Thread by @BlameTheKeeper

🧤 Decent piece by @JKFootb4ll & @BTLvid, but there are a few comments I want to make. #MUFC #PremierLeague

[Long thread]

https://twitter.com/BTLvid/status/1287035891538698252

-What often gets lost in the debate between David #DeGea & Dean #Henderson is the fact that the latter only has one full season of first division playing experience under his belt.

Of course, it was a fantastic season - an argument could be made that #Henderson is this #PremierLeague season's top goalkeeper. But nonetheless, it's still one season, and there's no guarantee that these performances will carry over to #MUFC.

These performances have also come in a season where #Henderson faced very little expectations & pressure, which undoubtedly helped him. When most fans expect your club to be relegated anyway, you're given an opportunity to play with a clearer head & just do your own thing.

#MUFC is not #SUFC. Their expectations are much higher than those of Sheffield & their fans are less forgiving. There will be heightened pressure to perform, to win & to clinch trophies. How will that added pressure impact Henderson? That's something advanced stats can't predict.

That's why, while the stats probably suggest it's time for #MUFC to replace #DeGea with #Henderson, I think Henderson should be given another season on loan. Prove that this ain't a fluke season; prove that you can handle heightened expectations. Then we'll talk about Manchester.

-The author mentions that both goalkeepers "punch the ball for no reason." I'm not sure if the author is trying to insinuate that punching has no benefits over catching, but if that's the case, I strongly disagree. Both catching & punching have their benefits.

Let's take a look at a few mock scenarios.

Suppose a cross is played into a crowded box. You (the GK) don't have time to get into an open space to catch the ball, and due to the crowd, you're at risk of not catching the ball cleanly.

In this scenario, instead of attempting to catch the ball and risk dropping it in a crowded box, you use a strong, well-timed punch to direct that ball away from the goal, be that over your goal, to the sides of the box, or to the front of the box.

Or how about in a scenario where the elements - wind, rain, etc. - are against you? On a rainy day, for example, your vision might be impacted by the rain, making it harder for you to process a cross quickly and place your hands in a proper manner to catch it.

Furthermore, the ball would likely be very wet from the rain, making it slippery and difficult to control. In this scenario, because there's a high risk of the goalkeeper flubbing a catch and dropping the ball, it's probably best to punch the cross away.

There's this idea that punching the ball is a sign of weakness, but that's far from the case. In a fair number of scenarios, such as the ones I mentioned above, punching would actually be a smarter move to make than attempting to catch the ball.

A goalkeeper who commands his box well isn't one that just tries to catch every single cross that comes his way. Rather, they're one who has mastered both catching and punching techniques and knows when to use the right technique at the appropriate time.

[End of thread]

TLDR
1. Can #Henderson handle heightened pressure of playing for #MUFC? Not in my opinion, which is why I wouldn't replace #DeGea with him just yet.
2. Depending on the scenario, punching a cross can actually be more beneficial and less risky than catching it.

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