Is De Gea Man Utd Legend?

[youngrell]

I'd say it's borderline, but only because he's been here during our worst period in a long while.

He was our best player for a lot of that time, though, and he's still managed to pick up Premier League, FA Cup, Europa League and League Cup medals along with plenty of individual accolades.

Recent form and transfer sagas may go against him.

 

[Matt007a]

Yeah but winning trophies is an emotional element. The winning goal the big game moments etc.

His outstanding years didn't achieve any real glory. I can't imagine in 10 20 years showing my kids clips of the great De Gea but I'll force them to watch our big nights when Diallo wins us the treble.

It doesn't help that De Gea is quite meek, players with personality will always tend to drop into legend category more easily.

Agreed with the bolded part especially. Bryan Robson, similarly to Rooney would throw himself in front of a bus if it meant scoring a goal and winning the game. De Gea won't even throw himself into a challenge from a cross. Maybe it shouldn't matter but I think to most people it does.

 

[always_hoping]

Our player of the season four times in five years and likely the best in the world at the time = deserved legend.

I dread to think where we'd be with an average keeper during those years.

He was probably at his peak in season 2017/18 that United team basically finished 2nd and got 81 points because of his outstanding performances.

 

[VivaObertan]

I've gone with no, mainly because of the era he played in.

I guess the point about him being 'meek' is true too, though I don't think that had an influence upon my answer!

 

[edgecutter]

He's been a bright shinning light in the post Fergie era, but those great moments he has had have been tranished by being in the most mediocre seasons and that will stop him from being a legend when you compare him to the greats.

 

[Bebestation]

Think of van der Sar with his arms out and that huge grin after the Moscow penalty shoot out Legend

Arguably Peter and VDS were both leaders from the back. As cliche as it maybe, they did control their box whilst De Gea doesnt.

It shows in alot of De Gea's games vs some of the best games of Peter or VDS.

 

[Gary_Walsh_Nou_Camp_Hell]

I'm no De Gea hater. But it's laughable that plenty on here spent their time arguing he was a better keeper than Peter Schmeichel and Edwin Van der Sar.

De Gea will be viewed as a good United player during a difficult time for the club. I'd be happy for him to stay but seems he needs a new challenge to focus his mind.

 

[simplyared]

Nothing wrong with the thread but for me it signifies how we tend to misuse words like legends or "world class" etc.
DDG as good as he has been, in my world cannot be classed as a Utd legend.
Harry Gregg, who was arguably not as good as DDG, is a Utd legend.

 

[berbatrick]

From moyes to Jose he wasn't just the best and most consistent performer, he'd secure wins or draws almost single handedly many times.

It's a shame about luck, and the management and the rest of the team that his performances didn't add up to anything- no PL after 2013 of course, but also the away leg saves vs Madrid in 2013 and sevilla in 2018 were other-worldly, and deserved at least a win in the tie.

 

[lex talionis]

Dave is clearly a United "great", but he's nowhere close to being a United "legend". There's much more to be said about why, but we've discussed Dave enough on other threads.

 

[Deery]

I think in 10 years time he will be looked back on as a legend, a world class keeper that was arguably the best in the world for a time.

 

[GwilDor]

I’m not voting. Because i feel both options are a bit wrong. As many have said, if he had won a few more leagues or CL’s he’d be a legend for sure. Now he’s more of a great player but not a legend. But that feels a bit harsh for a player considered the best in the world in his position for a couple of seasons here. The bar is sure high, but the legend-term is not down to quality alone.

 

[sullydnl]

Do people have firm distinctions in their minds between terms like "legend", "great", "icon", "hero", "fan favourite" or whatever?

For example the poster above saying DDG isn't a United legend but is a United great. Is there some hierarchy of terms I've missed?

 

[AaronRedDevil]

Of course he is. You are a moron if you think he isn't. Put him in front of an SAF era squad for 10 years and he'll be a hundred times better. But he's been with a squad full of crap for the last 6 or 7 years.

