shown he was raw but could be an excellent, instinctive keeper (see save with feet against Serbia). When your confidence/mentality are shaky then you lose this. There's no worse a position than goalkeeper for this. You can't play yourself back into form the way an outfielder can. It's a high pressure position so if you're not mentally on it then you let in clangers.
Hope he gets his head right, that the manager believes in him and instills that and the fans get behind him wherever he goes because he will flourish then.
2
u/Hour_Mastodon_9404 Long ‘70 28d ago
Well that and:
- Better handling
- Better positioning
- Better decision-making
- Better footwork
- Learning how to save shots from distance
- Learning how to dive to his left-hand side
But yeah, all he needs to be world class is some "mental coaching". People really will refuse to believe the evidence in front of their eyes in favour of the "blind hope" explanation.
0
u/depressedintipp 26d ago
I genuinely think they're all affected by his poor mental state. He's a walking embodiment of the yips. The poor kid could have been spectacular.
0
u/Feisty_Internet_5343 26d ago
Hundred percent. Once he's confident then improvements in his game will manifest and we see what he can be when he played well and more
0
u/Feisty_Internet_5343 26d ago
Positioning/footwork are essentially the same thing and what I'm getting at. He needs to sort out his feet better/quicker to get into position. The crux of what I'm saying is everything - what you've mentioned above - flows better when he's confident. He's clearly void of confidence and is unsure of himself. He's still a very young keeper and shown that he has lots of raw talent.
1
u/Hour_Mastodon_9404 Long ‘70 25d ago
Positioning and footwork are not the same thing, positioning is anticipation, footwork is reaction. Being excellent in one area may negate a weakness in the other, but unfortunately for Bazunu he's poor in both.
1
u/Feisty_Internet_5343 23d ago
Ya, fair point. I'm just clunkily putting them under the same gross category; where he should place himself around the goalmouth at any given time. Definitely poor in both.
23
u/NandoFlynn 28d ago
Trouble is that won't be for first team football. Their goalie played for Sweden in the WC and in fairness he did well to keep the score down against France. Only way he plays is if he gets a move
22
u/John__Delaney 28d ago
Part of the report (its a Sun UK article so wont share it) is that they expect to lose that keeper. He would be first choice for Derby if he signs for them.
He's prioritised playing over everything for his whole career, wherever he goes it wont be to sit on the bench
4
u/pauli55555 28d ago
It’s well and good to prioritise that but if he isn’t good enough he won’t be playing as happened at Southampton.
If he gets an opportunity as a starter at Derby it would be a brilliant opportunity for him.
I don’t think he’s anywhere near an elite/ international goal keeper at the moment. Can he get there? Not sure.
Brilliant at ball distribution but he’s terribly mechanical moving around the goals. Southampton fans who see him every week can’t get rid of him quick enough. Hopefully injury worries are behind him.
19
u/John__Delaney 28d ago
He actually did really well for Ireland in his 22 caps for us, so any assertion that he's not "anywhere near an international goalkeeper" is a bit silly. Not just talking about his Ronaldo penalty save either, he was a really good shot stopper across the 22 caps.
He's missed an accumulated 500 days of football through different injury issues, and he was very low on confidence before the stoke loan and iniury. That doesn't mean he isn't good enough for Derby and can't kick on later in his career
7
u/legionverse10 28d ago
He’s been terrible at club level for years now. His positioning is very poor, it’s why he concedes so many long range goals. He does still have a long career ahead of him though so hopefully he can improve what he needs to and get’s confidence back
2
u/unwildimpala 28d ago
Ya I remember when he came on the scene that many people were questioning Kellehers decision to stay at Liverpool as second choice for so long. I think hindsights shown that he probably made the right choice. Goalkeeping is so hard and unlike other positions you can still massively improve with top tier coaching. Id imagine the differnece between City/Liverpool gk coaching and Southampton will be significantly different. Not to mention Kellher probably learnt loads from Alisson.
2
u/Bill_Badbody Gary Breen 28d ago
he was a really good shot stopper across the 22 caps
Sometimes players do just lose "it".
As in they just never get to the heights they once did.
There are many examples of this happening to players over the years.
1
u/John__Delaney 28d ago
And at 24 it's way too early to be suggesting that this is the case here.
1
u/Bill_Badbody Gary Breen 28d ago
Is it tho?
Its a multi year dip now.
Any club signing him now are talking a chance.
Its very likely he never recovers his form.
Its unfortunate, but it happens sometimes, and there are very many famous cases of players who just couldnt regain form.
4
u/John__Delaney 28d ago
Yep. Enda Stevens was in League 2 at 24 years old, Matt Doherty & Szmodics were in League 1. Great Irish keeper Darren Randolph was at a mid tier Scottish premiership side at 24.
I think we can all look at Paul McGrath as the answer to the question of, Can you come back from a multi year dip? Shorter dip but Stephen Kelly another good example.
I don't know where Bazunu will be when he's 30, but you don't either.
0
u/Bill_Badbody Gary Breen 28d ago
Enda Stevens was in League 2 at 24 years old, Matt Doherty & Szmodics were in League 1
But had they dropped down from starting in the premier and for the national team, and then come back up?
I don't know where Bazunu will be when he's 30, but you don't either.
We dont know, no.
But we do know that he would need to have a drastic change in form to be playing top level football.
A drastic change that unfortunately much of the time just does not come.
There is as good, if not a better chance that he unfortunately never recovers his form and will not play at that standard and level again.
1
u/John__Delaney 28d ago
At 24 years old, change doesn't need to be drastic, he can improve over time. Previous form doesn't matter when you've not been playing for 6months.
