[Web of Bissaka]

"Jones, arguably the way he is looking, could be our best ever player. I think Jones may be one of the best players we have ever had, not matter where we play him. At 21 years of age, he is going to be a phenomenal player. I think he can play anywhere on the pitch," Fergie said after United clinched their latest league title in 2013.


He also had massive praise for Evans and compared Daron Gibson to Scholes once. Lets also not forget he let Pique leave the club, probably because we had Evans. He also persisted with his talentless son Daren and gave him just enough games to earn a premier league medal when many supporters didn't think he was good enough. Fergie probably rates McTominay because he's Scottish.

Tbf, we don't know what Phil Jones may become if Fergie still managing him.
One thing I notice is SAF seems to play him further and further away from CB, either at RB and CDM/CM to make use of his other talents, maybe he notice early Jones tendency to make stupid mistakes, costly being a CB, the only one position which his 3 successors always play Jones.

Same thing, we don't know what Evans may turn out if SAF still managing him. Both Jones and Evans did showed good promises, which for many reasons his successors fail to encourage their potential growth. Easy to say they're shit now and back then isn't it, hindsight 20/20.

Maybe SAF is only referring to Gibson's specific distance shooting/scoring ability which in that short period of times his shooting performance is impressive, but for some reason, Gib maybe lose his head somewhere and doesn't maintain nor sharpen his talent, clearly not Scholes's overall all-around game comparison.

Pique left because of the fitness freak Vidic-Rio at that time, I think 2-3 seasons of almost playing every game all competitions. Not many game chances for Pique to play, and he's more than ready to make the next step up. SAF doesn't prison players. Similar to Rossi having R2 (Rooney-Ronaldo) in front of him, Rooney is not ready to be the CF at that time. He let them both go to have their career. The funny thing is the season after Pique left, Rio and Vidic finally started to have injury problems, which Evans then have opportunities.

SAF is not perfect of course, he does made mistakes in judgment and decisions, yet most of his comments and decisions does make sense, try to understand hard.

Yea, he favor McTominay because he's scottish. Isn't it a normal thing to favor that way? I mean, there's a reason why local players especially the english players are favored by fans and media. That said, does SAF favor every single scottich players we have? nope, just selective it seems. The special case of his son, well sometimes parents can be too loving. Back to McT, Remember Fletcher, and now McT, who did showed good promises last season even in big games, which for some reasons his doubters and haters erased from memories. So just maybe, he only favors the promising scottish players who actaully have quality perhaps in term of character the major selling point. If we dialed back, Fletcher is a laughingstock made scapegoated by many vocal fans anyway, majority doesn't rate him at all, easy to say now Fletcher is quality after he proved himself. Hindsight is...

 

[Web of Bissaka]

Isn't he injured?

Think so, ever since the Valencia game.

I'm worried he's getting injured for far too much this year, worrying.

 

[Revaulx]

I swear half this board never actually saw Fletcher play. Back in 2008-2010 he was an absolute fiend in our midfield. Arguably one of the best destroyers in the world at the time. There's a reason a lot of people still wonder if we'd won in Rome if Fletcher hadn't been wrongfully sent off against Arsenal.

McTominay will never ever reach that level. Hell, Fletcher now is probably still better than McTominay will ever be.

Agreed. Fletcher was more than a destroyer as well.

United’s failure to properly replace him (Herrera, Schneiderlin, Fred?) has been a major factor in our recent struggles.

 

[SouthPredators4]

Agreed. Fletcher was more than a destroyer as well.

United’s failure to properly replace him (Herrera, Schneiderlin, Fred?) has been a major factor in our recent struggles.

Fletcher was never as good as what you said. He was all heart, stamina and aggression, and just above average in everything else. No doubt every successful team needs a player like him in the squad, but he is to us what Henderson is to Liverpool now. He can be useful in away games where we are not expected to dominate possession and need somebody to shield the back 4, but he was also part of argubably the worst midfield in SAF's era. I remember hating how we tend to have minimal penetration through the middle and would either push the ball wide or long over to our brilliant strikers.

PS: He still shits all over McTominay who will be playing in the lower leagues in a couple of years.

