David de Gea | 2011-14 Performances

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It's come to the point where when he saves a one on one, or a shot that looked destined to go in, I have absolutely no reaction. When he concedes in a situation where the forward was expected to score (and so, the goalkeeper was expected to concede), I observe the replay closely and see how it is that he was beaten, genuinely surprised. He's just so good. Literally, the only time he concedes is when our defence cocks it up (almost every single game since his arrival, as the back four turned to shit after the CL final of 2011).

Pay him anything, he has to stay.
 
It's come to the point where when he saves a one on one, or a shot that looked destined to go in, I have absolutely no reaction. When he concedes in a situation where the forward was expected to score (and so, the goalkeeper was expected to concede), I observe the replay closely and see how it is that he was beaten, genuinely surprised. He's just so good. Literally, the only time he concedes is when our defence cocks it up (almost every single game since his arrival, as the back four turned to shit after the CL final of 2011).

Pay him anything, he has to stay.

Is exactly how I would describe his situation. He has such character to overcome all the criticism he received from first season. In all seriousness, how many players of his calibre have gone through so much shit and come through clean on the other side?
 
Maturing into a brilliant player and I'm so happy for him after getting such a tough time from the media and ABU's in his early days. The fans stuck with him and he really appreciates it when we sing his name, apparently even mentioning to Mata as he moved here that the fans are brilliant. Great goalkeeper, seems a great guy and looks like the Grinch when he's due a shave, what more can I say?
 
What is also very promising/encouraging is that he hasn't dwelled on the mistake he made against Sunderland. Just got on with his game and has been brilliant since.
 
He's got that arrogance the best keepers have. I don't think mistakes affect him at all.

He's looking very assured in the area now too. Clear to see he's improved that part of his game with a conscious effort to get better.
 
Guess Real Madrid will need a new keeper in a season or two. Offer him an improved contract before it is too late.
 
Will people be happy if he maintained the same level for the next decade ?

He might be young in terms of age for a keeper but I don't think there is a part of his game that needs a massive improvement. He could easily end up in the lists of best signings that the club's ever made.
 
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Will people be happy if he maintained the same level for the next decade ?

He might be young in terms of age for a keeper but I don't think there is a part of his game that needs a massive improvement. He could easily end up in the lists of best signings that the club's ever made.

Absolutely, for me he's already the finished article - any further improvement would be a massive bonus. I think that he'll go down in history as one of the great goalkeepers of all time if he can just maintain this level for the rest of his career.
 
Guess Real Madrid will need a new keeper in a season or two. Offer him an improved contract before it is too late.

He will never ever play for Real. Will be lynched by a mob of his fellow Colchoneros even before he contemplates such a move. If and when he moves it'll be back to Atletico, I'm certain of it.
 
Is exactly how I would describe his situation. He has such character to overcome all the criticism he received from first season. In all seriousness, how many players of his calibre have gone through so much shit and come through clean on the other side?

Exactly. He embodies everything about this club (or rather, everything that we want this club to be, and what it has been throughout the last century or so) - he is simply made of testicles. He defined the 'us against the world' mentality with his reaction to his shaky start, going on to - very quickly, might I add - become the best keeper in the league.
 
He will never ever play for Real. Will be lynched by a mob of his fellow Colchoneros even before he contemplates such a move. If and when he moves it'll be back to Atletico, I'm certain of it.
Nope. It isn't unusual for players to play for both Madrid teams. I would be surprised if Madrid doesn't come for him in a couple of years. And I would be surprised too if De Gea wouldn't be interested a bit (and much more if we are still struggling).
 
Nope. It isn't unusual for players to play for both Madrid teams. I would be surprised if Madrid doesn't come for him in a couple of years. And I would be surprised too if De Gea wouldn't be interested a bit (and much more if we are still struggling).

Ok I get that. Even Real's greatest modern icon Raul signed from Atletico after their youth teams shut down. But I'll again say never in a million years will De Gea move to Real. Those players weren't lifelong fans like him, they most probably didn't come through Atletico's academy as kids and they certainly don't feel so deeply for Atletico as De Gea did when leaving the club. These were his parting lines :

"It’s been just over a week since I signed the contract with my new team. It seems like yesterday when I was four and joined for the first time Atleti in Casarrubuelos. From the plane I travel in to join Manchester United I remember with nostalgia, that this nostalgic feeling will be my traveling companion for a long time.

Like any child, every evening was accompanied by excitement and my parents (without their support none of this would have been possible) with the sole aim of defending the goal of Calderón someday.

A little over a year and a half I completed my dream and sealed it with two titles, I will never forget that feeling, I will never forget the people’s faces painted red and white. I can not forget neither the tears of Barcelona, behind the chants of support for us.

Today, 16 years later, I undertake a new challenge with the same enthusiasm of the boy and the eternal gratitude of a feeling, that only we understand, that I will carry forever in my heart regardless of the badge that adorns my chest.

