Gary Neville's scathing criticism of Luke Shaw's performance in Manchester United's 1-0 defeat to Everton has raised more questions about the team's strategy than just Shaw's individual lack of intensity. The former Manchester United full-back's harsh words for Shaw's 'ambling' forward, particularly against a 10-man opponent needing a goal, have sparked debate over whether Shaw is simply unable to deliver or if the system devised by head coach Ruben Amorim is flawed.
The physical decline of Shaw, one of four Manchester United players to start every Premier League game this season, cannot be ignored. His lack of intensity against Everton was evident in his sprints and kilometres covered per 90 minutes, a trend that has been steadily declining over the past five seasons. However, Shaw's role in Amorim's three-at-the-back system may also be contributing to these issues.
The criticism levied by Neville at Shaw highlights the limitations of playing a centre-back in front of a left-sided wing-back, rather than a full-back. This is particularly evident when compared to Amorim's successful system at Sporting, where his wing-backs were attacking outlets who contributed significantly to the team's goals and assists.
The decision to keep Shaw, alongside Matthijs De Ligt and Leny Yoro, on the pitch despite being 10 men down and needing a goal, has been met with frustration from fans. Neville himself questions why Shaw was allowed to continue in this role, especially when Dalot was brought on as an equal replacement for Patrick Dorgu.
Shaw's decline can be seen as part of Amorim's inflexibility, his reluctance to change the system in-game proving costly for United against Everton. The debate surrounding whether United should have thrown extra attackers on when it became apparent they were lacking a focal point has been ongoing, with many questioning Amorim's devotion to playing three at the back.
In light of Shaw's decline and the struggles of his wing-backs, questions will be asked about Amorim's flexibility and ability to adapt. Neville's criticism of Shaw may have been justified, but it raises further questions about Amorim's system rather than just Shaw's individual performance.
The physical decline of Shaw, one of four Manchester United players to start every Premier League game this season, cannot be ignored. His lack of intensity against Everton was evident in his sprints and kilometres covered per 90 minutes, a trend that has been steadily declining over the past five seasons. However, Shaw's role in Amorim's three-at-the-back system may also be contributing to these issues.
The criticism levied by Neville at Shaw highlights the limitations of playing a centre-back in front of a left-sided wing-back, rather than a full-back. This is particularly evident when compared to Amorim's successful system at Sporting, where his wing-backs were attacking outlets who contributed significantly to the team's goals and assists.
The decision to keep Shaw, alongside Matthijs De Ligt and Leny Yoro, on the pitch despite being 10 men down and needing a goal, has been met with frustration from fans. Neville himself questions why Shaw was allowed to continue in this role, especially when Dalot was brought on as an equal replacement for Patrick Dorgu.
Shaw's decline can be seen as part of Amorim's inflexibility, his reluctance to change the system in-game proving costly for United against Everton. The debate surrounding whether United should have thrown extra attackers on when it became apparent they were lacking a focal point has been ongoing, with many questioning Amorim's devotion to playing three at the back.
In light of Shaw's decline and the struggles of his wing-backs, questions will be asked about Amorim's flexibility and ability to adapt. Neville's criticism of Shaw may have been justified, but it raises further questions about Amorim's system rather than just Shaw's individual performance.
i think neville got a point tho... having a centre back as a left-sided wingback is defo limiting... imagine if dalot was deployed similarly, it would've been so much more effective 
amorim's system at sporting was fire, but maybe he needs to adapt to the modern game 
and not be too rigid with his tactics... shaw's decline is scary tho 
what if we dont see a resurgence from him? anywayz, the three-at-the-back system might just need some tweaking 
I don't think we're seeing the full story here... Is there a reason why Shaw wasn't taken off earlier? 
Those last 10 minutes seemed super intense for him, and I'm not sure if he was even in the right mindset to help turn that game around. 
What really got my attention is how often United seems to be playing with one 'target man' and no real attacking threat from the other two wing-backs... It's all about creating space, right? Maybe Shaw just needs a system tweak or some different player roles to get him going again? 
. I mean, if you're 10 men down and need a goal, do you really stick with your left-wing back who's just running around like a headless chicken? 
. Neville brings up a great point about playing a centre-back as a wing-back - it's just not working out, and Shaw's lack of intensity on the pitch is a symptom of that problem.
Like, why were they even playing a 10-man game? That's just begging for trouble! 
They're trying to cram this whole 'three-at-the-back' thing into the game, but it's just not working out. And Shaw, he's just a scapegoat, if you ask me. 
. I mean, what was going through Amorim's mind when he kept Shaw on against a 10-man team needing a goal? 
. I'd love to see them adapt to Shaw's decline and find a better solution, rather than keeping him in that role.
. Can United adapt and change on the fly? That's the real question 
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and Neville's all like "system's flawed" 
what if Shaw's just not built fer that centre-back wing-back role tho? Shouldn't they've just thrown on another attacker when it was clear they needed a goal? 
. But the thing is, people tend to forget that Amorim's 3-at-the-back system was working for him at Sporting, right? 
. I mean, Luke Shaw is struggling to keep up, and it's not just him, the whole wing-back thing is broken 
I get why Neville is frustrated, but it's also on Amorim to adapt and change things up when needed. It's like they're too set on their 'three-at-the-back' system to try anything new 
. We need some fresh ideas, you feel? 
. But, at the same time, you can't just blame Shaw for everything. The system Amorim's set up is not exactly ideal, if you ask me 
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... I mean, come on! Dalot came on for Dorgu, but Shaw just kept going? It's a no-brainer that the team needed more attacking firepower 
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