Set pieces and balls into our box

[Corey]

Out of interest, can anyone remember the last time De Gea caught a set-piece into our box? Failing that, the last time he punched one clear?

It looked like Ward-Prowse had been briefed to drop every single corner into the middle of our six yard box, a yard or two from the line. If we’re relying on our central defenders to repeatedly compete for the ball that close to our goal we’re inevitably going to concede at some point. They can’t win every single header.

Can't think of any catches, but 01:21 in the clip below is a good punch from De Gea against Villa. Gets some good distance on it.

https://video.avfc.co.uk/video/dm9k...vbWUlMkZjYXJvdXNlbHMlMkYwJTJGZmVlZA==?lang=en

I don't think De Gea is quite as bad from crosses in open play, but with set pieces he seems unable to simultaneously focus on the ball and on navigating the bodies around him. Sometimes he gets overly preoccupied with tussling with the opposition players, but mostly he just refuses to engage and stays on his line.

It's definitely an issue. He was terrible at claiming crosses when he first joined, but he improved marginally in his first couple of years. Since then I haven't seen any improvement and I don't think we will sadly.

 

[Blood Mage]

Nothing has changed since the start of the season. Solskjaer, Carrick and McKenna are poor coaches and we're arguably the second most poorly drilled side in the top half of the table behind Arsenal. We rely on the individual brilliance of a small handful of players, that's it.

 

[poleglass red]

Can't think of any catches, but 01:21 in the clip below is a good punch from De Gea against Villa. Gets some good distance on it.

https://video.avfc.co.uk/video/dm9kJTdDMF8yYjJkZ2YzcCU3QyUyRnNlY3Rpb24lM0ZzbHVnJTNEaG9tZSU3Q2hvbWUlMkZjYXJvdXNlbHMlMkYwJTJGZmVlZA==?lang=en

I don't think De Gea is quite as bad from crosses in open play, but with set pieces he seems unable to simultaneously focus on the ball and on navigating the bodies around him. Sometimes he gets overly preoccupied with tussling with the opposition players, but mostly he just refuses to engage and stays on his line.

It's definitely an issue. He was terrible at claiming crosses when he first joined, but he improved marginally in his first couple of years. Since then I haven't seen any improvement and I don't think we will sadly.

that punch was decent in that it got good distance, but it went straight to a villa player. He could have and should have caught that for me.

 

[Davie Moyes]

I'm sure I saw DDG catch a corner in the Villa match or one before that and I could not believe my eyes. To be honest he was not under much pressure and we were also winning comfortably I think.

 

[Corey]

that punch was decent in that it got good distance, but it went straight to a villa player. He could have and should have caught that for me.

I don't think you can can expect a lot of accuracy when punching crosses. If the punch gets good distance and puts the ball out to the side (which this punch did) then I'd call it a good punch as the ball is then out of the danger zone.

That said, on second watch I agree with you that De Gea should have caught this corner as he wan't under much pressure.

I think this is symptomatic of his aerial weakness - he doesn't back himself so he tries to avoid a massive error by punching when he could catch, thereby surrendering possession.

 

[Siorac]

De Gea ranks down at the bottom, both for % of crosses stopped and defensive actions outside his penalty area. He really does not like coming off his line.

https://totalfootballanalysis.com/d...pes-top-five-leagues-data-analysis-statistics

Neuer He's basically a centre-back who is allowed to use his hands.