Gary Neville has made a damning review of David de Gea’s suitability for Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United.
Speaking on the Gary Neville Podcast (quotes via The Express), he stated that the Red Devils’ current number one “won’t last long” under the Dutchman.
De Gea struggled in United’s first two games of the season and suffered the ignominy of having to recover the ball from his own net six times in the Manchester derby.
And while yesterday’s loss cannot be attributed solely to the Spaniard’s goal, his lack of ability to prevent shots and contribute possession has caused United problems.
Chief among them is the need for deep defensive blocking.
De Gea’s reluctance to step out of his line has seen Man United defend with the deepest defense in the division, despite Ten Hag’s preference for coaching proactive football.
His teammates actively avoid using him as a passing option, aware of their goalkeeper’s weaknesses on the ball.
It makes playing from behind much more difficult when the team is essentially a man down in a crucial area of the pitch.
De Gea is not the only reason United have had to play deep and fight back, but he is a contributing factor and Ten Hag was forced to move away from some of his early principles in a bid to stabilize the ship.
For Gary Neville, this style of play cannot last if United want to fight for trophies.
“I think we’re seeing less success with that type of football,” he said.
“Other than Leicester, can you think of a team that hasn’t dominated possession most of the time they’ve won this league in the last 15-20 years?
“Not really now, you don’t see it. You have to be a really proactive team, on the front foot, pushing, doing all the right things.
“I think [Ten Hag’s] he had to take a step back to move forward, I think he had to regroup and that’s not a problem.
And the Dutchman is likely to lean towards his preferred system as he brings in the right players:
“We all know where Erik ten Hag wants to take this United team.
“He wants 75 percent possession, he wants players who can handle the ball.
“Not only in the middle of the field, but the defenders can handle the ball, the goalkeeper has to be brilliant with the ball.”
For De Gea, that can only mean one thing according to Neville:
“I suspect that with David de Gea, his Manchester United career will probably be short-lived with Erik ten Hag because he will be absolutely adamant in his philosophy of playing from behind, playing in midfield, playing those risky little guys. The passes that we see City and Ederson make all the time and that we don’t see as risky anymore because they do it so well, it’s something that he’s working hard for and wants to get to.”
United spent much of the summer window inquiring about top-class goalkeepers, and Kevin Trapp and Yann Sommer are unlikely to have been targeted if they were expected to warm up the bench.
Looking at how his season has gone, it’s hard to imagine De Gea changing Ten Hag’s mind about the need to strengthen the position.
