MadDogg
Full Member
That's a definite possibility. In fact I think it's more likely than Henderson actually grabbing the spot and becoming out long term #1.I'm more and more convinced that if we sell De Gea, we'll back in this thread next year saying we need a new number 1. Henderson has fundamental technical issues that IMO means he will never reach De Gea's best level. Which is the calibre of player that should be United number 1.
However the thing is that the chance of Henderson stepping up and claiming that role properly is higher than De Gea doing so. De Gea simply isn't good enough anymore. He's had three seasons of average to downright poor performances which has cost us time and time again. His atrocious finish to the season was the main reason we didn't make the top four in 18/19. In 19/20 he cost us in one or two of the semi-final losses (let in two poor goals in the FA Cup semi and arguably could have done better for the second goal in the Europa League semi). His cowardice (I hate using that word but there's no other way to describe his effort for Leipzig's third goal) knocked us out of the CL this season, and then he did the identical thing a month or two later in the league. I don't want to 'blame' him for our loss in the Europa final but he barely seemed to even try to save half the opposition penalties. That's just the big goals that have directly cost us and knocked us out of competitions, not even mentioning the goals that we concede because he refuses to come out for crosses or put himself in positions he might get clattered.
Henderson probably isn't going to be the answer but De Gea definitely isn't. So we should give Henderson the season to show what he can do, install him as definite #1 so he can settle and play his natural game without having to look over his shoulder (goalkeeper is the one position where competition for the spot doesn't tend to work well). Then if he hasn't stepped up we can look to buy somebody to come in and command that spot next season.
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