Bas Savage - The Enigma

[city1uk]

Best game so far from Big Baz today but still does not look like scoring.

Can we play him every week if he plays like this but doesn't ever score?

[A Horse With No Name]

Best game so far from Big Baz today but still does not look like scoring.

Can we play him every week if he plays like this but doesn't ever score?

Certainly we can. I mean, we play Bradley Orr every week.

[Tunley Legend]

Certainly we can. I mean, we play Bradley Orr every week.

Apart from trying a few passes that you would need the talent of Zidane to complete I thought Orr played well today. Given this is his first full season as a Right Back I think he is making a nice improvement as the season goes on.

[A Horse With No Name]

Apart from trying a few passes that you would need the talent of Zidane to complete I thought Orr played well today. Given this is his first full season as a Right Back I think he is making a nice improvement as the season goes on.

I totally agree that Orr played quite well today. The thing is, we don't have another right back to challenge him for his place, except for Carey who cannot be move from centre back, ever. However, Orr's distribution continues to be woeful most of the time and he needs to work on that side of his game.

As regards to Baz, although he is not scoring, or looking likely to, he gives our play another dimension to the usual target man- little man format most clubs favour. I have liked this guy since day one, even though most people I know have treated him as something of a comedy figure. He is actually a very good footballer, although his heading ability for a man so tall is terrible. I do sense however, that the majority of fans are accepting him for what he is, and are warming to him. I didn't think that today was his best game by a mile, although others do, but our record since he signed is very good, with just one defeat in ten (I think).

[city1uk]

Extract from Swansea site report: Looks like they rated Bas

"That incident brought Williams his first booking and he was dismissed for a late challenge on Savage, whose close control was behind many of Bristol`s best attacks"

[dagest]

I totally agree that Orr played quite well today. The thing is, we don't have another right back to challenge him for his place, except for Carey who cannot be move from centre back, ever. However, Orr's distribution continues to be woeful most of the time and he needs to work on that side of his game.

As regards to Baz, although he is not scoring, or looking likely to, he gives our play another dimension to the usual target man- little man format most clubs favour. I have liked this guy since day one, even though most people I know have treated him as something of a comedy figure. He is actually a very good footballer, although his heading ability for a man so tall is terrible. I do sense however, that the majority of fans are accepting him for what he is, and are warming to him. I didn't think that today was his best game by a mile, although others do, but our record since he signed is very good, with just one defeat in ten (I think).

I like Bas too. He effected the game in many positive ways today. I agree about the heading, but I would say it's often the case that he is just not strong enough and seems to get knocked around too easily. I think he should spend the summer in the gym and build his muscles up.

[buanryoh]

I like Bas too. He effected the game in many positive ways today. I agree about the heading, but I would say it's often the case that he is just not strong enough and seems to get knocked around too easily. I think he should spend the summer in the gym and build his muscles up.

I dunno why but after reading your post i get this image of '50 cent' in our starting line up

[Nibor]

For someone who's 6'4 and 15 stone he sure gets pushed about easily.

I thought his display today was the same as usual. Hard working, the very occasional excellent touch and the much more usual poor control. He lacks any sort of goal threat.

He's a committed player who makes the most of what he has, but I don't think he has enough to be honest.

However, it's quite clear that he will have to break both legs and come down with chronic foo poisoning for Johnson to actually give Stewart a start so we may as well just put up with it.

Nibor

[Redpepper]

I've stopped laughing at Bas now. He does bring something to the party and I was really impressed in the first half when having won the ball he ended up on the floor he managed to pick himself up, keep the ball and run down the picth and then pass the ball off which showed strength, speed and agility.

He won quite a few free kicks yesterday and due his size and what must be a high centre of gravity it only takes a tap of the ankles to send him over.

In some ways (and I'm not suggesting for one moment he is anything near as good) there are a number of parallels here to Peter Crouch at Liverpool. He was kept in the side despite not scoring, Benitez refused to drop him because Liverpool were winning and the fans were supportive because they recognised his fantastic workrate and what he brought to the side.

I think he is certainly making our opponents think about him and that perhaps gives some other players slightly more time.

[McCaleb]

i'm sorry, but I just don't see why everyone seems so keen on Bas.

From the posts above it seems that everyone agrees that :

1- He doesn't look like he is going to score & he poses no threat in front of goal.

2-For a man of his size, he is useless in the air

3-he regularly shows poor control

4-For such a big bloke, he goes down far too easily.

