“Are you Schmeichel in disguse?”, was the first thing 23-year-old Senne Lammens met from Manchester United supporters. The chant from the stands came in his debut match in the world’s toughest league, where the Belgian seemed completely cold, focused, tough and brimming with confidence. Of course, this was not only the song trope that described Lammens’ play, but also the United supporters’ strong need to get a rock-solid goalkeeper back, but the range from world-class saves to games with the most horrendous goalkeeping blunders: A goalkeeper who doesn’t let himself be pushed in the box. United fans will love to hear what their new first goalkeeper has to say about “life within the field” on the ball island.
On Monday, Lammens showed what Man Utd have been missing under Onana. A goalkeeper who is in the right place at the right time, again, again and again during a match – and who does not allow himself to be bullied by the opponents inside the box. Everton manager David Moyes put into words the frustration of facing Lammens in the United goal: “The goalkeeper was unbelievably good. The save he made against Michael Keane, the way he handled corners… For me, he was the best player on the pitch,” Moyes said, according to Goal.
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The Premier League is notorious for the relentless physical pressure from the opponents a goalkeeper faces on every biting set piece. For Lammens, with a physique that has previously been compared to the giant Courtois, this is a situation that triggers, not scares.
-I think it’s been like that all season. For me, that’s just the way it is. It’s the Premier League. There is a bit of war inside the 16-metre box. It’s also one of my strengths, so sometimes I like the challenge too. I like it, to get out of my comfort zone a little bit and deal with those situations. For now, even though there are many bodies next to me, I still come to the post. It also gives me a good feeling that I’m doing well,” Lammens said according to ESPN.
A goalkeeper who understands what English football offers in terms of “war zone” in the field – and loves it. We’ll let United legend Edwin van Sar’s words sum it all up for United supporters: “Senne Lammens looks like he’s got a good package with him to be here [at Manchester United] for a long time”.
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