I see from the airplane window how I leave behind my house, thanks to my new club for the opportunity it provides me with the security there to finish my education from a distance, that they only put the miles, you are proud of that boy who dreamed that the Calderon would sing his name.

A thousand feet above the ground I remember, now more than ever, all the teammates, coaches and club workers who made it possible that the child is now a man.

Winning a title there is a mix of smiles and tears. This is what happens to me now, tears because I am leaving, smiles for the illusion of something new, but also the assurance that someday I will return home. Thanks for everything."

He has deep roots with Atletico. The fans still remember his services to the team. They even have his supporter club banner in the Calderon :

de-gea-banner2.jpg


Do you think he'll spit on all of that and sign for their bitterest rivals ? Not a chance. It'd be madness along the proportions of Gary Neville signing for City.
 
You never know with Real though. After all, they got Figo from Barca
i don't see how figo's situation was comparable to de gea's childhood affinity with his home club. figo had as much loyalty to barca as van persie had to arsenal. comparing the situation to sol campbell tottenham to arsenal, or neuer schalke to munich would be much more apt.
 
Absolutely, for me he's already the finished article - any further improvement would be a massive bonus. I think that he'll go down in history as one of the great goalkeepers of all time if he can just maintain this level for the rest of his career.

He's not the finished article just yet.
 
i don't think 30 is the point where they peak, i think generally something happens to goalkeepers around 26-28 when they elevate themselves up a level, whether it's through consistency, prescence, judgement, or perfection and honing of skill to reach their highest potential. 30 is still in the period where a keeper can maintain his peak form, to around the age of 32, then they erode nearly unnoticeably until they are 35ish, at which point most keepers start dropping off significantly, or have to make big adjustments to their goalkeeping fundamentals to maintain their level. If you just watch the points in history where the top keepers have really stepped into the spotlight, or finally won a starting position, it's usually around this age range. anatomically saying 30 is the peak of a goalkeeper doesn't entirely make sense.

sometimes you watch goalkeepers that don't really on agility, but enerring skill and experience like van der sar and you assume that a goalkeeper peaks around 30 and can play immortally until 40, but if you look at the increasingly agile goalkeepers, it's only those that have extremely solid fundamentals that will last much longer then 30 without having to drastically adjust their style and approach to goalkeeping.

de gea is someone i feel still has alot of room to grow into, that's the most fascinating thing about him, he displays momentary displays of extraordinary skill and judgement ability in his shotstopping that even if he loses his athleticism i feel he will become a better shot stopper at 30. His reflexes are very raw and his handling is extremely underrated, i think of the save against dempsey and fulham in 2012, where he flew to the left and caught the ball. his hand size, and the potential that he will fill out even more, and reach his physical prime in the coming years, all suggest he can become even greater.

i agree with SirAF though, i'd be perfectly happy if he simply stayed at this level.
 
He must be unluckiest goalie on the planet, the only goals that have beaten him apart for the Sunderland one are deflections or seeing eye goals that are impossible to stop
 
He must be unluckiest goalie on the planet, the only goals that have beaten him apart for the Sunderland one are deflections or seeing eye goals that are impossible to stop
Nah, we're a great fit for him. Our defence has left him with so much shit to deal with the past two and a half seasons, he constantly gets to prove himself at the highest level.
 
Nah, we're a great fit for him. Our defence has left him with so much shit to deal with the past two and a half seasons, he constantly gets to prove himself at the highest level.
i think he just means he's unlucky in the sense that the goals he's let in have been the ones that are impossible to stop, tap ins from 6 yards out, deflections, just like the goal just now.
 
Nope. It isn't unusual for players to play for both Madrid teams. I would be surprised if Madrid doesn't come for him in a couple of years. And I would be surprised too if De Gea wouldn't be interested a bit (and much more if we are still struggling).

That is not entirely true. Only 13 players in history have played for both Madrid clubs. For comparisons sake 24 players have played for both Manchester clubs and 37 players have played for both Milan clubs. Lets say if DDG joins Real Madrid in future he would be the first Atletico graduate to play for both clubs. He is an Atletico fan and his family are Atletico fans, can't see him ever playing for Real. There is only one club in the world that can poach him from us and that is Barcelona imo.
 
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He seems to have a genuine fondness for us so I think we are safe for a couple of years.
 
I'm glad not one pundit or commentator has jumped on his back in recent times. I hope they have all realized how plain retarded they were for the views they had of him.
 
They haven't because the last time they have he made them look like idiots.
 
If keeping hold of Moyes the Destroyer means we lose de Gea in a few seasons, I'll be cross.

Very cross.

You have absolutely no reason to believe that De Gea has any negative feeling about Moyes or that his chances of leaving are improved by Moyes being about.
 
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