For those with access, there's a great long read about Andre Onana on the Atheltic today. It combines reporting on his settling in period with statistical deep dives on his performances since arriving.
Some key points:
- He and his family settled in well and quickly in Manchester (wife and kids speak English; he speaks five languages and is in the process of acquiring English) but the adjustment to the intensity of the PL and the glare of attention at United was harder.
- An observation that in his early months he was doing things that weren't characteristic of his technique pre-United (footwork / timing) and a suggestion that this was affected by nerves. "Those who know him best said he moved his body differently during games. The goalkeeper they saw wasn’t the goalkeeper they knew."
- Stats suggest that his overall shot stopping in terms of "goals: expected goals after shot taken" has been above the league average despite the lapses.
- Suggestion that he has grown in confidence, and team mates have grown in confidence in him, as time has progressed, particularly since AFCON. Also that he has become a little bit more conservative with the ball at his feet since the new year.
https://theathletic.com/5322923/2024/03/08/andre-onana-manchester-united-revival/
Of course he has plenty to prove after those catastrophic errors. But he came to United with a large body of work that showed he's a good-not-great shot stopper and a massive upgrade on DDG in terms of all other aspects of goalkeeping. He's not the first goalkeeper to struggle to adapt to the challenge of playing at United. He's played behind 24 combinations of defenders, and in a side that's in disarray defending counterattacks and building from the back. He's facing far more shots than a Manchester United goalkeeper ought to. Generally, I like to give our players the benefit of the doubt. And in this case I just intuitively like the dude. Proud to count myself an Onanist.
Onana
posted on 8/3/24
comment by Kobbie The King Mainoo (U10026)
posted 2 minutes ago
comment by Robbing Hoody - I taught Szoboszlai how to cushion half volleys (U6374)
posted 32 minutes ago
There was a quite damning stat a couple of weeks ago that only Shef Utd have given up more chances than Utd this season, and they’re on course to concede 100 goals.
From the outside looking in Obama has quietly got better and tbh, there’s rarely more than five world class keepers in the world at any one time. Is he one of them? No, but he’s in the next tier down imo.
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I vaguely recalling a stat like that but I think it was shots and there were a couple of others below us. But I have seen that these stats were put into perspective because the quality of the shots were taken into account, where quality chances given up was one of the better records in the league. The conclusion was we allow teams to take shiiiiit loads of shots from outside the box and from difficult angles.
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Well I saw it on insta so you’re no doubt right.
I do think Onana looks better and better though. Thought he had a very good first half vs City, but probably could have done better on their second
posted on 8/3/24
comment by Red Russian (U4715)
posted 1 hour, 59 minutes ago
comment by Busby (U19985)
posted 7 minutes ago
"he speaks five languages and is in the process of acquiring English"
I'm sure I've heard him interview in English, even before his move to Utd?
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I should have been more precise. It says he is "fluent in Spanish, French, Italian, and Ewondo, a regional language from Cameroon. His English is improving."
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No C, J or Q sound in Ewondo. Not a lot of people know that.
posted on 8/3/24
Made zero saves though!
posted on 8/3/24
comment by Pinefresh (U22978)
posted 1 hour, 41 minutes ago
He only makes saves that come at him at a good height. Can't get down low quickly, and is completely hopeless when the shots are directed at the corners. Stands completely still and watches goals fly in most of the time. Hopeless keeper.
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How many languages can De Gea speak?
posted on 8/3/24
comment by Brian Gittins (U1449)
posted 19 seconds ago
comment by Pinefresh (U22978)
posted 1 hour, 41 minutes ago
He only makes saves that come at him at a good height. Can't get down low quickly, and is completely hopeless when the shots are directed at the corners. Stands completely still and watches goals fly in most of the time. Hopeless keeper.
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How many languages can De Gea speak?
