RED NEWS EXCLUSIVE ... How do you solve a problem like De Gea?

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In the Red News fanzine we often feature stats on the world of MUFC - the games, the players, the managers, the opponents - The stats can bring a new perspective to this wonderful Red world we occupy.

And as a little taster of the stats articles you can enjoy we've posted a special one below on Mr De Gea. Exclusive for you. Not one we've featured in the mag.

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So how do you solve a problem like De Gea?

Problem? what problem?

The problem, we are led to believe, is a multi-million pound goalie who is struggling in the team. But is it really a problem ? De Gea debuted at the youthful age of 20 (well he is youthful compared to the age of the old statto writing this!), managing 20+ appearances in his first season ... So after this brief foray into United life is it really right to start describing him as "a problem"? The ever analytical TV and radio pundits seem already to be looking for the negative in everything he does, picking fault before highlighting the positive. Its human nature I suppose, looking on from afar with the benefit of time and hindsight. Makes it easy to see how any situation could have been dealt with better

Patience is a virtue

Personally I'm one for giving players the benefit of time before jumping to conclusions. Admittedly this stems from showing a distinct lack of patience with a certain young Ryan Giggs. Failing to see past his piss poor final ball which blinded me from the wider potential he showed (and then went onto hammer home)

Not only is it De Gea's first season, he's also still a young chap. Especially for a position where history has shown age can be more of an asset than youthfulness. Plus he's playing in a country in which he hasn't got any experience. So he's up against it on a number of fronts

He's going to make mistakes, its the nature of youth. And its been a while since United fans have seen a young goalie come into the team and go onto make over 100 appearances for the first team, earning the trust of the fans along the way. The last time it happened was with Mr Gary Bailey - he of the white hair - debuted for MUFC at the age of 21, going onto make 375 appearances over 9 seasons

A statto's perspective

40 goalies have been on the United books as a professional player in the last 40 years

30 have made at least one first team appearance for MUFC

5 have made at least 100 appearances

When you look back at past United goalies its interesting to see how the age they played their first United game can be a barometer for their likelihood of success. In fact you can categorise past United goalies into three age groups ... The 'young uns' ... the 'middle-agers' and the 'vets'

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The young uns (under 22 years old)

The toughest proving ground for a United goalie

9 goalies (including De Gea) were under 22 years old. Including Paul Rachubka, Nick Culkin and Gary Walsh

Most went on to make less than 20 appearances

1 made over 100 appearances (Gary Bailey)

With 20 appearances under his belt, De Gea has already found himself achieving more appearances than most of his peers of a similar age (and only 1 in 3 United goalies including De Gea have made 20+ appearances in their first season) so he's definitely been given his chance

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The middle agers (22-27 years old)

11 goalies (including Lindegaard) were 22 to 27 years old on their debut. The likes of Roy Caroll, P.I.G., Tim Howard and Ben Foster

Most went onto make between 20 and 70 appearances ...Either a couple of action filled seasons, or a longer term drip feed of occasional use

1 made over 100 appearances (Mr Alex Stepney)

Only 2 made less than 20 appearances (John Connaughton + Stephen Pears)

So not a particularly successful bunch, but they are more likely, than the young uns, to get a decent run in the first team

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The Vets (28 years old+)

10 goalies were 28 years + on their debut. Names more likely to have stuck in the minds of United fans (for good and bad reasons!). Like Taibi and Goram who are memorable only for their fleeting appearance in a United shirt ... Whilst Schmeichel and Van der Sar are remembered fondly for the good times we shared

Barthez, Van der Sar and Schmeichel went onto make 100+ appearances for MUFC

Jim Leighton, Les Sealey and Van Der Gouw made between 50 and 100 appearances

Taibi, Goram, Lopez and Wealends made less than 10 appearances

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So the older the better?

One thing is for certain, only a few are destined for a long stint between the sticks (5 out of 40 in fact)

Those that do make 100+ appearances are more likely to be getting on in years when they start out at MUFC ... So clearly an old head is more of an attribute than youthful energy (strike 1 to my fellow oldies !). We've also seen a decent young goalie like Ben Foster failing to live up to their early reputation. Which backs up the view that it isn't an easy path that De Gea is following. But there are those who have done well from a young age - Stepney and Bailey going onto make 100 + appearances for the club. Names and hairstyles that will stick long in United fans' memories. In the minority, but showing its possible

The amount of money invested in De Gea by MUFC, and the number of appearances he has chalked up in his first season at the club suggests they are not going to give up on the lad lightly. Fergie obviously sees potential and that goes some way to giving him the benefit of the doubt when he has his "Taibi like" moments of calamity. Plus he's shown us glimpses of skill (including that save v Chelsea) which suggest the boy has got the talent that its worth us waiting to see develop further

Players coming into the league have commented before about needing to adapt to the physicality of the league. For a goalie that should have an easy remedy - As RN reader Coggie recently suggested in the Red News VIP forums "he should be bombarded in training day in day out with corners and crosses, big bastards knocking in to him and blocking him off, everything that happens in a match" ... He's on a learning curve and it's his next step ... That, along with a bit of patience, could very well be how you solve the problem (that isn't really a problem) like De Gea.

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The Full Facts

Age on debut (below) and player appearance totals (attached)


Under 22
Walsh, Gary + Amos, Ben + Wilkinson, Ian + Rachubka, Paul + Bailey, Gary + Rimmer, Jimmy + Pilkington, Kevin + De Gea, David + Culkin, Nick

22 - 27 years old
Pears, Stephen + Connaughton, John + Stepney, Alex + Howard, Tim + Carroll, Roy + Kuszczak, Tomasz + Roche, Paddy + Foster, Ben + Turner, Chris + Bosnich, Mark + Lindegaard, Anders

28 and over
Schmeichel, Peter + Barthez, Fabien + Taibi, Massimo + Leighton, Jim + López, Ricardo + Wealands, Jeff + van der Gouw, Raimond + Sealey, Les + van der Sar, Edwin + Goram, Andy

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feel free to put forth your view on Mr De Gea ... and you don't have to use stats to back up your opinion :mrgreen: