02 Feb 2024 21:51:45
I know some don't really rate him, but in all the talk of Mainoo, Hojlund and Martinez's performances last night, I think Shaw coming back has also shown us what we've missed going forward over the last lot of weeks.

Rarely misses a pass, great on the overlap, and probably no coincidence it was one of Rashford's better games with Shaw back on the pitch.

Hopefully he can stay injury free for the rest of the season, because I always think we look a completely different animal in an attacking sense, when he plays.

Of course, having two ball-playing CBs interacting with two CMs that are confident of receiving the ball on the turn, also helps.

1.) 03 Feb 2024
03 Feb 2024 01:37:26
Agreed. Shaw coming back has made a huge difference.

2.) 03 Feb 2024
03 Feb 2024 06:51:41
I like Shaw Stevie, along with the 4 youvname, I would add Garnacho, the rest can go.

3.) 03 Feb 2024
03 Feb 2024 07:07:52
Agree with shaw and Martinez, our left side looks alive when those two are there and rashford fancies it!
If we can do business similar on our right and replace varane with a good defender but a good ball player because he is not good on the ball and a similar minded full back to shaw then I think that makes a huge difference to our set up! A lot of teams know that if you keep our left side quiet it’s basically job done! Although I’ll give Garnacheo credit he’s brought a different dimension to the right, I actually prefer him there!

4.) 03 Feb 2024
03 Feb 2024 08:38:27
Yeah I agree too and I think Shaw is a huge miss when not available. Doesn’t get the credit he deserves in my opinion.

5.) 03 Feb 2024
03 Feb 2024 10:14:52
Shaw is a very underrated player for us. He adds so much right down the left flank. His good defensive qualities help shore up our defence, he's one of only two defenders we have who has the technical quality to progress the ball forward effectively, while his understanding and link play with Rashford is a key factor in making our left hand side such a massive threat for opposing teams.

Shaw being back will be a big factor in Rashford kicking on and having a stronger finish to the season.

6.) 03 Feb 2024
03 Feb 2024 10:16:48
We are a lot better with Shaw in the side. He’s been pretty consistent for a couple of years now after the initial ups and downs. One of our better players who solidifies the back and rarely gives the ball away.

7.) 03 Feb 2024
03 Feb 2024 10:46:23
Chris, I agree I think Garnacho on the right has also played a big factor in our improving displays.

He's very good on the left, but probably looks to cut in to shoot on his right foot too much. Understandable for a young player.

When playing on the right his game seems to have more variation, sometimes he goes on the outside and sometimes he'll cut in. It leaves defenders guessing, meaning they can't commit and get as tight to him, giving him the space he needs to work in.

He seems to have upped his defensive and off the ball work rate in the last month or so, which is probably the thing that enabled him to leapfrog Antony into the starting 11. Teams can't afford to carry passengers in the modern game, making it very hard to pick players who'll leave you exposed defensively by their lack of effort.

With Antony flopping, Sancho swanning off and the Greenwood situation there is a real opportunity for Garnacho to take hold of the RW position and make it his own. Especially given the sheer number of signings we need to make across the squad in other positions meaning we might not have the funds to buy a RW player this summer to take the position.

I can't see us signing a RW player until the summer of 2025, not when we need 2-3 CB's given Martinez is the only one good enough who has a long term future, two deeper midfielders given that Mainoo is the only one good enough and has a long term future. That's 4-5 players needed right for the heart of the side. While neither Dalot or AWB have locked down RB and we could do with a refresh in that position, along with another ST with Højlund being the only option.

So there are probably 6-7 players we need to sign before we address RW. Given that Garnacho is playing well there, Amad still needs to run of game to see how he can do, while Mount and Bruno can also play there is needed.

That means Garnacho probably has 18 months to lock down that position, grow into it and prove his quality.

Also by the summer of 2025 Shea Lacey will be 18 years old and hopefully pushing for first team minutes if all goes well with his development. He could come in to the squad for the 2025/ 26 season as Garnacho's understudy on the RW.

I can see us intentionally not signing a top class (and likely expensive) RW at all. Do we really need to sign one when in 18 months time we will have a 21 year old Garnacho and an 18 year old Shea Lacey both looking to get regular minutes.

Personally that's the route I'd like to see the club go. This is what is meant by making pathways into the first team. Maybe we do the same thing in defence and midfield.

Maybe we don't look to sign 3 CB's to go with Martinez, but two and leave the space for Kambwala as the fourth choice. While in midfield we could look to only sign 1 deeper midfielder to make a pathway for Dan Gore or the Fletcher twins. Maybe we keep Casemiro for an extra year to give those lads time to develop so they could replace him in the squad in 2025. Rather than selling Casemiro this summer and having to replace him. That might be the more prudent option given Mainoo's inexperience.

Manchester United's most successful eras have always been built around a core of exciting young academy players. Maybe the 2025 season might be when we see that crop start to push through.

Players like Mainoo and Garnacho pushing through now, maybe Kambwala over the next 18 months as well. Before we see players like Amass (challenging a then 30 year old Shaw), Gore and/ or the Fletcher twins, Shea Lacey and maybe even Ibragimov breaking into the first team squad.

I'd be over the moon if in 4-5 years time we are winning titles with a core of academy players in the side. For me that is peak United.

