I'm calling it: DDG is the best we've ever had

[Epicurean]

DDG is flashy and good. VDS is positional and good.

What some tend to forget was VDS age at the time. He was keeping on an extremely high level until he retired at 40 I think?

I never forget how good VDS was for United.

 

[Oscie]

DDG is flashy and good. VDS is positional and good.

What some tend to forget was VDS age at the time. He was keeping on an extremely high level until he retired at 40 I think?

I never forget how good VDS was for United.

That's fine and your point about his age is absolutely correct. But when you have to add "...considering his age" onto the end of a thought when it comes to assessing how good he was for us then I don't think it's being hugely disrespectful to say he really isn't in the conversation when it comes to looking at a man who was when he was here considered one of the greatest keepers to have ever played the game, and someone who is currently perhaps one of, if not the, best keeper in the world at the moment.

 

[BennyBlanco]

DDG is flashy and good. VDS is positional and good.

What some tend to forget was VDS age at the time. He was keeping on an extremely high level until he retired at 40 I think?

I never forget how good VDS was for United.

It broke my little heart when he left Ajax for Juventus the same summer Schmeichel moved on, I really thought he was the one at the time.

 

[2cents]

I've always automatically gone for Schmeichel in this debate (VDS doesn't really enter the equation for me, good as he was). Last night was the first time I started taking DDG's claim seriously - still got a way to go to match Schmeichel's legacy, but he's now entered a similar territory in terms of his impact.

 

[12OunceEpilogue]

I think I still prefer Schmeichel and Van Der Sar over him at this point, VDS is so underrated in these type of debates for me, coming off his line, his calmness and concentration levels were unmatched and didn't let in the weak goals DDG is sometimes guilty of (like last night for example) or Schmeichel's bizarre howlers.

I understand both DDG and Schmeichel are both top, top tier shot stoppers that could make saves VDS couldn't so I get why people rate them higher, I just think posters sometimes forget theres other aspects of playing the position.

I absolutely love VdS but in terms of keeping ability I have to put him comfortably below DDG and Pete, and that is by no means a disgrace.

I think VdS's organisation/concentration was fantastic but he also made a couple of errors for us and I vaguely recall a few horrendous errors for Fulham. Also as perverse as it is the fact he had prime Rio/Vidic in front of him puts at least a question mark over his reputation for peerless calmness/organisation. There's no telling how amazing DDG would have looked behind a settled CB pairing of that quality.

I know we always end up splitting hairs in a very subjective manner whenever we go down this road but VdS is comfortably below the other two for me, and as I made clear I fecking love VdS.

 

[VeevaVee]

Pundits are now starting to say he's the best GK in the world tbf.

Ah yeah I know. It's good to hear and makes me proud to be a United fan. It's just that when this happened it seemed to be a couple of pundits saying it, then loads of people repeating it to the point where it was blown out of proportion. They had a point in that he had something to work on but it was obvious how good he was then.

 

[VP89]

Ah yeah I know. It's good to hear and makes me proud to be a United fan. It's just that when this happened it seemed to be a couple of pundits saying it, then loads of people repeating it to the point where it was blown out of proportion. They had a point in that he had something to work on but it was obvious how good he was then.

Yeah. It took too long for them to say he was the best in the league, let alone the world. And then they kept bumming Neuer, who may be great but they blatantly don't watch Bundasliga to make any sort of conclusion like that.

 

[The Don]

Still Schmeichel, for me. More command of his area, better at organising the backline, more of a leader, every bit as good of a shot stopper and just as reliable in one on one situations.
That being said, De Gea pushes him really close and is already one of the best of all time.

Schmeichel, in my book is the GOAT and for De Gea to even be in the conversation, is amazing.

 

[meamth]

I'm saying it now, De Gea is the Messi of Goalkeepers.

 

[711]

De Gea is still two years younger than Schmeichel was when he came to United of course. And how good is that?

 

[Hernandez - BFA]

I'd say he's on par with Schmeichel in terms of talent.

 

[Scarecrow]

He's not even in his prime yet. Most people will eventually regard him as better than Schmeichel, I'm almost certain. I think he already is but I'm waiting for some more time to pass and for people to become accustomed to the thought.

