[Raven]

I bet he can’t wait to stuff his fat gob at Christmas. The guy is a disgrace. He looks knackered before the games have started. Mourinho was completely right about him.

Mourinho had him as his starting LB and was in charge when he got his long term contract. Stop talking shite.

 

[Andersons Dietician]

Some of the comments above are harsh and defensively he played well at Watford.

But he is the worst overlapping full back I have ever seen. Modern full backs need to provide width and he just refuses to go anywhere near the touchline. When he goes beyond the winger, he's as likely to go inside than outside despite an absolute acre of space out wide. When he does get forward, he is usually closer to the edge of the penalty area than the touchline.

You have Rashford, James or Martial on the left who want to come inside. It is ideal for a left footed full back to overlap outside.

I cannot understand why he does it and why nobody at the club has corrected it but if he stood 15 yards more to the left when going forward, he would be an infinitely better offensive option. It is infuriating.

To be fair the City fullbacks go inside a lot instead of outside. Pep even did a full demo on a Monday night football special of his tactics and why they did it so often so it’s not a bad thing if you have a player that can A) spot that run has been made, B)play the ball, C) have players ready in the box.

if you look back at the season City smashed the record a large percentage of their goals came from Mendy and walker going inside the winger and just squaring a ball across the box.

shaw also does go outside it’s mostly just that Rashford never passes. Martial went wide and found him a ggod few times overlapping or going inside.

 

[crossy1686]

All their attacks came down the left side yesterday. They were able to cross at will from his side also.

 

[Gopher Brown]

The weakest link in a side full of weak links.

Sadly, his potential replacements in the squad, Brandon Williams and Ashley Young are also the weak link when they play.

Ineffectual going forward, rarely even delivers a cross, let alone one that finds a teammate. Slow defensively and his positioning is all over the place.

 

[Bebestation]

His good form during his LVG period was overrated - I never saw it because I never had seen him during his Southampton era so I viewed him with blank eyes.

Good enough to get a decent fee out of him & be a back up but depends on the Williams.

 

[Adam-Utd]

His biggest issue is he can't pass on the move.

He has to stop and stand still before he will make a pass which loses us pretty much all momentum.

Only when he's actually running in his stride will he try, but then usually just boots it way too hard.

 

[Gopher Brown]

His good form during his LVG period was overrated - I never saw it because I never had seen him during his Southampton era so I viewed him with blank eyes.

Good enough to get a decent fee out of him & be a back up but depends on the Williams.

We'd get £10m at the absolute most. That doesn't mean we shouldn't replace him though, but he's low down the priorities I should imagine.

 

[Bebestation]

We'd get £10m at the absolute most. That doesn't mean we shouldn't replace him though, but he's low down the priorities I should imagine.

Everytime a team attacks us whether it leads to a goal or not we seem really weak through the left hand side so it does need sorting out soon. Plus, RB' s seem available every season whilst a good LB seems genuinely a generational thing so I do think it's important to judge Williams capability and look at who we go for and when we go for them.

It's crazy that in our defence that our GK, our RCB & our LB could be improved upon. Hopefully we can do this with players we have already at our club to a certain degree.

 

[POF]

To be fair the City fullbacks go inside a lot instead of outside. Pep even did a full demo on a Monday night football special of his tactics and why they did it so often so it’s not a bad thing if you have a player that can A) spot that run has been made, B)play the ball, C) have players ready in the box.

if you look back at the season City smashed the record a large percentage of their goals came from Mendy and walker going inside the winger and just squaring a ball across the box.

shaw also does go outside it’s mostly just that Rashford never passes. Martial went wide and found him a ggod few times overlapping or going inside.

The difference with City is that they play genuine wingers. Sterling, Sane, Mahrez and Bernardo (who holds the width when playing from the right). Wingers stay wide while De Bruyne and Silva play as number 10s off the striker. In that formation, the full backs cover behind De Bruyne and Silva in midfield.

United play wide forwards who come inside all of the time. You will usually see the entire United attack between the width of the penalty area. The full backs are the only option to provide width. But then Luke waddles up the pitch and underlaps the winger.

He went around Rashford once at Watford and got right in around the back and it was a dangerous attack. Even if he never gets a pass, he needs to hold the width to stretch the defence.

He and Wan Bissaka are a huge problem for the offensive capability of the team. Full backs who are a genuine attacking threat would make a major difference to this team.

 

[Alabaster Codify7]

His good form during his LVG period was overrated - I never saw it because I never had seen him during his Southampton era so I viewed him with blank eyes.

Good enough to get a decent fee out of him & be a back up but depends on the Williams.

His 'good form', like several of our players, is a bit misleading. What it really was, was 'better than his shite form', for a slightly prolonged period of time.

