[Red Shorts]

Some of the comments blaming "the defence being too deep due to the lack of trust in de Gea" . That's one of the best I have heard to date.

So the manager gives them instructions, and Harry says to the other 3 "feck that, the lad behind us can't save money in a bank account let alone a shot, let's sit deep and let Roma play around our Red wall".

If Ole picks the goalies based on form, then on that performance he should finish the season between the posts. Even if it is his swansong (which I dearly hope it isn't).

 

[The Oracle]

Whether you're a Hendo or DDG fan (and I'm the former), surely you can recognise the latter was brilliant last night?

Reminded me a little of Arsenal in 2017 when I was in hysterics come the second half after DDG's 15th save.

In my opinion the saves were routine because the majority of the shots were straight at him.

His flaws were still highlighted last night:
> weak at his near-post
> doesn't collect crosses that are floated in to the edge of the 6-yard box
> isn't vocal and brings a nervousness to our defence
> has a weak mentality - when Roma scored their first goal, his head dropped and he stared at the ground

Dress up last night's performance however you want.

You can't dress up his flaws because they are who he is.

 

[Raw]

I hope he starts the final, he deserves it

Absolutely. Didn't start the other Europa final we've been in so it'd be nice for him to start in a European final.

 

[Kostov]

Some roll back to the times he was God like on that line saving shots he has no right to. Put some respect to his name, he has been absolute class for us over the years and should start in the final.

 

[izec]

Top form yesterday. No surprise it happened when we get bombarded.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

In my opinion the saves were routine because the majority of the shots were straight at him.

His flaws were still highlighted last night:
> weak at his near-post
> doesn't collect crosses that are floated in to the edge of the 6-yard box
> isn't vocal and brings a nervousness to our defence
> has a weak mentality - when Roma scored their first goal, his head dropped and he stared at the ground

Dress up last night's performance however you want.

You can't dress up his flaws because they are who he is.

Feck me. What a terrible post. That was a legitimately top class performance last night. As close to flawless as you’re ever likely to see. Even his kicking game was bang on the money. Pinging it to AWB with pinpoint accuracy every time.

I’ve long held the opinion De Gea’s been a problem for this team and I really hope Henderson can improve us but you’d have to be unbelievably bitter and biased to not give credit where it’s due after a game like last night.

 

[Born2Lose]

Best I've seen him play in a long time but he's got to go if the club wants to move forward.

 

[Annihilate Now!]

Question is... Would you back him in a penalty shoot-out in the EL final?

 

[AltiUn]

Question is... Would you back him in a penalty shoot-out in the EL final?

No, although I don't know if Henderson's any good at penalties either

 

[Deery]

I think if he leaves he will regain form and become the best keeper in the world and Henderson will start to make blunders.

 

[Annihilate Now!]

No, although I don't know if Henderson's any good at penalties either

Interestingly he's saved 5 of 40 penalties for us (not including shoot-outs... can't find stats on those) which is 1 in 8, which is the exact same as VDS (2 saves out of 16 faced - again not including shootouts) ... and the latter did OK in a European final shootout!

As an aside, Hendo has a ridiculous penalty record - faced 19 saved 8. And if you discount the UEFA youth league, its 8 saved from 17.

 

[AltiUn]

Interestingly he's saved 5 of 40 penalties for us (not including shoot-outs... can't find stats on those) which is 1 in 8, which is the exact same as VDS (2 saves out of 16 faced - again not including shootouts) ... and the latter did OK in a European final shootout!

I'm honestly hoping we're good enough that we don't need to let it get to penalties anyway

 

[SoCross]

Any highlight reels of his saves? I missed the game.

 

[Raven]

In my opinion the saves were routine because the majority of the shots were straight at him.

His flaws were still highlighted last night:
> weak at his near-post
> doesn't collect crosses that are floated in to the edge of the 6-yard box
> isn't vocal and brings a nervousness to our defence
> has a weak mentality - when Roma scored their first goal, his head dropped and he stared at the ground

Dress up last night's performance however you want.

You can't dress up his flaws because they are who he is.

Shit take.

 

[AltiUn]

Any highlight reels of his saves? I missed the game.

 

[pierrethesnack]

Even his kicking game was bang on the money.

I noticed this too, not sure I've seen him be so accurate before. Maybe it's something he's worked on. If so, it's great.

 

[SoCross]

Cheers mate. How many times did he try that pass to AWB

Some fantastic saves there.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Cheers mate. How many times did he try that pass to AWB

Some fantastic saves there.

The same amount of times that pass reached AWB!

 

[OverratedOpinion]

Has to play the next game I think.

That was an incredible performance and whilst Henderson has been absolutely fine you have to respect form. He has to have some motivation to keep performing like that.

 

[The Oracle]

Feck me. What a terrible post. That was a legitimately top class performance last night. As close to flawless as you’re ever likely to see. Even his kicking game was bang on the money. Pinging it to AWB with pinpoint accuracy every time.

I’ve long held the opinion De Gea’s been a problem for this team and I really hope Henderson can improve us but you’d have to be unbelievably bitter and biased to not give credit where it’s due after a game like last night.

