Few players can say they experienced more contrasting fortunes than Manchester United right-back Ethan Laird last season.
After giving an excellent account of himself during the first half of the season on loan at Swansea City, where he had been reunited with former MK Dons manager Russell Martin, Laird joined promotion-chasing Bournemouth in January. It was a kick in the teeth for the Swans, but it seemed like the right decision at the time, as a temporary stint at the Vitality Stadium offered him the chance to add a first promotion to his CV.
Furthermore, a move to the south coast would give the United youngster the opportunity to trial himself as a natural right-back, opposed to being the attack-minded wing-back he had been at Swansea. However, his short-term spell with the Cherries was plagued by injury troubles, meaning he made just six appearances.
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It was a tough spell for the youngster, meaning he returned to Old Trafford ahead of the start of this season without having played a full season worth of regular football in the Championship. He made 26 appearances for Bournemouth and Swansea combined in the league.
Despite United's right-back issues, which are still yet to be resolved, as highlighted by the club holding talks with Barcelona over a possible loan deal for Sergino Dest ahead of Thursday's 11pm deadline, the general consensus was that Laird would benefit from another loan spell elsewhere, preferably at one Championship club for the full season. After seeing his proposed switch to Watford collapse, Laird joined QPR earlier this month.
Although he is only four games into his Rs career, he is already becoming something of a fans' favourite in Shepherd's Bush. After claiming his first assist in the famous blue and white hoops against Watford on Saturday, he grabbed his first goal for the club on Tuesday evening, grabbing their second in a 3-1 home win over Hull City.
Connecting with Kenneth Paal's pinpoint cross from the left, Laird ghosted in to convert his first senior goal from the edge of the six-yard box. It was a predatory finish that a seasoned striker would have been happy to score.
As a right-back, it is fair to question how Laird had found himself in such a position to get on the end of Paal's delivery. But such is QPR's way of playing, there is a huge onus on the full-backs to get forward and support the forward play.
QPR, blessed with the creativity and quality of Chris Willock and Illias Chair, play with a very narrow system up front, with the aforementioned duo deployed as attacking-midfielders, often buzzing around lone frontman Lyndon Dykes centrally. That means that there is a requirement for Laird, as well as opposite number Paal, to bomb forward from full-back and provide extra width.
Although QPR operate with a back-four, Laird and Paal often play as though they're wing-backs, with them instructed to get as high up the pitch as possible when in possession. Laird, who is under contract at Old Trafford until next summer, plus the option of an additional year, got his assist at Watford as a result of bombing forward and getting himself in between the left-sided centre-back and left-back.
He received the ball from Chair and cut it back first-time for Willock to sweep home. It was his forward-thinking run and accurate pass that made that goal, highlighting how valuable he is to the way that QPR boss Michael Beale wants his team to play.
QPR rely heavily on their full-backs in an attacking sense and Laird is already proving that he is perfect for the system. Against Hull, for example, he had 62 touches of the ball, three shots on target, a 92 per cent passing accuracy and scored. It is little wonder that the QPR fans have already fallen in love.
But while the Hoops fans are gushing over the 21-year-old, United ought to be as well. If Laird continues to perform at a similar standard there is a genuine chance that he could figure in Erik ten Hag's plans from next season onwards. The Dutchman is renowned for taking a liking to youth and the right-back area is a position that remains unsolved long-term.
It is important not to apply too much pressure to young shoulders too soon, but Laird is making it impossible to be ignored. He is showing encouraging warning signs and there is no doubt that he has the credentials to become a seasoned, modern-day full-back.
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