I hope we’re not pinning our hopes on Baz. He’s great with his feet but he’s not a great keeper. Once McCarthy came back into the team, we looked so much better and more composed at the back, in most games. I don’t fully understand all this xG stuff that gets bandied about, but the following, from the Echo shows that something was wrong with our goal stopping last season. Not saying it was all down to Baz but struggling to see how we conceded 14 goals from “non goal scoring opportunities”. “Saints conceded 63 goals from 46 Championship games, more than fellow promoted sides Leicester City and Ipswich Town. Saints managed that despite recording an xG against of 49, meaning the stats suggest they conceded 14 goals more than they should have”.
I really like Baz, but I'm inclined to agree. Something isn't quite there when it comes to his shot stopping. He can make some world class saves one minute, and then not seem to get down quick enough for comparatively simple shots. On the XG stuff, it basically means that, from the quality of opportunities Saint's gave up last season you would expect them to concede (only) 49 goals. It doesn't mean we gave up 14 goals from non goal scoring opportunities, just that all things being equal, we shouldn't have let those 14 in. Hope that helps, apologies if it doesn't or if you had worked it out already.
I think probably 99% of Saints fans think Baz either just isn't good enough, or just isn't ready yet. Statistically he was the worst in the PL, and even dropping down a league he was still the worst in the Championship (I think I read that somewhere at some point but don't have the evidence to hand to back it up). The talk about him remaining as our number 1 comes from the fact the club seem to be giving him our full backing as our number 1 despite those pretty damning statistics. He seems like a lovely guy, but it should be a blessing for us that he is out this season if we were going to stick with him for another season in the PL. I'm still hopeful that we will bring in a loan for the season as number 1, not just because I think it's very necessary for us staying up this season (because McCarthy isn't good enough for the PL anymore either), but also hopefully it will convince the club that moving forward, we need to be bringing in a better GK longer term even when Baz is back from injury.
Saints have agreed a fee with West Ham United for Flynn Downes, who has now been given permission to leave their Austria training camp
Amazing News!! Pivotal to how we play. I think he will easily make the step up to the Premier League. Now for a GK and CF!
He will have seen England struggle to transition from defence to midfield and will surely have some belief he can be the missing piece…
Oh Flynn Downes Oh Flynn Downes Putting tackles in Flynn Downes , Flynn downes, Downeeess Our midfield king
There was a tweet yesterday that I don’t think was shared here saying we were looking for a GK, midfielder and forward. I think from a questionable source. But if true I (potentially optimistically) was not counting Downes as the midfielder as he wouldn’t be “new” from last year