To be fair it was quite a harsh post.

You have highlighted something that is true, I am bitter towards De Gea, and it comes from the amount of important games where he has let us down - in part due to his natural decline.

I will take a more balanced approach when commenting about his performances, because I am biased towards him - in a negative way.

 

[Bebestation]

I still feel that Henderson allows his defenders to play in a different way.

They play higher up the pitch with this mentality of being able to dictate their own tempo, line aswell as the opposition attackers.

De Gea is pure flexibility and positioning on the line but as great as he may be at not allowing a goal - he makes the defence together look weaker.

 

[Eternitiy]

In my opinion the saves were routine because the majority of the shots were straight at him.

His flaws were still highlighted last night:
> weak at his near-post
> doesn't collect crosses that are floated in to the edge of the 6-yard box
> isn't vocal and brings a nervousness to our defence
> has a weak mentality - when Roma scored their first goal, his head dropped and he stared at the ground

Dress up last night's performance however you want.

You can't dress up his flaws because they are who he is.

I agree with a lot of your points, but you shouldn't fault the fact that the shots were straight at de Gea. His positioning was excellent, which allowed him to make so many saves, some at point-blank range.

 

[The Oracle]

I agree with a lot of your points, but you shouldn't fault the fact that the shots were straight at de Gea. His positioning was excellent, which allowed him to make so many saves, some at point-blank range.

It is a positive way of looking at it.
If the shots are straight at the keeper then it can be a factor that the keeper was positioned in the correct place.

I guess it's like a defender who successfully tackles without going to ground - because their positioning is good.
Whereas a defender who makes last-ditch slide tackles needs to because his positioning is not so good (i.e. Wan-Bissaka at times).

So all-in-all, a lot of the shots may have been at De Gea last night... but he was positioned correctly to make the saves.

 

[sxmsharp]

De Gea last night was something else, incredible. I don’t believe he’s the long term number 1 going forward though.

 

[MadDogg]

Cheers mate. How many times did he try that pass to AWB

It actually worked fantastically well. His distribution in general seemed improved but it was those chipped passes out to AWB in the first half that was the real highlight of it. I think there might have been one that put AWB under pressure (which he did well to get out of), but the rest of them were good passes that spread the play and got us on the front foot behind the first attempted high press.

 

[Wing Attack Plan R]

He was imperious against Roma. DeGea's superior reflexes are what allowed us to win on aggregate, those were some amazing saves that I think most keepers would not have made. He should return to the starting lineup, Henderson the understudy.

 

[berbatrick]

that's some weird editing on that video! back and forth through the game. it's missing one of his double saves i think.

 

[Martial'sEmergingSmile]

His passing was good today. Lot of nice clips out to Telles, one really nice one to Mata (who miscontrolled it).

Good save in the second half too.

 

[reddevilchennai]

Is it possible for De Gea to reinvent himself? By becoming more commanding in the box rather than solely relying on his reflexes which is diminishing due to aging.

 

[sullydnl]

Should certainly start the final.

 

[el3mel]

If we win EL he'll be a big reason. He seems fully back to his best recently.

 

[flappyjay]

Those reflexes are still top notch.

 

[lost7]

Should certainly start the final.

No doubt about it, I think he's been really good when he's played for a while now

 

[Andersons Dietician]

Yeah, there Is no doubt in my mind DeGea is by far the better keeper and should be number 1.

 

[united_99]

He will play in the final. That’s why he played today. Otherwise he would have lacked match fitness going into the final.

 

[Red_toad]

He will play in the final. That’s why he played today. Otherwise he would have lacked match fitness going into the final.

Match fitness for a goalkeeper?
Bar his blooper where he dropped that header he was ok

 

[united_99]

Match fitness for a goalkeeper?
Bar his blooper where he dropped that header he was ok

Yep, otherwise 3 weeks gap (Roma 2nd leg - EL final) would be too long. Even a gk needs match fitness.

 

[Red_toad]

Yep, otherwise 3 weeks gap (Roma 2nd leg - EL final) would be too long. Even a gk needs match fitness.

Didn’t bother our last cup keeper no2. Never known a keeper use an excuse of not playing and lack of fitness as an excuse? Maybe you’re seeing something they don’t. Seen plenty of our keepers hardly ever play and turn it on when called up.

 

[united_99]

Didn’t bother our last cup keeper no2. Never known a keeper use an excuse of not playing and lack of fitness as an excuse? Maybe you’re seeing something they don’t. Seen plenty of our keepers hardly ever play and turn it on when called up.

Seriously who cares? It was a meaningless game today in which I believe De Gea played because he will start the final. Partly because of match fitness, partly because Ole doesn’t want to change the back 5 who will play in the final too much especially with Maguire probably out anyway.
Now if there were other reasons why he started today then who cares? Not a big deal really.

 

[2 man midfield]

A break and a rocket up the arse seems to have done wonders. I’d personally start him in the final, if nothing else to help calm that shambles of a back 4 down.