7/10 performances at best. Nothing to write home about but definitely not bad. I've said before, as a fanbase we need to decide whether we're willing to settle for 'decent' in any of our starting 11 positions. Shaw isn't an immediate issue but for me, he's in 'wave 2' to be replaced.

 

[Marcus]

Williams for the rest of the season please. Shaw is really done at the top level.

 

[::sonny::]

What a terrible player

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

 

[Andersons Dietician]

The difference with City is that they play genuine wingers. Sterling, Sane, Mahrez and Bernardo (who holds the width when playing from the right). Wingers stay wide while De Bruyne and Silva play as number 10s off the striker. In that formation, the full backs cover behind De Bruyne and Silva in midfield.

United play wide forwards who come inside all of the time. You will usually see the entire United attack between the width of the penalty area. The full backs are the only option to provide width. But then Luke waddles up the pitch and underlaps the winger.

He went around Rashford once at Watford and got right in around the back and it was a dangerous attack. Even if he never gets a pass, he needs to hold the width to stretch the defence.

He and Wan Bissaka are a huge problem for the offensive capability of the team. Full backs who are a genuine attacking threat would make a major difference to this team.

All City’s wide players go indise as well, it’s not like their wingers are hugging the touchline. Sterling was benefiting a lot from these balls rolled across the box.

Luke overlapped Rashford a lot more than once. In the first half alone he does it 3 or 4 times As he does in many games. I don’t know how but it seems like people, unless the ball is played to him it doesn’t doesn’t register for them.

if you also watch the game there are many occasions where Luke and Bissaka are holding the width wide pushed right up on the edge of the box. What many don’t seem to realise is McT and Fred have licence to join attack, We don’t have a dm covering protecting us and Rashford doesn’t track back. Bissaka and Shaw can’t play play like Alaba or Dani Alves because it would be defensive suicide to do so. They pull up to the 18 yard box, and have to hold that position.

It honestly blows my mind how people can’t put two and two together to see simple tactical decisions on the pitch.

 

[Paxi]

If Poch came, I think he'd improve him. I seem to recall Shaw playing out of his skin for Saints when Poch came in. They had a good working relationship.

 

[Paxi]

Mourinho had him as his starting LB and was in charge when he got his long term contract. Stop talking shite.

You think Mourinho got the final say on who got extended and who didn't? That's not the way Glazers and by extension Woodward operate. We look at everything with the financial sence first and foremost. Hence, accumulation of deadwood and such low turn over for players. Had Jose got his way, we'd most likely have had signed Alex Sandro.

 

[Paxi]

All their attacks came down the left side yesterday. They were able to cross at will from his side also.

Which tells you that Pearson saw him as an obvious weakness, which he decided to target. Quite sad. Had such high hopes for the lad. I'm actually still holding out, in hope he can lose a few stone and start bombing up and down the pitch. He did have real talent at one point.

 

[Stepney73]

If Poch came, I think he'd improve him. I seem to recall Shaw playing out of his skin for Saints when Poch came in. They had a good working relationship.

No he wouldn't

Most games shaw is blowing out of his arse after the hour.

Any ambitious club would have shipped him out years ago along with most other average players we seem to pay top wages for mediocrity.

We have shit owners,a shit CEO,a manager appointed on the back of his name and not his CV plus a squad fill of average to shit players bar a few exceptions.

Any club in world football with serious ambitions should use us as a template of what not to do.

 

[FootyGirl88]

Tbh Poch wo

No he wouldn't

Most games shaw is blowing out of his arse after the hour.

Any ambitious club would have shipped him out years ago along with most other average players we seem to pay top wages for mediocrity.

We have shit owners,a shit CEO,a manager appointed on the back of his name and not his CV plus a squad fill of average to shit players bar a few exceptions.

Any club in world football with serious ambitions should use us as a template of what not to do.

Tbh Poch would definitely improve his fitness which is his main problem. Pochs teams have always had good fitness as he likes his players to have good stamina.

 

[POF]

All City’s wide players go indise as well, it’s not like their wingers are hugging the touchline. Sterling was benefiting a lot from these balls rolled across the box.

Luke overlapped Rashford a lot more than once. In the first half alone he does it 3 or 4 times As he does in many games. I don’t know how but it seems like people, unless the ball is played to him it doesn’t doesn’t register for them.

if you also watch the game there are many occasions where Luke and Bissaka are holding the width wide pushed right up on the edge of the box. What many don’t seem to realise is McT and Fred have licence to join attack, We don’t have a dm covering protecting us and Rashford doesn’t track back. Bissaka and Shaw can’t play play like Alaba or Dani Alves because it would be defensive suicide to do so. They pull up to the 18 yard box, and have to hold that position.

