Manchester United needed to replace David de Gea.
I could present you with several data and observational arguments based on his performances last season to convince you of that, but I think the fact that it is now March 2024 and the Spanish shot-stopper is still without a club should be evidence enough.
Luckily that doesn’t remain a controversial viewpoint; my fellow United writers and I no longer have to whisper it in hushed voices to avoid some fan’s furor for suggesting that the four-time Player of the Year winner might not be as good as he used to be.
However, the magnifying glass of scrutiny has now moved on to his successor, 2023 Champions League finalist Andre Onana.
United spent around £47 million to bring the Cameroonian goalkeeper, who had previously played under Erik ten Hag at Ajax, to Old Trafford, and his season so far has been mixed.
His early appearances were blemished by several high-profile mistakes, especially in United’s disastrous Champions League campaign. In fact, Onana’s poor performances were placed high on the list for the club’s early exit from Europe.
I would like to say that even though you can probably tell where this article is going to go by now, with me praising Onana and telling you why he’s actually been very good, I want to take a moment to pause and talk about the places he can still improve.
These issues that were prevalent in these early stages continue to rear their ugly head; even as he puts more and more good performances under his belt. Given his track record it’s unlikely they’ll be removed from his game any time soon.
Before last season’s Champions League final, fellow writer (and all-around swell guy) Umir wrote the following analysis in his own newsletter which you can find here. He said:
“Onana seems to be weakest saving shots that go are high and to his right. This is particularly true if Onana has shifted his weight towards his left initially. Looking to fabricate situations where this may occur could be worthwhile.
“Onana has a habit of punching crosses out potentially forcing loose balls in dangerous areas.
“Particularly from lower crosses, near post movement seems to prove valuable against Onana too.”
Onana tends to try and preempt the shot he is about to face. This translates to the phenomenon Umir discusses above, where the goalkeeper will shift his weight one way to block one shooting angle, but leave another much wider.
Combined with a well-timed rush out, this can be effective. Onana forces the striker to take the shot on the foot he currently has free and by doing this he can predict where he will likely shoot.
For example, if he rushes a striker on the right-hand side of the box and arrives as he is standing on his left foot, he can assume the striker will have to hit it with his right across the net to have the best chance of scoring.
The issue with this tactic comes in two scenarios, however, and it has caused Onana to fall foul a few times throughout the campaign.
Firstly, a more experienced striker will be able to hold his shot for longer and slot it into the wider space Onana has left. Mohammed Kerem Akturkoglu executed this very finish for Galatasaray as instead of aiming for the far side, he curled the ball into the near post, easily beating Onana.
Secondly, given United’s issues with transitions this season, players have been able to find space more centrally rather than being forced away from the net. As you can probably guess, when you’re central, there’s not an easier post to aim for, so it adds more chaos and variability into the chance.
Going back to Umir’s analysis, while Onana has continued to punch out more high balls than I’d like, his claim rate has been improving in recent weeks which has done a lot for my (and probably his defenders’) sanity.
But that’s enough about what the 27-year-old needs to improve, let’s talk about the positives.
Onana has the joint-second most clean sheets in the league with eight, which is impressive given how poorly he started in England, but this gets more impressive when you look into the data.
In the Premier League, Onana averages 6.5 high claims per 90 minutes which puts him middle of the pack (in the 52nd percentile) for goalkeepers across Europe’s top five leagues according to FBref. A marked improvement from David de Gea.
He also ranks in the 80th percentile for PSxG compared to shots against with +0.14 per 90. To put this in a more simple format, according to xG, Onana has conceded three fewer shots than he should have (39 compared to 42).
To give you a marker to compare against, this is better than Alisson and Ederson this season.
In terms of on the ball, Onana has added value there as well, though not as much as he would have liked. He averages 42.4 touches per 90 and is accurate with 29.9% of his launched kicks.
You can quite clearly see how comfortable Onana is on the ball, often waiting until the very last moment to play short passes when put under pressure by the opponent, but United’s tactics have not allowed him to shine.
Though Ten Hag spoke about how he wanted United to dominate games and take control of them, the team has been happy to cede possession this season; preferring to hit their opponents on the counter.
Lisandro Martinez and Luke Shaw’s long-term injury problems have also contributed to this as United’s defense is much weaker on the ball without them in the side.
This means that Onana has been forced to go long with searching passes on numerous occasions. It should be noted that these passes do sometimes lead to scoring opportunities for United and even goals.
Overall, I would say that Andre Onana has struggled at times this season and there is still room for improvement, but I think overall he has been a good signing for United.
And Onana himself has the mentality to both back himself and understand that he needs to cut out the mistakes. In an interview with Sky Sports in December he said:
“If I have to speak about my season so far for Manchester United, I am not happy because I know I can do much much better, I've done it and I know I will do it better than what is happening now,' he said. 'We are not facing a good moment. I hope things will change as soon as possible.
“But listen, you want to tell me in six months the best goalkeeper in the Champions League last season can become the worst in the world? Nah.”
I can’t lie, as a United fan it’s great to hear a player speak with confidence even when the team is struggling. It shows that there are characters in the dressing room who won’t take poor results sitting down.
I was happy with the Onana signing when Manchester United made it in the summer and I remain happy with it now.
And no, I won’t be hoping Altay Bayindir gets any minutes any time soon.
I'm a huge fan of Onana and great to see him after a rocky start, performing to the levels expected. He's brilliant with his feet and very confident in his own ability. I like how he fronted the cameras after defeat in Munich early in his United career, not one to shy away from responsibility, the sort of character needed to succeed at such club. I hope he continues to improve and do well!