 

[ClaytonBlackmoorLeftPeg]

Do people have firm distinctions in their minds between terms like "legend", "great", "icon", "hero", "fan favourite" or whatever?

For example the poster above saying DDG isn't a United legend but is a United great. Is there some hierarchy of terms I've missed?

there’s probably some tiers somewhere, perhaps a ceiling or to as well to consider.

 

[red4ever 79]

I'm no De Gea hater. But it's laughable that plenty on here spent their time arguing he was a better keeper than Peter Schmeichel and Edwin Van der Sar.

De Gea will be viewed as a good United player during a difficult time for the club. I'd be happy for him to stay but seems he needs a new challenge to focus his mind.

People with zero intelligence. De Gea cant touch either of them.
1. Big Pete
2. VDS - if he had come earlier he might have dislodged the great dane from the top spot
3. De Gea

 

[pacifictheme]

He has a lot of raw talent and at one point was probably the best keeper in the world, for a team that wasn't very good.

But I would question whether he has the mentality to handle real pressure. I dunno, he was awful for Spain at the world cup and bottled it in his first season for us a few times, despite having been excellent in Spain before that. His best performances came when there was less to play for arguably.

He's great but I would have van der sar and Schmeichel as better players overall and I will definitely remember them more fondly.

 

[LawCharltonBest]

Depends on your definition of a legend in my opinion.

He will go in to the pool of semi legend for me:

Legends - Class of 92, Ronaldo, Cantona, Rooney, Rio, Schmeichel, VDS, Vidic, Evra, Keane, Bruce etc (Not named them all)
Semi legends - De Gea, Valencia, Berba, Ibra, Van Persie, Ole? (Maybe in the full legend), Fletcher, Carrick etc (Not named them all)

Ole is full legend. How can you even debate that. Gave us the best night in the clubs history

 

[GwilDor]

Do people have firm distinctions in their minds between terms like "legend", "great", "icon", "hero", "fan favourite" or whatever?

For example the poster above saying DDG isn't a United legend but is a United great. Is there some hierarchy of terms I've missed?

like my post indicates, they are hardly easily distinguishable «tiers». But if i ask you to rank the terms «club legend» and «great player», at least to me that is obvious. Its not a part of some hierarchy we all subscribe to though.

 

[Plant0x84]

David is a great player, and a wonderful servant to the club but I think the term legend is over used and I’m not sure somebody currently playing can be called a legend.
Hopefully history will be kind to David and people will remember the great seasons he’s had here, not a few mistakes in the last couple of seasons, and he can become a legend when he retires.

 

[Bobcat]

If we had won more in his time here he would absolutely be seen as a legend.

Unfair on him somewhat that for a large part of his stay here we haven’t been competitive.

Great keeper.

My thoughts as well. Shame his best years came at a time when we could not compete for the top honors

 

[Rood]

2 years ago the voting would probably be YES, today I'm guessing NO

 

[The Corinthian]

I think any player that's been a first team regular for as long as De Gea (now 10 years), can lay a fairly large claim to being in the 'legend' category.

He's dropped a level or two since the WC 2018, but it doesn't take away from the level of performances he's put in for the majority of his time with us.

 

[peridigm]

I'm inclined to say no, but he is a great. Then I think about where we'd have finished without him during the Moyes-Jose era. He's not been great under Ole. Yes, we've dropped more points due to his faults under Ole but I'd say the majority of those situations came at a fault of our defense before he was involved. Then I think about how he wanted out, and was in Madrid ready to sign for another club. I'm going not legend.

 

[Cantonagotmehere]

That strong hand Sunday helped! I think a 'great' not a legend. It's been pleasure to watch him play over the years. Especially, the fight back from his tough start.

Just wish he would command that box better.....

 

[groovyalbert]

His trajectory sort of reminds me of Giggs' weirdly. By the time Giggs was ~30, there were some who were questioning his value to the team/wondering if he'd be able to provide without his lightning pace. Part of the reason Giggsy is a legend is because of his longevity and capacity to re-invent himself.

DDG will be remembered as a legend in years to come, but has a fair bit to work on right now to be considered as valuable to the squad as he was a few seasons ago.

