How many times have you seen Lindegaard play for the first team, that gives you no worries?
David De Gea (SAF confirmed signing!)
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How many times have you seen Lindegaard play for the first team, that gives you no worries?
Exactly my sentiments.
Exactly Once. I'm not saying that he's going to take over from VDS. Our 2nd keepers cannot. What I'm saying is when I didn't found him to be jittery. Whereas with Kuczcak he's never filled me with confidence - even the first time I saw him.
Could be that it doesn't work out in the future. But right now - I''ve seen him play once and he was fine!
Kuszczak has been "fine" or better in most of his 50 or so appearances for us though. I was jittery during his first appearance though because it was against Arsenal in a diffcult Premier League match rather than against the mighty Southampton of League 1 or non-league giants Crawley Town. Maybe that has something to do with it?
Barca have some strange, unexplainable affinity for Valdes. If they've stuck with him this long then I don't see them dishing £20million on another keeper. It's not like the GK spot has compromised their success in recent years either.
Probably more to do with the fact we've barely seen Lindegaard. Hey, we'd all like to think a new signing we make is the perfect player and so far Lindegaard hasn't shown any faults, while we know Kuszczak a lot more, and recognize his weaknesses.
Maybe because he's improved a lot and is now a very good keeper?
maybe.I still think he's an ordinary keeper for whats probably the finest footballing side on the planet.
ballague reckons atletico and united have already agreed a deal of 20 - 25 million and the only question mark is about the players desire to leave spain.
He had very little to do today against Sociedad as Atletico dominated, but what he did have to do he did very well. Only three noticeable moments from him (although I was only half watching so may have missed something).
Firstly, a Sociedad player got a header on target towards the bottom corner of the goal. There wasn't much pace on it so any keeper should've stopped it, but the impressive thing was De Gea flung himself to the side and grabbed it two handed and comfortably held onto it. Normally I'd expect the keeper to just push it around for a corner.
The second was a hard shot straight at him, too hot to hold but he parried it out wide to a safe area. Third was a freekick right at the end of the match, a good freekick that looked like it was going to hit the underside of the bar but De Gea dived over and pushed it over with an outstretched arm. I'd expect any top keeper to do the same, but wouldn't be surprised if it got past 'lesser' keepers.
So a good solid match tonight. Hardly tested, but did well when he had to. Actually, that shows a good mentality considering he'd have a lot of games like that if he joined us.
Firstly, a Sociedad player got a header on target towards the bottom corner of the goal. There wasn't much pace on it so any keeper should've stopped it, but the impressive thing was De Gea flung himself to the side and grabbed it two handed and comfortably held onto it. Normally I'd expect the keeper to just push it around for a corner.
The second was a hard shot straight at him, too hot to hold but he parried it out wide to a safe area. Third was a freekick right at the end of the match, a good freekick that looked like it was going to hit the underside of the bar but De Gea dived over and pushed it over with an outstretched arm. I'd expect any top keeper to do the same, but wouldn't be surprised if it got past 'lesser' keepers.
So a good solid match tonight. Hardly tested, but did well when he had to. Actually, that shows a good mentality considering he'd have a lot of games like that if he joined us.
Summed up superbly mate. We need a keeper who can concentrate for the full 90 because more often than not he'll have little to do. Mental strength is as important as anything when it comes to a keeper at the top level.
A typical De Gea night - good when he had to be.
Meanwhile, for those who wonder why the Madrid press (AS and Marca) aren't shouting as much as the Barca press, like Sport, a little comment from the Marca live report tonight:
"Q - Delfin contesta por favorrr! crees que De Gea abandonará el club la próxima temporada? Graciaaas
A - El Atleti se está pensando aceptar la oferta del United que está en el aire.."
Basically
Q - Do you think De Gea will leave the club next season?
A - Atletico are considering the offer from United.
I still think it's down to De Gea. If he thinks he's ready and he wants to come - a deal will be done.
Meanwhile, for those who wonder why the Madrid press (AS and Marca) aren't shouting as much as the Barca press, like Sport, a little comment from the Marca live report tonight:
"Q - Delfin contesta por favorrr! crees que De Gea abandonará el club la próxima temporada? Graciaaas
A - El Atleti se está pensando aceptar la oferta del United que está en el aire.."
