[Walrus]

He has always been a great shot stopper, and always tends to look at his best when we are being dominated and facing a lot of shots. He will need to become more than that to succeed under RR I feel.

 

[Giant Midget]

I mean he's pretty unquestionably improved on last season in terms of shot-stopping, that's layed out in the data. Last season he was 5th worst in terms of PSxG/90, this season he's 4th best. And last season itself was pretty obviously an improvement on the previous couple of seasons in terms of glaring individual mistakes. You'd have a hard time making any reasonable argument that his form hasn't improved, particularly given he was a walking nightmare at some points over the last few seasons.

The issue is that all this improvement occurs within the framework of the type of goalkeeper he is, namely a goal-line keeper who relies heavily on his shot-stopping because he's not good in possession or at chance prevention. He could be in form and acting as a very good version of that keeper, but being that keeper is still a problem. And while he can make minute changes in terms of getting better at sweeping or whatever, he isn't going to suddenly become a different goalkeeper. That's why he needs to be replaced, not because he hasn't improved.

This.

He's not a primary problem at the moment, but DDG is not the right keeper for a modern side.

I'm not sure Henderson is either, but at least he's shown a lot more ability in those aspects of goalkeeping.

 

[Bebestation]

I'm not De Gea's biggest fan -

but I do wonder if the improvement we are seeing are due to United being attacked more and him dealing with more shots;

Or could he just be getting better with age like most goalkeepers do in their 30's?

I have seen some penalty saves this season and even recently he came off his line to sweep the ball which I've not really seen him do.

 

[Kostov]

His save after the AWB/Lindelof feck up was outstanding. Everything else was pretty comfortable otherwise.

He basically prevented another 5 goal thrashing with that, we concede that so early and in that manner, and we never would have climbed back. He was MoTM for me.

 

[Siezard]

I'm not De Gea's biggest fan -

but I do wonder if the improvement we are seeing are due to United being attacked more and him dealing with more shots;

Or could he just be getting better with age like most goalkeepers do in their 30's?

I have seen some penalty saves this season and even recently he came off his line to sweep the ball which I've not really seen him do.

He's getting better with age. Amazing keeper!

 

[evil_geko]

The amount of abuse he got in the Arsenal matchday thread is disgraceful, is the forum full of children?

 

[Sparky_Hughes]

The amount of abuse he got in the Arsenal matchday thread is disgraceful, is the forum full of children?

He deserved every bit of it for the first goal, but made some excellent saves in the second half.

 

[Zoo]

Can’t defend him here. Can’t be waiting for the ref to help him out.

 

[bosnian_red]

That goal was absolutely cowardly from him IMO. He's never been that brave of a goalkeeper, but fecking hell.

Did well enough after though.

 

[paulscholes18]

Lucky man, can't afford to play act in that situation especially being a goalkeeper.

 

[V.O.]

Brilliant shot stopper, relatively limited all-round keeper, massive fanny.

 

[Godfather]

Brilliant shot stopper, relatively limited all-round keeper, massive fanny.

This

 

[Rossa]

Should be getting no abuse for the first goal. That stamp from Fred (for which Fred was given a gentle push from a titwick Arsenal player) probably hurt as hell right away. No way DDG knew how bad it was at that stage. Looking at his taped up ankles, it isn't far fetched to think that he struggles with them.

I remember in Norwegian football, the goalie of Brann (a rubbish team from Bergen where players have gangbangs in the stadium) was down with an injury and the opposing team scored. The ref didn't technically do anything wrong. What happened was that the other team let Brann score a goal to even things out as it wasn't sportsmanship to score in the first place. Hell, I remember an ogre from bygone eras jumping right into me when I boxed the ball, injuring me for weeks, the ref not blowing the whistle, and me lying on the ground when they scored. Had I been able to stand, I would have clobbered that idiot of a player and the ref.

 

[united for life]

i don’t blame him for the first goal. Overall he had a good game, made a couple of great saves. He is someone who actually cares and is passionate about the team. Good game overall

 

[Kag]

Fanny.

