A more apt question maybe is does he make top 3-4 keepers for United?
Is De Gea Man Utd Legend?
- Thread starter roonster09
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If we go by that, few people also think Zlatan and RVP are legends, so surely De Gea should be one too?
Great player but not quite a legend for me.
In no particular order, Schmeichel, VDS, De Gea and Stepney?
Top 5 definitely. Top 3 is a bit more of a debate.
You don’t have to win a slew of trophies to be a legend at the club, look at Bryan Robson. His prime years were arguably wasted because the club was poorly managed pre-Fergie and they couldn’t build a title winning squad. In his prime years in the 80s, he won FA cups and a cup winners cup but does anyone here doubt he’s a legend?
The best way to put it is this, how would Schmeichel fare on the teams De Gea played with post-Fergie? Our greatest keeper of all time also benefitted from having world class players in front of him who helped him win trophies, he couldn’t do it on his own. De Gea has not had that luxury. On skill alone, De Gea would fall into our top 3 keepers of all time.
The best way to put it is this, how would Schmeichel fare on the teams De Gea played with post-Fergie? Our greatest keeper of all time also benefitted from having world class players in front of him who helped him win trophies, he couldn’t do it on his own. De Gea has not had that luxury. On skill alone, De Gea would fall into our top 3 keepers of all time.
The answer is no.
Fair enough, I was just thinking of my hometown team, non league now but played in cup winners cup in its pomp (historic match!) and I was naming about ten legends in my head, I could get to twenty easy with United. I get your point about it being relative though
At one point he looked destined to be around 15/16. Was even debated to be better than Schmeichel by some. Fell off so much since.
He was a top 3 goalkeeper in the world for 6 straight seasons(2012 - 2018). He's probably done more for the club than RVN, Carrick, Park and Neville. Several of the mentioned are considered United legends.
I think there are 3 reasons for why people don't consider him a legend:
1. Lack of major trophies
Stupid reason. I guess Gerrard isn't a Liverpool legend then?
2. Too many United goalkeepers with the legend status in recent history
Schmeichel and VDS are already considered United legends. Already adding another GK to the list may feel wrong to some people. This is a flawed logic, though. You can't really decide when these legends appear.
3. His form in the last 2 years
This logic is also flawed. Rooney's last 2-3 years for us was pretty sad to watch, but he's still a legend.
I think there are 3 reasons for why people don't consider him a legend:
1. Lack of major trophies
Stupid reason. I guess Gerrard isn't a Liverpool legend then?
2. Too many United goalkeepers with the legend status in recent history
Schmeichel and VDS are already considered United legends. Already adding another GK to the list may feel wrong to some people. This is a flawed logic, though. You can't really decide when these legends appear.
3. His form in the last 2 years
This logic is also flawed. Rooney's last 2-3 years for us was pretty sad to watch, but he's still a legend.
He's high on the best keepers list we've had, but bad luck for him and us we barely win anything while he's been here so its hard to consider him a legend.
I don’t really know what you mean your reply to what you bolded in my post. I don’t think Zlatan and rvp are legends.
my point was Rooney won multiple major trophies with us, best part of his career with us, top scorer for us yet his legend status gets questioned. Then you get people suggestion DeGea is a legend when he’s got nowhere near that record, even though he has been a quality keeper for us and I’ve loved his time here, it just highlighted to me the different criteria’s people must use to make their call of a legend
I guess it depends on your definition. Some United fans think only the likes of Charlton, Best, Giggs etc are legends.
Easily.
You make the Rooney point, but sad thing is a lot of people on here were trying to deny his legend status too. There seems to be a huge amount of 'what have you done for me lately' on here. DDG was being spoken about on here as our GOAT keeper not long ago, now people speak like he is trash, barely top 5 and not a legend. Same happened to Rooney and you see the same thing happening to guys like Martial, Pogba, Rashford, etc. the minute they have a sustained run of bad form. You even have posters saying that Tammy Abraham is better than Martial and that he wouldn't get into Arsenal's side, yet just last season he outperformed all of them and was our player of the year!
Funny seeing how quick fans turn horrible on players but demand players be loyal to the club and fans at all times.
I bolded that part to say I'm talking about that particular point.
So Rooney point is fine, then you have scenarios where people consider RVP and Zlatan as Legends, when that's the case, surely De Gea should be one too? Just reverse Rooney situation.
Btw Rooney is Legend, I have no idea how anyone can argue against that.
No
We have a lot of legends, but De Gea wont be remembered that much in, lets say 20, 30 or 50 years
We have a lot of legends, but De Gea wont be remembered that much in, lets say 20, 30 or 50 years
I agree, I wonder how far your etc would go and who would be included.
the more I think about it with this thread and seeing other posts I’m doubting my own logic when calling a legend. Obviously the 3 you mention plus Law and Rooney are there but I’d also have Ole as a legend, possibly carrick and they don’t belong anywhere near the first lot of names mentioned. Cantona also didn’t have a huge trophy haul or great longevity but obvious legend. There’s no sense or reason to any answer I suppose, no right or wrong.
I find it difficult to describe any player who hasn't won major trophies for us a legend. I tend to think of it as stand out players in our best teams.
It is really harsh though as De Gea has done a lot for this club. If he was a striker putting in similar levels of performances whilst the rest of the team were costing us trophies he'd probably be considered a legend. I wouldn't class VDS as a legend either to be fair.
It is really harsh though as De Gea has done a lot for this club. If he was a striker putting in similar levels of performances whilst the rest of the team were costing us trophies he'd probably be considered a legend. I wouldn't class VDS as a legend either to be fair.