Basically
Q - Do you think De Gea will leave the club next season?
A - Atletico are considering the offer from United.
I still think it's down to De Gea. If he thinks he's ready and he wants to come - a deal will be done.
Part of me is concerned that he even has to think about it. IF the clubs have agreed a fee and IF he's unsure wheher or not he's ready.
It's obviously a big decision for a young player but the best keepers IMO have a confidence that borders on arrogance. Not ideal to sign a new number 1 who has doubts about whether he's good enough.
It's obviously a big decision for a young player but the best keepers IMO have a confidence that borders on arrogance. Not ideal to sign a new number 1 who has doubts about whether he's good enough.
Think it's doubts over whether to leave Spain more than doubts over his own ability.
Hopefully so.
It concerns me that after all this time we might end up with our third or forth choice. I hope the manager doesn't go down the road of 'patch-up and do' that he has in the past and we've ended up with players like Roy Carroll who, with the greatest of respect to him, had no business being a first choice keeper at one of the top clubs in Europe.
if we dont get de gea then i think we will get someone experienced, reliable and less expensive like macgregor, scwarzer or jaaskelainen, while saf bides his time. fergie wont spend big on anyone he isnt convinced 100% about
But the catch there is, would Fergie risk not spending big? By that I mean, will he risk putting off making a decision. We've seen before in the past where perhaps who he wanted wasn't available or considered too pricey and we've ended up with people who really had no business being there.
I think that issue haunts Sir Alex so I think a decision will be made. I'd be stunned if we had another 'well, everyone else is too expensive so we'll just make do with this guy' decision from the manager again given how openly (and rightly) critical he has been of himself for doing so in the past.
1. friendlytramp - we will not buy MacGregor! Seriously, the guy is not good enough for OT.
2. Aaron - I don't think we need to worry about that. The number of times SAF has spoken about the whole post-Schmeichel dark ages, seems to indicate to me that he's learnt that lesson. That we need a quality keeper to take over when one retires. They will have back-up plans in place in case the number one target doesn't come. And if thats Stekelenburg or Adler, then we still have a good goalkeeper.
I don't mind that De Gea's thinking about leaving Spain. He's a young man. If you view football as a job, he's basically being asked at aged 21 to go and work for a major overseas company, with lots of pressure. I think it shows good mental strength and a level-head that he isn't rushing his decision.
2. Aaron - I don't think we need to worry about that. The number of times SAF has spoken about the whole post-Schmeichel dark ages, seems to indicate to me that he's learnt that lesson. That we need a quality keeper to take over when one retires. They will have back-up plans in place in case the number one target doesn't come. And if thats Stekelenburg or Adler, then we still have a good goalkeeper.
I don't mind that De Gea's thinking about leaving Spain. He's a young man. If you view football as a job, he's basically being asked at aged 21 to go and work for a major overseas company, with lots of pressure. I think it shows good mental strength and a level-head that he isn't rushing his decision.
I've no doubt Eric Steele has been doing his home work - he's first talked a year or two ago about how his mission is to give Sir Alex a list of names when the time comes to replace Edwin. But you do understand why people fear that we'll end up with the third or fourth name on the list. All due respect to Adler or Stekelenburg - they are good, but not great, like I think Neuer is. It's not an endless list of top quality. If you don't get your first or second choice, you'll have to settle for less. Getting it right is massively vital.
I'll understand it if De Gea wants to stay where he is. Torres wasn't in a rush to leave Atletico at the time. Still, if we don't get De Gea now, we'll probably go for someone else and that may be it for us and him, unless our new signing flops.
the difference is that in the carroll, howard days and the taibi bosnich days saf was trying to find a long term keeper on the cheap. i agree that he wouldnt do this again which is why he wouldnt settle for say steklenberg rather than neuer or de gea. i expect he would buy an experienced older keeper to keep things solid whilst the right keeper became available (im sure when saf bought vds he wasnt expecting him to keep going for as long as he has)
I think that at 4.5m, Taibi was the most expensive keeper in England at the time. He wasn't very cheap... A year after Schmeichel left, we ended up paying a world record fee for Barthez (before getting Carroll and then Howard later on). It wasn't about trying to get a keeper on the cheap at all. We just didn't get it right.