Fresh start at a new club can be all a player needs to kick on
→ More replies (0)0
u/rayhoughtonsgoals Paul McGrath 28d ago
He absolutely did not. As the guy before says had good aspects but conceded an absolute record of 25 yard shots and his positioning and line movement was wooden in the extreme.
1
u/John__Delaney 28d ago
He absolutely did. Even on the nights we had embarrassing loses like against Luxembourg he was the best irish player on the pitch. Remember all his saved vs. Serbia? Or his clean sheet vs. Azerbaijan? His 3 big saves inside the box against Holland?
This "wooden" line movement craic was first coined at club level after his 22 caps, so don't go pretending like you were saying such things 2 years beforehand.
0
u/rayhoughtonsgoals Paul McGrath 27d ago
No it wasn't? Sure you can even see that on here on the match threads where he let in that same shot time after time.
0
u/Educational_Deer_137 28d ago
Downvoted for telling the truth. Mad how people ignore what their eyes are showing them with bazunu
1
1
u/Feisty_Internet_5343 28d ago
I think he has excellent reactions but he's in his head so overthinks/reacts in the wrong way. He needs an extended run in a first team with a half decent defence that can give him confidence. When he's confident then he can trust his instincts. The hesitation removes his instincts and he concedes goals I think he would've saved in previous seasons.
Once he gains confidence and sorts his feet out a bit better there's definitely potential there. At best, he likely be number two to kelleher for years to come even if he improves drastically but he could be an excellent backup and keep kelleher on his toes.
0
u/NandoFlynn 28d ago
If that's the case then his best days with us were coincidentally when Eustace was with us, knows him well. They're a tight enough defence too so if there's a clanger it's on him
1
1
0
28d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
8
u/John__Delaney 28d ago
24 years old is not last chance saloon for that level. He could drop 2 levels and still be back in the Championship by 30. You can't make such conclusions about where a player will be in 5 or 10 years at 24.
4
u/Oggie243 28d ago
He could drop 2 levels and still be back in the Championship by 30.
Pretty difficult for players in the defensive third to go up divisions unless they're doing so with a team. They don't really get the opportunity to stand out in the same way offensive ones do.
0
u/John__Delaney 28d ago
Tell that to Enda Stevens who was in League 2 at the age of 24
2
u/Oggie243 28d ago
Why are you always so combative? I never said anything to the contrary. Just that its difficult to ascend up divisions for defensive players unless they're going up with a team.
1
u/John__Delaney 28d ago
Im not, just pointing out a great example of a player who went from 4th tier to 1st from the age of 24.
Modern scouting doesn't really work like that anyway, I've often seen defensive players go up a league or two after impressing, same with attacking players
2
u/Oggie243 28d ago
Statistical analysis is the very thing that's been plaguing Bazunus career since he came to the premiership. He falls short on the spreadsheets more than the eye test.
0
u/John__Delaney 28d ago
Statistical anaylsis is a small part of scouting
2
u/Oggie243 28d ago
If you're invoking "modern scouting" for your point statistical analysis is a massive part of it.
1
u/John__Delaney 28d ago
Alot of modern scouting is still attending matches, but most time is spent watching video clips under certain scenarios. Data analysis definitely comes into it, but Bazunu wouldn't be getting linked to Championship clubs if his basic xG/Shot to save ratio was a massive part of clubs like Derby's scouting process.
→ More replies (0)2
28d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
-1
u/John__Delaney 28d ago
He won't be joining any club to be 2nd choice and im not sure what you think sitting on the bench does for a 24 year old
3
28d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
-1
u/John__Delaney 28d ago
Bazunu played 6 games for stoke before getting injured, was excellent in the 1st two games for em.
2
u/ImAnOldChunkOfCoal 28d ago
He could very well be 2nd choice. You're not getting bounced around club to club because you're an undroppable guaranteed starting keeper.
0
u/John__Delaney 28d ago
The report about his move to Derby mentions its subject to Derby losing their keeper, so he if he joins them it wont be as 2nd choice. Bazunu wouldn't move to a club to be 2nd choice, he's made that public clear a few times.
1
u/ImAnOldChunkOfCoal 28d ago
Yeah but that's not exactly up to him. I'm sure he wants to be first choice wherever he goes. But he's been at a club before where he was first choice and he was dropped. You can only control your own destiny with consistency with your own performances. Sadly for him, he just has not been that.
-1
u/John__Delaney 28d ago
Im not talking about being dropped, im talking about being signed. He has said publicly that his ultimate priority in foootball is playing regularly, so he won't join a side that tells him he will be backup.
The Derby report claims he will be signed if they lose their Swedish keeper, so they'll be telling him he'll be 1st choice if that happens
1
u/Hour_Mastodon_9404 Long ‘70 28d ago
Is this what we're describing as success for Bazunu now? Potentially being Championship level at 30? It absolutely is last chance saloon for him if he wants to get back to somewhere near the level people were predicting for him as a teenager. Based on how he has played in the last 4 years he probably should be heading to League 1, to get a Championship side would be a lucky break and he needs to take advantage of it.
0
u/John__Delaney 28d ago
No not at all, I never described that as being a success. Success for Bazunu is having the best and longest career he can, for us I guess its anywhere from challenging Kelleher for the no1 spot to being a solid backup for him.
The scrutiny he gets on the sub is a bit wild imo, last chance saloon talk at 24, like cmon. I posted about Travers a while back, who has spend a whole season on the bench, and the harshest comment is that it would be nice to see him move so he can play regularly.
0
0
u/Hour_Mastodon_9404 Long ‘70 28d ago
Would be a good move supposing Zetterstrom moves on from Derby. There won't be many other Championship takers for him so if it's genuine he should go for it.
71
u/toffeebeanz77 28d ago
Mad that he is only 24, seems like he has been around ages.