De Gea just needs to come out more often and claim those crosses or sweep the ball away. Problem solved!
Nobody can take away his agility and top reflexes! At least not yet!
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Nobody can take away his agility and top reflexes! At least not yet!
He won the PL in a season where we conceded 43 goals and he only played 28 games due to being dropped for Lindergaad.
People have been saying this for 10 years now though, so there's absolutely no chance he's going to start doing this now at 31, we're stuck with this until either he leaves or we get a manager that isn't delusional.
What makes matters worse is the fact that he's largely got away with having these major flaws for ten years now because the youtube generation only watch 5 minute highlights of a game and see him saving the odd shot and assume he's been saving our asses.
Whereas if you actually watch a full 90 minutes of a Utd match, I guarantee you that you will see that he's a major part of the problem, you'll see multiple examples of De Gea being glued to the line instead of being proactive and actually preventing chances before they even become chances by claiming crosses and sweeping.
The flip-side of that is watching a full 90 minute match whenever other 'top' goalkeepers are playing and seeing dangerous chances being easily prevented by proactive goalkeepers who actually help out their defence by commanding 'their' area, you're not going to see this on a highlights package though. A poorly hit cross or through ball that's too close to the goalkeepeer and is easily claimed/cleared isn't going to make the highlights package, but having to pull off a world-class point blank save from 5 yards out (if he saves it that is) because you're glued to the line, will make the highlights.
As I've said before, you could forgive this if he was a young player, learning his trade, as he was when he first arrived, but ten years later and zero improvement in any other aspect of his play is just not good enough in my opinion, and certainly not for the highest paid goalkeeper in the world, and one of the highest paid players in general across the world.
I'm well aware that we have other major issues right now (don't get me started on Ole's obsession with Fred and McTominay) but I just don't see the point in even looking past this problem with De Gea because we could have Van Djik, Varane and Kante protecting them and we will still concede a lot of goals because our goalkeeper is so passive. At the elite level of any sport, fine margins are everything and every time De Gea plays then the margins instantly swing in favour of the opposition, this, for me, is the number one reason why we're a mediocre team right now.
Exactly this. If Ole hasn't understood this, it ipso facto proves he is a poor manager.
I can’t believe it hasn’t been mentioned- you have a goal keeping coach who works with him daily. I honestly think it’s been discussed and analysed at length by the manager and coaching staff and he’s been advised that staying on his line saves more goals than coming off it. Which is probably true for De Gea himself (on the occasions he’s tried to come off his line he’s hardly been great at mixing it up with physically much stronger players), but it begs the question of how and why the club is satisfied with accepting that he can’t do an important element of his job. To be clear, I don’t think this problem is solved by De Gea trying to change how he plays, it’s solved by getting a different keeper who can do all parts of his job.
We have some truely awful fans.
DDG-esque…
Nah, was out of his 6 yard Box, nothing like ddg.
Waiting to see when this would pop up.
Glad I could help
in all seriousness I've never been a fan, he is undeniably a fantastic world class shot stopper, but for me that doesn't outweigh his flaws, the lack of defensive organisation, the being glued to his line and suspect distribution. Whilst he has been a good player for us i think we need a more well rounded keeper even at the cost of his shot stopping.I am a fan and I agree with your entire statement.Glad I could help
Ain't life grand when we all get along
He didn't save the second shot.
He got it with his outstretched right hand, actually palms it forward a tad.
It hit the defender and bounce away.
Anyway, Alisson also made many mistakes. All keepers make mistakes.
Watch it again. Makes the save.
I presume you mean because it was an entire sequence of events that would have been avoided if he'd just caught the ball into the box?
No. You watch it again on your desktop or laptop. Clearly, the defender bounced the ball off for the second ball.
I don't claim to be a professional GK but it's the position I played for like 9 years in Sunday League so I do have some idea.
Wan-Bissaka's closing down is a complete joke. By the time it's sailed past Maguire's head who seems to duck out of attempting anything, Fernando is far closer to the ball than DDG and is already running at full steam so is always going to reach the ball 1st. Shaw, who is in the perfect place to fend that off just attempts to run it out of play. DDG screams and gestures just before the cross comes in about the threat of the 2 out wide coming around the back. So why Shaw does this I don't know.