It honestly blows my mind how people can’t put two and two together to see simple tactical decisions on the pitch.

Oh the irony!

Sterling coming inside for a cut back has nothing to do with holding the width. Of course he will come in from the left when the build up is on the right. When they build up on the left, he will usually be wide.

City play with genuine wingers who provide the width and stretch the play. The central support for the main striker comes from the attacking midfield players. United play with wide forwards who tuck in to link with the striker. The wide player is as likely to be inside the man in possession than outside when they build up down that side (see Pogba's chance at Watford when he played a one-two with the wide forward, Martial, who was inside him). That means unless the full backs bomb on they have no width in the side.

My issue with Shaw isn't how far forward he goes. It's how wide the position he takes up on the pitch. You can see it even moreso when United attack the Stretford End. Just watch how narrow the position is he takes up. Compare that with Robertson or Alexander Arnold who also play behind wide forwards rather than wingers.

I can see where Mourinho was coming from with "I was his brain on the pitch" because, offensively, Shaw has no positional sense whatsoever.

 

[crossy1686]

Which tells you that Pearson saw him as an obvious weakness, which he decided to target. Quite sad. Had such high hopes for the lad. I'm actually still holding out, in hope he can lose a few stone and start bombing up and down the pitch. He did have real talent at one point.

I think the leg break did more psychological damage than most would care to admit.

 

[Raven]

You think Mourinho got the final say on who got extended and who didn't? That's not the way Glazers and by extension Woodward operate. We look at everything with the financial sence first and foremost. Hence, accumulation of deadwood and such low turn over for players. Had Jose got his way, we'd most likely have had signed Alex Sandro.

No, I'm sure he would have been kept in the loop however. The Glazers and Woodward certainly weren't picking him as one of the first names on the team sheet either.

 

[Paxi]

I think the leg break did more psychological damage than most would care to admit.

Absolutely. It did.

 

[Paxi]

No, I'm sure he would have been kept in the loop however. The Glazers and Woodward certainly weren't picking him as one of the first names on the team sheet either.

Glazers see players as assets. They way up whether it's cheaper to keep them by offering them a new contract or lose them and having to potentially replace them. See Phil Jones, Valencia, Young, Smalling et al, all overstayed their welcome but were allowed to sign on.

 

[Raven]

Glazers see players as assets. They way up whether it's cheaper to keep them by offering them a new contract or lose them and having to potentially replace them. See Phil Jones, Valencia, Young, Smalling et al, all overstayed their welcome but were allowed to sign on.

Agreed. Still doesn't explain why Jose had him as one of the first names on the team sheet though.

 

[Stepney73]

Glazers see players as assets. They way up whether it's cheaper to keep them by offering them a new contract or lose them and having to potentially replace them. See Phil Jones, Valencia, Young, Smalling et al, all overstayed their welcome but were allowed to sign on.

Imagine trying to offload Beckham under this lot like Fergie did back in 2003.

If he was still selling shirts he'd still probobally be in the squad for Newcastle in 2 days time.

 

[MyOnlySolskjaer]

What a terrible player

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

I call bullshit on the driving forward part.

 

[Andersons Dietician]

Oh the irony!

Sterling coming inside for a cut back has nothing to do with holding the width. Of course he will come in from the left when the build up is on the right. When they build up on the left, he will usually be wide.

City play with genuine wingers who provide the width and stretch the play. The central support for the main striker comes from the attacking midfield players. United play with wide forwards who tuck in to link with the striker. The wide player is as likely to be inside the man in possession than outside when they build up down that side (see Pogba's chance at Watford when he played a one-two with the wide forward, Martial, who was inside him). That means unless the full backs bomb on they have no width in the side.

My issue with Shaw isn't how far forward he goes. It's how wide the position he takes up on the pitch. You can see it even moreso when United attack the Stretford End. Just watch how narrow the position is he takes up. Compare that with Robertson or Alexander Arnold who also play behind wide forwards rather than wingers.

I can see where Mourinho was coming from with "I was his brain on the pitch" because, offensively, Shaw has no positional sense whatsoever.

‘That’s not true, Sane, Sterling, Mahrez and b Silva all go infield at times, they aren’t hugging the wing. Infact they normally are positioned in and around the 18 yarder which is where we tend to see our wide forwards, especially James. Rashford is a mixed bag as he either starts from wide or does go inside, mostly depends on what Martial is doing as in is he dropping deep and so on. Even then when Shaw does go past Rashford he often just uses that as an excuse to cut to his right and shoot.

Walker and Mendy attacked the space between CB and fullback to either create room for the wide attacker to advance or for a ball to be rolled in. They mix it up and so do we, unfortunately as stated Bissaka and Shaw don’t have the cover of a DM so they have to be defensively wary. They can’t play like Robertson and TAA because of tactics, even if they could bomb down all day and put in as good of crosses. It’s just not part of our tactical set up.