8.) 03 Feb 2024
03 Feb 2024 10:53:23
I think Shaw is underated and gets a bad rap from the Jose days due to not looking after himself. not sure how true or if that has changed.
Shaw offers a lot down the left especially the overlap with Rashford/ Garnacho offering a genuine threat when they naturally look to cut inside, expect to see that improve now he is back.
Likely to get a couple more years out of him before decline and he may look to move to left centre back similar to how Daley Blind has at the end of his career.
With all the other areas we need sorting LB is down the list for me. hopefully we see Malasia come back and maybe the young lad in the u18s over the next year.

9.) 03 Feb 2024
03 Feb 2024 11:12:57
Shaw is injury prone and getting older.

10.) 03 Feb 2024
03 Feb 2024 13:02:53
Backpass

You say that, but last season was his best in terms of injury - 13 days out with 3 games missed.
He also played a quarter of his season at CB - a physically more demanding position for a player who's naturally a LB.
I would say it's just better to manage his time.

The only LB in the PL who can lay a glove on Shaw is that Robertson plank to the West, each on their day can look absolutely mustard.

I rate Shaw very highly and I'm very happy to see him back, I just want Malacia to return to the fold now to lessen the load.

11.) 03 Feb 2024
03 Feb 2024 14:48:34
Really ork do you rate him that highly?
I think he has been a 'steady Eddie' when played over last 8 years.
Doesn't get caught out as often as he used and he played well at cb which is a far LESS demanding physically. But it thought him a lot about his positioning. Probably one of the only players to improve dramatically under eth.
His output in terms of assists etc is low but he is strong and put a shift in every week.
My fav left back in the league is Robertson I like the Fulham left back a lot Robinson I also like the young kid at Luton ogbana who can play either side.

12.) 03 Feb 2024
03 Feb 2024 15:19:34
shaw and dalot are very good players and so underrated imo. Martinez is the glue for our back 4. We look so disjoined at the back when he is missing imo.

13.) 03 Feb 2024
03 Feb 2024 17:00:35
Shaw I suspect will become a CB over the next 2-3 years. The full back position is the most demanding position on the pitch, with players expected to cover in defence and over lap in attack. Shaw has had some nasty injuries in his career, and he doesn't have a naturally athletic build, so will lose his pace which he needs to get back into position when playing at LB.

He was lax at looking after himself when he first joined and he picked up some bad habits. Slightly understandable as a teenager who has moved away from his support network and been handed a huge contract. He didn't know how to cook for himself and lived off of takeaways. However, as he's matured and settled down he does a much better job of looking after himself, he goes away for an intense training programme a week or two before joining up with the squad for pre-season now and has done that for the past few years. So I think the persisting view that he doesn't look after himself is a little false now.

He does have a really good impact for us when he plays, he is one of the defenders who can progress the ball and is press resistant, he doesn't get caught out of position that often and for a full back does a great job when defending in the air. While his ability to link up well with Rashford really makes our left hand side extremely dangerous.

Building a good team isn't about putting the best individual players together, but by bring players together who enhance each others game and make the collective greater than the sum of its parts.

I think we have been guilty of seeing a player play well in another team, so we sign them and expect them to play as well in our side. Only to find out that their performances were enhanced by playing in a good team that got the best out of them.

I agree with Ahmad, Dalot and Shaw are good players, but not great. However, with the right players around them then I think they could put in great performances. Both should stay and be part of the rebuild, either as players who can step up with the right players around them or as solid back up to new signings.

14.) 03 Feb 2024
03 Feb 2024 17:12:08
Tumbleweed

Shaw is a far better defender than every other FB at the club.

It is a difficult physical demand to adapt one's defensive actions and instincts to fit a role at CB in a 2 when one has only really played at LB or on the left of a 3. I don't need to go into detail because, as I'm sure you must know a little bit about football, you should understand what I mean.

Robertson is a better attacker, but Shaw is the better defender. I'd much rather my FB could defend than score or assist.

As for the young kid Ogbana, I presume you mean the 26yo winger Ogbene - the new Lingard?

15.) 03 Feb 2024
03 Feb 2024 19:14:13
Don't agree with much of that ork but you are entitled to your opinion. I think Shaw is a better cb than a lb to be honest and replaced martinez quite well. yes ogbene the new lingard? He g as been playing rb or lb for Luton all season. I like him ge is very direct with a good final ball.
Shaw was imo well below average after his injury for a bit and now is well above average.
The role he is being asked to play by eth suits him and he has done better under eth than any preview manager imo.

16.) 04 Feb 2024
04 Feb 2024 07:28:02
Shaw was out best player in the pre season he broke his leg, offering a new dynamic to an otherwise dire period.
Understandably, he took time to find his form post injury, and over the last 3 seasons, he has been a catalyst for periods when United have actually played some decent attacking footy.

17.) 04 Feb 2024
04 Feb 2024 09:03:46
Ahmad I really don’t rate Dalot, not particularly great at anything! Average!

18.) 04 Feb 2024
04 Feb 2024 17:05:02
Dalot was great today Chris. He’s been playing well recently. I love his passion, some of his team mates could learn a thing or two from him about what it means to wear the shirt.