 

[Danny Roberts]

Instinctively I think so but aside from maybe one on ones I can't think of another area of his game where De Gea isn't as good or better.

It's definitely between those two though looking at actual technical ability, discounting things like "concentration", "composure" and "zen", or where VdS may well succeed.

Presence, organising the defence, crosses. Shouting.

 

[Red Digger]

He needs to come off his line a bit more to help the defending of crosses. He's the best shot stopper in the world without a doubt. I'd take Big Pete in his prime ahead of him.

 

[DCP]

I occasionally hear pundits call DDG 'the best in the world behind Neuer' or 'the second best goalkeeper in the world'.

Seriously, in what world is Neuer a better goalkeeper than DDG? DDG was weak and poor in the air when he joined United, these are no longer weaknesses and he's exceptional on crosses, his shot stopping ability or distribution was never in question.

Sign him up on a contract until he's in a wheelchair.

 

[SirAF]

He's not even in his prime yet. Most people will eventually regard him as better than Schmeichel, I'm almost certain. I think he already is but I'm waiting for some more time to pass and for people to become accustomed to the thought.

I agree. I would go as far as saying he already is better - he just need the trophies to back it up.

 

[minoo-utd]

Something deep within is telling me not to be excited about him because he is going at some stage, unless Madrid feckers gives up on him and get a GK, or we put a 120m as a release clause.

 

[Munkehboi]

Dave and Big Pete have very differing qualities, as a pure shot stopper, Dave is the best I've ever seen but Schmeichel just had this aura of invincibility around him soemtimes and his leadership from the back was immense. For me Dave is the more agile keeper with better distribution whilst Schmeichel was just a massive brick wall.

Different era of football, different teams. Hard to say who's best.

 

[MILLHILLMANC]

in 1996, we had to go to Newcastle away who had been leading the league by 10 plus points. They were invincible at home. They absolutely battered us. Schmeichel made save after save after save...truly immense. Cantona scored with our only attack.

The man had an aura - you never thought he would be beaten. A true one off.

DDG and VDS are superb goalkeepers -actually amazing goalkeepers but Schmeichel was something else.

 

[Pexbo]

in 1996, we had to go to Newcastle away who had been leading the league by 10 plus points. They were invincible at home. They absolutely battered us. Schmeichel made save after save after save...truly immense. Cantona scored with our only attack.

The man had an aura - you never thought he would be beaten. A true one off.

DDG and VDS are superb goalkeepers -actually amazing goalkeepers but Schmeichel was something else.

I'm sure we will be saying the same against De Gea in 20 years.

 

[DannyCAFC]

Benfica fans who have seen both Oblak and Ederson on a weekly basis say that Ederson is a tier above even Oblak.

Ederson is a monster. You will see soon enough. I'm not saying he's better than DDG though.

Are those Benfica fans still watching Oblak now though on a weekly basis, or are we purely talking about how good both were at Benfica? Because I've no doubt Ederson might have left there a better GK, but Oblak has come on leaps and bounds and developed in to a fantastic keeper at Atletico.

We'll see with Ederson, he hasn't really been tested at all yet at Man City.

 

[Reynoldo]

Still Schmeichel, for me. More command of his area, better at organising the backline, more of a leader, every bit as good of a shot stopper and just as reliable in one on one situations.
That being said, De Gea pushes him really close and is already one of the best of all time.

Schmeichel, in my book is the GOAT and for De Gea to even be in the conversation, is amazing.

Yes I think the thing that still tips it in Schmeichels favour is presence, it may have been a part of the whole mindset teams had turning up to play United back then where they were beat before they even kicked a ball, Schmeichels presence seemed to install fear and doubt into the opposition and it was reflected in the media at the time, this is turn fed into the aura about him, due to his sheer size when spreading himself to face off against an incoming attacker and also his ferocity in marshalling his back line while being so vocal. He was just a beast.

