- 20 hours ago
Why De Gea’s Man Utd career is over
David de Gea has divided opinion like few other players. The Manchester United No.1 has been one of the best shot-stoppers for over a decade, but recent years have raised many questions regarding his adaptability to the skill set that is required of a modern-day goalkeeper.
This is evidenced by how slow he has been to adjust to the demands of Erik ten Hag’s system which requires the goalkeeper to be good with the ball at their feet.
Although Ten Hag has publicly backed De Gea, his future at the club is in increasing doubt. Out of contract at the end of June, he has yet to agree a new deal, and while talks are ongoing, the longer the impasse lasts, the less likely an agreement is to be found.
MORE: Out Of Contract in 2023: Best players available on a free transfer
This represents an ideal chance for Man Utd to refresh this area of their team.
We use SciSports data insights to analyse his performances on the main pillars of modern goalkeeping - shot stopping, in possession, sweeping behind the defence and having command in the box - to explain why.
MORE: Confirmed Man Utd transfers, done deals & signings
De Gea's weaknesses outweigh his strengths
Shot-stopping
De Gea won the Golden Glove with 17 clean sheets last season, and his shot-stopping ability was key to this. Although a clean sheet is a collective effort, when you look at the data, De Gea’s contribution becomes clear.
Last season, De Gea had an Expected Saves (xS) P90 figure of 2.33 - which means he was expected to make just over 2 saves per 90 minutes based on the quality of shots on target he faced. But the 32-year-old actually made 3.64 saves P90, outperforming his xS by some margin.
De Gea often makes big saves for United. Last season he made 2 saves from open play that had a Post Shot Expected Goal (PSxG) value of over 0.75. For some context a penalty has an Expected Goal (xG) value of around 0.75 so those saves were statistically equivalent to saving 2 penalties.
Another metric that highlights shot stopping is goals prevented P90, which is the difference between PSxG and Goals Allowed. De Gea once again comes in with a strong 0.14 P90 – putting him amongst the best keepers in Europe.
The only point of underperformance is his Save %, with him saving 71.7% of shots on target, which is about average.
Score: 9/10
In possession
De Gea’s performance on the ball has been the most debated aspect of his game. He does not look comfortable with the ball at his feet and often makes wrong decisions that tend to invite pressure on his team.
Last season he made just over 20 passes P90. This was twice the number compared to the previous season under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ralph Rangnick, so he has shown that he can make improvements to his game.
But are those numbers enough? Not quite.
It’s not just that the likes of Andre Onana and Mike Maignan make more passes P90, but a lot more of their passes are played short compared to De Gea. The Spaniard’s inability to play short more often is problematic for a team that wants to draw the opposition attackers and play through the press in build-up. De Gea’s pass completion of 71.1% also falls well short of the likes of leading keepers like Ederson or Diogo Costa.
Score: 6/10
Sweeping
A top goalkeeper needs to anticipate danger and is often required to come to the rescue of his defenders.
Looking at the number of defensive actions that a goalkeeper makes outside the penalty area - De Gea’s 0.84 defensive actions P90 is much lower compared to other top goalkeepers in the PL and Europe. The likes of Allison and Jordan Pickford have figures almost twice as high.
With Ten Hag wanting his team to dominate possession, there will be times when Man Utd will be caught on the break with a ball over the top. Being proactive and making a split-second decision to sweep in behind the defence is a crucial element needed in a goalkeeper playing in this system. De Gea has gotten better at this but is still a way off some of his peers.
Score: 6/10
Command in the box
A key aspect of modern-day goalkeeping is having command of the box. Coming off the line early and being decisive by either claiming or punching the ball can take the pressure off and prove to be vital against sides who will rely on such situations against dominant teams like Manchester United.
De Gea only stops 2.9% of the crosses that come into the penalty area, which is the second lowest rate in the Premier League. Further, his 0.57 Claims P90 is also not very impressive. Compare this to someone like David Raya (8.7% crosses stopped, 1.58 Claims P90) and the gulf in performance is very evident.
Score: 5/10
De Gea is a very capable goalkeeper, and with four Players’ Player of the Season awards at Manchester United, his reputation within the club is still very high.
But from United’s point of view, it does not make much sense to keep hold of someone who is turning 33 this year and has clear limitations to their game. Especially when there are great long-term replacements available.
