Schmeichel is fondly remembered as our keeper during the 90s when we won the lot. De Gea is a world class keeper who helped keep us afloat in the hunt for 4th. Through no fault of his own, schmeichel is always going to get the nod.
Is De Gea a bigger Man Utd legend than Peter Schmeichel?
- Thread starter George Beast
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik @Rood and Imran @Annihilate Now! start with the good news by celebrating Manchester United Women's emphatic FA Cup win over Spurs at Wembley and the future of manager Marc Skinner.
Then it's the bad news and the ever worsening form of our Men with losses to Arsenal and Palace.
Finally the main debate - ETH Out now or keep him until the end of the season - if not longer. Are you Team Nik or Team Imran?
Not to mention his distribution put DDG to shame.
He has much more than "only EL title", including the Premier League, but yeah, who cares
This makes me wonder why DDG is so disrespected despite being an always loyal model pro whereas we're seemingly fine with a few of our legends joining our most bitter rival (and also sending their children to their academies). Surely the legend status depends not only on trophies won (and no one can claim Schmeichel didn't have it easier) but also on how the person in question treated the club?
I fell in love in 90s United and Schmeichel was always a big figure for me, but apart from romanticism and us obviously missing the spirit and vibe from Sir Alex era, compared to the shambles we've had here for majority of DDG's time, it's hard to make a case of Big Pete being a bigger legend tbh.
Easy to be big star on a successful side, also city. There DDG
No. But there's no shame in that.
Still world class for more than half a decade. Still a United legend.
Still world class for more than half a decade. Still a United legend.
Exactly. I think some forget that for quite a few seasons he was our best player.
No.
Actually that's fair enough. My understanding is he didn't reach the same kind of level as Schmeichel on the field, but his actions during Munich certainly puts him firmly in legendary category.
Nah. I've wanted him upgraded for a minute
No. Not even close.
I think De Gea will probably get more respect than he currently does once he's gone.
Right now his flaws are an actual issue for the team, so they tend to loom large in people's mind. Once he moves on people will be more inclined to focus on the length of service and him being our best player across an otherwise fairly woeful decade.
Also, when we say De Gea doesn't get respect we really mean on the internet. The actual fans in the stadium pretty much love him and in general terms I don't think anyone really has a bad word to say about him. It's very situation and football specific criticism.
He was good enough to be goalkeeper of the tournament at the 1958 world cup so he wasn't bad between the sticks either. Harry also won two leagues and a FA cup with United and played for almost 10 years all through the post Munich rebuild.
Plus he was an absolute gentleman off the pitch. There is a youth league in his honour over here and he used to present trophies at it every year. All the kids had no idea who he was while all the Dads like me were getting selfies with him
No, but likely a better servant to the club.
Schmeichel was probably second only to Beckham of my favorite players when I started watching United.
De Gea has also been fantastic but I'd edge Pete ahead due to trophies won and just how vocal a leader he was. De Gea may have a better catalog of stunning saves, but Petes organisation of the defense and distribution was world class to an extend few have matched since
De Gea has also been fantastic but I'd edge Pete ahead due to trophies won and just how vocal a leader he was. De Gea may have a better catalog of stunning saves, but Petes organisation of the defense and distribution was world class to an extend few have matched since
De Gea has been at the club for a longer period, but beside being a better shot stopper than VDS, I think the other two beat him in pretty much any aspect. And that's without even accounting for all the trophies/the succesful eras they played in.
No. He is still a United legend though. 500+ games for United is a pretty damn good achievement even if it was mostly during a period of mediocrity.
Oh god, this thread is going to be bumped tonight for good or ill isn't it 
No, I don't think so. Though a few years ago (like circa 2018, I believe), it did seem like de Gea was on course to match Schmeichel (and by extension, van der Sar) as a United great. There was a semi-general agreement that while the former two were more complete and better organizers, widely considered as Top 10 goalkeepers of all time (for what they achieved with Denmark, Ajax, and the Netherlands in addition to their United stints), and had won more silverware with the club, David was doing indescribable things as a backs-to-the-wall wizard for substantially weaker teams (one of the few silver linings in a dark period for United) — which gave him a certain charm. But his performance levels started deteriorating around the 2018 World Cup, he started making atypical errors (while looking unsure of himself), concerns around his absurd wages became more pronounced, and his flaws became more widely acknowledged and “unforgivable” (especially in contrast with Alisson at Liverpool and Ederson at City, who ushered in a new style and standard at contemporary Premier League level).