 

[lysglimt]

I have always said that Schmeichel was the best goalkeeper I have ever seen (and I have watched football since the early 80s) - but I am actually gonna claim that de Gea is at the same level if not better

Schmeichel for all his brilliance was error-prone. Not many, but he had 2-3 howlers every season that cost us points. Of course this is easily forgotten because he won us many games. I am trying to think the last time DDG made a mistake that cost us a goal (and I mean a REAL mistake) like the ones Schmeichel made.

 

[Robbo*]

Don't want to start changing the course of the debate, but I mentioned in another thread that since I've been going to OT (1995), he is the third most talented player in my view - behind Ronaldo and Scholes. Praise indeed (and possibly controversial, I know - but you get the picture..)

 

[SambaBoy]

For me, generally speaking, VDS rarely made mistakes but he also rarely made saves where he had no right to get to it, while DDG constantly does that where you think 'how?!'. In terms of distribution, they are/were both fantastic but VDS was more consistent for me especially off the deck, while De Gea excels in kicking out of his hands but sometimes puts us in trouble when kicking off the deck from a pass back.

Organising and communication is hard to judge really but VDS seemed an excellent organiser of defenders but that's probably helped by the fact he had Rio-Vidic in front of him most of the time.

Overall, De Gea is above VDS IMO.

 

[Green_Red]

He's like a cat on speed! Those reflexes...

 

[Deleted member 101472]

1. Schmeichel
2. Van Der Sar
3. De Gea

It's weird the way schmeichel almost gets downgraded by some, especially when players abilities being nostalgically elevated beyond what they were is commonplace. Schmeichel is in the discussion for best goalkeeper of all time, van der sar just about makes that discussion and david de Gea may very well end up at number 1 before he retires.

 

[Rado_N]

Is it irrelevant for forwards as well? People certain don't seem to think so.

In terms of level of performance I've not seen a keeper as good as De Gea. Granted I barely watch Neuer, and didn't see Schmeichel. But he's still the most flawless keeper I've seen yet.

The issue with DDG is that he hasn't really done big things in big games because he's not actually played in that many. WC knockout matches, CL knockout matches, a big save in a title decider etc.

VDS was a great keeper but he wasn't as good as DDG in general. But he was class in some absolutely mentally big games. Heck he's responsible for only one of our three CL titles.

Yes. Trophies are a team achievement and irrelevant when judging an individual's talent.

 

[UnrelatedPsuedo]

Pete
VdS
De Gea

You always love the one you're with. But the first two marshalled perfect defences.

You can attribute that to the players in front of them. Or you can give the goalkeeper credit for being a 'Captain' of the defence.

The first two were worlds better than De Gea at that.

De Gea is young though. Neither of the first two were even at United at his age.

 

[Schneckerl]

Watched a Utd game a few weeks ago on some Germany channel and the co-commentator said De Gea isn't world class and not someone you'd fully trust as a defender.
Baffled that people this clueless get paid talking about football on TV.

 

[Randall Flagg]

Still Schmeichel, for me. More command of his area, better at organising the backline, more of a leader, every bit as good of a shot stopper and just as reliable in one on one situations.
That being said, De Gea pushes him really close and is already one of the best of all time.

Schmeichel, in my book is the GOAT and for De Gea to even be in the conversation, is amazing.

I would agree with this post. and Im not sure DDG can ever have that presence Schmeichel had. not his fault, but he was one of a kind

 

[glazed]

For me De Gea is clearly better. But he will have a shorter shelf life as his reflexes go.

 

[RonW]

I absolutely love VdS but in terms of keeping ability I have to put him comfortably below DDG and Pete, and that is by no means a disgrace.

I think VdS's organisation/concentration was fantastic but he also made a couple of errors for us and I vaguely recall a few horrendous errors for Fulham. Also as perverse as it is the fact he had prime Rio/Vidic in front of him puts at least a question mark over his reputation for peerless calmness/organisation. There's no telling how amazing DDG would have looked behind a settled CB pairing of that quality.

I know we always end up splitting hairs in a very subjective manner whenever we go down this road but VdS is comfortably below the other two for me, and as I made clear I fecking love VdS.

