[beedoubleyou]

Its absolutely ridiculous that he's getting criticised for that performance. Some people need to rewatch the game.

Yep. I'm not sure what game they were watching. I can only assume some have indulged themselves so much in this all out attack fantasy that they'll soon be hammering De Gea for no bombing forward.

He had a good game.

Some may not have noticed as they were literally not watching the match, instead creating daft threads about how we need a new left back, while the game was still on.

 

[Stobzilla]

What exactly did people want him to achieve offensively yesterday, they shut down our left side as they knew we had nothing on the right. I can't expect my left back to be the solution to that.

 

[Pav1878]

Yep. I'm not sure what game they were watching. I can only assume some have indulged themselves so much in this all out attack fantasy that they'll soon be hammering De Gea for no bombing forward.

He had a good game.

Some may not have noticed as they were literally not watching the match, instead creating daft threads about how we need a new left back, while the game was still on.

He was solid yesterday, got back quickly and covered.

He even looks like he's moving better now, seemed to have his pace back and was gliding across the ground rather than making it look hard work like up to now.

I think criticism of him is unwarranted, he seems to have the left back slot now and I for one hope he keeps up the good work.

 

[SteveW]

I find it more ridiculous that some think yesterday was good enough for United. Darmian was getting crucified because of being crap offensively.

Being defensively fine isn't good enough in the modern game. The game has moved on from this type of fullbacks. Marcelo barely does any kind of good defensive work for Madrid but him being a key in their attack made them win 3 CLs in a row.

Shaw currently is doing the bare minimum for a fullback. He's not shite, but at the same time not good enough. He's someone very upgradable in the long term.

If the manager asked him not to defend and just stay forward I'm sure he could have just hung around in the Newcastle half all game but that clearly wasn't his instruction. It was a tricky away game. He had defensive work to do and he did extremely well. He was rock solid. Defending is still important to those of us that live in the real world. It hasn't disappeared just because you've decided the game has changed and full backs are now wingers.

For someone playing his 4th game in 11 days he did more than enough.

 

[ravi2]

I didnt think he was bad at all yesterday. Once we sort out our right side it'll take some of the pressure off of him

 

[SteveW]

I think this has been a great xmas period for Luke. He's come through an extremely busy run of games and has looked very reliable. It's been nice to have a full back who can actually defend after not having that for a few years. It's heartening with Spurs, PSG etc coming up that we have that position looking nice and solid.

 

[John Blund]

He was good. No crosses, but that will come.
Some stats:
Passes 97/108. According to OPTA, he had 18 successful "attacking passes" - 3 more than anyone else (Pogba, Matic both had 15).
He also won the ball 5/5 times. More than decent performance.

Lindelöf had 47/52, and Valencia had 40/48.

 

[Aint gota Kalou]

He was better at the start of the season but he's still solid and worth his place in the XI.

 

[Crackers]

What exactly did people want him to achieve offensively yesterday, they shut down our left side as they knew we had nothing on the right. I can't expect my left back to be the solution to that.

I saw a lot of comments expecting him to bomb forward and make plays in their final third, which seemed ridiculous. He's a left back, not a fricking AM. He was good yesterday, albeit looked a bit tired which is to be expected. People expect too much from him

 

[Andersons Dietician]

I saw a lot of comments expecting him to bomb forward and make plays in their final third, which seemed ridiculous. He's a left back, not a fricking AM. He was good yesterday, albeit looked a bit tired which is to be expected. People expect too much from him

It’ll probably all stems from that one mistake where he got played through and should have put in the cross first time. Hesitated then the opportunity was gone. People wouldn’t have been able to see the other runs he made after that and wasn’t picked out but as many have pointed to Newcastle were able to load up that side due to the lack of threat on the right so they were all having to operate in very little space.

 

[Jezpeza]

I thought he was a lost cause but will admit I was wrong. Don’t see the justification around the criticism of him, I’ve watched most of our games this season and he is a consistent performer. We need some of those.
He never got a run of games under Mourinho the master of rotation. And had a horrific injury under Lvg. Good to see him improving. His fitness is better, he’s basically played 4 games in ten days.
I think too many of us brought into what mourinho said about him and others. He used to slate martial and pogba and even rashford but they’re tearing it up now. It’s like depay, mourinho did it with him, he wouldn’t play him for 2 months and then start him in a Europa league game and complain about his lack of form and fitness and everyone believed he was a pub player.

 

[Ekeke]

I think if Martial continues to improve his off the ball movement the left side will look better. Shaw wants to find a good pass rather than bomb down the wing everytime. Martial just wants the ball to feet but in recent weeks has been making more runs. There have been one or two good passes from Shaw to set Martial off but nowhere near as many as there could be

 

[el3mel]

If the manager asked him not to defend and just stay forward I'm sure he could have just hung around in the Newcastle half all game but that clearly wasn't his instruction. It was a tricky away game. He had defensive work to do and he did extremely well. He was rock solid. Defending is still important to those of us that live in the real world. It hasn't disappeared just because you've decided the game has changed and full backs are now wingers.

For someone playing his 4th game in 11 days he did more than enough.

You know it's not just this game. He has been like this the last few months now.

 

[Raven]

One of my favourite players at the club. He's absolutely rapid, as strong as an ox, technically good and is defensively very solid. His crossing needs to improve, but given that if written him off before this season began, I'm convinced he'll continue to improve.

