DDG: Over 400 apps for our club. Legend status! Was he the best we've had? Shoot!

[simplyared]

I am a bit divided on this tbf. Definately the best shot stopper we've ever had. Unbelievable reflexes! Lacking a bit of courage and rubbish (for some unknown reason) on penalties.
I'd put him as no 2 after big Pete

 

[JJ12]

He’s behind Schmeichel and VDS. Not sure it’s particularly close either.

 

[Rightnr]

Van der Sar was immense and his presence was palpable even watching on TV.

Probably 3rd best after those two.

 

[Offside]

I made a thread on this in 2016 and most people were convinced he was the best. I think he’s behind both Pete and Edwin but marginally.

 

[Hound Dog]

The fact that he made that many appearances after his shortcomings had been obvious for years sums up the Glazer era and is a sad reminder of how far United have fallen as a club.

 

[Skills]

Best I've seen at United. I think he was better than VDS - who's wildly overrated because of the crap that came before.

Schmeichel is a different beast all together with his legacy in football.

 

[Rhyme Animal]

Best I've seen at United. I think he was better than VDS - who's wildly overrated because of the crap that came before.

Schmeichel is a different beast all together with his legacy in football.

What!? VDS was underrated mate!

He was a brilliant keeper and was ahead of his time.

 

[FrankDrebin]

Schmikes
VDS
DDG.

 

[Nero]

Way over 400. It's 545.

 

[El Zoido]

Best I've seen at United. I think he was better than VDS - who's wildly overrated because of the crap that came before.

Schmeichel is a different beast all together with his legacy in football.

Absolute nonsense, VDS was underrated if anything.

 

[Maluco]

He lacked the personality and presence of Big Pete and VDS. I think that’s what sets the truly great goalkeepers apart.

Brilliant shot stopper at his peak, who we are indebted to for limiting how far we fell.

 

[Big Ben Foster]

Van der Sar was immense and his presence was palpable even watching on TV.

Probably 3rd best after those two.

VDS's organizational skills and calming effect on the defense (in addition to all his obvious strengths as a GK) make him the best of the three for me.

Watching the same defenders play with Kuszczak, Foster, or even DDG behind them - night and day difference.

 

[Marcelinho87]

Best I've seen at United. I think he was better than VDS - who's wildly overrated because of the crap that came before.

Schmeichel is a different beast all together with his legacy in football.

Nah and I even put VDS above big Pete.

 

[Dwight Corke]

Best Man Utd 'keepers since the 90s

1. Schmeichel
=1. VDS


3. DDG




4. Beautiful Bald Barthez
5. Sergio Romero
6. Tim Howard
7. Mark Bosnich
8. Roy Carroll
9. Dean Henderson



10. Massimo Taibi

 

[Tarrou]

Edwin, Pete, then DDG

he’s been ducking brilliant for us, until 2/3 years ago

just not the best for me

 

[AndySmith1990]

3rd best maybe

 

[Red Star One]

I think VDS was great and a legend of the game but rate DDG marginally higher for his peak - that was quite a few seasons - when he was consistently our best player in the team and single-handedly winning us plenty of points. It’s very close though.

Haven’t seen Schmeichel personally enough to fully compare the two but from the videos, discussions with older fans and history I think he remains our top1 GK ever and stays in his own tier

 

[SAFMUTD]

Schmeichel Is clearly the first, closely followed by VdS. De Gea is distant third, he was great at his peak but to his, and our, bad luck we didn't won many major titles in the 12 years he was here plus the last 5 years were a bag of mixed performances including many really poor that cost us eliminations, league positions and even titles.

 

[Tiber]

Vds is only rated higher because he joined arguably our best ever team. Poor DDG spent much of his career playing with dross

 

[ThanksBoss26]

Schmeichel, van der Sar then De Gea for me. He’s in the conversation though and although at the lower end of the club legend spectrum in my view (if there is such a thing) I do regard him as one.

 

[hasanejaz88]

His peak I think was higher than VDS, but the end hasn't been smooth so overall I would put him below Peter and VDS.

 

[Drainy]

Distant third as people are saying, ignoring any before the Premier League since I didn't watch them.

Great shot stopper at his peak, brilliant reflexes and strong hands. Had some weaknesses though, like commanding his box and distribution.

 

[Idxomer]

Nope, too one-dimensional to be in the same conversation with the other two.

 

[The Cat]

No need to shit on him he's been a fantastic servant.

