For three or four years he was the best keeper in the world for me, yet the past 18 months or so have been poor. Is it just a lack of confidence or is there more to it i.e. he doesn't want to be here? If his heart is no longer in it, he needs to say so and move on. Again today he looked like the keeper we first signed: uncertain and disjointed from his defence. I again want to see the keeper who virtually unbeatable for so long, but that has ship already sailed?
What's happened to De Gea?
- Thread starter Salus Populi Suprema Lex
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik and Imran hold a long overdue conversation about United's awful league form with 1 win in 7. They discuss a disappointing draw at Bournemouth, a not so disappointing draw against Liverpool and a crushing defeat at Chelsea - Is time nearly over for Erik Ten Hag?
Then in a special second half of the pod, Nik welcomes Natalie ( https://twitter.com/natalie_17) to discuss the fortunes of Manchester United Women as they booked a place in the FA Cup Final after a historic first ever win vs. Chelsea.
Maybe after not getting his move to Madrid and then having a bad world cup he's thought feck it, accept mediocrity while earning huge money.
He is still 29 so should be able to get back. Reflex-keepers have a shorter career, but they can still be great at this age (Casillas declined when he was 32-33 for example). It must be a matter of confidence.
I have no idea if he will come back or not. And while I don't think he has been bad, he has not been anywhere as good as at his peak.
I have no idea if he will come back or not. And while I don't think he has been bad, he has not been anywhere as good as at his peak.
Ok today I’m not seeing what he did wrong apart from maybe the first goal, but I think that was a really good finish more than goalkeeping error. I though his distribution was quite good today he played a role in our build up play while Bournemouth were pressing.
Mentally weak as any keeper I've ever seen.
I'm fed up with seeing him head down feeling sorry for himself, he's supposed to be one of the top keepers in world football yet he's shipping easy to save goals every other week.
I'm fed up with seeing him head down feeling sorry for himself, he's supposed to be one of the top keepers in world football yet he's shipping easy to save goals every other week.
Getting concerned now as not been at his best for a while. The way things are going Dean Henderson may get his chance next season.
I don't agree with the mentally weak point, mate. When he first arrived as a young kid he was slaughtered for his mistakes, yet, despite being so young and in a different country, he came through it and proved himself to be the best. I don't think mental weakness is the issue here; my biggest worry is he is no longer interested, thinking he should be spending his peak years at a club amongst the best in Europe.
He needs to be flawless if United are to win CLs and EPLs.
in 1999 it Schmeichel saved a penalty against Arsenal which paved the way for United to win the treble.
DDG isn't commanding enough, and he's just being beaten where he shouldn't be, United need a commanding goalkeeper.
Hoping DDG can turn it around but he's falling below the standards expected at the club, especially for challenging for the league.
He needs a serious kick, and he needs to put in extra hours training to fix a lot of his issues, at a club like United, football comes first and he needs to put the work in.
in 1999 it Schmeichel saved a penalty against Arsenal which paved the way for United to win the treble.
DDG isn't commanding enough, and he's just being beaten where he shouldn't be, United need a commanding goalkeeper.
Hoping DDG can turn it around but he's falling below the standards expected at the club, especially for challenging for the league.
He needs a serious kick, and he needs to put in extra hours training to fix a lot of his issues, at a club like United, football comes first and he needs to put the work in.
I think the same. Not his fault. It was a perfect finish.
He’s regressed massively, he’s not the keeper he was a couple of years ago.
He’s young enough to turn it around, but he’s not dealing with the pressure on him well.
If by the end of the season he’s still performing poorly then we need a change, whether it’s Henderson coming back or a new keeper coming in.
He’s young enough to turn it around, but he’s not dealing with the pressure on him well.
If by the end of the season he’s still performing poorly then we need a change, whether it’s Henderson coming back or a new keeper coming in.
Whatever it is, I hope Ole changes something. Maybe he just needs a new challenge
Was brilliant against Brighton. Doesn't help when he has an overpaid, clown of a CB infront of him.