If anything, it should be the other way around and DDG should have been going nuclear with the defence.
Yeah its past him and hits the defender.
If recent events (in particular, Zapata's goal for Atalanta) where a one off or a rarity, then I'd totally agree with you that labelling De Gea as cowardly would be harsh.
However, when the same thing happens time and time again, (at big moments that cost us such as Kluiverts goal for Leipzig that knocked us out of the champions League last season) then I think the fans have every right to ask some serious questions.
Yes, he's a great shot stopper, but the inescapable fact is that there is more to goal-keeping than shot-stopping and being brave and putting your body on the line is a trait that all the best goal-keepers should have, De Gea simply doesn't have that trait and that's just not good enough, especially when you consider the wages he's on.
When it comes to 50/50 balls or incidents where he may have to, as I said, be brave and put his body on the line, more often than not he totally bottles it and, unbelievably, almost seems to want to get out of the way.
As I said l, there are numerous incidents, dating back a long time, one that really sticks out in my mind was against Wolves a few seasons ago. It was a huge game where a win would have put us on the top 4, Smalling scored an own goal, but, as you can see from the link below, I honestly think most top keepers would have simply came out, been brave and smothered the ball. De Gea, as he often does, seemed to do nothing except turn away from the ball, fearful of getting hurt.
http://www.soccer-blogger.com/2019/...-vs-wolves-2019-bizarre-smalling-handball-og/
What makes matters worse is the fact that, this doesn't really get registered as a goal-keeping error, I remember on the night there was no mention about what De Gea could have done to prevent the goal, Smalling was the one getting all the blame (yes, it was his fault too but as I said, most keepers would have bailed him out with a simple bit of awareness and bravery)
This is the problem, there's no accountability for him when he makes these sort of errors because people get blinded by the fact that he's a good shot stopper (as most keepers are anyway).
Not coming and claiming a ball that comes from that far out and drops that close to goal is just awful. Shouting away as it drops in the 6 yard box is awful. His positioning inside his near post is even worse.
He can see it coming, he should be calling for it before it goes past Maguire. There's no one else in there to challenge for it, it's an easy claim. Silva gets it because he just gambles on it coming through, and it does because DDG is stuck on his line and Shaw expects it to run out of play, but gets a late shout to clear it.
Yeah, agree 100%. You almost feel bad bringing it up because accusing someone of being a coward is such a brutal insult but that’s exactly the issue here. And being brave is arguably more important for a keeper than any other position. No other player is expected to dive head first towards a ball that another player is trying to kick the cover off. Unfortunately for Dave, that’s part of the goalkeeper’s job description.
Top post.
It's why I want Henderson in goal even though he is a worse shot stopper.
I even remember the first few games Henderson replaced De Gea; our defence started playing a higher line than they ever did with De Gea.
Things like corners were getting collected from the goalkeepers hands which was useful and different to see.
De Gea is like a striker that can only head the ball in to the net and has no ability to dribble, pass or shoot with his feet.
A very one-sided player - and this is not anything to do with Ole's future; but I think the manager that replaces De Gea as our starting goalkeeper will help improve our defence and will help improve United a level more than people realise.
E - good eye. Hit the defender. Shit keeper.
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I don't know what he's doing at the end, I agree. But he's got to stay on his line initially as they're given the time and space to potentially shoot. The ball initially is heading towards the edge of the 18 yard box, he'd have to recognise the amount of inswing instantly and starts to come out for it before it even passes Fernandez. Any later than that and Bernardo running full steam is going to reach it at or before the same time he does.
There's no reason the ball should have come close to dropping in the 6 yard box. Shaw's laces should have been through that well before it bounces and it'd have been a complete non-event.
His starting position should be another yard or two out from the goal line, Cancelo might shoot from there, but he hasn't got the right angle for a driven shot and there's too many bodies in the way. The only thing he could try is to lob into the far corner and he should easily cover the 3 yards back to catch it.
Look at the video. There's about 5 seconds between the Cancelo getting the ball and it hitting the back of the net. It doesn't sound like a lot but it is enough time to react and claim that ball.
