Martinez and Malacia

comment by comic book guy (U17816)
posted 28 minutes ago
comment by Busby (U19985)
posted 3 minutes ago
Great to see the players out in 100% for the first time in ages:
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Maguire was out that's why
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He needs fooking off before the window closes.

A fine collective performance (not without errors) as players get used to ETH's demands. I expect there will be various shifts in line-ups over the coming weeks. The limes of Maguire are likely to play, and must be expected to play at a much higher level. Just as one or two similarly derided players raised their games significantly tonight.

I find it weird that the reaction of some to such an encouraging performance is to hate on players who weren't involved, rather than celebrate those who did play.

OP, any fresh thoughts on Sancho?

comment by scholayScholes (U13961)
posted 2 hours, 2 minutes ago
It is over for Luke Shaw
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No it isn’t. He’ll still play plenty of games. The competition might even see a return to his one excellent seasons form.

comment by Ole dirty Baztard - penited and penandes (U19119)
posted 6 hours, 59 minutes ago
comment by scholayScholes (U13961)
posted 2 hours, 2 minutes ago
It is over for Luke Shaw
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No it isn’t. He’ll still play plenty of games. The competition might even see a return to his one excellent seasons form.
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Exactly. We're going to love Malacia. But he wasn't as good defensively or going forward as Shaw has been at his best. If he can push Shaw to that level, that's a great outcome.

RR

But why does he have to be pushed? He's had one stand out season and then was very poor last season. Like consistently poor. The whole season. Its just not good enough. That and his weight issues make him across as mental weak for the role.

Shaw was excellent two seasons back. 8s and 9s out of 10. But that's one year in how many?

I'm loving what I'm seeing from Malacia. He fought harder last night than the whole squad has this calender year.

Shaw just needs Ten Hag to be his brains

comment by Patriarch (U11015)
posted 3 hours, 36 minutes ago
RR

But why does he have to be pushed? He's had one stand out season and then was very poor last season. Like consistently poor. The whole season. Its just not good enough. That and his weight issues make him across as mental weak for the role.

Shaw was excellent two seasons back. 8s and 9s out of 10. But that's one year in how many?

I'm loving what I'm seeing from Malacia. He fought harder last night than the whole squad has this calender year.
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Are we morally judging Shaw or assessing what would be good for United? If Malacia claims the starting spot on merit, that's fantastic. If competing with his quality spurs Shaw to consistent world-class performance levels like in 2020-21, that's also fantastic.

It's not unusual (or shameful) for intense competition to drive elite athletes to higher performance levels. As for Shaw last season, it's hard to say how much was poor personal performance and how much was a collective collapse in confidence. Basically everyone was bad last season, and I think it's hard to argue that they all became bad players or they all had a weak mentality.

Morally judging.

And I don't think it's hard to argue that he, and others in the squad, have a weak mentality

Surely the weak mentality has been proven?