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

[#07]

Not sure De Gea is the best we have ever had, the fact its even a question speaks a lot to his quality though.

As good as Van der Sar was I have never considered him equal to Peter Schmeichel. When you think back to winter 1995 at St James' Park. When you think about Rapid Vienna. When Pete came out and spread his body like a starfish you thought he could stop anything. Dominant keeper with ridiculous reflexes...

...but what De Gea did today. Madness. Pure madness.

Its a genuine question. Crazy.

 

[soap]

I don't think it's overly controversial to say he's better than Schmeichel

 

[Rado_N]

At the start of next season DDG will still be 12 months younger than Schmeichel was when he joined United.

Regardless of who you think is better at this point, that's insane.

 

[senorgregster]

This shows how good he was!

But what's rarely reminded is what a leader he was, he organised our defence and was a true captain from the back.

This is my favorite picture. It just looks impossible.

 

[senorgregster]

At the start of next season DDG will still be 12 months younger than Schmeichel was when he joined United.

Regardless of who you think is better at this point, that's insane.

Just hope we get at least some of his best years. He's getting better!

 

[Red Stone]

He's redefining shot stopping. I've never seen anyone pull off seemingly impossible saves so frequently and consistently. I'm not sure if he's a better total package than Schmeichel, but in terms of shot stopping alone he's well on the way to being the greatest of all time. Just unreal.

That Lacazette-Sanchez double save boggles the mind no matter how many times I watch it. He has no right to keep the ball out there, and he even clears it out of danger as a cherry on top.

 

[17 Van der Gouw]

De Gea is the only player in our squad who is indisputably world class.

There's a case for one or two others (Pogba, Zlatan)... But none as clear cut as Dave.

 

[KirkDuyt]

Best shotstopper no doubt, don't know if he's best at organizing his defense etc, but his reflexes are just silly.

 

[Kush]

This is my favorite picture. It just looks impossible.

GIF of the save: http://www.abload.de/img/degeaojai9.gif

 

[senorgregster]

Video of the save:

Love this one too but look where Pete's feet are! How is that even possible?

 

[Kush]

Love this one too but look where Pete's feet are! How is that even possible?

That's because of their respective save styles, Pete used his left hand to save a ball and it's under him. DDG one is literally heading into top bin and he uses his right hand to reach it, I feel DDG's athleticism is more impressive.

 

[Axkiko]

I never thought I could say someone would surpass Schmeichel for United in my lifetime, not even VDS. And DDG clearly did it, he is too amazing and once again he saved United and secures three points on his own.

I am calling him now THE BEST United goalkeeper ever.

 

[senorgregster]

That's because of their respective save styles, Pete used his left hand to save a ball and it's under him. DDG one is literally heading into top bin and he uses his right hand to reach it, I feel DDG's athleticism is more impressive.

I think so too. But Pete was far more commanding.

 

[Kush]

I think so too. But Pete was far more commanding.

I don't think anyone will deny that but I think on ability as GK overall DDG shades him.

Anyways, we are very lucky to have someone like him. This transition period post Fergie would've been even more painful without him.

 

[Ekeke]

He's far more consistant and over a longer period than Schmeichel as far as im concerned. He doesn't have Peter's imposing personality but De Gea is who you'd want over the course of a season.

 

[senorgregster]

I don't think anyone will deny that but I think on ability as GK overall DDG shades him.

Anyways, we are very lucky to have someone like him. This transition period post Fergie would've been even more painful without him.

Technically, yes, I agree without a doubt.
And I dread to think where'd we be with a different keeper.

 

[Damien]

Huge credit to De Gea's goalkeeping coach at Atletico and the methods he used to make the most out of De Gea's reflexes. Was a great decision to bring him here last season.

 

[The Mad Manc]

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

I've/we've been spoilt.

 

[BusbyMalone]

The improvements he's made since joining the club is quite astonishing. Remember the grief he was getting when he first joined? Incredible.

Undoubtedly the best in the world, and probably the best we've had here. He's and absolute freak. That double save from Lacazette and Sanchez was ridiculous.

 

[cyberman]

Honesty, our number 1 shirt should be coveted by every keeper out there when David leaves us in 10 years.
Except for a couple of years blip its been nothing but world class for 30 odd years. It would be an honour to wear it.

 

[gormless]

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

I've/we've been spoilt.

We had Roy Carroll as our first choice goal keeper for Champions League knockout games. It evened out!

