Van Der Sar and Schmeichel bumping into each other on the street (video)

[davidmichael]

VIdic may be the most disrespected center back of the modern era. I see people putting people like Kompany, Van Dijk and Pique as one of the GOAT CBs but they usually omit Vidic. Vidic is easily the cb of the EPL era and people tend to forget that.

The media is constantly glazing Van Dijk but they forget about Vidic and how good he was.

I think it’s because of a combination of Vidic played for United as well as longevity but for me it’s either Rio or Vidic as the best centre back in PL history followed by Adams, Stam, Campbell, Van Dijk, Terry, Kompany, Carvalho and probably Pallister rounding out the top 10 in no particular order but that said I’d still have Cantona, Schmeichel and Irwin as the best bargains in United history over Vidic or VDS.

 

[Greyfog]

Brilliant. Love to see it

 

[lex talionis]

Two United legend keepers walk into a bar...

 

[Wrecking ralf]

Well, ok. If you don’t factor in the different times they played in, certainly. Schmeichel was an outfield player as a youngster and actually quite good with his feet for his time - and he had an incredible and unmatched long throw distribution.

Why do you keep mentioning the times they played in. That doesn't play into your favour. The difference in the standard of football was vastly greater in 2005 than in the 90's. I'm unsure why you keep bring that up. It's obviously personal preference on who people think is the better keeper.

 

[Schmeichels pinky]

Why do you keep mentioning the times they played in. That doesn't play into your favour. The difference in the standard of football was vastly greater in 2005 than in the 90's. I'm unsure why you keep bring that up. It's obviously personal preference on who people think is the better keeper.

It goes both ways. For example I believe (I might be wrong, though) that the average number of scored goals in the PL were lower in the 2000’s than in the 90’s. VdS also had arguably the best pair of cb’s in PL history in front of him. And the fact that VdS were better with his feet has to be considered in the context of the general quality of keepers’ at the time - how else will you compare players from different time spans? If you don’t consider circumstances Gordon Banks was a Sunday league keeper if he played today.

I’m not bringing it up to “win” this discussion. As I already mentioned I think it’s a matter of personal preference as well. But I do think that Schmeichel was more unique and dominant compared to other keepers at the time.

 

[tomaldinho1]

It goes both ways. For example I believe (I might be wrong, though) that the average number of scored goals in the PL were lower in the 2000’s than in the 90’s. VdS also had arguably the best pair of cb’s in PL history in front of him. And the fact that VdS were better with his feet has to be considered in the context of the general quality of keepers’ at the time - how else will you compare players from different time spans? If you don’t consider circumstances Gordon Banks was a Sunday league keeper if he played today.

I’m not bringing it up to “win” this discussion. As I already mentioned I think it’s a matter of personal preference as well. But I do think that Schmeichel was more unique and dominant compared to other keepers at the time.

Just on this, VDS should get extra credit here because he's referenced by many as the first to really be that kind of keeper (by people like Neuer no less). There's also not that big an age gap if we're honest, like 6 years, it's not like comparing a players who played in completely different eras.

Agreed people shouldn't compare periods as if one is better than the other though, it doesn't work.

 

[Schmeichels pinky]

There's also not that big an age gap if we're honest, like 6 years, it's not like comparing a players who played in completely different eras

True, but Schmeichel’s transfer from Brondby to us coincided with the introduction of the rule disallowing keepers to pick up passes from teammates. So those 6-7 years actually make a big difference insofar as PS had to adapt in the middle of his career while VDS was a young keeper.

 

[Schmeichels pinky]

I think we should give SAF the final words here. On Schmeichel:

“I don’t believe a better goalkeeper played the game. He is a giant figure in the history of Manchester United.”

On VDS:

“Edwin is the best goalkeeper we have had since Peter Schmeichel. He is a winner. He has brought with him a strength of character; he really looks after himself and he trains very well. There are many players who, having achieved what he has done, want to take it easy. But he has a desire to carry on.”

 

[Lay]

Assume Juve were paying him a lot more, I never understood how he ended up at Fulham though, seemed odd at the time

His stock had fallen at Juventus after a few mistakes.

 

[Spoony]

I think we should give SAF the final words here. On Schmeichel:

“I don’t believe a better goalkeeper played the game. He is a giant figure in the history of Manchester United.”

On VDS:

“Edwin is the best goalkeeper we have had since Peter Schmeichel. He is a winner. He has brought with him a strength of character; he really looks after himself and he trains very well. There are many players who, having achieved what he has done, want to take it easy. But he has a desire to carry on.”

Yeah he's the best ever, but VDS was great too.

 

[devilish]

VDS was an amazing GK, the best GK we ever had post Schmeichel. However Pete was at another level. The guy had everything and while he lacked the crystalline natural talent of Buffon (whom I believe to be the best GK I've ever seen), no one was as dominant in his box as Pete was. Forget Brucey or Keano, the penalty box was Schmeichel's territory and he made it pretty obvious that it was. I can't forget a game against Liverpool away. We were 1-0 up but the Scousers were battering us. David May dilly dallied with the ball only to have the giant Dane shouting at his face like a rabid German Shepherd. The trouble with May (and I met him) is that he had that deviant/stubborn streak in him. But that didn't bother Schmeichel to the slightest. Second time round Schmeichel literally jumped on May, crushing him behind his weight in the process. Schmeichel got up unscathed with the ball in his hands and May still screaming in pain. Needless to say, David May didn't dare doing it again.