 

[Ekeke]

Personally I believe he could become an okay squad player. But it'll depend on tactics because his best role might end up being on the right of a back 3. The problem is he needs experience and if we arent playing 3 at the back hes not going to get it. But yeah the overhype was ridiculous thanks to Jose. We're used to way overhyping our young players anyway, but usually its a more technical and impressive type of player that then doesnt quite have the mentality to make it here. With McTominay he just has the physical tools, the technical ones are questionable at best.

 

[Adam-Utd]

I don't think he's ever going to have the skill set to be a man utd midfielder. Honestly I think he'll be lucky to settle mid table.

He has good physicality but his shooting / heading is poor, passing seems pretty average.

Early days yet obviously and he may develop more, but right now I just don't see it other than hard work.

 

[C'est Moi Cantona]

He was in the team because of his size, I doubt that'll hold much sway now Jose's gone.

He seems like a nice guy, but it'd only be fair that other youngsters with different attributes are given a chance over him now we'll be playing a different style.

 

[Pughnichi]

I genuinely can’t recall him doing anything good in a game. Not once did he put a brilliant saving tackle in, pick a sublime pass, beat a man...to make me think Wow! This kid has got it. Must say I’ve never been a fan either so perhaps slightly blinkered. I agree with others and think he’ll be at a low level club in the coming years

 

[dannyrhinos89]

good luck at whichever championship team you end up at Scott.

Got Preston or Forrest written all over him.

 

[Red00012]

"Jones, arguably the way he is looking, could be our best ever player. I think Jones may be one of the best players we have ever had, not matter where we play him. At 21 years of age, he is going to be a phenomenal player. I think he can play anywhere on the pitch," Fergie said after United clinched their latest league title in 2013.


He also had massive praise for Evans and compared Daron Gibson to Scholes once. Lets also not forget he let Pique leave the club, probably because we had Evans. He also persisted with his talentless son Daren and gave him just enough games to earn a premier league medal when many supporters didn't think he was good enough. Fergie probably rates McTominay because he's Scottish.

Don’t forget Tom Cleverley

 

[Adisa]

Mourinho inventing an award for him was the most bizarre. I feel sorry for the guy.

 

[Loublaze]

Tbf, we don't know what Phil Jones may become if Fergie still managing him.
One thing I notice is SAF seems to play him further and further away from CB, either at RB and CDM/CM to make use of his other talents, maybe he notice early Jones tendency to make stupid mistakes, costly being a CB, the only one position which his 3 successors always play Jones.

Same thing, we don't know what Evans may turn out if SAF still managing him. Both Jones and Evans did showed good promises, which for many reasons his successors fail to encourage their potential growth. Easy to say they're shit now and back then isn't it, hindsight 20/20.

Maybe SAF is only referring to Gibson's specific distance shooting/scoring ability which in that short period of times his shooting performance is impressive, but for some reason, Gib maybe lose his head somewhere and doesn't maintain nor sharpen his talent, clearly not Scholes's overall all-around game comparison.

Pique left because of the fitness freak Vidic-Rio at that time, I think 2-3 seasons of almost playing every game all competitions. Not many game chances for Pique to play, and he's more than ready to make the next step up. SAF doesn't prison players. Similar to Rossi having R2 (Rooney-Ronaldo) in front of him, Rooney is not ready to be the CF at that time. He let them both go to have their career. The funny thing is the season after Pique left, Rio and Vidic finally started to have injury problems, which Evans then have opportunities.

SAF is not perfect of course, he does made mistakes in judgment and decisions, yet most of his comments and decisions does make sense, try to understand hard.

Yea, he favor McTominay because he's scottish. Isn't it a normal thing to favor that way? I mean, there's a reason why local players especially the english players are favored by fans and media. That said, does SAF favor every single scottich players we have? nope, just selective it seems. The special case of his son, well sometimes parents can be too loving. Back to McT, Remember Fletcher, and now McT, who did showed good promises last season even in big games, which for some reasons his doubters and haters erased from memories. So just maybe, he only favors the promising scottish players who actaully have quality perhaps in term of character the major selling point. If we dialed back, Fletcher is a laughingstock made scapegoated by many vocal fans anyway, majority doesn't rate him at all, easy to say now Fletcher is quality after he proved himself. Hindsight is...