Whilst he might try hard and he seems commited to the cause, that is simply not enough.

Personally I thought he was embarassing yesterday and simply got worse as the game went on. I certainly cannot see how that was his best game so far, and if it was, then god help us.

Brooker needs a partner who can link up with him and have some input. Too many times yesterday,Brooker won a flick on, or held the ball up looking to lay it off or combine with his partner and Bas was nowhere to be seen and way off the pace.

There is no doubt that his spell in the team has come at a time of good results but I'm yet to be convnced that the to events are anything more than a coincidence.

Unfortunately, as mentioned above, he is not going to be dropped anytime soon and we are just going to have to put up with him as johnson continues to ignore stewart.

[wellyred]

i'm sorry, but I just don't see why everyone seems so keen on Bas.

From the posts above it seems that everyone agrees that :

1- He doesn't look like he is going to score & he poses no threat in front of goal.

2-For a man of his size, he is useless in the air

3-he regularly shows poor control

4-For such a big bloke, he goes down far too easily.

Whilst he might try hard and he seems commited to the cause, that is simply not enough.

Personally I thought he was embarassing yesterday and simply got worse as the game went on. I certainly cannot see how that was his best game so far, and if it was, then god help us.

Brooker needs a partner who can link up with him and have some input. Too many times yesterday,Brooker won a flick on, or held the ball up looking to lay it off or combine with his partner and Bas was nowhere to be seen and way off the pace.

I AM IN TOTAL AGREEMENT LOTS OF EFFORT NO ABILITY

There is no doubt that his spell in the team has come at a time of good results but I'm yet to be convnced that the to events are anything more than a coincidence.

Unfortunately, as mentioned above, he is not going to be dropped anytime soon and we are just going to have to put up with him as johnson continues to ignore stewart.

[Tunley Legend]

i'm sorry, but I just don't see why everyone seems so keen on Bas.

From the posts above it seems that everyone agrees that :

1- He doesn't look like he is going to score & he poses no threat in front of goal.

2-For a man of his size, he is useless in the air

3-he regularly shows poor control

4-For such a big bloke, he goes down far too easily.

Whilst he might try hard and he seems commited to the cause, that is simply not enough.

Personally I thought he was embarassing yesterday and simply got worse as the game went on. I certainly cannot see how that was his best game so far, and if it was, then god help us.

Brooker needs a partner who can link up with him and have some input. Too many times yesterday,Brooker won a flick on, or held the ball up looking to lay it off or combine with his partner and Bas was nowhere to be seen and way off the pace.

There is no doubt that his spell in the team has come at a time of good results but I'm yet to be convnced that the to events are anything more than a coincidence.

Unfortunately, as mentioned above, he is not going to be dropped anytime soon and we are just going to have to put up with him as johnson continues to ignore stewart.

To call Savage an embarassment yesterday has to be the most ridiculous comment posted on this forum for a long time. His flick to Coterill when he went round the keeper - why was that embarrassing? His flick to Cotterill when he set up Murray - why was that embarrassing? The run he made in the first half when he went past two players and got scythed down on the halfway line - what was embarrassing about that? There was a lot of hold up play in wide areas where he laid the ball off to Murray and Cotterill that opened up space for our midfielders to run into (unfortunately they don't do it at the moment, no doubt under instruction) - why, in your opinion was that embarrassing? He won us about fifteen free kicks yesterday in dangerous areas - what is so bad about that? He made their defenders hoof the ball into touch on a number of occasions when they had a bit more time - seems OK to me. The hold up play at the end when we were holding on to the 1-0 - what did you expect him to do? A number of times Bas won a flick on and Brooker was not there to take it - these things happen in football.

No-one is saying he is massively talented but to call him an EMBARRASSMENT on yesterday's evidence tells a lot of people on here that you cannot be fair minded and probably haven't played a great deal of football - you have made up your mind about the lad and that is the end of your poxy little story.

[BCFC Wes]

To call Savage an embarassment yesterday has to be the most ridiculous comment posted on this forum for a long time. His flick to Coterill when he went round the keeper - why was that embarrassing? His flick to Cotterill when he set up Murray - why was that embarrassing? The run he made in the first half when he went past two players and got scythed down on the halfway line - what was embarrassing about that? There was a lot of hold up play in wide areas where he laid the ball off to Murray and Cotterill that opened up space for our midfielders to run into (unfortunately they don't do it at the moment, no doubt under instruction) - why, in your opinion was that embarrassing? He won us about fifteen free kicks yesterday in dangerous areas - what is so bad about that? He made their defenders hoof the ball into touch on a number of occasions when they had a bit more time - seems OK to me. The hold up play at the end when we were holding on to the 1-0 - what did you expect him to do? A number of times Bas won a flick on and Brooker was not there to take it - these things happen in football.