 

[The Corinthian]

DDG will be remembered as a legend in years to come, but has a fair bit to work on right now to be considered as valuable to the squad as he was a few seasons ago.

I agree with this part to be honest - right now as his mistakes are a lot more recent and clearer in people's minds, he's less likely to be thought of as a legend. Give it a few years, and we'll look back on the better times, and think of him as a legend.

 

[bsCallout]

You have to win things at this club to be a legend. We dont have anyone from our last title until now who would be classed as a legend.

He deserves a testimonial though.

 

[TrustInJanuzaj]

2 years ago the voting would probably be YES, today I'm guessing NO

I agree but that's a silly way to judge him really. No matter how poor he is now, that doesn't change how brilliant he was for a number of years.

 

[groovyalbert]

You have to win things at this club to be a legend. We dont have anyone from our last title until now who would be classed as a legend.

He deserves a testimonial though.

Since joining, he has won every domestic trophy possible and a Europa League on top of that. Obviously we had hoped for a more bountiful trophy haul over the last ten years, but not many who've played in the EPL - even at the top clubs - can claim to have achieved that.

 

[Widow]

People have short memories

 

[King7Eric]

For a club that has won as much as we have, and the number of great players we have had over the years, I don't think De Gea has done enough to be classified a legend. It's not all his own fault of course, but those are the facts. If he had the exact same career at say, Spurs, he'd be classified as a legend.

 

[SirScholes]

Nope, big de gea fan but he is not a legend
Schmiechal yes vds yes, those players were complete goalkeepers
De gea is one of the best shot stoppers but there are gaps in his games such as organising his defenders, he does not make his presence felt and he has never been competent at dealing with crosses.

He’ll go down as one of our great players but not legendary

 

[JMack1234]

Not for me,

I think to be a legend you need to have been pivotal to successful campaigns for the top competitions.

 

[SAFMUTD]

Legends become legends because they played in legendary times, sadly the last years haven't been anything close to legendary.

As great as De Gea was he joined us in our decline, so its hard to think about him as a legend in such poor times.

 

[R'hllor]

That fax machine is more legend than him.

 

[sullydnl]

You have to win things at this club to be a legend. We dont have anyone from our last title until now who would be classed as a legend.

He deserves a testimonial though.

Bryan Robson won just one more PL title than De Gea. Was he not a United legend? Or does the difference between him being a United legend and not come down to the 8 PL starts in his final season that secured him that second medal? If he hadn't made those final few appearances then tough luck, his career up to that point wasn't quite good enough?

Connecting it so directly to trophies seems so silly to me.

 

[Paxi]

Of course he bloody is. Won POTY 4 times. Second in our all time appearances list as a goalkeeper. Literally carried us for about 4 solid seasons.

 

[bosnian_red]

Depends on your definition of legend I guess. Hard for some players to rank high when they played in weaker teams and unsuccessful periods, through no fault of their own. He's one of our top 3/4 all time goalkeepers and his peak level was as good as either Schmeichel or VDS IMO. Unfortunately he only won the Premier league with Sir Alex and he didn't play a very important role really. He's got more United games than either of those top keepers, but again, during a weaker period. So it depends on how you define legend.

 

[harms]

I'm quite disappointed by the way this poll is shaping up. He's certainly at his all-time low in terms of his reputation among the fans (I'd like us to replace him as well by the way), but I can't see how he isn't one by any stretch.

He has made more than 400 appearances for the club, won United POTY 4 times, 5 times got into Premier League's Team of the Season... it shouldn't matter much, but even for the pure entertainment value — he has won MotD Save of the Season 5 times He absolutely carried us through the worst period in our recent history, and his performance during that 2nd place season is still the best domestic season that I've seen by any keeper. He hasn't won much? Robson has only won 2 league titles with us — both as a squad player... Obviously, De Gea is not quite on Robson's level, but that argument simply doesn't work.

Is he good enough now? No. Should we replace him? Yes. Does it mean that all the good work that he has done for us over the years should be tarnished by his current mistakes? Surely not.