Paul Parker: Luke Shaw Not Good Enough for Manchester United
Michael Carrick’s first full season in charge of Manchester United hasn’t even kicked off, but one former Old Trafford defender believes a major call at left-back is already overdue.
Paul Parker, twice a Premier League winner with United, has urged Carrick to move on from Luke Shaw and either sign a new left-back or throw a teenager into the role.
Parker’s blunt verdict on Shaw
Shaw started all 38 Premier League games last season for the first time since his £30million move from Southampton in 2014. For Parker, that changes nothing.
“If the plan is to play him as a winger, then the club seriously needs a new left back because Luke Shaw isn’t good enough,” Parker told Betarades.gr, speaking about Patrick Dorgu’s role and the knock-on effect for the back line.
“They really need a mobile fullback with agility who can defend properly as well and a player who can do a job up and down the pitch.
“Luke Shaw can’t run and he can’t defend or attack, so what do you need him for? Dalot is always going to be an issue when he plays as well, especially if they play him on the left back.”
It is a brutal assessment of a player who has just delivered his most durable league campaign in a United shirt, but Parker is adamant Carrick cannot build his defence around the 31-year-old.
United have already flagged left-back as an area to strengthen. Newcastle United’s Lewis Hall has been linked with a move to Old Trafford, while Myles Lewis-Skelly has also been offered to the club in recent days.
‘Give Amass a run’
If United decide against entering the market, Parker wants the club to look inwards rather than persist with Shaw.
“I saw Harry Amass play a couple of games for Sheffield Wednesday and up until the injury all the Wednesday fans were completely raving about him,” he said.
“Absolutely raving about him, so maybe it is time to give him the opportunity? The club should be better at introducing young players like him and give them a run. In my opinion, he needs a run, not just a couple of games.
“Something needs to happen and in my opinion they have to bring in a left back or decide to play Amass there, but I just doubt they will do it which is the reason I said they have to bring in a left back.”
For Parker, the choice is clear: invest in a ready-made full-back or commit to Amass properly. Sticking with the status quo, he argues, is not an option.
Questions over Andrey Santos signing
Left-back is not Parker’s only concern. He is also unconvinced by United’s move for Andrey Santos, one of several new arrivals as Carrick reshapes his squad.
United have prioritised midfield after Casemiro’s departure, bringing in Santos from Chelsea and Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa. Karl Darlow has also joined from Leeds United to back up Senne Lammens after the Belgian’s impressive debut season in goal.
Even so, Parker admits the Santos deal surprised him.
“The Andrey Santos signing did catch me by surprise,” he said. “I was with a friend the other day who is a big Chelsea fan and goes to all the games, so I asked him about Andrey Santos. I just said that he should tell me about Andrey Santos but he couldn’t tell me much because he said Santos didn’t start many games, which I can obviously see myself as well.
“So, I am hoping it is a Michael Carrick signing rather than other people in the club just wanting him, but I still need to see more from Andrey Santos before I can give a proper verdict.
“I can’t really remember him that much to be honest and I think a lot of people are feeling the same. Is he going to be one of the starting eleven? I actually hope so, because it is not good enough if he was just brought in to be a squad player. We don’t need that kind of player coming in.”
Carrick’s rebuild is under way. The midfield has been refreshed, the goalkeeping department reinforced, and more signings are expected.
For Parker, though, the real statement will come not in the middle of the pitch, but on that left flank: does Carrick trust Shaw, gamble on youth with Amass, or rip it up and start again?
