De Gea vs. Peter and Edwin

[Snow]

VDS was arguably better than Schmeichel at keeping his defences together. Schmeichel was more vocal, no doubt, but VDS was the organizer our strongest ever back five.

VDS had a better back 5 in front of him and arguably played in a better team overall. Schmeichel did the same thing with the Danish national team and that team had no top quality defenders.

 

[Giant Midget]

VDS was arguably better than Schmeichel at keeping his defences together. Schmeichel was more vocal, no doubt, but VDS was the organizer our strongest ever back five.

VDS also did have a peak Rio, Vidic, Carrick and Evra playing with him. DDG has nowhere near that standard of teammates.

 

[sunama]

Schmeichel made the defense in front of him solid. He organized it and kept it organized during the match.

Defenders
It also helped that he had Ronny Johnson and Jaap Stam (who IMO, was the best defender in the World, when he was with us).
VDS had Rio and Vidic.
For me, DDG is the best, only because he has to play with an average defence in front of him.

Attackers
When PS was here we had Cole, Solkjaer, Sherringham, Yorke, Beckham, Giggs as our attacking line up.
When VDS was here, we had the likes of Rooney, Ronaldo, Tevez.
When a GK knows that we can score 3+ goals against even the best teams in the World (remember scoring 3 goals against Juventus, in 1999, who at the time were regarded as the best team in the World?), it reduces pressure on him.
With DDG - he knows that if he lets 2 goals in, we've lost. So the pressure to keep a clean sheet is immense. Pressure usually leads to errors, but that doesn't seem to be the case with De Gea.

So, who is the best?
DDG, by a tiny amount, for reasons listed above.

 

[Fortitude]

1. Pete
2. DeGea
3. VDS

As a pure keeper, DDG is the best of them all - the best we've had, but he doesn't have presence in the box i.e. marshalling his backline or organising on corners of Schmeichel nor the longevity, yet.

I doubt he'll be here long enough to usurp Pete, but if he were to stay a couple more-seasons, I'd have him as our #1 ever. He's phenomenally talented as a shop-stopper and makes saves you have to go back a long way to match in another keeper (I think prime Casillas was the last who could match him as a shot-stopper).

 

[Giant Midget]

He's comfortably better than VDS. Less sure about Peter.

VDS was probably the better organizer, but his shot-stopping was merely very good. He couldn't produce the one-man defence displays that DDG can.

 

[Fortitude]

Another thing about DDG over the other two is the incompetence of those in front of him generates so many random situations which he has to react to in a flash. Schmeichel's saves were often situational with us being way too attacking and leaving him in 1-on-1 or a reactive save from a set piece - he never faced the raw onslaught that DDG does.

VDS was a very good keeper, but not in the class of either of the others, imo.

 

[Ixion]

(That video doesn't even have the saves against Rapid Vienna or Inter Milan)

And don't forget Denmark won the Euros with Schmeichel.

 

[Raoul]

I'd say DDG is probably on par with Schmeichel and slightly better than late career VDS. Dave doesn't have nearly the quality of defenders the latter two did. Put Rio/Vidic/Evra etc in their prime in front of today's DDG and he'd easily be the best.

 

[waza7111]

There is now nothing in it in terms of their ability and I saw all three. De Gea improves every season and is now the world's best keeper.

 

[Snow]

Defenders
It also helped that he had Ronny Johnson and Jaap Stam (who IMO, was the best defender in the World, when he was with us).
VDS had Rio and Vidic.
For me, DDG is the best, only because he has to play with an average defence in front of him.

Attackers
When PS was here we had Cole, Solkjaer, Sherringham, Yorke, Beckham, Giggs as our attacking line up.
When VDS was here, we had the likes of Rooney, Ronaldo, Tevez.
When a GK knows that we can score 3+ goals against even the best teams in the World (remember scoring 3 goals against Juventus, in 1999, who at the time were regarded as the best team in the World?), it reduces pressure on him.
With DDG - he knows that if he lets 2 goals in, we've lost. So the pressure to keep a clean sheet is immense. Pressure usually leads to errors, but that doesn't seem to be the case with De Gea.

So, who is the best?
DDG, by a tiny amount, for reasons listed above.

Schmeichel and Staam played together for one season. Schmeichel joined United before they started winning titles, before the class of '92 and before Cantona and before Euro '92. To sum him up because of a couple of defenders that he played less than 80 of his 400 games with is a disservice to him.

The young uneducated masses need to be revised.