Sums his last few years up, that. He’s still a massive issue and this will become more clear the more we improve over the coming months.

 

[Adnan]

Fanny.

Sums his last few years up, that. He’s still a massive issue and this will become more clear the more we improve over the coming months.

Agreed.

 

[Bwuk]

Fanny.

Sums his last few years up, that. He’s still a massive issue and this will become more clear the more we improve over the coming months.

Agreed. That was absolutely pathetic.

 

[evil_geko]

He deserved every bit of it for the first goal, but made some excellent saves in the second half.

What do you mean he deserved? Can we not criticize someone without using "pussy" and other childish insults? For someone who served this club for so many years?

 

[Sparky_Hughes]

What do you mean he deserved? Can we not criticize someone without using "pussy" and other childish insults? For someone who served this club for so many years?

I'm sorry but it was pathetic, it was either a blatant attempt at cheating or total overreaction to a little pain.

 

[Marwood]

Should be getting no abuse for the first goal. That stamp from Fred (for which Fred was given a gentle push from a titwick Arsenal player) probably hurt as hell right away. No way DDG knew how bad it was at that stage. Looking at his taped up ankles, it isn't far fetched to think that he struggles with them.

I remember in Norwegian football, the goalie of Brann (a rubbish team from Bergen where players have gangbangs in the stadium) was down with an injury and the opposing team scored. The ref didn't technically do anything wrong. What happened was that the other team let Brann score a goal to even things out as it wasn't sportsmanship to score in the first place. Hell, I remember an ogre from bygone eras jumping right into me when I boxed the ball, injuring me for weeks, the ref not blowing the whistle, and me lying on the ground when they scored. Had I been able to stand, I would have clobbered that idiot of a player and the ref.

Come on he's faking injury. You can't be in that much pain and then up and about a few mins later.

He's far from the only player to do this but as a keeper, to fake injury on your line, back to play. It's shocking. It won't be called out enough either.

You can't ask for fair play from Arsenal when our keeper is cheating.

 

[Lay]

Fanny.

Sums his last few years up, that. He’s still a massive issue and this will become more clear the more we improve over the coming months.

Completely agree. He will be replaced next season in my opinion.

 

[evil_geko]

Should be getting no abuse for the first goal. That stamp from Fred (for which Fred was given a gentle push from a titwick Arsenal player) probably hurt as hell right away. No way DDG knew how bad it was at that stage. Looking at his taped up ankles, it isn't far fetched to think that he struggles with them.

I remember in Norwegian football, the goalie of Brann (a rubbish team from Bergen where players have gangbangs in the stadium) was down with an injury and the opposing team scored. The ref didn't technically do anything wrong. What happened was that the other team let Brann score a goal to even things out as it wasn't sportsmanship to score in the first place. Hell, I remember an ogre from bygone eras jumping right into me when I boxed the ball, injuring me for weeks, the ref not blowing the whistle, and me lying on the ground when they scored. Had I been able to stand, I would have clobbered that idiot of a player and the ref.

There is no use, people like to hurl abuse at DDG at this point, the goal was refs fault who should have stopped it right away.

 

[sullydnl]

Thought he was hurt, lost his balance and then decided on some gamesmanship by staying down deliberately.

It's fair to criticise him for that but in all honesty 99% of the time it works and play just gets stopped, so he was unlucky to actually concede a goal as a result. Still, if you're depending on Atkinson doing his job properly then more fool you I suppose.

Aside from that made some good saves.

 

[Rossa]

Come on he's faking injury. You can't be in that much pain and then up and about a few mins later.

He's far from the only player to do this but as a keeper, to fake injury on your line, back to play. It's shocking. It won't be called out enough either.

You can't ask for fair play from Arsenal when our keeper is cheating.

That stamp looked pretty painful to me. Just because it hurts like hell doesn't mean it does for a long while. As I said, he could also have feared the worst at that time. The ref should have blown the whistle, and even if he didn't see it, Atkinson isn't the only ref in and around the pitch. Work together ffs.

