Few strikers in world football possess the pedigree to miss half a season through injury and still lay claim to a Golden Boot. In many ways Khadija Shaw’s scoring prowess is baffling. Hard to quantify as anything other than freakish.
The Jamaica international is a one-off with generational talent.
Despite only managing 892 minutes of league football last season, she scored 12 times, which was enough to share the coveted top scorer prize with Arsenal’s Alessia Russo, who reached the same tally but played double the minutes.
Shaw’s extraordinary run rate, a goal every 74 minutes, was the best return of any forward across the top domestic leagues in Spain, France and Germany last year.
Had she stayed fit she was projected to finish with a total of 26 strikes – the WSL record for a single campaign is 22.
And yet, Manchester City’s campaign was generally marred by impasse and indifference. “We left games last season knowing results slipped through our fingers,” Shaw exclusively tells Sky Sports from a discreet corner of Man City’s media day.
“We suffered from injuries but I’m not one to make excuses. We weren’t good enough,” she adds.
City’s 2024-25 story was told through a lens of inconsistency. Good individual results – beating eventual finalists Barcelona in the Champions League group phase – were undermined by prolonged runs of bad form. Good individual performances challenged by the depleted state of the squad more broadly.
Bunny Shaw won the Golden Boot despite spending half of last season injured
Shaw was joined in the treatment room by Vivianne Miedema, Lauren Hemp and Alex Greenwood, among others, for large chunks of the season. City could barely field a fit senior XI by March.
Perhaps the next bit was inevitable. Or maybe the cycle under Gareth Taylor had just reached its natural end. Either way, the manager copped the brunt of the dissatisfaction and was dismissed five days before a League Cup final meeting with Chelsea, which City lost.
For a club the size of Manchester City silverware is a prerequisite. And not just feigning to compete – reaching finals is nice but not nearly enough if trophies don’t follow. Things had got stale and the time for change was clear.
“This season we’re not about that, it’s strictly business,” Shaw continues. Her tone is compelling. “Last year was humbling, we are 100 per cent serious about what we want. Ain’t no playing now.”
City have replaced departed Taylor with Andree Jeglertz this summer, a progressive coach who favours attack-minded football. And that will mean a tweak of style too.
Gareth Taylor was sacked by Man City in March and is now in charge at Liverpool
While Taylor liked patient build-up, using ball possession to wear teams down, Jeglertz prefers a more direct route to goal.
“With Andre it’s about how we can put ourselves in the best position going forward. If that means it takes two passes to goal, we have to do that.” An interesting evolution from the ball-obsessed model.
“Andre wants us to win and will give freedom, whatever that looks like, and I think attacking players flourish that way.”
Shaw herself has been thriving in the WSL for years now, no matter City’s style or approach play. Her instinct in the box is a danger to any calibre of opposition, including Chelsea, who City face on opening weekend live on Sky Sports.
Live WSL
Friday 5th September 6:30pm
“If we can get it right on the pitch, we can be deadly, we can be unstoppable if we focus on the fine details the manager wants. For sure, you are going to see goals.”
A warning, then. And Opta’s supercomputer agrees City pose significant threat, predicting them to bounce back from the disappointment of 2024-25 to finish ahead of reigning European champions Arsenal – but still behind Chelsea.
“We’re going to attack the league, that’s only right,” Shaw insists. “It’s all about consistency, that’s what has been missing. If we need to have uncomfortable conversations we’ll have them.”
City used a total of 27 players last season – close to a league high – with an average age of 25y 313d – a league low. A lack of experience was indeed telling as they finished 17 points off WSL winners Chelsea, with their worst points-per-game ratio since their first campaign in the competition a decade ago.
Man City finished 4th last term, 17 points behind WSL winners Chelsea
Such a gap will not be tolerated this time around.
“We had been doing the same for years, now the change has actually happened, it’s a shocker to begin with. But the energy has been higher, and naturally when you don’t know what to expect you have to give everything to learn.
“Our mentality should be about crossing the line wanting and knowing we can win. We have time to prepare games without Europe so that should be our only focus.”
As for the football, the City way always has had a textbook feel. It’s no surprise to see City play the fewest percentage of passes long (6.4) of any side in the league, and the highest proportion of passes short (93.6).
Shaw and Lauren Hemp both spend a large portion of last season on the sidelines
City also netted a league-high 15 cross-assisted goals last season, thanks to the potency of their wide players and smartness of Shaw, while scoring more frequently from open play than even Chelsea managed.
“I can close my eyes and know where Hempo [Lauren Hemp] is going to cross the ball. That is something we have built. I call her my assister.
“It’s the little stuff most don’t see that matters. More than goals, it’s the timing of runs, the pressing, forcing defenders into mistakes. It’s all important. As soon as I’ve mastered one thing, I try another. I always want to be better.”
Much has changed at City this summer following a season of unrest. Jeglertz might be championing a new style and driving higher standards, but he will want more of the same from his star striker – arguably the best the WSL has to offer.
Jeglertz must maximise that special privilege to its absolute fullest. And if he can, we really will have a title race to remember.
