Silvestre: Shaw is over-thinking his role at Reds
LUKE Shaw is over-thinking his role at United – and causing himself problems.
That’s the view of former Reds left-back Mikael Silvestre.
Shaw’s roller-coaster career under Jose Mourinho at United saw him back in the starting XI against Sunderland but omitted from the side that faced Anderlecht and Chelsea when Matteo Darmian was chosen ahead of him.
But Silvestre – who won five Premier League titles, the FA Cup, League Cup and Champions League in Sir Alex Ferguson’s era – doesn’t believe Shaw will throw in the towel.
“I think he is over-thinking. That’s his problem,” he told M.E.N. Sport.
“United’s fullbacks are there to defend, obviously, but then it is about going forward, charging ahead and putting in good crosses and helping your team build attacks.
“But Luke isn’t doing that any more. He is thinking twice about whether he should go or not. Should I stay, should I go? His mind is in turmoil.
“His best attributes for me are when he is going forward and helping with the attack. In the last third he should be getting to the byline. That’s what United full-backs do. He needs to get back to doing that without thinking about it.”
Shaw has become the number one target for much of Mourinho’s public individual criticism.
But Silvestre doesn’t believe it is a personal issue.
“I have had situations in my career when I felt I have to convince the manager, that I have a battle on my hands,” added the Frenchman.
“It is tough. It is a test of character. If you react well then you will bounce back and get back into the team. He doesn’t appear to me to be a player who will give up easily. I hope he doesn’t give in and I don’t expect him to.
“I understand what he is going through. But he is not the only one and he has to realise that. I know people are pointing the finger at him and making a big thing of what the manager has been saying but Anthony Martial is facing similar questions from the manager. Marcus Rashford has faced it. Henrikh Mkhitaryan has faced it.
“If Jose Mourinho’s first words are in private and then he goes public, it is fine. It is the other way around when it is difficult to take.
“You don’t want to hear it first in public. You get taken by surprise, you read the newspapers or your friends and family call you and say they’ve read it or heard it and the manager is saying this and that about you.”