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Depends, are we counting Scouse separate to English?
posted on 8/3/24
comment by Robbing Hoody - I taught Szoboszlai how to cushion half volleys (U6374)
posted 2 hours, 18 minutes ago
comment by Kobbie The King Mainoo (U10026)
posted 2 minutes ago
comment by Robbing Hoody - I taught Szoboszlai how to cushion half volleys (U6374)
posted 32 minutes ago
There was a quite damning stat a couple of weeks ago that only Shef Utd have given up more chances than Utd this season, and they’re on course to concede 100 goals.
From the outside looking in Obama has quietly got better and tbh, there’s rarely more than five world class keepers in the world at any one time. Is he one of them? No, but he’s in the next tier down imo.
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I vaguely recalling a stat like that but I think it was shots and there were a couple of others below us. But I have seen that these stats were put into perspective because the quality of the shots were taken into account, where quality chances given up was one of the better records in the league. The conclusion was we allow teams to take shiiiiit loads of shots from outside the box and from difficult angles.
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Well I saw it on insta so you’re no doubt right.
I do think Onana looks better and better though. Thought he had a very good first half vs City, but probably could have done better on their second
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Yeah I’d agree with that.
posted on 8/3/24
Would you classify fodens second as a howler or unlucky?
It wasn't a powerful shot, it wasn't at either side of the goal, wasn't a difficult height.
It sounds like you lot are praising mediocrity to me. Great he made a few saves that he should have made, nothing spectacular. But then he lets in a shot like fodens second.
He has let in quite a few of those as well.
I don't know if it is a confidence thing or he just isn't very good but if he can sort that out, the ones where he likes dives over the ball for some weird reason then he might be "ok".
I still think a keeper like that gives defenders panic attacks though. I know our defence isn't great but having that in the back of your mind all the time, that fact that he lets in howlers, plays on you a fair bit.
posted on 8/3/24
comment by Ali - (U1192)
posted 42 minutes ago
Would you classify fodens second as a howler or unlucky?
It wasn't a powerful shot, it wasn't at either side of the goal, wasn't a difficult height.
It sounds like you lot are praising mediocrity to me. Great he made a few saves that he should have made, nothing spectacular. But then he lets in a shot like fodens second.
He has let in quite a few of those as well.
I don't know if it is a confidence thing or he just isn't very good but if he can sort that out, the ones where he likes dives over the ball for some weird reason then he might be "ok".
I still think a keeper like that gives defenders panic attacks though. I know our defence isn't great but having that in the back of your mind all the time, that fact that he lets in howlers, plays on you a fair bit.
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Mm, you don't see any improvement, not more confidence, better shop stopping. Because I certainly do.
In fact I see signs of him becoming good.
posted on 8/3/24
comment by manusince52 (U9692)
posted 46 minutes ago
comment by Ali - (U1192)
posted 42 minutes ago
Would you classify fodens second as a howler or unlucky?
It wasn't a powerful shot, it wasn't at either side of the goal, wasn't a difficult height.
It sounds like you lot are praising mediocrity to me. Great he made a few saves that he should have made, nothing spectacular. But then he lets in a shot like fodens second.
He has let in quite a few of those as well.
I don't know if it is a confidence thing or he just isn't very good but if he can sort that out, the ones where he likes dives over the ball for some weird reason then he might be "ok".
I still think a keeper like that gives defenders panic attacks though. I know our defence isn't great but having that in the back of your mind all the time, that fact that he lets in howlers, plays on you a fair bit.
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Mm, you don't see any improvement, not more confidence, better shop stopping. Because I certainly do.
In fact I see signs of him becoming good.
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Not sure I’d go that far. He’s improved, but not by a huge amount. I don’t think I’ve seen him make one save I wouldn’t expect a decent pl keeper not to make. He’s looked less error prone, but I feel that’s a timebomb and there will be more to come. But, he has looked a bit more solid.
posted on 8/3/24
Whatever people think of him, in the city game he claimed more crosses and commanded his area more than De Gea did in his entire United careeer