The Jamaican international has proved a potent weapon in front of goal and has, to date, netting 17 goals in 19 appearances in all competitions, while leading the Barclays Women’s Super League scoring charts with 10.
Shaw’s considerable impact saw her named on Friday as the PFA Fans’ Player of the Month for January.
And for her part, former City and Lionesses goalkeeper Karen Bardsley feels it’s not just her goals where Shaw’s impact has been felt, pointing to her work rate and hunger for success as key factors in helping drive City forward this term.
“She is prolific at the moment. I mean 10 league goals and topping the WSL in terms of goals scored… she’s just come into her own,” Bardsley declared on a recent edition of Matchday Live.
CITY+ | SIGN UP TO ACCESS EXCLUSIVE CONTENT
“It’s about what she brings into the team and also how she slots into the methodology in the style of play.
“I think last season her and Ellen White were sharing time and maybe she didn’t get the service or delivery that she wanted.
“But now she’s understood that if she frames the goal and stays relatively central for the majority of the time then the delivery will come.
“And she is so strong and it’s the way she creates space and manipulates it to get an opportunity on goal.
“And she’s added a whole new level too.
“Her transitions into the final third have been excellent, along with her pass completion and the range of passes she is making and the first touch she has to take these deliveries and hold off opposition players.
“I have really enjoyed watching her this season.”
Bardsley’s warm words for Shaw were echoed by her former England international colleague Laura Bassett who pointed to how the Jamaican international had revelled in the responsibility of being the focal point of City’s attack.
And Bassett, a fellow special guest on Matchday Live, said the fluidity of City’s attack meant that even if extra attention was placed on Shaw, City were invariably finding solutions elsewhere in terms of hurting the opposition.
“She is so strong she can hold anyone off and can turn and shoot herself or lay off the runners wherever there are spaces for the midfield runners,” Bassett pointed out.
“And I think that has developed from City’s game of last season.
“Now Bunny is the main striker. It’s ‘I’m the go to person, feed me the ball centrally to feet’ and I think that has developed in City’s game.
“We’ve seen a lot more goals and chances created centrally as teams are going to try and stifle the wings with Chloe Kelly and Lauren Hemp there.
“But if you do that it opens up centrally for Bunny Shaw to get the ball to feet
“If I was marking her I’d want my team mate to help double up on her but you can’t with this City team as they then find the spaces and the extra person.”