 

[Cutch]

Just 26 so don't remember Pete at his best, but I can't imagine how he could have been better than Dave.

I had basically decided at an already young age that I would never ever see a better keeper than Peter Schmeichel. De Gea actually runs him close. However Schmeichels control of his area, influence over his team mates and his pro active rather than reactive style of goalkeeping still make him comfortably the better keeper imo

 

[gormless]

And to think at one point in the first half the BT commentators were classing him as "shaky"

 

[Seveneric]

Has someone done a thread on where he ranks on the list of Fergie's best signings?

 

[Fortitude]

Think it might be Philip Albert you're thinking of, pretty sure Poborsky's lob was against another keeper. Your point still stands obviously.

You're right. For some reason, I was thinking Suker's was in the league and Poborsky's was at the Euros. Both the goals I mentioned were at Euro '96, just that Poborsky's was against Portugal.

There was another lob by Le Tissier.

I think Schmeichel got lobbed like that a few times as it was his biggest weakness against players who had the technique to do it.

 

[reelworld]

I think Schmeichel got lobbed like that a few times as it was his biggest weakness against players who had the technique to do it.

Ljungberg did it to him too, in his debut game against us it think!

 

[Jacob]

I love him and agree that he is the best in the world. Most saves he did today though were nothing more than I expect.

 

[Mciahel Goodman]

We had Roy Carroll as our first choice goal keeper for Champions League knockout games. It evened out!

the likes of Barthez, Howard, Bosnich and Taibi. A lot of crap in-between Schmeichel and VDS. Ferguson knew not to make the same mistake again when he got de Gea.

 

[UnofficialDevil]

Incredible

 

[whatwha]

I love him and agree that he is the best in the world. Most saves he did today though were nothing more than I expect.

The double save was the only truly amazing one, unless I'm forgetting something. He had a lot to do, but most of Arsenal's chances were poorly taken by them.

 

[Antonedwin]

De gea is also very good saving with his feet.
That's something big pete doesn't have

 

[Fortitude]

Ljungberg did it to him too, in his debut game against us it think!

I don't even remember that one. Someone with a better memory than me can probably compose a full list of the times Schmeichel got lobbed. Thing is, the amount of times he shutdown players trying to shoot by closing them down and making them cack themselves offsets that 'weakness' by a long way.

 

[J-Stander]

He’s the best we’ve ever had. He’s the best on the planet. That said if we we’re the best team on the planet he’d have less chances to showcase his skill. Still, we are lucky to have him.

 

[Sherzad]

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[amolbhatia50k]

He’s the best we’ve ever had. He’s the best on the planet. That said if we we’re the best team on the planet he’d have less chances to showcase his skill. Still, we are lucky to have him.

His trophy count would have been great thought. He's one of the bigger contradictions between football level and trophy count right now.

Considering his level for the last 3 or so years, I don't think anyone can dispute that he's the league's best player. But he's a goalie so it apparently doesn't matter.

 

[Yagami]

We had Roy Carroll as our first choice goal keeper for Champions League knockout games. It evened out!

I always liked Roy.

 

[17 Van der Gouw]

Honesty, our number 1 shirt should be coveted by every keeper out there when David leaves us in 10 years.
Except for a couple of years blip its been nothing but world class for 30 odd years. It would be an honour to wear it.

Hard to argue with that.

Sure we've had a few inbetweeners, some good, some bad: Bosnich, Taibi, Goram, Carroll, Foster, Kusczack... Van der Gouw (although in fairness, VdG was more a long term backup man than anything, and a bloody good one at that...)

...but aye, in the form of Schmeichel, Van der Sar and big Dave. We've been richly blessed.

 

[Freak]

He’s the best for me. I mean big Pete was crazy good but big Dave is just consistently super human.

 

[Sultan]

Hard to argue with that.

Sure we've had a few inbetweeners, some good, some bad: Bosnich, Taibi, Goram, Carroll, Foster, Kusczack... Van der Gouw (although in fairness, VdG was more a long term backup man than anything, and a bloody good one at that...)

...but aye, in the form of Schmeichel, Van der Sar and big Dave. We've been richly blessed.

VdG was a very capable goalkeeper. He was very capable of holding down a place against almost all keepers. Unfortunately for him he was up against Smikes.

 

[12OunceEpilogue]

Not quite. But holy fecking shit