De Gea is right now the best goalkeeper in the world, but he has made a couple of mistakes too especially in last season. No goalkeeper is immune from the occasional mistake though. VDS was a positional keeper, that is why he didn't need to make Hollywood saves every now and then. He made everything look easy with his position. De Gea is more of a good shot stopper, but hey, he has his weaknesses too sometimes like I noticed some of the times his goal kicks are just flat, and it ends up going to the opposition and they attack us. I find it ridiculous that VDS is any less than De Gea. Both are equally good, and I would find it difficult to choose between the either. VDS was very calm and composed, even at a later age when the reflexes start getting slow and you make mistakes. I can hardly count any mistakes VDS did, and I feel like the fact that he made every save look so easy makes some of us fans think he was not as good as De Gea is. I feel like sometimes we fans forget how good VDS really was for us, because he didn't need to make Hollywood saves every week.

I definitely don't buy into the Rio/Vidic logic, yes we had a better defense but that's a dumb argument. VDS was a real leader, and he was very calm and composed. He kept teams out when we were playing away in hostile places like AC Milan, Barcelona, Bayern etc. Give the chance if we face better teams in Europe, De Gea will do the same too. I completely believe he is the best goalkeeper in the world now.

 

[Ramshock]

feck it, it's true, certainly in my lifetime anyway.

Its very close but you are wrong. Schmeichel was a phenomenon, a one of a kind that even his offspring is incapable of replicating. But if DDG stays with us he could eventually surpass him in my mind.

 

[Bestietom]

Big Pete was an octopus and my favourite but De Gea is a very close second now.

 

[Deleted member 101472]

All it takes is for De Gea to leave us in the next few years and then 5 years from now he won't be regarded as highly as schmeichel or VDS

 

[RonW]

When does De Gea's contract run out again? Because I think he has a clause which can add one year to his existing contract which means we keep him till 2020? Trust Real to already start sniffing for him now that Keylor isn't so great anymore and makes mistakes in almost every game.

 

[devilish]

DDG is a world class keeper. Big Pete was a world class goalkeeper, a leader at the back and the absolute ruler of United's small box

 

[BenjaminP]

First year, Pete > Edwin > De Gea.

2nd-3rd year, Pete > De Gea > Edwin.

And finally now, De Gea > Pete > Edwin.

 

[12OunceEpilogue]

De Gea is right now the best goalkeeper in the world, but he has made a couple of mistakes too especially in last season. No goalkeeper is immune from the occasional mistake though. VDS was a positional keeper, that is why he didn't need to make Hollywood saves every now and then. He made everything look easy with his position. De Gea is more of a good shot stopper, but hey, he has his weaknesses too sometimes like I noticed some of the times his goal kicks are just flat, and it ends up going to the opposition and they attack us. I find it ridiculous that VDS is any less than De Gea. Both are equally good, and I would find it difficult to choose between the either. VDS was very calm and composed, even at a later age when the reflexes start getting slow and you make mistakes. I can hardly count any mistakes VDS did, and I feel like the fact that he made every save look so easy makes some of us fans think he was not as good as De Gea is. I feel like sometimes we fans forget how good VDS really was for us, because he didn't need to make Hollywood saves every week.

I definitely don't buy into the Rio/Vidic logic, yes we had a better defense but that's a dumb argument. VDS was a real leader, and he was very calm and composed. He kept teams out when we were playing away in hostile places like AC Milan, Barcelona, Bayern etc. Give the chance if we face better teams in Europe, De Gea will do the same too. I completely believe he is the best goalkeeper in the world now.

I accept DDG and VdS are different types of keeper, and it's a good point you raise that we had VdS towards the end of his career and he was still brilliant for us (Christ why couldn't we have got him from Ajax when Pete left?).

However why shouldn't we at least take into account the blokes a keeper plays behind when appraising him, particularly when the margins among the very best are so fine? VdS was a calming and commanding presence in his own right but it has to be taken into account that he was so behind arguably the greatest centre half pairing in PL history. Put him behind Lovren and Klaven and I've no doubt he'd have had more problems and thusly looked less calming and assured.

I'm not for a minute saying a good keeper can't show his quality behind poor CBs but surely when we're talking about the attributes of great keepers the circumstances in which they played should come into the discussion?