All of that has taken an almighty toll on his standing (and no doubt eroded some of the credit he had built up), relative to the Big 2 (who have fairly pristine United legacies as they did not suffer from similar issues over several seasons). Schmeichel arrived as the best goalkeeper in the world according to UEFA and IFFFS, was pretty much one of the absolute best goalkeepers in the world throughout his stint, genuinely scared oppositions with his titanic presence, and left as a Treble winner; while van der Sar stabilized the defense (which became the best in the world and the best in club history), gave Čech (who was getting too comfortable at the top) a kick up the butt, was an integral component of teams that won 4 league titles and reached 3 Champions League finals in just 6 seasons, and retired before his performances suffered a cataclysmic collapse.
Now de Gea being consigned to a lower ranking (for United, and in general) is a foregone conclusion, and his legacy is fairly checkered (for United, and in a wider sense — as Courtois and Alisson will be rated as the greatest goalkeepers of this era after Neuer). Understandable, but also a bit unfortunate as he gave his best years to the club, and was genuinely one of the very best in the world for a period of time. Poor guy got the short end of the stick for club and country alike (who failed to live up to the expectations as a collective); in some ways he contributed to the problems with his reactive approach to goalkeeping, but you could credibly argue that deserved better when he was at the peak of his powers as an All-Time great shot stopper.
All of that has taken an almighty toll on his standing (and no doubt eroded some of the credit he had built up), relative to the Big 2 (who have fairly pristine United legacies as they did not suffer from similar issues over several seasons). Schmeichel arrived as the best goalkeeper in the world according to UEFA and IFFFS, was pretty much one of the absolute best goalkeepers in the world throughout his stint, genuinely scared oppositions with his titanic presence, and left as a Treble winner; while van der Sar stabilized the defense (which became the best in the world and the best in club history), gave Čech (who was getting too comfortable at the top) a kick up the butt, was an integral component of teams that won 4 league titles and reached 3 Champions League finals in just 6 seasons, and retired before his performances suffered a cataclysmic collapse.
Now de Gea being consigned to a lower ranking (for United, and in general) is a foregone conclusion, and his legacy is fairly checkered (for United, and in a wider sense — as Courtois and Alisson will be rated as the greatest goalkeepers of this era after Neuer). Understandable, but also a bit unfortunate as he gave his best years to the club, and was genuinely one of the very best in the world for a period of time. Poor guy got the short end of the stick for club and country alike (who failed to live up to the expectations as a collective); in some ways he contributed to the problems with his reactive approach to goalkeeping, but you could credibly argue that deserved better when he was at the peak of his powers as an All-Time great shot stopper.
Biggest problem for De Gea is he gave us his best years whilst we were shit
It's been a complete shambles since SAF left and that's not De Gea's fault
Never really forgive Schmeichel for going to City in all honesty
It's been a complete shambles since SAF left and that's not De Gea's fault
Never really forgive Schmeichel for going to City in all honesty
There are many variables - put the Great Dane in the United sides under Moyes, LVG, Mourinho and Ole and DDG under Fergie during the 90s and it could be a bit different.
But given what he won and how he was a bedrock of the side winning so much you have to go for Big Pete.
Plus I'm not convinced DDG isn't just still with us because of the size and length of his contract making it difficult to find a suitable alternative and also for anyone to want to sign him.
But given what he won and how he was a bedrock of the side winning so much you have to go for Big Pete.
Plus I'm not convinced DDG isn't just still with us because of the size and length of his contract making it difficult to find a suitable alternative and also for anyone to want to sign him.
Excellent recap, as always, and impossible to disagree - yet I struggle to accept when the discussion about a status as a legend is only about the ability. One could say the best football player to ever wear United shirt and who won quite a few trophies with us is nowhere near being a club legend.
God no.
Who do you think was our starting keeper during our last title win? embarrassing.
Nah. Schmeichel was an absolute freak of a keeper and part of our first title winning team for 26 years, first double, treble. DeGea has been excellent for us though. His peak is definitely only bettered by Schmeichel, those two keepers won us games single handedly almost at times. VDS for example never really had those performances.
Hes literally been one of the only reliable players during 10 years of shit its not on De Gea
Could have Schmeichel, Buffon, Van der Sar or anybody in goal for the last 10 years and we’re still not winning much that’s not on the keeper
In my opinion, your legendary status somewhat dwindles when you join our local rivals and then cartwheel in front of United fans at Maine Road to celebrate a 3-1 City win.
