David De(cade) Gea - How will he be remembered?

Abraxas

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It doesn't make all that much sense that he is past prime. He's 30, not old for a keeper. You could argue he is quite reflex reliant as he isn't a big keeper, he needs his reactions but 30 years old is not a point in which that is lost. Many boxers are are roughly in their prime around this age, give or take a year or two. Also experience should bring some balance and perspective that is important for a keeper as it's a tough job in terms of mistakes and concentration.

It seems more likely to be mental rather than physical. A change of scenery could do both parties a lot of good.
 

L1nk

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He is a club legend, despite his lack of silverware. Why? Well it's obvious he wanted to go back to his girlfriend and family in Madrid, yet when it didn't pan out he did not complain, he was the only player on the squad keeping our head above water for a fair few seasons if it wasn't for him we would have been way worse off, perhaps it's tarnished slightly by the fact he's stayed a a couple of seasons too long, maybe? Either way, De Gea deserved more from us than he got, but as others have said, in terms of pure Goalkeeping ability he's below Schmeichel and VDS I believe, but he is one of the best shot stoppers we've ever had.
 

JPRouve

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Great goalkeeper during his prime and donut lover.
 

TsuWave

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I see some people talk as if they’ve already forgotten his heroics throughout the years. Our best GK. Also, to me, he’s still better than Henderson
 

Jam

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Incredible in his prime, great asset to the club and singlehandedly saved us for a good few years.

The Madrid thing slightly sours his legacy, but is slightly redeemed by the fact he simply shut up and got on with the job when the transfer failed (albeit paid handsomely to do so).

I’ll remember him very fondly. He’s below Big Pete and VDS in terms of modern keepers, but probably the best of the rest.
 

Brophs

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Simply as the man who put a smile on the face of everyone he met.
 

bsCallout

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Great shot stopper. Unfortunately there is a lot more to being a top GK.

He will be remembered for his incredible saves.
 

VeevaVee

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Find so many people's underrating of him in his time here very odd. They'd probably buzz their nips off if the rest of the team had been better and he'd won loads, even if he'd done all the same stuff.

He was incredible for a good while, and the sole reason we didn't end up in worse league positions.
 

youmeletsfly

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For a few years, when speaking about pure shot-stopping ability, he was the best keeper I've ever seen, by a country mile. Bar the outrageous shot-stopping ability, he was a very average player, weak in the air, horrendous with his feet and so on.

That Spain tournament did a lot of harm to his form.
 

charlenefan

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He's both the best I've seen and not at the same time

In terms of level of individual performance he's unrivalled (I was too young to see Schmeichel at his peak) however being an outstanding individual doesn't mean a lot if the rest of the team aren't at the same level so for me he ranks below VDS
 

BorisManUtd

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Club legend for me. Unreal in 2013-2018 period, won us so many points alone. Think his last 'De Gea' performance was against Spurs at Wembley in January 2019, don't remember him since then having that type of game, though we strengthened our defence in the meantime with Maguire and AWB + Shaw started playing well so we concede less chances in games.

Even when he wanted to go to Real he never made any drama, his move collapsed in spectacular way and he didn't let his performances drop but managed to mantain same level of performances and even improve more. I have great respect for David.
 

rcoobc

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Distribution went out the window, confidence went out the window. At peak he was a goat contender
 

spiriticon

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Legendary for a few seasons, one of the last few players who has won a league medal with us (only him and Philly Jones left isn't it?).

Didn't really improve on weaknesses that were present since he was 18.
 

Siezard

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He won the Europa before he joined Man Utd. The Europa is just two trophies in his cabinet. Nothing to fuss about.
 

Ekeke

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Will be remembered for his great shot stopping and reflexes, even though we've barely seen it in the past 3 seasons
 

UpWithRivers

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Will be remembered as great but a level down from Schmeichel and Van Der Sar
 

Shane88

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He'll be remembered fondly. Excellent keeper for a few years. Won the league, FA Cup, Europa League, League Cup.

A sharp and steep decline in the later years halted any talk of legend status.
 

Brwned

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I thought he might end up the best given he'd been voted into the PFA team of the season 5 times in a row by the time he was 28, and he just needed some big performances for Spain and in the CL to take it to the next level. I'd have him comfortably as the 4th best keeper. That's pretty good given how good Schmeichel, VdS and Stepney were, but far off what I'd expected.
 

Maciej

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Try to rate our goalkeepers not looking at your nice memories from your younger days and trophies won.

You might come to a completely different conclusion then.
 

James_42

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He should be considered as a club legend, it's a shame his peak years were wasted in poor teams.
 

11101

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A great player from a bad period. I think we will remember him as a keeper who was brilliant at keeping the ball out of the net but couldn't elevate his teammates the way the very best could.
 

golden_blunder

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Schmeichel had everything as a keeper at his peak, literally everything. He was what many GKs dream of being.