Im sorry but Jones and Evans don't get a pass for their failures at United on the strength of the mere notion that they may have reached their potential exclusively under Fergie. No excuses. Yes Fergie did mention Gibson's goal scoring contribution when he compared him to Scholes but it was still premature and just added unnecessary pressure on the player. The funny thing with Fergie is that he hated writers, pundits and journalists over hyping his young players or comparing them to past and current players (he berated United author Thomas Clare for comparing Jones to Duncan Edwards) but he had no problems offering hyperbolic assessments of his young players from time to time. Maybe he felt it was different when it came from him, as a motivational tool or something, but it generally still created a lot of pressure on the players who became subject of intense scrutiny in the press and among supporters. Evans, Jones, Gibson, Cleverly and Liam Miller (a player who caught his attention in a Celtic match he actually attended to scout a 17 year old Vincent Kompany!). At the time United fans thought they were getting another Roy Keane when Miller signed.

According to Pique himself he left because he felt he lost Fergie's faith after a mistake he made in a game against Bolton Wanderers. In a candid interview Pique further went on to say that Fergie told him he'd get 25 games at the beginning of the 07/08 season so that takes away your argument about his first team action prospects.

‘In 2007, after two years in England, he told me that I was going to play about 25 games that season'

https://metro.co.uk/2018/03/22/gera...ex-fergusons-trust-manchester-united-7407504/

Don’t forget Tom Cleverley

Yes him too

 

[Sultan]

Safety first in his approach to game and height is probably what endeared McTominay to Jose. Seems the coaches have now placed him in a queue behind more talented kids.

Positive changes already happening.

 

[khoazany]

Safety first in his approach to game and height is probably what endeared McTominay to Jose. Seems the coaches have now placed him in a queue behind more talented kids.

Positive changes already happening.

He's injured. People are bloody reading too much into it. Of course he might well be left out once he's back but right now we have zero data about how the new coaching regime thinks about him.

 

[Pace Abuser]

I can't shake the image of the 70 sideways passes he made to the right back on the half way line against Newcastle at St James' Park last season.

Made stark by the fact Pogba was dropped that afternoon for him and Gary Neville having his dig about Pogba "looking like he is going to cry" when the camera went on him.

Not this lads fault, he was just doing as he's told but I can't see him upping his game beyond a Cleverly.

 

[andersj]

I can't shake the image of the 70 sideways passes he made to the right back on the half way line against Newcastle at St James' Park last season.

Made stark by the fact Pogba was dropped that afternoon for him and Gary Neville having his dig about Pogba "looking like he is going to cry" when the camera went on him.

Not this lads fault, he was just doing as he's told but I can't see him upping his game beyond a Cleverly.

Always felt Cleverley was a decent talent, but that he somewhere along the way started buying into his own hype. I would expect a player like him to progress alot from the age of 23/24 to 26/27. Instead, he stagnated.

I’m not sure about McTominay. I’ve only seen him in a broken team. But he seem like the type that will never lose his hunger, pay attention to getting a clothing line etc. And he got a few things going for him. Would not be surprised to see him become a really good player.

 

[Mickson]

He trained today, so not injured anymore. I see a lot of comparison with Cleverley. IMO, he isn't better than Cleverley was and I don't even think he will reach his heights. People are forgetting that Cleverley was really good at times under Fergie, he dominated in The Championship and he was a good and important player for Watford before his injury. He's having a good career so far. If we look at McTominay, in the Reserve team, he didn't look better than Redmond or Willock or a lad like Ethan Hamilton now. Cleverley was clearly very good there. I'm not being a dick, I just don't think he will make it at Premier League-level even. Maybe, if he can progress a little bit more, a Championship-team but I honestly wouldn't be shocked if he ended up in a team like Charlton with the likes of former United-graduate Nicky Ajose, I honestly feel that this is his level.

He isn't a defensive midfielder nor is he good at attacking. He works hard and that really is about it. Not a great passer, not really great physique och that good in the air at PL-level even, not fast. He definitely wouldn't stick out at Championship-level if we're talking physique. He is 22 years old now, not a young kid. I would like to be wrong here, but I don't think I am. He sounds like a good kid so I really wish him all the best.

 

[Based Adnan]

I think he's got the ability to play under Ole tbh. He's quite underrated at passing in between the lines and getting us going. Not saying he's going to be an outright starter of course but he'll have his uses.