fair enough maybe the reference to cheap was misleading. the point remains that these were all bought as long term keepers and cant all have been top of safs list. the only way the panto came to an end was when saf opted for an older more reluable option in vds who he must have seen as a relatively short term option. i expect that if he cnt get the man he wants he wont adopt the approach of trying to find an alternative long term solution who wiil not be as good as his first choice but will take a shorter term view until the right man becomes available.
friendlytramp, I agree. We're not really in the habit of moving on into second, third and fourth choices, unless of course we think they are nearly as good. It depends on who those possible signings are, I suppose. If it's a case of having a clear first choice keeper or two, and the other candidates are considered a big drop in terms of level and potential, we may well sign none of them and continue to look, while getting some experienced Premier League keeper. I can see that.
I have a wierd feeling, though, that our fall back keeper if our first choice options fail to materialise is Stekelnburg. Just a hunch.
I have a wierd feeling, though, that our fall back keeper if our first choice options fail to materialise is Stekelnburg. Just a hunch.
But Carroll was signed when Barthez was firmly entrenched as the main keeper and VDG was nearing the end. Carroll was brought in as a long term backup plan. No one could predict Barthez would go from PFA Team of the Year to not even on the teamsheet within three years. Howard came in and did well for most of his first season but some early howlers forced SAF to toss Carroll in for the short term. He was never a true first choice.
Edwards signed Bosnich, SAF was going for the likes of VDS, Barthez and Toldo at the time. It was Edwards that was penny pinching then. I recall he made an inquiry for Friedel in 2003 but the player said no (something about he didn't feel his knee could hold up considering all the matches United play plus USA international commitments). Not sure if he inquired on VDS that summer but I don't think Fulham were going to let him go without a big fee. Barthez was still considered first choice until Howard looked like superman during the preseason.
Taibi was a rush signing as both Bosnich and VDG had picked up injuries early on. He actually looked good his first two matches until that howler against Southampton.
Taibi was a rush signing as both Bosnich and VDG had picked up injuries early on. He actually looked good his first two matches until that howler against Southampton.
Those tracksuit bottoms just didn't inspire confidence.
United never tried for van der Sar - Ferguson has later said he regret not trying earlier - indicating he never tried in the first place!
Indeed - Ferguson said he didn't know that VDS would be available until after we had signed a pre-contract agreement with Bosnich; they moved quickly on Bosnich due to his contract situation and not wanting to miss out on him in such a good deal, considering he was very highly rated at the time. Unfortunately it did not work out.
I'm sure the agents have something to do with it though.
I'd gladly take him, though I'd prefer a Neuer type, not as young, but De Gea has more potential, certainly. Wouldn't be worth more than £15m though.
How do you know? If he's good, he could easily be 'worth' £30m, regardless of how much his transfer fee would be, and how justifiable that would be. He might be our number one for years and years.
Age can have its problems too though, we're looking at a young lad in a relatively poor league, with an underachieving team. Who knows if he would ever make the step up here in the PL. Ok, he has the potential to do so, but so have many youngsters who have come here and failed.
£30m would be a massive risk for him.
£30m would be a massive risk for him.
Huh?
2 great teams, a few average teams and the rest are all a bunch of Wigans.
It's inferior to the Premiership, definitely.
I don't agree.
Well this isn't really a thread to argue it, I'm just saying what I believe and why it's related to De Gea.
Same. No point derailing the thread over it.
Are you talking about de Gea? He actually has quiet some experience despite his very young age.
I am all for taking a risk with him if Fergie thinks he is right.
If United are buying De Gea it will not be just because of his potential. I understand he will get better with experience and age, however, he will be identified as being ready now. Goalkeepers don't have much leeway or the time to grow into their position at clubs like United.
Considering we've played 2 of those "average" teams a large number of times over the past couple of seasons (combined) and our record against them wasnt very impressive, perhaps we ourselves arent a "great" team.
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