He was never overtaking Simon. Too poor with the ball at his feet. The way Spain play they need a keeper considerably better at passing the ball than DDG has ever been (or ever will be) He slipped down the Spanish pecking order long before United realised he wasn’t good enough.
De Gea | Signs for Fiorentina
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) and Jamie (@Vault Dweller) get the depressing job of reviewing United's 3-0 loss at Old Trafford to Liverpool. They discuss what went wrong, Casemiro's day to forget, and the pressure now on Erik Ten Hag. They also take some time to give McTominay a proper farewell, and give their overall thoughts on the Summer Transfer Window.
He was never overtaking Simon. Too poor with the ball at his feet. The way Spain play they need a keeper considerably better at passing the ball than DDG has ever been (or ever will be) He slipped down the Spanish pecking order long before United realised he wasn’t good enough.
Agreed, this thread is daft. It's more than likely his wage demands that are stopping him from signing for a club. He's still better than 90% of the PL keepers.
Anyway he's gone and we've replaced him with a very average keeper in Onana. Could have got Maginon or mamadashvalli or some other great keeper. But that's for a different thread.
Replace “better” with “worse” and that would be a more accurate summary of his last few PL seasons.
His last 3 seasons, he was below average and more like one of the worst keepers around in the league at times. No, he is not better than 90%.
I am not sure what you guys were watching. De Gea from 2018 onwards was bang average, even without the clangers.
Thanks for sharing. I was having a wonderful breakfast.
On a more serious note, my mum had her gallbladder removed and she had to change her diet completely due to similar complications.
I really hope you get better, its not an easy thing to deal with.
I personally don’t think DDG’s footwork is as bad as his reputation suggests. In a five-a-side between top goalkeepers, I think he would stand out as one of the most technically gifted. And it’s not like Unai Simon is faultless in that department. I do believe DDG would have had a chance if he had been on Spanish television every week but then I don’t subscribe to the idea that DDG was/is shit.
Which is a sad story in itself and speaks to our terrible management in the years after Ferguson.
When we signed Dave he was very good with the ball at his feet.
Allowing him to get his own coach and the Mourinho influence completely ruined that though.
Probably one of the top few shot stoppers, particularly reaction type saves, in the world.
DdG doesn't fit into the new mould of ball playing GKs which is currently fashionable.
I don't think at any point was De Gea a "below average GK". He may not have been top, or one for a title contending team, but you're people are just talking crazy now
out of curiosity, how do you rate Onana?
He was poor at almost everything you need a modern keeper to do. Slow off his line, weak under high balls, inaccurate passer of the ball, prone to smashing it long instead of retaining possession. Comparing his stats with proper goalkeepers (and Simon) over the last few years he just isn’t a keeper any serious club (or national team) would be looking at. He’s just an obvious outlier on every important stat. And that’s been clear from watching him at United, even without looking up those stats.
Of course he isn't. He'd possibly start for 5 or 6 Prem clubs. That's about it.
The game has passed him by, he'd look so out of place playing in most top leagues for teams wanting to play a more progressive and modern style. I know he's got his believers still, but so much is based on nostalgia at this point and not the reality of what he is as a player.
Look at the stats and his shot stopping is nothing special. He made a few spectacular eye catching saves in recent seasons that stick in the memory but so do most keepers. When you analyse the data, though, he really isn’t more likely than most other PL keepers to stop shots at his goal. And that’s a disaster considering how slow he is off his line and coming for crosses. Because those qualities means he will face a lot more shots than most other keepers.
Alongside all his obvious flaws he also seemed to play particularly poorly in big cup games, which are the biggest games Utd play now we don't challenge for the title anymore. It was like the nerves would get to him.
Just off the top of my head I can remember him blowing it for us in numerous big cup games like against Chelsea in 2020 at Wembley and Sevilla in the Europa League in 2023. Even his last game here, the FA Cup final 2023, the winning City goal is just really shit keeping from him.
The last 2 or 3 seasons here he was a below average keeper in almost every aspect of keeping. The idea he's still world class or better than 90% of keepers out there is daft.
Just off the top of my head I can remember him blowing it for us in numerous big cup games like against Chelsea in 2020 at Wembley and Sevilla in the Europa League in 2023. Even his last game here, the FA Cup final 2023, the winning City goal is just really shit keeping from him.
The last 2 or 3 seasons here he was a below average keeper in almost every aspect of keeping. The idea he's still world class or better than 90% of keepers out there is daft.