VDS was different, using his experience to tell the defenders where to go. Absolutely brilliant as well.

then there’s DeGea. Brilliant on his line with amazing reflexes. BUT THATS IT. Doesn’t command his box, is uncommunicative, not good with the ball at his feet, doesn’t start counter attacks, poor at coming and taking the ball out of the air and a wheelie bin would save more penalties. Still his reflexes alone nearly carried him to number 1 in the world

so I’d have him 3rd at least in my lifetime. Older fans may throw Harry Gregg in there too
 

MonkeysMagic

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Whilst some may consider his achievements at a levels below Schmeichel/VDS, having played behind a relative poor defensive unit for most of those 10 years I would say he is at least on a par with those greats...at his peak. And he longer is at his peak and in actual fact has regressed alarmingly but we shouldn't be judging him on his current form.
 

CoopersDream

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He's obviously a legend, and a spectacular player. Feeling it's a bit the Rooney thing again - a brilliant player with a couple of bad seasons at the end and suddenly he was never really that good. He was the best keeper in the league for a good five years and the best in the world for a couple of those. Sure, we could say that because his insistence to stay one his line the team was weaker, but that is just pure speculation. We have seen this season with Liverpool how much good defenders in front of a great keeper means anyways.

As for peak level, I'd say De Gea is up there with anyone. I can't talk about Schmeichel as I couldn't watch much football back in his days, but for the past 20 years he clearly is our best goalkeeper in that regard. No doubt in my mind.

I think if he leaves this summer, which I think he will, he can absolutely regain his form and become one of the best in the world again.
 

Siezard

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Great player! Reminds me of Rooney again! Did tons of great work! Hopefully he redeems himself and leave on a high like what Rooney did.
 

Lay

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He won the Europa before he joined Man Utd. The Europa is just two trophies in his cabinet. Nothing to fuss about.
He won the league, FA cup and league cup here.
 

eire-red

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Great keeper, was an incredibly good shot stopper, but lacked in certain areas that meant he would never be considered up there with VDS and Schmeichel.

Worth noting that from 2014-2018 when DDG was at the top of his game, he was truly top class, and with a better squad he would be right up there if we had more success.
 

Maticmaker

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Yes, De Gea will go down as one of United's great keepers and for a while he was definitely 'best in the world'. Davids 'shot stopping' abilities, especially with his feet/legs became almost legendary , reminds fans of my age of the great Pat Jennings (Spurs). David's 'staying on his' line saved us a number of times, but overall his reluctance to 'come off' the line, was for me, his main weakness, it sowed uncertainty in defenders and this also made DeGea a target for 'bullying' CFs like Kevin Davies.

DeGea's impact on the team overall though was not particularly inspiring, e.g. he was definitely in the shade of Peter Schmeichel, and even further back, Harry Gregg, neither of whom when coming off their line took any prisoners.

Like to think he might stay at least another season and share the job with Henderson, but if one has to go it must be David, his time in the sun is coming to an end at OT, Dean is just emerging from the shade!
 

Alan Partridge

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A bit of a weird case for me. Absurdly exceptional in some areas but frustratingly average in others. Unfortunately for a keeper being well rounded is very important. So falls comfortably behind the other prominent United keeper I was lucky enough to witness, van der Sar.
 

rimaldo

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he’ll be remembered as simply the man who put a smile on any opposing player who stood at over 6 foot in height.
 

Oldyella

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A bit of a weird case for me. Absurdly exceptional in some areas but frustratingly average in others. Unfortunately for a keeper being well rounded is very important. So falls comfortably behind the other prominent United keeper I was lucky enough to witness, van der Sar.
Yeah, even when he seemed to be making incredible saves game after game, it was always an annoyance that he wouldn't need to make so many if he would come off his line and help his defence out. Not quite a legend but near to it, and probably would have the best highlight real of our keepers.
 

Roane

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One of the best things about Dave is that he is a very quiet and humble lad.

One of the worst things about our keeper Dave is that he is a quiet and humble lad.

Dave for me as a keeper has given me the most wow moments and the most frustrating moments. I can be screaming at him for not coming out and claiming a ball or marvelling at how he managed "to get to that one".

Overall I think Dave just didn't do enough in terms of taking charge of the defence and his area as a whole (which I've always felt has been an issue for us looking suspect in defence) to be up there with likes of schmikes and VDS.
 

KiD MoYeS

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A club legend definitely. Should have won more but there was too long a period he essentially carried the team.
 

RedRonaldo

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Schmeichel>VDS>De Gea

No shame on that, they are all great great keepers.
 

Raoul

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Is our current longest serving squad player, and will have been with us for a decade at the end of this month.

How does he rank amongst the pantheon of United great keepers?

For me he falls just short of being considered a great keeper. He was very good in his prime though, shortly after Sir Alex left, and single handedly saved us many dropped points. I would consider him above Fabian Barthez but leagues below VDS and Schmeichel.
He will be remembered as a contemporary of Pete and Edwin, who was widely considered either the best or one of the top 3 keepers in the world for significant stretches of his United career.
 

LawCharltonBest

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Nobody can tell me that De Gea wasn't the best Goalkeeper in the World from 2015 - 2017

Shit at saving penalties though, and I've said that for years. The Europa Final just amplified it.

I like a goalkeeper who when you're facing a penalty, you fancy him to save it. Like Van der Sar and Schmeichel. Never expected De Gea to save any.