Picture from: Sportskeeda.com
Massive Dave as he is affectionately recognized by the Previous Trafford trustworthy has quickly grown into an excellent goalkeeper, however the query stays – Is David De Gea one of the best on the planet?
On twenty ninth June 2011, Manchester United signed a younger Spaniard for a payment solely topped by Italian Legend Gianluigi Buffon, of £18.9M.
On the time, enjoying huge bucks for a goalkeeper needed to assure prompt success, so when Massive Dave did not ship throughout his first season at Previous Trafford many questioned if United had made the mistaken selection. Rene Adler, Maarten Stekelenburg, Asmir Begovic & Tim Krul have been all names being linked with #1 jersey at Previous Trafford each earlier than and throughout the Spaniards tenure.
His command of space was in all probability the largest weak spot within the Spaniards arsenal, however the issue with failing to command these round you is that when errors occur, you lose confidence and while you lose confidence as a goalkeeper you are simply asking for bother.
Do not get me mistaken, his first season was abysmal, his second was fairly dangerous as properly however all through you possibly can see the flashes of brilliance ready to flee, you possibly can see this younger man who was destined to take the world by storm, and that is precisely what has occurred.
Particularly this season, I’ll evaluate the nice German, Manuel Neuer, in opposition to the United stopper David De Gea.
One thing that I feel must be taken into consideration earlier than the statistical evaluation is completed, is that the 2 goalkeepers play in very distinction environments. Neuer performs behind a stable defence in a system that retains the ball very properly (averaging 61% possession) however subsequently known as into motion much less ceaselessly and can’t afford to have lapses in focus, whereas De Gea is enjoying in entrance of a weak again 3, in a brand new system, the place he is largely unprotected and has needed to cope with plenty of defensive errors this season.
To not point out the distinction in high quality between the league opposition.
I am not making excuses for the Spaniard, I am merely stating evident variations between the enjoying environments of the 2 gamers.
In 17 video games for Bayern this season Neuer has saved 13 clear sheets and conceded solely 4 objectives, nonetheless in opposition to superior opponents to that of the Bundesliga within the Champions League Neuer has conceded 4 objectives in 6 appearances – a stat which paints him as a far much less tremendous human goalkeeper.
David De Gea alternatively has conceded 20 objectives in 20 video games and brought house solely 6 clear sheets. It’s also price noting that De Gea has conceded 2 or extra objectives on solely 2 events this season (Leicester 5-3 and West Brom 2-2), in his earlier 12 video games De Gea has solely conceded 9 objectives.
In some instances, objectives can’t be helped and goalkeepers can’t be held answerable for conceding, so let’s look somewhat deeper into the specifics of every goalkeeper this season.
Neuer has needed to make a mere 27 saves, averaging at 1.59 saves per recreation, 5 of which (his season excessive) got here within the 0-0 draw with Borussia Monchengladbach on the finish of October, and on 5 different events has not even needed to make a single save (together with in opposition to one in every of Germany’s higher sides – Bayer Leverkusen).
Transferring onto Dave the save, who has needed to make an astonishing 47 saves in 20 video games, which averages at 2.35 saves per recreation. De Gea has needed to make 5 or extra saves on 2 events; 8 saves featured in opposition to Arsenal within the 2-1 victory in November while one other 7 got here in opposition to Liverpool in mid-December. Nevertheless De Gea did not make a single save within the 2-2 draw with West Bromwich Albion in October or in opposition to Leicester in September (Mockingly sufficient the one video games he is conceded greater than 1 aim).
By way of claiming the ball from crosses and corners Neuer has been as soon as once more, spectacular, claiming 88% – Neuer has claimed 100% of each cross this season aside from in two video games, each of which he failed to say a single ball (vs Stuttgart in September claiming 0/9 crosses and 0/2 of crosses have been claimed in opposition to Freidburg in December).
Transferring onto David De Gea, the Spaniard has claimed extra balls that Neuer at 93%, having claimed each ball in all however 2 video games (vs West Bromich Albion 0/7 crosses taken and vs Manchester Metropolis the place 14/22 have been collected).
This following space of study can be barely distorted by the type of play that Bayern play compared to Manchester United.
With the ball at his ft, Neuer has efficiently distributed the ball 89% of the time, with a median distance of 29 meters, with the longest kick reaching 31 meters. Whereas in full distinction De Gea has solely been profitable with 67% of his distribution this season, averaging a complete of 41 meters. De Gea’s longest kick was 52 meters and his shortest has been 26 meters.
This additionally demonstrates De Gea’s insecurity in his defence, bypassing them on almost each alternative he is had this season.
So there you may have it, two very totally different kinds of goalkeepers in two very totally different environments.
The decision
Neuer has the added safety of enjoying in a group which very not often concedes alternatives, whereas De Gea is enjoying in a group that’s making error after error each single recreation. Nevertheless, even with this consideration Neuer has confirmed to be the higher keeper judging by these statistics.
That stated, in case you have been to swap the 2 goalkeepers across the distinction in outcomes and performances would most probably be minimal.
General, I’d say that Neuer is healthier however De Gea is catching him rapidly, in a greater atmosphere with a stronger defence I can see De Gea surpassing the German throughout the subsequent 12-24 months.
Let me know what you assume, who do you assume is healthier and why?
Written by Jordan Lombard January 03 2015 20:29:50