They are positioned to recover if moves break down. Like how Shaw managed to get back and cover Bissaka vs Everton. They tuck in because they have to and only go forward under certain circumstances. It’s tactical.

 

[Forevergiggs1]

It looks like he needs to find his confidence again after his injury. It sometimes looks like he's worried about running flat out or going for a heavy tackle in case he's back on the treatment table. Needs to sort his head out ASAP.

 

[ti vu]

If Poch came, I think he'd improve him. I seem to recall Shaw playing out of his skin for Saints when Poch came in. They had a good working relationship.

Tbh Poch wo


Tbh Poch would definitely improve his fitness which is his main problem. Pochs teams have always had good fitness as he likes his players to have good stamina.

I personally think Poch is the best option for us. However, I disagree with the whole taking time to reassess the squad. Some players are just that. Poch knew Shaw’s unprofessional diet habit. When he was younger, there was leeway to come back. After all the injuries, it seems it’s a chronic issue that can’t be fixed. If Poch “knows” him that well already, how about letting him concentrate on fixing the team even at the cost of large causality instead of “developing” of players with same issues.

Poch looks a nice guy, but he is still a head coach and need to exert his authority. The end of his Tottenham episode shows that he also has needs to move players, even those on the surface doesn’t look like having issue with him Eriksen, Rose, Trippier...

In short, I would give full support to Poch if he become our head coach. He is supposed to help the team, not certain players. Some already reach the point where all we‘ve seen enough.

Shaw has himself to blame for not being able to stay self motivated. Played well under Mourinho and Ole before dropping off after securing the new contract.

 

[sunama]

I think that the injury is being overplayed.
The injury took place a long time ago and Shaw will have definitely got over this. For someone to make it at this level requires a degree of mental strength, which Shaw has. He is not as weak some people are making out.
The issue right now, is his weight. If he lost a lot of weight, I am positive we'd see more energy and aggression.
In 2019, you can't be expected to compete/run against lighter athletes, while carrying an extra 10KG. Being at your lightest weight is very important when it comes to competing in a sport, which relies on you running for 90 minutes.

But, what I will say is that Luke Shaw is not the reason why we are in 8th place. Woodward, the board, no DoF, Ole, the coaches, the scouts, the fitness/sports doctors - all these people need to be looked at before Luke Shaw.

 

[zenith]

Shaw is way down on the list of priorities we need to address. He's not even half as bad as the caf makes him out to be with their instant judgement.

He often drives forward but is ignored a lot. His routine move is to run down the inside left channel and that's a chance for rashford to position himself centrally on the edge of the penalty box and martial to occupy the space between the CB's, but this very rarely happens and is very frustrating.

 

[DoomSlayer]

His crossing needs to improve, particularly the high ones he does, which are often wild and inaccurate. His low crosses are mostly good, but our players are almost never sharp or well positioned in the box.

 

[arthurka]

Shaw is way down on the list of priorities we need to address. He's not even half as bad as the caf makes him out to be with their instant judgement.

He often drives forward but is ignored a lot. His routine move is to run down the inside left channel and that's a chance for rashford to position himself centrally on the edge of the penalty box and martial to occupy the space between the CB's, but this very rarely happens and is very frustrating.

He is absolutely shocking, his defensive qualities are dire and his attacking play is worse. But the worst thing is his stamina he always seems out of breath after 50 minutes. When you see teams with good fullbacks you really see how bad he is.

 

[432JuanMata]

Luke now doesn’t have the excuse of Jose holding him back or LVG calling him fat yet he’s still crap and fat

 

[Cassidy]

The fact he is still the first choice LB at this club shows how far our standards have dropped

 

[izec]

The fact he is still the first choice LB at this club shows how far our standards have dropped

there is probably some hope he will become a great LB one day. Looks more likely he will be Jones 2.0, just as a LB.

 

[BigBebe]

Even when the team plays pretty well, his non-existent attempts at getting forward and his lackadaisical defending, really stand out

 

[Raven]

Even when the team plays pretty well, his non-existent attempts at getting forward and his lackadaisical defending, really stand out

So, you didn't watch the match then?

 

[luisnani86]

Needs to commit himself more and doesn't look to have the sharpness needed for a United standard full back.
Disappointing as I thought he'd edged closer and closer to the required standard last season.

 

[Andersons Dietician]

Even when the team plays pretty well, his non-existent attempts at getting forward and his lackadaisical defending, really stand out

Shaking my head...

His run and pass takes out 4 players for the first goal. He was constantly making runs down the left some nice passes, linked up well and really caused issues for newcastle.