Spoiler: Football's greatest episode

 

[Redlambs]

Schmeichel for me.

Even in numerous great sides, his name on that teamsheet always gave me comfort and the eay he could martial a defense was perhaps the best ever.

DDG is great (the best around in fact) and may yet reach that level, but right now Schmikes would easily be my pick.

 

[MyOnlySolskjaer]

Imagine if we had a prime Evra, Rio & Vidic in front of him.

 

[ivaldo]

Been saying for a good while hes our best ever keeper. All were terrific keepers but DDGs has preternatural reactions and a much better distributer.

 

[ivaldo]

Been saying for a good while hes our best ever keeper. All were terrific keepers but DDGs has preternatural reactions and a much better distributer.

 

[Chorley1974]

If De Gea wins the cup this year that will be the cup and the league. Not too bad. Probably about as much as you'd win playing for Real Madrid for 5 years.

My point was really about perception, due to trophies, rather than comparing DDG and Schmeichel's trophy hauls.

 

[Redlambs]

Been saying for a good while hes our best ever keeper. All were terrific keepers but DDGs has preternatural reactions and a much better distributer.

Much better distributor than Schmeichel?

 

[ivaldo]

Much better distributor than Schmeichel?

With feet absolutely. He has near perfect precision when kicking from hands, it's unreal.

 

[TwoSheds]

Much as I love VDS, he was a level below the Great Dane and De Gea. I actually do think De Gea can now justifiably be called the best - maybe not quite as commanding or unbelievable in one on ones as Schmeichel but his kicking game is fantastic (as good or better than VDS) and I think his shot stopping is even better than Schmeichel, a keeper I genuinely never thought I would see bettered. I think his concentration is possibly better too - although he's a lot busier than Schmikes usually was so hard to say for sure.

I love De Gea so much - hope he stays.

 

[Redlambs]

With feet absolutely. He has near perfect precision when kicking from hands, it's unreal.

What about Peter's throws though? I could accept people arguing the distribution on par or slightly better either way, but not much better.

I don't think most people who saw and remember Schmeichel in his beast mode prime could think DG is on that level...yet anyway.

 

[Ixion]

Schmeichel's throwing would set up counter attacks it was that good.

 

[ivaldo]

What about Peter's throws though? I could accept people arguing the distribution on par or slightly better either way, but not much better.

I don't think most people who saw and remember Schmeichel in his beast mode prime could think DG is on that level...yet anyway.

I do, DDG seems to have made worldy saves a thing of the norm. Oh it was awesome dont get me wrong but do you not think hitting the ball halfway into the opponents half with pinpoint precision was a little harder. Schmeichel was pretty weak with his feet, especially by today's standard of keepers.

 

[Redlambs]

I do, DDG seems to have made worldy saves a thing of the norm. Oh it was awesome dont get me wrong but do you not think hitting the ball halfway into the opponents half with pinpoint precision was a little harder. Schmeichel was pretty weak with his feet, especially by today's standard of keepers.

It was always argued that Schmeichel never worked so hard on his kicking because of those throws. And those throws created a lot more for us than DDG's kicks imo.

So all in all, I think it's the good old time factor kicking in again with regards to remembering Schmikes, because as great as DDG is and as much justice as it's doing him to even be having this discussion, up to now Schmikes is my pick every time. If DDG sticks around for a while, I don't doubt that's something that can change though.

 

[Spock]

Dave. Peter and Edwin deserve all the praise they received in their careers but Dave is already well ahead of where those two were at this point their careers.

 

[ivaldo]

It was always argued that Schmeichel never worked so hard on his kicking because of those throws. And those throws created a lot more for us than DDG's kicks imo.

So all in all, I think it's the good old time factor kicking in again with regards to remembering Schmikes, because as great as DDG is and as much justice as it's doing him to even be having this discussion, up to now Schmikes is my pick every time. If DDG sticks around for a while, I don't doubt that's something that can change though.

Fair enough, it's a tough call comparing two truely great keepers, especially from two different eras. As good as he was, an all time great, I can't remember Schmeichel pulling off quite so many surreal moments as DDG does on a regular basis.

 

[Redlambs]

Fair enough, it's a tough call comparing two truely great keepers, especially from two different eras. As good as he was, an all time great, I can't remember Schmeichel pulling off quite so many surreal moments as DDG does on a regular basis.

Yeah, let's just consider ourselves lucky to see players like this and being even able to have this discussion!

 

[Spoony]

What about Peter's throws though? I could accept people arguing the distribution on par or slightly better either way, but not much better.

