Gavin Bazunu has played a key role in Southampton's promotion. Photo: Steve Reigate for The Telegraph
These were the shades of Harry Redknapp's famously impassioned defense of Frank Lampard at West Ham United when Russell Martin met Southampton fans earlier this season.
The new manager asked for assurances that he would look after the core of the team, including the goalkeeping position, after Gavin Bazunu conceded four goals the previous Saturday against Norwich City.
Martin was not impressed. “We have no problems with the goalkeeper,” he replied. “We have a full-fledged national team player — he is 20 years old. He will learn incredible lessons from last year playing in a team that finished last in the Premier League. It's definitely not easy for a young goalkeeper. I was informed about this story around Gav.
“He will be one of the best goalkeepers in the division. In terms of how we want to play, if I was going to look at a goalkeeper, I would want to sign Gavin Bazunu. There was nothing he could do on Saturday. Not his problem. At all. There are guys in front of him. Gavin will be a huge asset to this club.»
Bazunu has endured a tough season between the sticks in 2022. 23rd place when Southampton were relegated. Photo: PA Wire/Martin Rickett
Six months and 35 games later, including a 25-game unbeaten run, Bazunu arrives at Anfield with Southampton in the FA Cup fifth round, having justified Martin's faith. Combining the influence of Manchester City's academy with first-team experience as a teenager for Shamrock Rovers, Rochdale and Portsmouth, Bazunu is part of a new group of goalkeepers whose impact can be measured at both ends of the pitch.
< p>Thus, in addition to his 10 clean sheets in the championship, there are more attractive statistics. For example, he was closely involved this season, scoring eight league goals and making 55 passes that resulted in an attacking shot. Both figures are the highest figures for any Championship goalkeeper, and it doesn't take long at Southampton's training ground to realize that this is no quirk of fate.“I've always been good at keeping the ball at my feet,” explains Bazunu. “The manager gave me the opportunity to become even more influential. He just tells me to stay brave. I love being brave. I like to take the right risks. Risk will always be part of the game, especially for a goalkeeper.
“Every day we train to do the same thing in a confined space. Every day we do something with our feet. And in training it is more difficult than when we play. Sometimes we go outside and it seems easy compared to what we are used to. We know we have people's support and trust.
“The most important thing is to [still] be a good stopper… keep the ball out of the net, and then distribution and calmness become an added advantage. You also need to improve this side of the game.”
Bazunu has 10 clean sheets in the championship. Author: Steve Reigate, author: Telegraph
All this means that a typical day involves not only traditional goalkeeper training, peppered with shots and crosses, but also participation in the sort of quick-passing, rondo-style drills made famous by Pep Guardiola. The post-match analysis also goes well beyond Bazunu's defensive contributions to his positioning, availability, distribution and even creative vision. This could mean deliberately drawing an approaching player towards his target before waiting for the optimal moment of release. The stakes are high, but the rewards can be huge.
It has also challenged traditional notions of risk, with players now believing that the overall danger actually increases if they retreat to a more traditional «clean lines» approach. Thus, Southampton will have little chance of compromising their playing style, even against rivals Liverpool, who have perhaps the most powerful attacking press in Europe.
“Risks happen all over the pitch — it's just that when you're on your third party, people can be a lot more nervous,” says Bazunu. “But as you've seen so many times this season, it really hurts teams. The impact can be seen over a long period of time.
“The most important thing is movement and time for each of us. We try to stay at a close distance so that we can always help our teammate. This means taking responsibility for breaking the press or allowing teams to press so you can hurt them in different areas. [He] occasionally waits for the ball as long as possible to attract the attention of the press… so we have an overload on the other side of the field.
“It takes a lot of courage and patience. The defenders and number six, whoever is playing, are the players who take the biggest risks, so we can put attacking players in positions where they can score.
“When we are at our most daring, we are willing to take The biggest risks, playing with intensity, are the moments when we usually score goals or keep teams on their toes [and] don't miss chances. The moments when we take our foot off the pedal and choose the safe option rather than the right one… these are usually the positions that get us into trouble. Staying brave is an important part of our game.”
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Also important is how Martin communicated his philosophy to fans. This means there is now much greater understanding of whether a player is actually making a costly mistake in a scenario where Row Z may once have been the crowd's preference. Bazunu believes fans now enjoy the style of football as much as the players — «when we do it right, it looks beautiful» — but he also stresses the need for balance in assessing a team's successes as well as its shortcomings.
Bazunu, a prolific reader who uses social media very selectively, has been working hard on his mindset and believes the psychological foundation played a crucial role in overcoming relegation. Becoming the youngest permanent goalkeeper in Premier League history, Bazunu went through four different managers in his first 13 months at Southampton. “I have a close group of people around me that I really trust,” he says. “When you're under pressure and have that kind of criticism, just to have two or three voices of people that you really trust and whose opinions you value is a huge thing.
“It was the perfect decision to come here. . If I hadn't had those trying and testing times, I wouldn't be in the position I'm in now. It hurt at the time — it wasn't what I wanted — but it has put the club in a position where we are coming back much stronger. Feels like a completely different place.”
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