Conceding from set pieces

[Kerry Donaghy]

That goal was 100% Maguire shitting his pants. Absolutely unacceptable how Otamendi flew over his head.

I don't blame De Gea, because I saw David starting to move for the ball and then noticing that it was landing squarely in the zone Maguire should have been controlling so De Gea let Maguire take it - which is the right thing to do, no need for our own goalkeeper clashing with a CB in the zone the CB should be controlling.

Agreed it wasn't great defending from Maguire in his attempt to win the header, but key word there is 'attempt', in that at least he attempted to do something to try and prevent the goal.
What exactly did De Gea do to prevent it?

Also, in Maguires defence, he's probably just used to playing with goalkeepers who would come for crosses like that because it's the obvious thing to do for any goalkeeper (unless they are 4ft or something)

If De Gea is 6ft 4 and allowed to use his hands to reach up and catch or punch the ball, then thats surely a better way to try and prevent a goal than trying to save a header from 5 yards out.
It's pretty basic stuff.

I wouldn't even care if it was a one off but this happens pretty much every time a cross comes in, it's been costing us goals and points for years and will continue to do so until De Gea is either dropped or called out on this (the latter being unlikely because, as I said, it's been happening for ten years)

 

[RedCurry]

Even taller / stronger players wouldn't have fared much better in that situation IMO. Otamendi has had too much of a run up going against a guy who's at standstill. We're just back to the old Zonal vs man marking debate again.

AWB needs to stand his ground there. If Otamendi still tried to shove him out, it would have been given a foul.

 

[SER19]

It's genuinely pathetic this season.

 

[ifightdragons]

Agreed it wasn't great defending from Maguire in his attempt to win the header, but key word there is 'attempt', in that at least he attempted to do something to try and prevent the goal.
What exactly did De Gea do to prevent it?

Also, in Maguires defence, he's probably just used to playing with goalkeepers who would come for crosses like that because it's the obvious thing to do for any goalkeeper (unless they are 4ft or something)

If De Gea is 6ft 4 and allowed to use his hands to reach up and catch or punch the ball, then thats surely a better way to try and prevent a goal than trying to save a header from 5 yards out.
It's pretty basic stuff.

I wouldn't even care if it was a one off but this happens pretty much every time a cross comes in, it's been costing us goals and points for years and will continue to do so until De Gea is either dropped or called out on this (the latter being unlikely because, as I said, it's been happening for ten years)

This is the most sensible post on here. You've got De Gea nailed down.

De Gea has been sh***ng his pants in the box his entire career, and it's been costing us and Spain a lot of goals every season.
He is also way too slow to come off his line in 1v1. And his footwork is not amazing.

His reactions and reach on the line is top notch though. But that's not enough. He concedes way too many simple crosses, and struggles 1v1 unless the striker flunks it and hits his hands or feet straight on.

Both Schmeichel and Van der Sar had him beat in all of the above areas, except for reaction. Though their reaction was great as well.

 

[NewGlory]

AWB needs to stand his ground there. If Otamendi still tried to shove him out, it would have been given a foul.

AWB got bulldozed by Otamendi twice in that one episode, rugby-style both times. Clearly AWB simply doesn't have the strength and physicality to stop something like that. Which means he probably shouldn't have been the one man-marking a bull like Otamendi. The guy who absolutely has enough strength however is Maguire and after bulldozing AWB, Otamendi jumped over Maguire's head to score the goal, which is why I think a big, strong CB like Maguire should have done more.

Seeing how basically Otamendi did . the same thing twice to AWB, this is very concerning. If United keep putting the same formation for corner kicks, any side now has a ready-made formula for scoring - just have your big player shove AWB and they have enough space to score.

 

[RedCurry]

AWB got bulldozed by Otamendi twice in that one episode, rugby-style both times. Clearly AWB simply doesn't have the strength and physicality to stop something like that. Which means he probably shouldn't have been the one man-marking a bull like Otamendi. The guy who absolutely has enough strength however is Maguire and after bulldozing AWB, Otamendi jumped over Maguire's head to score the goal, which is why I think a big, strong CB like Maguire should have done more.

Seeing how basically Otamendi did . the same thing twice to AWB, this is very concerning. If United keep putting the same formation for corner kicks, any side now has a ready-made formula for scoring - just have your big player shove AWB and they have enough space to score.

A more seasoned pro instead of AWB would have planted his foot forcing Otamendi to push him to the ground and that would be called a foul. Maguire has been trying to bulldoze other defenders in opposition box but they invariably fall and earn a free kick.

 

[NewGlory]

A more seasoned pro instead of AWB would have planted his foot forcing Otamendi to push him to the ground and that would be called a foul. Maguire has been trying to bulldoze other defenders in opposition box but they invariably fall and earn a free kick.

Good point

 

[cyril C]

It was a cracking header I thought, credit where it’s due imo.

If against a team with multiple target men then perhaps. But against a team with only 1 tall player, which is as sinful as gifting Sterling a free header...

 

[championo]

DDG just never develop the ability to com out for crosses and corners; that puts tremendous press on the defense. He is a big part of the problem for me.

 

[WR10]

Here's your answer. It's not Maguire. It's DDG that quickly realizes he doesn't have the size nor the balls to punch that ball. He made that little run instinctively because it is within his punching reach but fell back in a shell because of pure fear.

Otherwise, the rest is completely on AWB. He got bulldozed. If you can't match the guy pushing through you - then just fall. VAR will give you it. However, he tried to hold him back and completely failed.

 

[Bobcat]

It was a very well taken corner and when Otamendi get a run in like that its very hard to stop him with legal means. Though if we have to assign blame both Maguire and De Gea are culpable here. Maguire should have gone up in the challenge and De Gea should have come of his line to collect it.

AWB cant be faulted here. The only way he could have stopped him was by tearing him down and that would have been a pen

 

[Sandikan]

The theory with zonal is that you keep your best header in the most dangerous area...ie where we stationed Maguire.

If we went man for man, itd be too easy to shift him out of the danger area pretty much leaving mctom as our only strong header.

That said, city are pretty weak in the air and even Otamendi is dwarfed by Maguire so it would have made sense to man mark him. Who else would head it in for them? Stones had gone off

 

[WR10]

It was a very well taken corner and when Otamendi get a run in like that its very hard to stop him with legal means. Though if we have to assign blame both Maguire and De Gea are culpable here. Maguire should have gone up in the challenge and De Gea should have come of his line to collect it.

AWB cant be faulted here. The only way he could have stopped him was by tearing him down and that would have been a pen

Why not fall when he got bulldozed in the first second of the run? It was a blatant push. Ramos would