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Pundit doubts De Gea quality

De Gea Jan 13Former Liverpool centre back, Alan Hansen, questioned Manchester United keeper David De Gea’s credentials on BBC’s Match of the Day last night after he flapped at the cross which ultimately led to Spurs snatching a late late equaliser in good old ‘Fergie Time’.

There’s been much wrote about De Gea recently on RedRants and many believe he should be given full backing while he develops and he gains that all important ingredient, experience.

In my opinion, highlighting a weakness in a players game or in a team doesn’t mean you’re not backing him or it, it just means the jury’s still out and you have your doubts. I don’t see what’s so bad about that.

Here’s what Hansen had to say in his Daily Telegraph piece…..

Sir Alex must make decision on De Gea

Manchester United’s hopes of regaining the Premier League title will always be in jeopardy if David de Gea keeps making mistakes like the one against Spurs and he must surely be on his last chance now. Without a doubt he cost them three points and this is a crucial stage of the season where Sir Alex Ferguson needs to decide whether to stick with him or take him out the firing line. The result at White Hart Lane could prove a season defining moment and United cannot afford to be drawing games when they should be winning them. david-de-gea_2456985bI’m sure they would have taken a point before kick-off but the fact they have tossed away two points in the game through a goalkeeping mistake could be massive. Manchester United would have been seven points clear of Manchester City if they had managed to keep a clean sheet, but the goalkeeper has flapped at the end and it has punished them after a very good away performance. A win at Tottenham Hotspur could have sent out a real message. Sir Alex will be loath to drop him but he has got to make a decision now because this is crunch time and they are playing for big prizes. When your team is in the last 16 of the Champions League and competing for the title, the last position you want to be in is chopping and changing the goalkeeper.

Many of today’s papers focus on Sir Alex’s post-match comments bemoaning Chris Foy’s decision not to award United a second-half penalty when Wayne Rooney was felled inside the area. The Sun suggests the boss could be disciplined by the FA, although former official Graham Poll agrees it was a foul and says the Reds were hard done by at White Hart Lane.

Personally I think De Gea made a string of great saves to keep United in it yesterday. But unfortunately, when a keeper makes a mistake, we all know it’s often costly and the incident he’s remembered for in a game. Yesterday is no different. 78th minute a simple ball to catch, under no pressure, De Gea opts to punch it. You’re asking for criticism when you do that if you ask me. Just catch it.

You can’t blame people for breaking a goal down and looking for faults, it’s what ‘pause live TV’ was made for! Criticism is a modern day attitude towards most things, football included. ‘Where there’s blame’ and all that, plus everyone’s an expert….didn’t you know?!!

How come Rafael and Valencia have got away with their mix up relatively scot free. They colluded to allow the cross in in the first place despite both being favourite to win a loose ball to remove the danger in the build up on the edge of the box. If they switch on and do their jobs De Gea grabs all the headlines for a fantastic match-winning performance.

Fine margins, but that’s life as we know it today I’m afraid.