I don't think most people who saw and remember Schmeichel in his beast mode prime could think DG is on that level...yet anyway.

Yeah when he was in beast mode he'd make improbable triple saves. He's the best I've seen but DDG is up there with the best ever....and he may surpass them all eventually.

 

[Blzbud]

It was always argued that Schmeichel never worked so hard on his kicking because of those throws. And those throws created a lot more for us than DDG's kicks imo.

So all in all, I think it's the good old time factor kicking in again with regards to remembering Schmikes, because as great as DDG is and as much justice as it's doing him to even be having this discussion, up to now Schmikes is my pick every time. If DDG sticks around for a while, I don't doubt that's something that can change though.

I think another point worth remembering is that when Schmeichel started out goalkeepers didn't need to be as good with their feet because the pass back rule hadn't come into effect. For a keeper of his generation Schmeichel was one of the best with his feet, but modern keepers train completely differently and De Gea is a great example of how goalkeeping has progressed in this respect. That said, Schmeichel is still the best GK I have ever had the privilege to watch. For me it's not even close, but that applies to all keepers compared to Schmeichel and not just De Gea. I absolutely love De Gea and wouldn't swap him for any other keeper in the world at the moment, but I still actually can't imagine, no matter how long he stays with us, that he will ever be quite at the level of Schmeichel. Much as I can't really abide the man, he was an absolute force of nature on a football pitch.

 

[a_devil_inside]

Schmeichel for me was the best keeper ever, I think I don't want to admit De Gea is getting just as good as him if not already for sentimental reasons. De Gea is clearly the best in the world at the moment though.
Van Der Sar was also great with us and Ajax, always been a fan of him

 

[Sigma]

Getting to the point now where I think de Gea is one of the best goal keepers ever, certainly - for me - in the top 5/10.

 

[Lurpak99]

De Gea is probably just as good as Schmeichel, and both are/were better than Van der Sar, who had the best defense in front of him.

 

[charlenefan]

I was too young to appreciate schmeichel, loved van der saar when he was here but yes in terms of ability de gea is the best I've seen

 

[Billy Blaggs]

Peter is still top for me. Arguably the best ever so even to be having this conversation is a big feather in De Gea's cap.

 

[Glory Glory Denis Irwin]

Schmeichel is the best keeper I've ever seen. He had everything. David is unbelievably close to his level at such a young age, and may go on to be a better player than Pete, but at the moment it's the Dane for me.
I remember watching him when I was young and he seemed like he was cheating he was that good.

 

[CapeTownRed]

Schmeichel is the best keeper I've ever seen. He had everything. David is unbelievably close to his level at such a young age, and may go on to be a better player than Pete, but at the moment it's the Dane for me.
I remember watching him when I was young and he seemed like he was cheating he was that good.

This. De Gea is truly incredible, but Schmeichel was so utterly dominant it was difficult to believe a goalkeeper could be that influential. Dave will need a couple more seasons of this, and possibly be more commanding of his area, before he scales the great Dane's heights.

 

[Lennon7]

No idea but Schmeichel and VDS usually had a solid defence in front of them with good organisation.

Not saying our defenders have been shite under Dave but it's a night and day comparison to me. Dave definitely gives Schmeichel a challenge for equal, if not better, reflexes/shot stopping.

Does that not make him better? The amount of clean sheets and games he's won for us considering he's had a sub par defense infront of him a lot of the time...

 

[pauldyson1uk]

no contest for me Peter was streets ahead of both , he is the best keeper I have ever seen.

 

[antsmithmk]

Was too young to see Schmeichel to judge but I can't imagine how he could be better than Dave.

You would have loved him!

The great thing about Pete was that the team was so good, and he could have nothing to do for 99.9% of games, and yet when he was called into action, he just made the saves. I wonder how that effected teams. Plus he scored the odd goal. Plus he made that save in 99. Plus he caused mayhem in the box in 99. Plus the cartwheel at FT. Dave is great and so was VDS, but the great cane was just a bit better.

 

[Bojan11]

How do we know that Schmeichel or VDS wouldn't play the same with a piss poor defence? You can't say because they played in better teams that DDG is better.

 

[Striker10]

I view them all as equal. All three gave/give you a confidence . De Gea is forced to make more saves and we can speculate on how the others would have done but when called upon - they are usually reliable. I wouldn't want to say.

 

[CM]

I definitely prefer de Gea to van der Sar, it's a tough call between him and Schmeichel though. Both amazing keepers.