Last time he saved a pen?
Even his kicking has regressed. It wasn’t this bad especially under Van Gaal.
Even his kicking has regressed. It wasn’t this bad especially under Van Gaal.
Yeah, you're all over reacting.
You think? It's gone on too long not be a concern.
Went to world Cup in 2018 on the back of 4 outstanding seasons for us. Made two gaffs in Russia and has never been the same player since.
It's really worrying now. This isn't loss of form anymore. This has gone on way too long.
No more Dave saves anymore.
It's really worrying now. This isn't loss of form anymore. This has gone on way too long.
No more Dave saves anymore.
Offer him to Athletic for £20M. They will take him, sell Oblak for quadzillions. Next season, DDG will be in beast mode. We get to play our boy. Win/win
That means he lets one in at the near post?
Could do with shaving that ludicrous beard off for starters - smarten up son 
I have a different view. I think he is going through what I call "the Martial phase". When we first bought Martial, he was very good. Then he tapered off for at least 18 months, maybe more. The odd good performances here and there but nothing consistently special. Then all of a sudden he is now unplayable.
De Gea is the same. When we bought him he was not very confident and then had a few seasons where he basically saved our skins - week in week out, despite having Smalling and Jones in front of him - we were singing his praises every single week, just search for those threads I am sure you will find them. He is now back to having a bit of a less than excellent time, I do not think he is shite, far from it. But he has made some errors. I think people who think he is shite need to have better memories of his good moments too in order to make a fair assessment. He needs a bit of an arm around the shoulder and support from Ole and all of us and I am sure he will be back better. Do I think he is a shoo in every week now? No. But do I think he is "shite, we need to sell him now" ? No. Goalies are scrutinised more than forwards i.e. if Martial had as bad a run as De Gea, it would not be noticed as much.
I would tread the Henderson topic with caution - he is unproven at a big club, and although he has played well at Sheffield United, the pressure is nowhere near the same. He might still be good for us, but to think it is a given that he will succeed here is probably unwise. Remember, the goals that he ships at Sheffield United (and when they lose the game) will not be scrutinised as much as De Gea making an error here and there at United and us still winning the game. That's the difference in benchmarking.
Romero probably should be given more starts - I think he is a safe choice for the interim to let De Gea know that he is no longer a shoo in, although we do not think he needs to be sold yet.
De Gea is the same. When we bought him he was not very confident and then had a few seasons where he basically saved our skins - week in week out, despite having Smalling and Jones in front of him - we were singing his praises every single week, just search for those threads I am sure you will find them. He is now back to having a bit of a less than excellent time, I do not think he is shite, far from it. But he has made some errors. I think people who think he is shite need to have better memories of his good moments too in order to make a fair assessment. He needs a bit of an arm around the shoulder and support from Ole and all of us and I am sure he will be back better. Do I think he is a shoo in every week now? No. But do I think he is "shite, we need to sell him now" ? No. Goalies are scrutinised more than forwards i.e. if Martial had as bad a run as De Gea, it would not be noticed as much.
I would tread the Henderson topic with caution - he is unproven at a big club, and although he has played well at Sheffield United, the pressure is nowhere near the same. He might still be good for us, but to think it is a given that he will succeed here is probably unwise. Remember, the goals that he ships at Sheffield United (and when they lose the game) will not be scrutinised as much as De Gea making an error here and there at United and us still winning the game. That's the difference in benchmarking.
Romero probably should be given more starts - I think he is a safe choice for the interim to let De Gea know that he is no longer a shoo in, although we do not think he needs to be sold yet.
I think we just need to support him. He's going through a difficult period with form but sometimes people are dreams. It's not in our interest to bench him. We need to just defend better as a team and hopefully he responds.
He definitely isn't shite; we all know how good he can be. However, something isn't right with him. Goalkeeper is a unique position, where every mistake can lead to a goal; thus there is extra pressure, but Dave just doesn't look the same.