 

[Tomuś]

Tbf, we don't know what Phil Jones may become if Fergie still managing him.
One thing I notice is SAF seems to play him further and further away from CB, either at RB and CDM/CM to make use of his other talents, maybe he notice early Jones tendency to make stupid mistakes, costly being a CB, the only one position which his 3 successors always play Jones.

Same thing, we don't know what Evans may turn out if SAF still managing him. Both Jones and Evans did showed good promises, which for many reasons his successors fail to encourage their potential growth. Easy to say they're shit now and back then isn't it, hindsight 20/20.

Spot on. Jones was good under Fergie and a great-looking prospect at right-back with all those surging runs. Hindsight 20/20 as per usual eventhough it's true Fergie went OTT which he himself ackonwledges I'm sure.

Evans looked way better for us than Pique in his limited time. People tend to blend our Pique, who was destroyed by Bolton's 'stars', with the one that later became a WC player in the only system that will get the best out of him. Evans had Ibra and Adriano in his pocket at the age of 19 and looked calm as feck. Something happened later on but when you compare them at the age of 18-20, it's easy to see why Fergie thought Evans would suit us better.

 

[BrianMcClair'sBarnet]

To be totally honest with you all I still dont know what his strengths are.I'm definitely not going to classify height as a strength.

What was he like in the youth teams ?
Did he have one or two elements in his game which we've yet to see as of yet due to his sporadic appearances in the first team ?
Basically,what is he ?

 

[redDNA]

Please what is his best position?
A CDM? CAM? Or CD?
He doesn't have the requisite defensive and or offensive skills to play in the aforementioned positions.
We should give more chance to other academy players like Gomes, Chong, Garner and Greenwood.

 

[Loublaze]

Please what is his best position?
A CDM? CAM? Or CD?
He doesn't have the requisite defensive and or offensive skills to play in the aforementioned positions.
We should give more chance to other academy players like Gomes, Chong, Garner and Greenwood.

I agree. He's a member of the first team now so Ole will give him a chance but I don't see him staying here long. Hope he proves me wrong

 

[ClaytonBlackmoorLeftPeg]

I agree. He's a member of the first team now so Ole will give him a chance but I don't see him staying here long. Hope he proves me wrong

Can’t see him getting more than 5 or 10 mins here and there. We have Pogba, Matic, Herrera, Pereira, Fred and Fellaini for two/ three midfield positions. If going for a three, Lingard and Mata come into play. I don’t expect to see much of him under OGS.

 

[Mickson]

To be totally honest with you all I still dont know what his strengths are.I'm definitely not going to classify height as a strength.

What was he like in the youth teams ?
Did he have one or two elements in his game which we've yet to see as of yet due to his sporadic appearances in the first team ?
Basically,what is he ?

Not anything special. He was big. I think he scored something like 3 goals in 27 apps as a striker for The Reserves. But he really didn't stick out. He really didn't.

 

[ivaldo]

I think he's got the ability to play under Ole tbh. He's quite underrated at passing in between the lines and getting us going. Not saying he's going to be an outright starter of course but he'll have his uses.

His passing really is substandard. It was painfully obvious from the very beginning he wasn't nearly good enough for us, and I'm fairly confident in saying he'll be in the championship in a few years time.

Plenty of posters stoically defended him on the basis that he might get good. It wasn't born out of anything they had seen, but that other players have drastically improved in the past, and therefore he might.

 

[In Rainbows]

His passing really is substandard. It was painfully obvious from the very beginning he wasn't nearly good enough for us, and I'm fairly confident in saying he'll be in the championship in a few years time.

Plenty of posters stoically defended him on the basis that he might get good. It wasn't born out of anything they had seen, but that other players have drastically improved in the past, and therefore he might.

Might not be championship standard either. There are some youth players of ours that were much better at youth level and aren't playing all that much in the Championship. James Weir is one of them. Pearson was great for our youth team and he's doing well in the Championship, and we don't know if he'll make it to the PL.

I know some don't like to criticize our young players, but I think it's fair that we evaluate them so long as we don't give them stick online (social media) or at the stadium.

 

[Stepney73]

Like most I love to see youth comming through and establishing themselves in the starting 11 but this guy is lower pl or championship level at best.