I think overall Schmeichel was a better goalkeeper than De Gea, but if you're asking who was the bigger legend, then De Gea is well above Schmeichel because of the way Schmeichel made me feel as a child when he cartwheeled in front of us. I know I should just get over it but looking back it still irks me now
And before anyone brings up Dennis Law: that was a different era where footballers weren't making much money. Schmeichel's options weren't as limited. Also, Law didn't celebrate when he scored against us.
I think overall Schmeichel was a better goalkeeper than De Gea, but if you're asking who was the bigger legend, then De Gea is well above Schmeichel because of the way Schmeichel made me feel as a child when he cartwheeled in front of us. I know I should just get over it but looking back it still irks me now
And before anyone brings up Dennis Law: that was a different era where footballers weren't making much money. Schmeichel's options weren't as limited. Also, Law didn't celebrate when he scored against us.
The big Dane was part of so many successful seasons. He won the lot.
De Gea is great but doesn't come close.
De Gea is great but doesn't come close.
Scmikes is a European Cup winning captain.
That could be countered with Stepney. Gregg is absolutely a legend for more reasons than football though.
Agreed 100%In my opinion, your legendary status somewhat dwindles when you join our local rivals and then cartwheel in front of United fans at Maine Road to celebrate a 3-1 City win.
I think overall Schmeichel was a better goalkeeper than De Gea, but if you're asking who was the bigger legend, then De Gea is well above Schmeichel because of the way Schmeichel made me feel as a child when he cartwheeled in front of us. I know I should just get over it but looking back it still irks me now
And before anyone brings up Dennis Law: that was a different era where footballers weren't making much money. Schmeichel's options weren't as limited. Also, Law didn't celebrate when he scored against us.
The worst thing to happen to De Gea was that "fax machine". Denied him of several CL wins and basically meant he spent his prime in the comedic tragedy that was Ed Woodward's Manchester United, now he's past it with a very large percentage of the "fan base" seeing him as a pariah and re writing what he once did for the club when it was at its absolute rock bottom. 100% a United legend but no not anywhere near Schmeichel and should be replaced in the summer.
I love Dave and always felt he got a lot of undeserved stick on here, mostly because of his contract. He has flaws and he has made mistakes, but he's been a great keeper for us. We bought him at a time when teams set up very different tactically, and sweeper keepers weren't that big of a thing (in the PL, anyway).
Big Pete is more of a legend due to the fact that he was an intergal part of so much success for the club.
Big Pete is more of a legend due to the fact that he was an intergal part of so much success for the club.
Well said. I have more respect for VDS and DDG.In my opinion, your legendary status somewhat dwindles when you join our local rivals and then cartwheel in front of United fans at Maine Road to celebrate a 3-1 City win.
I think overall Schmeichel was a better goalkeeper than De Gea, but if you're asking who was the bigger legend, then De Gea is well above Schmeichel because of the way Schmeichel made me feel as a child when he cartwheeled in front of us. I know I should just get over it but looking back it still irks me now
And before anyone brings up Dennis Law: that was a different era where footballers weren't making much money. Schmeichel's options weren't as limited. Also, Law didn't celebrate when he scored against us.
DDG and Big Pete shouldn't be named in the same sentence. Pete all the way.
De Gea has magic in his gloves but he's very limited elsewhere and non-existent when it comes to organisation of the defence.
VDS didn't make nearly as many world class saves, but technically he was very good and until his last year didn't let in much of anything you'd expect a keeper to save. He was also a good presence in the air and great with his feet.
Schmeichel pretty much did all of that and wasn't afraid of sweeping like the other two.
Can't speak for Gregg as I'm too young but Schmeichel was the best I've seen at United. In fact he's probably the best I've seen.
VDS didn't make nearly as many world class saves, but technically he was very good and until his last year didn't let in much of anything you'd expect a keeper to save. He was also a good presence in the air and great with his feet.
Schmeichel pretty much did all of that and wasn't afraid of sweeping like the other two.
Can't speak for Gregg as I'm too young but Schmeichel was the best I've seen at United. In fact he's probably the best I've seen.
It's a bit Romantic to say Big Pete and its correct, imo though if DDG was in goal through Big Petes time it would probably been the same outcome in trophies. Both Keepers are top ones . As a prescence in goal to terrify opponents it Big Pete. Vds was great as well.
Really? Of course he's not. Golden Gloves and clean sheet records are never just down to the goalkeeper, never. Unless DDG wins a Treble as the primary goalkeeper, let alone a Double, then he'll never been better than the Great Dane.
Not for me.
A PL title doesn’t count then? I love how you signed off the post with “I think you can close the thread” yet don’t know the facts, you’ve had an absolute mare here.