The Spanish FA had retired him years ago, with a tweet thanking him for his services. DDG is nowhere near good enough for any decent side of the big leagues. And hasn't been the last 5 years.
Onana is a much better keeper now. Even with some of the absurd clangers this season.
Statistically at his worse (since 2018 World Cup) he has been one of the worst keepers in Europe’s top 5 leagues.
A mid to lower team would not take him regardless of his wage as he doesn’t command his area at all or come out for low or high crosses.
He won the golden glove for PL in his last season.
Then left and replaced by Onana who conceded the most goals in a season for Utd since PL began.
But obviously De gea was one of the worst keepers in the league. Laughable.
Even at his best he was never a great fit for Spain. Ddg was never good with his feet. The drop from VDS in that respect was obvious.
Stats actually make an interesting comparison. Onana was a significantly better shot stopper for United last season than DDG in his final season. Also a hell of a lot better at claiming crosses. Not much difference in terms of sweeper keeping or passing the ball. Which is disappointing because they are things that DDG is obviously bad at.
VDS was good enough with his feet to be a outfield player at the top level.
There was an article about it back in the day. When Inter Milan were scouting him, they used to produce very in-depth scouting reports. The opinion of their scouting team was that he was technically good enough to play as an outfield player. They didn't say what position though.
I think De Gea was technically quite capable with his feet, but it fell apart when under pressure.
Not the point of this thread, but every time I watch Simon I come away thinking he’s very good with his feet but has a mistake in him and doesn’t save many shots you don’t expect him to.
There. I said it. In the DDG thread. For no apparent reason.
There. I said it. In the DDG thread. For no apparent reason.
My eye test tells me that last part has a lot to do with Licha being out for most of the season. The games where he has been in front of Onana the latter has seemed more willing to pass to the first player.
I also do believe Dave worked hard on his sweeping in his final season. Comparing to the season before his last, seems to match that eye test.
Actually good point. I remember thinking that at the time but had forgotten until you reminded me!
VDS was brilliant with his feet. If he received it on his left, he never chabged it to his right. Very two footed.
You can look at the data mate. He declined quite considerably from his peak and his shot stopping, penalties, distribution are all poor.
Onana is fine. His handling sometimes doesn't inspire confidence and he makes a meal out of some specific types of saves but overall an upgrade for me.
Can’t believe no one’s snapped him up. He’ll do a decent job for some teams out there.
And that is why he hasn’t found another club. Some just liked watching De Gea through rose tainted glasses.
He should go join Beck's Inter Miami, play with Messi, Alba, Busquets, and could win the MLS.
Considering that the goalkeeper position is one of the worst for Miami, he'd immediately improve them, even with his limitations.
Considering that the goalkeeper position is one of the worst for Miami, he'd immediately improve them, even with his limitations.
I am also considering my retirement from not playing professional football.
That’s too bad, I’m sure you could still do a job in Saudi.
Aren't they already over the cap with all those Barca oldies ?
That's the thing though isn't it? His wages plus what I'd assume his reluctance to move to the Middle East plus his style of play leaves very few suitors.
I'm one of the biggest admirers of DDG but to be honest, his strengths are not really the ones that suit a "modern keeper" profile.
Would a club looking to play a possession based system with a sweeper keeper opt for him? At the opposite end of the spectrum would a club playing a low block, counter attacking style be comfortable?
I do think he's got more in his tank left than to retire at this age and that he has skills to still reinvent, but unless he's a custom fit for the club, it might be better to just call it quits rather than tarnish his legacy. I'd have expected him to move to the MLS immediately after leaving us, but he hasn't and a year without professional football at his age shows that perhaps the hunger or mental sharpness isn't there any more. I'm not happy that his career ends in a whimper but its what it is, probably a tad unfair.
Whatever he does, I wish him the best. In spite of how it turned out at the end as it often does when heroes overstay their welcome, I will always remember that scrawny lanky young lad and how he stood up and made SAF and us proud. For that I am and will be always grateful.
I was really impressed with someone's comments regarding him. He was the only world-class player we have had through difficult times at the club. For consecutive periods, he was our player of the season by far. Even with his limitations, he is better than the likes of Onana and Raya. I remembered that most of us like him because he stands with us, apart from the Madrid issue.
He should become a GK coach. I’d take him just to train Onana on how to save shots comfortably. If Onana had DDG reflexes he’d be much better.
Didn't Newcastle want him?
Dyche would do well to sell Pickford for a fortune after a huge Euros and pick him up for free. He’d be perfect for how they most often play.