Nowhere near the level required if Utd want to be a top club again.

 

[marukomu]

Clean slate. Everyone was shite before.

 

[buckooo1978]

i don't think he has the ability to stay - just very limited as a player and not to be part of the squad if we aspire to challenge

i think someone like Burnley could be useful in giving us 10/12 million for him

 

[BrianMcClair'sBarnet]

He's going to be great now.The shackles are off.It's our time to witness the true creative power of The McTominay.

 

[BAMSOLA]

Guy gets a very harsh reception on here, fact is he is a decent DM who could one day go on to become a pretty good one for us. The fact that he deals more in short passing shouldn't be a hindrance for him as I would expect him to offer a good defensive platform for more talented players like Pogba to play.

As to his his strengths he is pretty quick for a DM, he is pretty sound position wise when played there instead of CB (which tells you everything about how Mourinho has hung him out to dry on so many occasions lately) he also has good tenacity and strength plus a good engine. Whether he goes on to make it here is down to whether we choose to buy a more ready made option, but for me a lot of opinions on him here are tainted by just how bad our CM (and everywhere else to be honest) was under Jose and so a clean slate for all might see him find a role in the squad before the season is over as a decent replacement for Matic in less important games.

 

[buckooo1978]

He's going to be great now.The shackles are off.It's our time to witness the true creative power of The McTominay.

so good we created an award for him!

 

[Roboc7]

It will be sink or swim for him now if he gets a chance, so far he has shown virtually nothing to suggest he is anywhere near good enough.

In the new system more is expected of the midfielders, being tall, running around a bit and ‘doing a job’ won’t cut it. Him and Fellaini will be much more exposed than they were under Jose.

 

[Based Adnan]

Think his talent is being a bit understated by many. You don't put in the kind of performance he did in central midfield vs Liverpool (full 90) last season without having a bit about you. Especially at his age. His future is definitely at DM imo.

Him being perceived as one of 'Mourinho's favorites' certainly hasn't done him any favors with the fans and I think that leads to some pretty harsh criticism.

 

[lysglimt]

The fans' criticism of McTominay is much down to Mourinho's strange decisions. Using him as a defender in 3-5-2 had catastrophy written all over it.

 

[Moriarty]

Him being perceived as one of 'Mourinho's favorites' certainly hasn't done him any favors with the fans and I think that leads to some pretty harsh criticism.

If memory serves, Jose said that McTominay was highly thought of by Fergie who urged Jose to play him.

 

[Bola]

Think his talent is being a bit understated by many. You don't put in the kind of performance he did in central midfield vs Liverpool (full 90) last season without having a bit about you. Especially at his age. His future is definitely at DM imo.

Him being perceived as one of 'Mourinho's favorites' certainly hasn't done him any favors with the fans and I think that leads to some pretty harsh criticism.

Yep. And it's not helped that he had a few stinkers when played out of position.

From what I've seen, a defensive mid could be his best position. He has some of the physical attributes like Fellani, some glimpse of basic play making (like matic), now if he could get some of the tireless running like a Kante or a Henderson, then we could have a complete DM for the next decade.

Some big ifs through, with a lot to prove though as he dies not have the obvious stand out talents like a Tunzebe, Gomes or Greenwood, but he deserves a chance. Question for me is whether to keep him for the rest of the season or arrange a prem/ top level championship loan?

 

[Footyislife]

Worse than TFM as a DM who i think is our best prospect in that position. Doubt he'll make it here. Not good enough defensively, can't do anything but a simple pass.

 

[Bola]

Worse than TFM as a DM who i think is our best prospect in that position. Doubt he'll make it here. Not good enough defensively, can't do anything but a simple pass.

I agree that TFM may havegreat potential, but I don't recall McTom gettting thst many mins as a DM for us. He has a to to prove, bit I don't think he has 'failed' yet.

Seems a good and hard working professional, with a decent range of physical and mental attributes. Not a bad base to start from and with the right nurturing he could make it here

 

[Devil may care]

I thought he was used as a pawn by Mourinho, especially when he shoved him in at CB to prove some petty point to the board when he had an international CB sitting on the bench. In midfield I think Neville was spot on in that he lacks the quality on the ball for a team with our ambitions. I can see him having a run at a PL side for a few years but further down the table.