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It's easy to forget what a truly excellent footballer this bloke is. He also looked pretty robust too which is good to see.
His instant first touch makes everything else so much easier.
Martinez will have a long way to return from the ACL injury. It's a physical and psychological battle.Wonder who Amorim would prefer assuming both Martinez and Shaw are fit. Martinez has amazing vision for a CB and is better in the air but Shaw does appear to dovetail well with the LWB when we have more time on the ball.
Shaw will be such a try-hard this season though - he's fighting for his next big contract and this team does appear to play good enough football for him not to just phone it in.
Right, from photos and videos it looked like it'd be within the next month or 2.Martinez will have a long way to return from the ACL injury. It's a physical and psychological battle.
He is always one of the most technically gifted player in the squad since the moment he arrived. His injury record is the problem never his ability.It's easy to forget what a truly excellent footballer this bloke is. He also looked pretty robust too which is good to see.
His instant first touch makes everything else so much easier.
Think there's been plenty of them throughout the years which I think is crazy. Sure he's had bad spells in between injuries, but I think ability wise he is right up there with the best. Without that leg break I think we would be talking about the best English fullback maybe ever.Don’t think anyone doubts Shaws footballing ability, it’s whether he can stay fit for a long enough period of time.
Intensity and aggression has been two areas of concern with him, but yesterday he was perhaps more aggressive than I've ever seen him, and when Saka came in behind him once, he used his speed to catch up with him in a split second - in the past, I felt he could easily have let De Ligt deal with that and tucked in himself. Basically, he excerted himsel much more than he normally does.He is always one of the most technically gifted player in the squad since the moment he arrived. His injury record is the problem never his ability.
We also have Ayden Heaven who looks promising in that role, though still very young.He's a good player when fit and I think Neville made a good point on his podcast that you looked far more comfortable when he was at LCB and Yoro was RCB and De Ligt in the middle than when he came off and positions changed at the back. It's crucial that you maintain the fitness of him or Martinez through the season so that you have a comfortable LCB.
Heaven is promising but he's a long way off what Martinez or Shaw can provide. One day, he's really young though and isn't that player now.We also have Ayden Heaven who looks promising in that role, though still very young.
Mazraoui and Yoro are comfortable on both sides too. But you're right that we lost some of our rhythm when Maguire came on - I don't like seeing de Ligt playing as one of the wide CBs.
Maybe not on a consistent basis but we've already seen Heaven is capable of playing that role at a good level. Shaw and Martinez are both more experienced and technically superior but Heaven has is more athletic than both and has the build to be successful in that position, not too dissimilar to Yoro. He's a nice option to have there.Heaven is promising but he's a long way off what Martinez or Shaw can provide. One day, he's really young though and isn't that player now.
He does but we lose a ton on the ball. His passing isn't particularly progressive or creative yet, and that position demands a lot of that. Even Yoro needs to improve on that side of the game, as Mazraoui offers a lot more on the ball currently as a RCB (on the ball). Overall Yoro is class but need him to be braver with his passing.Maybe not on a consistent basis but we've already seen Heaven is capable of playing that role at a good level. Shaw and Martinez are both more experienced and technically superior but Heaven has is more athletic than both and has the build to be successful in that position, not too dissimilar to Yoro. He's a nice option to have there.
Agreed on the passing part with Shaw and Martinez relative to Heaven, although that can develop with time. Heaven was a midfielder converted to CB so you'd hope he'll be fine with that eventually.He does but we lose a ton on the ball. His passing isn't particularly progressive or creative yet, and that position demands a lot of that. Even Yoro needs to improve on that side of the game, as Mazraoui offers a lot more on the ball currently as a RCB (on the ball). Overall Yoro is class but need him to be braver with his passing.
Arguably our most talented player. People seem to forget that.
Oh for sure, he's got lots of room to grow and he's only just stepping into professional football. Just always strongly disagreed with the people saying heaven will take Shaw or Martinez's place... He's years away from that. Good to have as an emergency cover, but unlikely he'll play much this season.Agreed on the passing part with Shaw and Martinez relative to Heaven, although that can develop with time. Heaven was a midfielder converted to CB so you'd hope he'll be fine with that eventually.
I think Yoro's already pretty good on that side of the game, I don't think there's too much of a disparity between him and Mazraoui there. Yoro's also very good at ball carrying.
Maybe Amorim doesn't agree but I would also expect there to be far more onus on the midfielders to take on some of these responsibilities in build up. It's one of the things I really don't like about this system, actually.
Is this a joke?
Unless you are talking about his talents at the open buffet.
I guess you're one of the people I was talking about.Is this a joke?
Unless you are talking about his talents at the open buffet.
Good to have a choice between shaw, martinez and heaven. All 3 are very solid. Just ashame 2 are prone to injuries.If he can remain fit, he's the de facto choice for that LCB; I love Martinez, but Shaw is the better footballer.
They’ll all come out of the woodwork if he gets injured, or if he has a bad game even really.Don’t think anyone doubts Shaws footballing ability, it’s whether he can stay fit for a long enough period of time.
He has two years left on his contract. Even if he gives us one full season out of the two then it would be one more than anyone expected from the non-tournament year Phil Jones.World cup year, I said before the season started, watch him become fully fit for most if not all of the season ....
This is what he does.
