David De Gea Appreciation Thread

Spot on.

And it’s ok for fans to think that all of the above is true while still having a soft spot for DDG (and Fred, McT, Elanga) He’ll get a great reception tomorrow. Which is well deserved.

Absolutely, and sometimes people just need a new environment. I think that's something that is actually downplayed with Ferguson, how monumentally difficult it is to be a manager at the same club for so long and be as succesful, and reinventing both play, players and staff.

Great to see DDG is in the team of the season in Italy - great goalie, great character, but it was right for him and for United to part ways; the way it happened was terrible though - a proper stain on the club.
 
He really has the best compilations of pretty much any goalkeeper out there. Such a legend. Yes, he tailored off at the end and made more mistakes than we would like, but we haven't improved. I'd argue we would be a better side with DDG than we are now, unfortunately. That being said, I still think it was right to part ways, but everything about that situation was handled the wrong way. Not giving one of our true legends a proper send off is diabolical from the club, and his replacement has been well below par. I doubt Onana would save half of the saves DDG makes in that video, and then I'm being kind.

Yeah I thought that - quite possibly the best saves compilation of any goalkeeper ever?
 
Yeah I thought that - quite possibly the best saves compilation of any goalkeeper ever?

Definitely the right circumstances for an all timer highlight reel. Put one of the best shot stoppers in the world in a club where his goal will be absolutely fecking riddled with shots for most of his time there and stay at that club for 12 years.
 
It's Friday, and my joke is as shallow as that new Spiderman movie.
 
How many balls will go past him tonight? Cant wait
 
He really has the best compilations of pretty much any goalkeeper out there. Such a legend. Yes, he tailored off at the end and made more mistakes than we would like, but we haven't improved. I'd argue we would be a better side with DDG than we are now, unfortunately. That being said, I still think it was right to part ways, but everything about that situation was handled the wrong way. Not giving one of our true legends a proper send off is diabolical from the club, and his replacement has been well below par. I doubt Onana would save half of the saves DDG makes in that video, and then I'm being kind.

Being very kind.

The commentator in half of those clips goes and 'X hits the post or X puts it wide' and then corrects himself and goes 'Oh no wait, somehow De Gea has saved it'. He really was an elite force for a number of years, shame to see how it ended.
 
Good player for us across most of his tenure but he still needed to go when he did. He was on a ridiculous wage and he had just gone stale in those last three years and looked very limited to the likes of Ederson and Allison. I think he’s the type of keeper who you’d need an experienced, top quality centreback pairing like Ferdinand and Vidic in front of him to get the best out of him. I don’t think he’s the keeper to nurture and look after a young defence.

I look at the three big modern United goalkeepers like this:

VDS was a proactive goalkeeper in that he could marshal his defence, to counter his lesser shotstopping and reflex saves
DDG was a reactive goalkeeper in that he could do all the shotstopping and impressive reflex saves , to counter his lesser organisational skills
Schmeichel was adept at both the proactive and reactive and hence why he’s the GOAT United keeper.
 
It was nice to see him again. I hope he'll go on to have a good season. Very nice touch to give him a warm welcome, his departure wasn't really up to standards back then.
 
I was 100% in the camp that wanted him replaced, and I think it was the right decision (at the time) to move him on. Saying that, he's streets ahead of Onana, and it was a mistake looking back. Obviously his contract was a problem as I believe we offered him £350k/w which he agreed to and then we took it off the table.
 
Good to see him get the reception he deserved.

Unfortunate it took this long but better late than never.
 
I’d have him back in a heartbeat. He’s still class… makes top saves. He also looked better at passing out from the back, apart from the 1 dodgy one he made.
 
I’d have him back in a heartbeat. He’s still class… makes top saves. He also looked better at passing out from the back, apart from the 1 dodgy one he made.
Emotions aside, I really wouldn't. Our first goal was a reminder of one of the glaring flaws in his game, where throughout his career if you him on corners and put a ball right under the crossbar, he will invariably fall over looking for a foul or stay rooted to his line.
A fantastic shot stopper and for a 4-5 year spell arguably one of the top keepers in Europe, but increasingly the modern game demands physicality and command from a keeper.

Incredibly early days, but watching Vitek's highlights yesterday and seeing him charge through a crowded box of players to catch the ball and hold on to it felt like something a United keeper hasn't been able to reliably do since VDS.

Absolutely love DDG, but it was the right decision (on the wages he was on) to let him go.
His exit should have been handled in a more respectful manner, and we chose terrible replacements in Onana/Bayindir though!
 
That Fergie pic.

I feel for de Gea and van Persie. Two of the last really high class players we bought under Fergie and they hardly got to play for him. They could've won so much more had they been lucky enough to play a few more seasons for him.
 
Nice guy. Not as good as either Schmeichel or VDS, despite what people who never watched either play on a regular basis would have you believe. Replaced by an absolute nugget who adds to his myth.
Greatest achievement: making the CB pairing of Smalling and Blind look like Baresi and Costacurta, on paper at least.