Yeah I’ve no idea who’s a legend or not anymore
If the bar of a legend is Zlatan then it’s open season for everyone and DeGe obviously gets in.
Zlatan?
Maybe he falls into the cult hero category?
Maybe he falls into the cult hero category?
If that dam fax machine had of been working De Gea probably would of been thought of more fondly and as a greater keeper but I still don't think he'd have made legend status especially since he stayed and is now tarnishing his reputation more than anything.
He is certainly a legend, but his peak coincided with the club not challenging and generally being bad.
DDG won the PL in 2013. That was his first really good season as well.
He is a legend but not a big legend.
Out of the time period I have followed United - I'd say he is the 3rd best GK we had.
Peter is no 1, Van Der Sar above de gea at no 2 due to his CL performances.
Out of the time period I have followed United - I'd say he is the 3rd best GK we had.
Peter is no 1, Van Der Sar above de gea at no 2 due to his CL performances.
Think of van der Sar with his arms out and that huge grin after the Moscow penalty shoot out
LegendI think we should always be grateful to him - there were years where he was at his peak and where we were at our worst and I think he was the difference between us getting Champions League football and not. Unfortunately you don’t get legend status for getting Utd a top 4 spot no matter how significant your contribution. Also unfortunately his decline has been very steep. A tier or two below legend for me - it could have been different had he played in a different Utd side.
Definitely closest thing to legend since SAF retired. In terms of bailing his team out we had no such players in recent years and Dave was representing that for majority of his time here, starting from that penalty save vs Robin's Arse, which played part in signing the guy who won us a title later on.
Soon enough he'll be outshined by Rash and Bruno in that regard, but I'll never forget De Gea rescuing United from countless humiliations on the pitch. Shamefully recently there's no defender in our team willing to bail De Gea out from dangerous situations in the box... maybe except Bailly and Shaw.
Soon enough he'll be outshined by Rash and Bruno in that regard, but I'll never forget De Gea rescuing United from countless humiliations on the pitch. Shamefully recently there's no defender in our team willing to bail De Gea out from dangerous situations in the box... maybe except Bailly and Shaw.
He did win a PL with us tbf. I mean does Bryan Robson only scrape in as a legend because he got that second league title with us? Despite only making 15 league appearances that season, half as a substitute.
I think thinking of someone as a legend is more an emotion-based thing than a fact-based one. Pointing to trophy tallies or saying "they can't be a legend if they haven't done X" seems reductive to me. Different people earn their stripes in different ways, depending on the circumstances.
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If you don't think he's a legend, then I demand to see your list of United legends in the PL era.
- Has been world class for 5-6 seasons
- Has won the PL(and was one of our best players that season)
- Has won multiple cups
- Has been our POTY multiple times
- Has been around for a long time(9th season now)
What is the issue?
- Has been world class for 5-6 seasons
- Has won the PL(and was one of our best players that season)
- Has won multiple cups
- Has been our POTY multiple times
- Has been around for a long time(9th season now)
What is the issue?
Nope, nowhere near.
Actually really surprised at this and it feels a little bit reactionary. We had posters 3 years ago saying he's the best keeper who has ever played for Utd, above VDS and Schmeichel (not that I necessarily agreed). He's been poor now for at least 18 months but he's absolutely a legend. He's potentially the third best keeper in our history, that's pretty strong considering the competition. He's also the best shot-stopper I've ever seen at his peak and would routinely add 10 - 15 points a season. I get that this has all come during a barren period for the club but that doesn't mean he as an individual didn't perform to a world class level.
My first thought was probably not since he hasn’t really won much with us. To be a legend you need to do something legendary. But then I thought not only is it not his fault he’s been surrounded by mediocrity for most of his time here, that would probably rule out Bryan Robson as well.
I guess you’d have to say that he is. I’d have him in the lower tier of United legends though, for sure.
I guess you’d have to say that he is. I’d have him in the lower tier of United legends though, for sure.
I would say a great servant but won't call him a legend yet.
This. He won the POTY four times.
No, but that’s not his fault. He has been world-class for several seasons, but kept back by shit managers and crap team-mates. Put him in a better United-team and he would have had a few more leagues and CL’s. He could easily have won three CL’s with Real Madrid with a bit of luck transfer-wise. The recency bias shown by 17 year olds in front of a computer is quite frankly annoying, he has been a superb player for us and easily up there with Schmeichel, van der Sar and the likes on ability. More than good enough to be be a legend, but not without trophies. At Spurs or Arsenal he would have been one, but not at United.
No.
I'd put him just below the status of legend. He was a world class player for a few years but the competition and the standards are so high. Maybe he is unlucky to have played during our worst period for 30 years.
I feel like there are just too many weaknesses in his game. He's the best shot stopper we've ever had but Schmeichel and VDS brought so much more to the team overall. They commanded their box, organised other people, had better distribution and made less mistakes. I don't like to put many players in the "Legend" category as I think it devalues it. That should be reserved only for the most special of players.
I feel like there are just too many weaknesses in his game. He's the best shot stopper we've ever had but Schmeichel and VDS brought so much more to the team overall. They commanded their box, organised other people, had better distribution and made less mistakes. I don't like to put many players in the "Legend" category as I think it devalues it. That should be reserved only for the most special of players.
Yeah but winning trophies is an emotional element. The winning goal the big game moments etc.
His outstanding years didn't achieve any real glory. I can't imagine in 10 20 years showing my kids clips of the great De Gea but I'll force them to watch our big nights when Diallo wins us the treble.
It doesn't help that De Gea is quite meek, players with personality will always tend to drop into legend category more easily.