Come on. As if many United fans started following Schalke regularly because of a few vague rumours, which were almost instantly dismissed anyway. It became obvious soon enough that Neuer had already agreed to join Bayern.
Neuer made a few mistakes in his first season at Bayern, but overall still had a fantastic year. He didn't make many anyway, proven by the fact that our defensive record improved significantly and we had the best record in the league, which is actually a great indicator. Out of Neuer's 5 seasons at Schalke, three times they conceded the least amount of goals in the league. Once they had the 3rd best defensive record and even in the disaster season 10/11 when they finished 14th, they still had the 4th best defensive record. Since Neuer joined us, we've always had the best defensive record in the league. It's no coincidence and shows his ridiculous consistency over the last 10 years, but also how crazy consistent and influential he already was between 20 and 25 playing for a weaker team.
It's also not surprising that a player struggles a bit to adapt to a new team and a new playing style. That doesn't have to do anything with his age and you can't hold that against his individual development or say it nullifies his brilliance in previous seasons. Neuer also played again a fantastic CL campaign in his first season at Bayern, reaching the final. It was his 3rd with standout games following the first one in 07/08 when he carried Schalke into the quarterfinals through his heroics against Porto and the 10/11 one, when Schalke reached the semifinal.
Make it a fair comparison between Neuer's overall performances between 2008 and 2011 instead of just cherry-picking the few games that suit your agenda and you'll see that your comment:
simply isn't true. There's a lot of doubt about that statement. I wouldn't want to pick one over the other, because De Gea obviously has been excellent.
You've completely distorted what I've said (lol @ "my agenda," come on, get a grip) and thrown in things about Neuer's Bayern performances, despite my original comment only referring to their performance through age 24/25. Using defensive record and team performance is silly imo but since you opened that door:
- DDG, age 19, wins the Europa League with Atletico in 09/10 as their #1
- DDG finished 2nd in PL, on GD, in 11/12, at age 21 with a new country, league, and language never mind just a new system
- DDG won the league, age 22, was PFA goalkeeper of the year, and put in some universally lauded performances as United lost to Real in CL quarters
- DDG the best player on a United team in transition in 13/14, age 23, plays well in CL that ends against Bayern in CL quarters
- DDG again best United player, age 24, again in PFA team of year. Regarded universally as at least one of the best 3 keepers in the world
- 2x Euro u21 keeper of the tournament
How do you like them cherries? If you're going to completely dismiss the idea that a United fan might have watched a bit of Neuer and that we're just being biased, why should any of us view what you say differently? Have YOU actually ever watched de Gea?
They have similar trajectories through age 24. But DDG also undertook a considerably larger challenge by moving abroad at 20 and developing under the intense scrutiny of a club like Manchester United, not Schalke. That matters greatly and, for me, it's why de Gea is ahead on the learning curve.