1.42 - Cancelo gets the ball. DDG is in the middle of his goal, like I said he needs to be a yard or two further out. AWB needs to get out quicker to stop the cross, but this is nothing new with him - Silva is pretty much static.
1.43 - Cancelo is lining up the cross - DDG hasn't moved - Silva is still near the the edge of box - 16 yards away from where he touches the ball - at this point he's just started his run.
1.44 - The ball is coming towards the 6 yard box - Silva has covered 10 yards - DDG has for some reason moved side ways instead of out. At his point he should be calling it and rushing out to collect the ball, instead he shouts away. It's too late at that point.
1.45 - He should be collecting the ball at the edge of the 6 yard box, there's no players between him and where the ball drops it's an easy claim. Danger taken care off.
1.46 - DDG has moved two yards towards his post he's still inside the frame of the goal which is another error. Silva has covered 16 yards in that same time and managed to score.
In 5 seconds, the ball travels about 30 yards, Silva covers 16 yards and DDG covers 2 yards backwards to the inside of his left hand post.
Thank you for this. It is a perfect explanation. I tried exactly the same technique of explaining why he was horrendously at fault for the goal in the Europa League final either on here or social, my media memory fails me, but was told that I was just mad at him for not saving penalties.
I might have argued against you on here.
At the time, I am fairly sure I thought it was more the fault of the defenders for letting the players run off them. But actually, having looked at it again, his starting position is ok and instead of coming out to meet the ball he just backs off towards his line.
Indeed, and it is very poor defending which shielded him somewhat.
I'd go as far as to say his starting position was actually very good for that particular goal, half a step or so inside his 6 yard box and he actually takes a step forward as the kick is taken before quickly backpeddling once the ball is in the air. Where the striker makes contact with the ball is actually only really a footstep away from where he'd been stood a couple of seconds earlier which signifies just how easily it could have been his ball if he'd come out to meet it.
It's the step forward which kills him considering he has no intention of taking the 5/6 paces further forward to deal with the ball himself as a more dominant goalkeeper would do, if he doesn't take the step forward and steps backwards immediately as he usually does in those instances, he gets himself set properly and more than likely stops the shot, as it is he ended up in the middle of nowhere.
As a goal it infuriates me the more I see it, the defending is really poor but the goalkeeping is unforgiveable.
Re the 4 picture analysis of him using his hands. (I am not allowed to quote pictures).
What a load of rubbish. Split second decision DDG thinks, 'Hmm best not use my hands as they can actively push the ball over the line. Best to let it bounce off my chest.'
What a load of rubbish. Split second decision DDG thinks, 'Hmm best not use my hands as they can actively push the ball over the line. Best to let it bounce off my chest.'
For those balls being delivered like that. Starting position is crucial, once you take a step backwards you're screwed and you have very little chance of claiming the ball.
Same as that once you make a decision to go, a bit of hesitancy generally leaves you in no man's land. You have to be confident and decisive.
I find it very very strange that a goalkeeper as experienced as DDG hasn't worked these out yet. He's training every day, he's had loads of time to work on it. It's always been a massive hole in his game and he just seems to now prefer to back off to the safety of his line more and more rather than dealing with the ball in the air.
Every time I look at that Silva goal and rhe one against Atalanta, I can't believe he doesn't come out. It's absolutely maddening.
Watford 4:1 Man Utd
I’m probably being harsh but Jesus he actually infuriates me with his reluctance to come off the line. There was one point in the second half when Watford floated in a non threatening ball into the 6 yard box and he just stood on his line like a fecking moron. AWB then had to rush an awkward clearance for a corner.
Great for the penos, poor being beaten at his near post
Same old staying on his line
Same old staying on his line
Ball going straight through him on the near post is unforgivable, excellent on the penalties, but just doesn’t help the defence for me.
Sick at the sight of this guy at this point. Been a liability for years now. Meanwhile Henderson is rotting on the bench. Shambles.
At least he can save some penalties now I guess. Yay.
£375,000 per week / £53,000 per day …mind blowing
He had some brilliant saves just like in most games this season. He is an incredibly fun shot-stopper to watch.
Unfortunately, the defense is letting him down even if he could improve other parts of his game.
Unfortunately, the defense is letting him down even if he could improve other parts of his game.
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