No-one is saying he is massively talented but to call him an EMBARRASSMENT on yesterday's evidence tells a lot of people on here that you cannot be fair minded and probably haven't played a great deal of football - you have made up your mind about the lad and that is the end of your poxy little story.

If you have any experience of playing football (or even watching), you should agree that Bas Savage is the worst professional player in England probably. And the fact that you have said that the best part of his game is flicking the ball on, suggests to me that he isnt a good player, as good strikers want the ball to their feet or played in front of them to run onto. If we had a talented striker to play alongside Brooker we would be forced to play to feet meaning that we have to play better passing football, which we havent seen since Wilson left and arent likely to see whilst Johnson is here.

[woodshap]

It seems to me that there is a common preconception that Bas doesn't win headers. If you actually watch him, he wins masses. Though I admit he occasionally loses the ball due to a bad touch, his control isn't that bad at all normally. He had a fantastic game yesterday, and you should give him the credit for it.

People, encourage rather than discourage.

Well played Bas.

[downendcity]

I'm living away, so don't get to see many games these days, and haven't seen Savage play as yet. Reading about him on here reminds me that City must always have one player who divides opinions down the middle - in the recent past we've had Tommy D, Christian Roberts and Lee Miller. Now Baz seems an indeal candidate to maintain the line. I wonder whether GJ bought him in for that purpose.

It strikes me that occassionally we do need a reality check. Marcus came with high hopes and we had high expectations of him, but then we did not expect to be in a season long relegation battle. Can anyone say that Marcus has realy performed since he came here? Also, in our current situation we aren't exactly the most enticing club for a decent striker to want to join so we might have to make do with what we've got.

It's horses for courses, and it might just be the case that Baz is the right man for the job at the moment. Also, it's a team game. And the sign of a good manager is to be able to get more from the whole than the sum of the parts, and that's what GJ sems to be doing quite sucessfully just now.

But then perhaps the anti Baz brigade are also the anti Gary brigade. If so then it's a no win situation. Good luck to Baz I say, and if we keep winning/stay unbeaten with him in the side, then I'm not complaining.

[Tunley Legend]

If you have any experience of playing football (or even watching), you should agree that Bas Savage is the worst professional player in England probably. And the fact that you have said that the best part of his game is flicking the ball on, suggests to me that he isnt a good player, as good strikers want the ball to their feet or played in front of them to run onto. If we had a talented striker to play alongside Brooker we would be forced to play to feet meaning that we have to play better passing football, which we havent seen since Wilson left and arent likely to see whilst Johnson is here.

If you read my post I actually mentioned half a dozen or so positive thing that Bas Savage did on Saturday. You, on the other hand have not only failed to dispute any of them but you couldn't even tell us what he did that was so poor on Saturday. Instead you have made a childish insult calling the guy the worst professional football player in England, "probably" (beginning to have doubts now, are you?). And where did I say the best part of his game was flicking the ball on. I just mentioned two examples of him doing that which should have resulted in TWO goals for us - not something I would expect from the worst player in England. And by definition, if Gary Johnson persists in playing the worst player in England then surely that makes him the worst manager in England.

And as someone who has played and watched football for the last 30 years I do not just watch the ball and the player receiving it and could clearly see that Savage created some excellent space for midfield players to run into behind him. Unfortunately, given our current league position I am assuming that Johnson prefers his midfielders to hold their positions. But nevertheless, Savage created the space. I take it you missed that.

Well done Wes. Another excellent well thought out post with constructive argument.

[tompo]

Interesting article in the Evening Post today on what the players (and they may know al ittle bit more about the game than most posters on here) think about Savage.

It appears they are very supportive of him and even Stewart talks to him and gives advice.

Its time people take the blinkers off. No one is arguing that he is better than Stewart but he is more skilful than most people give him credit for.

[the wiltshire 1]

Interesting article in the Evening Post today on what the players (and they may know al ittle bit more about the game than most posters on here) think about Savage.

It appears they are very supportive of him and even Stewart talks to him and gives advice.

Its time people take the blinkers off. No one is arguing that he is better than Stewart but he is more skilful than most people give him credit for.

plus he is a solid gold dancer