It’s fair to say that Luke Shaw’s season has been a fairly turbulent one so far at Manchester United.

The twenty-one year old has struggled to regain form and full fitness this term.

Last season his campaign ended early after he broke his leg in a Champions League encounter against PSV in September 2015. It was extremely disappointing for the young full-back as he’d just managed to hit top form for the Old Trafford club.

New Man United boss Jose Mourinho criticised Shaw after his side’s loss to Watford earlier this year, basically blaming him for one of Watford’s goals:

“Today for the second goal, Amrabat on the right side, our left back is 25 metres distance from him, instead of five metres. But even at 25 metres, then you have to jump and go press. But no, we wait.”

‘This is a tactical but also a mental attitude.”

The Portuguese manager would then have another pop at Luke Shaw, along with Chris Smalling, for not playing through the pain barrier at Swansea in early November:

‘Luke Shaw told me this morning that he was not in the condition to play so we had to build a defensive line.’

‘I mean that we have players with problems but we have on the pitch players with problems. That is what I mean.’

‘In every sport, and I know that in other sports, they play at the highest level, how many times you play and you are not 100 per cent.’

Luke is currently out with a groin problem but that hasn’t stopped the press questioning Jose about the England international with Mourinho challenging the left-back to improve when he returns:

“He needs to improve. That is normal, he is a kid. I am not expecting a young player to be perfect.”

“A young player makes mistakes, a young players has things to learn, has things to develop. He needs to do that.”

I think part of the problem is that Shaw is suffering from the want of proving oneself and he’s putting too much pressure on himself to do just that. He looks too fragile on the park.

When you watch him you can visibly see how much happier he is attacking down the opposing teams flank than he is defending his own lines.

When he makes mistakes it seems to play on his mind and maybe Jose doesn’t help by pointing them out to the media straight after the game. After such a horrific injury, he probably needed an arm around his shoulder rather than a public dressing down.

When he first joined United in 2014, he looked a bit frightened and overawed by the prospect of being a Man United player, the £27m fee probably didn’t help him. That’s why the injury last September came at the worst possible time, as he’d just started looking like a valuable first team star in a ‘Red Devils’ shirt.

It looks like he has once again returned to that defender who lacks confidence in his own ability.

So with that in mind, I think it might be better for Shaw and Man Utd if they loan the youngster out for the remainder of the season.

Mourinho already has Matteo Darmian, Marcos Rojo and Daley Blind at his disposal, all of whom are capable of playing as the club’s left-back. At a push they could also play Ashley Young there if needs be. Plus no doubt they’ll have a talent in the youth sides that can come in if they really get stuck for options.

You could then loan Shaw out to a decent Premier League side, perhaps Burnley if you want to keep him close by. You could send him down to a highflying Championship side in the bid to win his confidence back away from the media glare. Or what about a move to a foreign league where you can open his eyes to a new way of thinking and new opponents.

The ideal situation would be to a club that’s brimming in confidence, need a left back and won’t pile on any added pressure onto his shoulders.

Hopefully at his loan side; he would get plenty of first team football under his belt, stay clear of more injury troubles and regain his confidence and his form!

It will be down to Jose Mourinho what happens next, I just hope Luke Shaw’s troubles ease and he can impress once again.

Posted on December 14th, 2016 by scott
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