I do agree, however, a young LB should either be promoted or bought as a second choice.

 

[SteveW]

You know it's not just this game. He has been like this the last few months now.

Your post was about the game. You said it in the first line.

Anyway I disagree. Defending is still important. I think he's been good, yesterday especially.

 

[red4ever 79]

Defensively better. Not solid but better. Offensively been disappointing as that was supposed to be his strong area. Either way we need to bring in a LB who will push him and rotate with him.

 

[el3mel]

Your post was about the game. You said it in the first line.

Anyway I disagree. Defending is still important. I think he's been good, yesterday especially.

If that was just this game people won't be annoyed and what you said will be valid. The problem is he has been like that for a few months and people are starting to get annoyed by it.

Defending is important but being defensively solid alone while providing nothing upfront isn't suited for the modern game in which the width is usually provided by full backs while wingers cut inside as forwards.

Shaw needs to do more on the offense. Currently he's fine, not shite (no one said that), but at the same time not great or good enough for the modern game. He's not a weak point but at the same time he's someone upgradable.

 

[Jezpeza]

Your post was about the game. You said it in the first line.

Anyway I disagree. Defending is still important. I think he's been good, yesterday especially.

Seconded. I don’t get the way some here go on, going by the comments about attacking etc we should just play martial at left back and Alexis left wing then we have an attacker in defense

 

[Mickson]

From time to time, he's been good defensively. But far from all the time. I think he's getting into a lot of trouble against really good players. And like the game against Tottenham, Pochettino targeted him in the second half where all the goals came from. He's fast, but people confuse that with "good defensively". His positioning is not really great, often too far inside. He's getting a lot of yellow cards when people are running at him and a player like Aaron Lennon got the better of him a couple of times. He was good defensively against Newcastle, that is correct. But what did they offer, really? Lindelof looked like Rio Ferdinand.

 

[friendlytramp]

Will be a centre back. Should try it at weekend.

 

[MyOnlySolskjaer]

Give him a bit more time, he wasn't amazing yesterday but he wasn't terrible. Valencia is a far greater need to replace.

Valencia has competition, it’s Luke who has a free pass at LB right now.

 

[MyOnlySolskjaer]

Will be a centre back. Should try it at weekend.

I actually think that could suit him. His build is more of a Cb’s.

 

[Andersonson]

I actually think that could suit him. His build is more of a Cb’s.

You're Kidding? He has almost a 50/50 duell won/lost ratio. And most of his duells are against wingers

 

[Canagel]

He's far away from the top fullbacks in the league.

 

[Andycoleno9]

Every game proves that we should sign somebody there. Not a bad player but not good enough

 

[The Mitcher]

Every game proves that we should sign somebody there. Not a bad player but not good enough

What? He's been good this season and played well today. Brainless.

 

[AR87]

Thought he was really good defensively today with no support from the wide player in front of him for most of the match.

Played a few nice long balls to find runners but I do wish he'd drive forward with the ball more. Possible that today he was told to stay deeper.

 

[Rozay]

He’s excellent and terrible at the same time. He confuses me.

 

[el3mel]

Did pretty well defensively. Surely not the game I'm going to comment on his offensive output as it was all about keeping it tight and he did this pretty well.

 

[Andersons Dietician]

Thought he was really good today when asked some really difficult questions like basically having to cover 2 players the whole game. Not sure who was supposed to track Trippier but with Son, Erickson,Lakeland and Alli all dropping in to his area so he as to cover them it allowed Trippier all that time and space and even then Shaw was still managing to make it difficult for him. Had some very good duels and that sprint he made to block a ball in from Trippier near the end that was class.

Overall thought solid performance kinda wish he maybe played some more of those raking passes over the top as he clearly has a decent pass on him and is good on the ball so don’t see why he doesn’t try this more often.

 

[Berbaclass]

Every game proves that we should sign somebody there. Not a bad player but not good enough

He’s been good this season. No question our first choice now.

 

[Kostov]

He was good, but he can do better. A proper aggressive CB next to him, will help him I think.

 

[morbidsaint]

Close to his worst performance this season. I am far from sure that he is good enough for club that wants to fight for titles.

 

[The United]

His passing and crossing need to improve to be a top LB. But, I am confused with some people coming in and underrating his performances regularly. He has been as good as he can be in the last few games considering how he hardly had a run in last 2 - 3 years.

He will improve of course. Hardly our biggest problem right now.

 

[Bola]

Every game proves that we should sign somebody there. Not a bad player but not good enough

?!?

Great performance today, possibly motm after De Gea

 

[Irwin99]

I just don't know with this guy. I thought our left flank was battered but I also don't think he got enough help from Martial (who did well in an attacking sense). He got some good blocks in at times and his touch and short range passing is good but I think he can go up another level.

 

[bosnian_red]

Thought he was good on the ball but defensively was basically non existent. It's like every attack they had came down his side in the 2nd half.

 

[11101]

He was ok, 6 out of 10 for me. He needed to get much tighter to his man, whichever player it was, they always had time to control and pick a cross. We were quite lucky not to concede from it.

 

[haram]

He's average.

 

[Litch]

Glad for Shaw but for me is not the answer. Solid performances but just don't give enough going forward under the new system. Not sure about Young either but at least he can cross the ball and good at set pieces....