But no way is he above PS or VDS,

 

[Offside]

Best Man Utd 'keepers since the 90s

1. Schmeichel
=1. VDS


3. DDG




4. Beautiful Bald Barthez
5. Sergio Romero
6. Tim Howard
7. Mark Bosnich
8. Roy Carroll
9. Dean Henderson



10. Massimo Taibi

What about PIG?

 

[golden_blunder]

He’s behind Schmeichel and VDS. Not sure it’s particularly close either.

Yep he’s not on the same level as those 2

 

[Lay]

Just below VDS but both are behind Big Pete.

Just below legend tier too.

 

[simonhch]

Nah and I even put VDS above big Pete.

You people putting VDS above Pete are mental. Both amazing and much better than DDG but big Pete was THE goalkeeper of his generation. A man mountain. Only people I put on a par with him are Buffon and Neuer.

Apologies for calling you mental.

But this is about DDG. Wonderful servant to his club and one of the best shot stoppers we’ve ever had. How occasional gaffes never bothered me. It happens to every keeper, but his lack of presence in the box and willingness to come off his line is what held him back from being considered amongst the very best.

Wish him the best.

 

[Jazz]

I would say 3rd best

 

[golden_blunder]

Schmeichel had such an aura at one stage that opposing strikers must have felt how they hell are they going to score. He was a beast. Brilliant in the air, brilliant reflexes, brilliant long throw and long kick. Wasn’t too shabby with the ball at his feet and in the opposing penalty box. His presence and command of the penalty box was on a different planet to DDG who was like a wilting flower in comparison. If you really thing that DDG was above PS then it pity you for not having seen PS because it’s really night and day difference

 

[stw2022]

It's unfair to do direct comparison as what clubs demand from keepers now vs what was demanded then are two different things.

Distribution with feet/sweeper role is a hugely sort after commodity that neither Schmeichel or De Gea had. I think Barthez is style of play was far more suited to whats sort after today than either. Does that mean to say he was a better goalie? Nope. But peak Schmeichel or peak De Gea wouldn't be the most sought after keepers today regardless of their individual attributes simply because command of box or shot stopping isn't the number one things top coaching now want from their number 1s.

 

[Big Ben Foster]

What about PIG?

PIG (great nickname), Foster, and Lindegaard would all surely be above Taibi on the list.

 

[JagUTD]

He's 3rd but it's not as big a gap as some claim. Look who played in defence in front of them and you start to see the huge advantages the likes of Schmeichel and VDS had.

De Gea rarely had a settled defence and for a 3 or 4 year period he may as well not have had one at all. Both Schmeichel and VDS played behind legendary defensive Units, arguably two of the best units in PL history.

So yeh, a closer third for me than for others.

 

[edgecutter]

VDS was better. He came in after some awful goalkeepers and was a revelation. 2 million as well.

 

[Red_Aaron]

In my lifetime he's behind Pete and VDS, can't talk of any of the earlier keepers

DDG was certainly a very good shot stopper but I don't know if I buy this idea he was the best we've had at that - Big Pete was an extraordinary shot stopper at his peak as well as having everything else in his locker too

Schmikes is way out in front for me, then Eddy then Dave

 

[Nickelodeon]

What a legend!

In terms of pure shot stopping, his peak is simply the best display of goalkeeping I have ever seen and ‘De Gea would’ve saved that’ is a phrase which will linger with me long into the future.

Very hard to put him above Schmeichel or VDS given our lack of trophies in his years and the errors he made over the past few years. But I am genuinely sad that he wouldn’t be a part of the club anymore. I always end up with the feeling where I don’t want success for players who leave the club so we feel vindicated. Safe to say, that’s not the case with De Gea. As unlikely as it might be, genuinely wish he ends up proving us wrong.

 

[Bebestation]

Hes behind Romero for me.

 

[Black Adder]

I made a thread on this in 2016 and most people were convinced he was the best. I think he’s behind both Pete and Edwin but marginally.

This!

 

[PSV]

Would have him #1 if he had left a few seasons ago, but a bit like Schmikes he probably wants to forget the last bit(s). Hard to tell with Edwin as he had, by far, the best defenders in front.

 

[tomaldinho1]

He’s behind Schmeichel and VDS. Not sure it’s particularly close either.

I’d agree. I can understand either Schmeichel or VDS as 1 or 2 but DDG can’t be higher than 3rd because those two are genuinely just much more rounded (and better) keepers.