The Shaw Redemption: how Manchester United's left back made his comeback

Sunday’s stalemate at Stamford Bridge ensured that Manchester United extended their unbeaten away run in the Premier League to 20 matches. While a rather unremarkable encounter otherwise, it was a further step on Luke Shaw’s personal journey to redemption in the eyes of his critics.

Shaw’s set backs

Shaw arrived at Old Trafford in 2014 with the pressure of a £30m fee that made him the world’s most expensive teenage footballer. This was a United side in transition under Louis van Gaal and, a year later, a horrific leg injury put him out of action for 11 months. By this time Jose Mourinho had taken charge and the Portuguese, rightly or wrongly, was quick to criticise the defender. Following a 1-1 draw with Everton he famously said of Shaw’s performance:

“I was making every decision for him…. At 21 years old, he is old enough to have a better understanding of the game.”

Shaw later claimed that Mourinho’s disparaging comments to the media had spurred him on to prove his ability and work on his fitness, but the impression of him as unambitious and unhealthy stuck, even if they were not always true. It was also fair to say that it did not help him with his confidence; this was a player who, at 19, decided to change his squad number from the traditional #3 to #23 as he felt he had been underperforming in the former.

However, regardless of his then manager’s harsh words, the truth was that Shaw had not lived up to his mantle. When these sides previously played out a 0-0 draw as recently as October, I was critical of Shaw and the lack of impact he’d made in the final third despite the amount of possession he had been afforded. That night he had taken 93 touches, yet recorded just one dribble and no key passes. There was, seemingly, no attempt to test a Blues defence that had conceded three goals in their previous league outing.

I had mentioned in an earlier article that Shaw’s future could lie as part of a back three, the reason being that until that point the former Southampton full back had recorded two goals and 15 assists in a career spanning nine years and 206 appearances. He had also fulfilled this role on several occasions last term as United recorded victories over Chelsea and Manchester City, and summer signing Alex Telles was likely to displace the England international as a conventional left back; indeed, Shaw played as a centre back in his side’s win at PSG in September, with his new teammate slotting in on the wing. As happened when Brandon Williams emerged last season, it seemed that this was Shaw’s best chance of a place in the starting 11.

However, the past four months have seen him return to the form that earned a nomination for the prestigious Golden Boy award in 2014. He has played 48 key passes so far in this Premier League campaign, the seventh-highest tally in the division; in comparison, he managed just 20 across the entirety of 2019/20. Crucially, he has registered five assists, four of which have come in his last six outings.

A quick glance at his passing stats in the league this season explains this marked increase in his contributions. In 2019/20 his accuracy rate was 87.4% (in the division’s top 30), but has fallen to 83.8% this year. However, this might be because he is now attempting an average of 1.9 crosses per game as opposed to 0.4 last campaign. As mentioned above, his tally of key passes is also far greater. It would appear that Shaw is more willing to take risks in the final third, with the result being more opportunities for his team mates and more for his opposite number to think about.

Shaw doesn’t just sit back

In comparison to their draw earlier in the season, United’s match at Chelsea was a more adventurous display from both outfits. Shaw was tasked with taking care of Callum Hudson-Odoi, a tricky winger repurposed under Thomas Tuchel as a wing back. With Hakim Ziyech repeatedly drifting in from the right, Shaw was forced to come inside to cover; his earliest mark on proceedings was a defensive action as he rose to intercept a cross to Olivier Giroud inside two minutes.

Later in the half he was left isolated as Ziyech took up station on the right while the hosts led yet another charge down their left. As the United left back tracked the Moroccan’s run inside, Hudson-Odoi was free to receive a pass and weigh up a cross, from which Giroud almost opened the scoring (Fig. 1). This was reminiscent of Shaw’s error in the lead-up to Son Heung-Min’s second goal at OId Trafford in October, and indeed many on social media were quick to criticise him.However, in this instance he could not leave Ziyech unmanned, and was right to snuff out the threat in the centre as he had done to deny Giroud early on. A similar dilemma materialised later on as he as he followed Christian Pulisic’s run in behind, only to leave Reece James free on the flank to cross. In both instances he needed support when none was forthcoming.

Fig 1: As Ziyech threatens to cause an overload in the centre, Shaw is forced to follow him (circled, left), allowing Hudson-Odoi (circled, top) free rein of the wing. Source: Sky Sports.

Shaw saw little action in the opposite half during the opening 20 minutes and his first meaningful foray forward came on the half-hour mark, though he was unable to dig out a cross and the attack fizzled out. Maguire’s confidence in driving forward from the back line gave Shaw license to push up ahead of his centre back, offering an option on the wing should the captain fall into trouble.

At the other end, for the most part he failed to exploit the space behind Hudson Odoi and, when he did offer an attacking run on the underlap, he was not found (Fig. 2).

Fig. 2: Shaw (circled) charges forward as the ball is played to the left, but Marcus Rashford does not find a pass and elects to keep hold of possession. An attempted one-two with Bruno Fernandes results in a Chelsea throw. Source: Sky Sports.

On the two occasions in his he did receive possession in such a position, he could have easily claimed an assist. The first, on the stroke of half time, saw an out-of-sorts Fernandes miss his pass while, when another opportunity presented itself on the hour mark, there was nobody in a red shirt on hand to convert his low cross. Nonetheless, he ended the match with three key passes; only Ziyech managed more.

England recall on the horizon?

Shaw’s resurgence comes just months before England’s participation at the Euro 2020 tournament (no, it’s not a typo; UEFA are keeping the same name. I know.). Having not appeared for the Three Lions since 2018, he now finds a clear route into Gareth Southgate’s plans.

Until now, Chelsea’s Ben Chilwell seemed a shoo-in at left back for his country, but has seen his playing time limited under Tuchel (though he did start Sunday’s game at Stamford Bridge). Although first choice during Frank Lampard’s time in charge, he finds himself less suited to the wing back role in the German’s line-up than Marcos Alonso. Given that this is also the system to which Southgate has been wedded throughout his England tenure, this does not bode well for the Blues defender.

Other players to have auditioned for this role of late, namely Arsenal duo Bukayo Saka and Ainsley Maitland-Niles, are now featuring in entirely different positions at club level. James Justin’s injury has curtailed what was a fine breakthrough season for Leicester; whether he returns to full fitness in time for the summer remains to be seen. Meanwhile Kieran Trippier, one of the stars of England’s journey to the World Cup semi-finals in 2018, is still an option but is naturally right-footed and therefore more likely to be competition for Trent Alexander-Arnold on the opposite flank.

It would not be a surprise to see Shaw included in the squad for his country’s upcoming World Cup qualifiers; should he carry his club form onto the international stage, there seems little to stop him from starting England’s opening game at the Euros on June 13th.

This would cap a fine comeback for a player who appeared to be on his way out of the United line-up as recently as five months ago. His performances since have earned him the right to start thinking about silverware with both club and country and, at 25, he still has plenty of time to make his mark at both levels.

Stats via WhoScored.