His focus and mentality is significantly lower than it was before. Physically, he's fine. Reflexes are still there. But his focus is letting him down.
Very early peak, began his decline at 27, now sadly a shell of the keeper he once was.
Similar career trajectory as Rooney.
Similar career trajectory as Rooney.
I think he’s become complacent. He wanted away twice but ended up staying, possibly not wholeheartedly. Maybe needs a new challenge but we have to be 100% certain that if we are going with another keeper he is up to it. De Gea is still a world class goalkeeper when on form.
We make the wrong decision here and it will be extremely costly. Every top team needs a top notch goalie. Look what Allison did for this Liverpool team and how much shakier they look at the back when he’s not there (e.g. when they lost to Atletico in the CL).
We make the wrong decision here and it will be extremely costly. Every top team needs a top notch goalie. Look what Allison did for this Liverpool team and how much shakier they look at the back when he’s not there (e.g. when they lost to Atletico in the CL).
Dave is the paying the price of his own brilliance the past decade . He makes some mistakes now which most goalkeepers do without all the fuss .
For me he is still a top quality keeper I wouldn't blame him for the goal today that was totally down to Maguire for getting done so easily .
For me he is still a top quality keeper I wouldn't blame him for the goal today that was totally down to Maguire for getting done so easily .
The problem is that Martial was on a bad run in a struggling team while DDG is doing really bad in a top performing team. It affects quality of defense massively. Besides, main GK error cost is much higher than a young/squad left forward cost of mistake. We want to be champions. Champions are ruthless. Sorry, David, it’s Man United
I'd agree with this . Some people would have us believe he's now non league level but I agree he still has all the reflexes he always has its the concentration that is letting him down atm
The only keepers I think who are for sure better than De Gea are Allison and Ederson.
I do not think Henderson is better than De Gea, he is in better form maybe, but not a better overall goalie. We will regret our decision if we let go of De Gea now. If Henderson went to say, Spurs and have a blinder of a season then sure, he can probably become the new number 1. Playing for Sheffield United with all due respect, is not the same.
I do not think Henderson is better than De Gea, he is in better form maybe, but not a better overall goalie. We will regret our decision if we let go of De Gea now. If Henderson went to say, Spurs and have a blinder of a season then sure, he can probably become the new number 1. Playing for Sheffield United with all due respect, is not the same.
He must have the Spanish flu.
The lad is a shadow of his former self.
The lad is a shadow of his former self.
He’s done at the very top.
He had a very strong peak of about 4-5 years or so, natural that he’d decline down. It’s just a shame that peak coincided with our worst team(s) in PL history.
He had a very strong peak of about 4-5 years or so, natural that he’d decline down. It’s just a shame that peak coincided with our worst team(s) in PL history.
He's past it. Not many players can maintain very high level of consistency for many years. He has been excellent for around 4 years. Maybe that's his peak.
You could argue this if it was a one off, but this has been happening way too often since the last season.
I disagree about his distribution today, I remember a moment where he have the ball away very cheaply to a Bournemouth player.
We always seem to hand out big contracts at the wrong times.
Yes. DDG would also remind us that he was probably the only one performing when we were really struggling. Remember those days of Smalling and Jones at centre half? Absolutely awful. I am in no doubt that we would have finished bottom half of the table on at least one occasion if DDG was not there. Don't get me wrong, it might still be that he is not a long-term solution, but I think our current assessment of him at the moment is skewed because we are now playing well and we are now looking for perfection every single time (which is not a bad thing).
Ole Out is kind of lame now. On to the next.
Ok I hate to do this but these are just his saves from this year. We need to be very careful what we wish for.
I have feelings for David. He was the only player we were proud of in a very dark period. I am sad to see him doing not so good under Ole. Everyone improved,bar him. He is costing us. More to it, we have an exciting young keeper for whose family and girlfriend is happy with Manchester. We have to do what’s best for United.
What does he excel at right now? Used to be the best shot-stopper in the world, but that's clearly not the case anymore. So what makes him a world class GK?
Dont question him, just support him please