 

[Red Shorts]

Come on he's faking injury. You can't be in that much pain and then up and about a few mins later.

He's far from the only player to do this but as a keeper, to fake injury on your line, back to play. It's shocking. It won't be called out enough either.

You can't ask for fair play from Arsenal when our keeper is cheating.

Basically the equivalent of what 99.9% of professional footballers do on a regular basis? Studs feckin hurt, it may not keep you down for 10 minutes but its not like a little slap to the face.

Harsh criticism of getting studded.

 

[Cutch]

I get that it may have been sore but the natural reaction should not be to roll around on the ground like a fanny leaving an empty net and instead trying to soldier on until the point where you can get treatment

 

[Marwood]

Basically the equivalent of what 99.9% of professional footballers do on a regular basis? Studs feckin hurt, it may not keep you down for 10 minutes but its not like a little slap to the face.

Harsh criticism of getting studded.

Like I said, he's not the only one. But it's even worse to do it on the line as a keeper.

Do you really think he was hurt so much he had to curl up in a ball?

 

[Shane88]

Pick yourself up, for feck sake.

If it's a forward and he does it in the opposition box, whatever. You're a fecking keeper, if want to curl up into a little ball looking into the net you are going to cost us a goal and he did.

Don't give me any "false machismo" nonsense either. Get up, suck up the pain (which clearly wasn't too great) for 5 seconds and go back down.

 

[Red Shorts]

Like I said, he's not the only one. But it's even worse to do it on the line as a keeper.

Do you really think he was hurt so much he had to curl up in a ball?

I dont know the severity of the pain, it wasnt me there.

Like a poster said just before, the pain can be excruciating for a short period, but doesnt necessarily stay for much after. Ive seen him taken hits during a corner and managed to stay up, then afterwards he would collapse in pain.

 

[Wednesday at Stoke]

No matter the fall, he recovered quite nicely.

 

[Marwood]

I dont know the severity of the pain, it wasnt me there.

Like a poster said just before, the pain can be excruciating for a short period, but doesnt necessarily stay for much after. Ive seen him taken hits during a corner and managed to stay up, then afterwards he would collapse in pain.

Like all fans I'm sure at one time or another you've bemoaned a player exaggerating injury. I think you're now being very generous towards De Gea. I sure it hurt a bit but we've all played football and been stood on by bigger blokes than Fred. He's exaggerting to get the freekick not knowing it's his mate whose made contact with him. Crazy stuff.

 

[Desert Eagle]

He literally chooses to turn his back to the play. I don't see anyway you can defend him for that first goal. It's shocking/embarrassing /pathetic

 

[Oranges038]

The first goal is honeslty one of the most pathetic bits of play acting I've ever seen.

 

[Red Royal]

Arsenal always looked like scoring from a corner today, clear after 3 minutes.

 

[CloneMC16]

Pussy for the goal. Yeah, other players do it, but I don't want the keeper doing it during a corner. If you're going to cheat, at least look towards the play. Maybe there's a small chance he saves it if he's looking the other way. He did make some good saves in the game, though.

 

[The Oracle]

The first goal is honeslty one of the most pathetic bits of play acting I've ever seen.

The fact that he was limping about whilst Atkinson was in communication with VAR, and then as soon as Atkinson walked off and gave the goal, De Gea then made a miraculous recovery and sprinted after him.

Says it all.

 

[kingwaynerooney]

Come on bro at least don't look at the opposite direction of the ball when faking injuries

 

[izec]

It was not like he broke his ankle. Could have stayed on his feet for a couple of seconds and then go down once the situation is clear. Sure a bit painful, but that is his job.

 

[DickDastardly]

Don't blame him for going down.

Curious to see if Ralf keeps him on goal, or does he go for the more vocal/comanding goalkeeper in Henderson?

What kind of GK does our new coach like?

 

[arthurka]

He and Krul hard at work who's the conceding king of the league. He needs to be benched ASAP.