Is it worth playing McTominay up front?

[Lee565]

He is probably more useful as impact sub like garnacho is used but eth should never be using him deep in midfield.

In many ways he reminds me of fellaini who was also most effective behind the striker and yet for years our manager made the same mistake of trying to play him as a defensive midfielder.

 

[OrcaFat]

Because he was put wide so Casemiro and other could play central. We have to many central midfielders that tenHag want to play at same time. Big, big problem. For balance.

McTominay needs to play as one of the central midfielders. From my point of view give him more attacking role. But seeing Casemiro struggle. Put McTominay there together with Amrabat. Give them specific roles.

McT never plays well when we start him. Yesterday was his best ever contribution and it’s the only way to use him productively. He’s good as a wildcard or joker to be used sparingly, in moments of desperation. I like him but I don’t want him in our MF.

 

[Jerom]

McT never plays well when we start him. Yesterday was his best ever contribution and it’s the only way to use him productively. He’s good as a wildcard or joker to be used sparingly, in moments of desperation. I like him but I don’t want him in our MF.

This, he should come in to make war in the last minutes of the game. He has scoring abilities, showed that in the Scotland matches and in Utd matches too.

Use him as a Weghorst type, to force chances or create chaos in front of the goal. I would rather bring him on in stead of Martial.

 

[Withnail]

Because he was put wide so Casemiro and other could play central. We have to many central midfielders that tenHag want to play at same time. Big, big problem. For balance.

McTominay needs to play as one of the central midfielders. From my point of view give him more attacking role. But seeing Casemiro struggle. Put McTominay there together with Amrabat. Give them specific roles.

We've all seen him at CM/DM for years. He's not good enough there.

Yes he does.
Yes we did.

He can literally do it all. Best academy product we’ve had in twenty years. If he was English all you fools would love him and demand he start weekly.

His nationality means feck all to me.

Doing it all at International level means very little. It's a lower standard than the Prem. I can't see any justification at all to getting him into the first XI in any position. Coming off the bench to try and cause a bit of chaos, sure. However just because it worked once doesn't mean it'll work again. Next time he comes on and does nothing he'll be getting pelters again.

 

[marktan]

Yes. He will never be a good midfielder as his passing range is still too limited.

Up front he looks natural, big frame, strong physicality, and a great finishing.

He played as a striker as a kid and he should've stayed there.

 

[JeffFromHK]

I trust Scott more in front of goal than Rashford. He's got the instinct.

I can't recall seeing Rashford scoring goal similar to Scott's first goal yesterday - chesting a high ball down and half volley to bottom corner.

 

[Yakuza_devils]

He is our new John O' Shea, was asked to play several different roles.

Finally, we found the best role for him, higher up the pitch just behind the striker.

I like his finishing for the first goal, cool and composed. His 2nd goal is a striker goal, instinctive to run into the right position to get to the ball and finish off with decent header.

 

[The side netting]

Said player has 1 good game and is then picked for the next ten matches before its realised that said game was a one off and he's useless for those ten games before being dropped again.

After following United for over 45 years I've seen this scenario play out far too many times. In recent years we've seen it with Pogba, Rashford, Bruno, Sancho etc etc. The media doesn't help, calling for said player to be included based on that one good game and its killed us over the years. Its fine if said player goes on to have ten great games, but in reality 90% haven't.

You can try McT up front but as what? A partner for Hojlund? A replacement?
If its alongside then you're back to either 4-4-2, 4-1-3-2, 4-3-1-2. All have their problems with our current players/team selection. Who do you sacrifice?

Personally, I don't think he should be a starter. He should be a squad player and brought on for games like Brentford.

 

[Piabetic]

I've always thought he would do a decent job for a smaller club as a midfielder that will arrive late in the box or get shooting opportunities from the edge of the area. He has always had a good shot on him but these types of conversations always seem to happen. How about if we played this player out of position, or that player out of position etc. People calling for Martinez or Lindelöf to play as a CDM and it all just comes down to having a squad where glaring holes have been ignored for years for some reason. No, I wouldn't play him upfront, I wouldn't play him at all unless there's no better option and you are throwing everything at a team desperate for a result in the last few minutes as we have just seen.

 

[PoTMS]

Battle is on between our 'defensive midfielders' McTominay and Casemiro for top goalscorer.

 

[AndySmith1990]

Battle is on between our 'defensive midfielders' McTominay and Casemiro for top goalscorer.

Sad but true

 

[IrishRedDevil]

Goalkeeper, maybe.

 

[horsechoker]

Keep him out of our box!

 

[Trequarista10]

Not big on the Fellaini comparison, but the chest control and awkward scuffed finish was Fellaini-esque.

 

[marktan]

Problem with McT is that he's a striker that's decent at tackling and getting around. But he's not a midfielder. Hannibal would give us more control in this game.

 

[Cantona’s Kung Fu Kick]

In a word no. If we have to resort to that we might as well accept mid table mediocrity.

 

[Cantona’s Kung Fu Kick]

Yes. He will never be a good midfielder as his passing range is still too limited.

Up front he looks natural, big frame, strong physicality, and a great finishing.

He played as a striker as a kid and he should've stayed there.

I think he’s a striker for Watford or someone like that. No way is he remotely good enough to play up front for a side with tittle ambitions. Having said that if we are to be a mid table or bottom half side then he’s fine.

 

[FootballHQ]

Better than Fellaini up there.

 

[Earth Wind and McGuire]

In a word no. If we have to resort to that we might as well accept mid table mediocrity.

Mid table mediocrity beckons wether we accept it or not.

 

[marktan]

I do think it's a shame no one's ever tried him out as a striker. He comes alive in the box, great touch, doesn't overthink, finishes well and overpowers almost all defenders. He's wasted in midfield really since he's never developed his passing game to a good enough level. You can see that his instincts from being a striker in his youth are still there.

I'd like to see it for a 10 game stretch to really evaluate but it'd never happen here with Hojlund here now, and ETH preferred the useless lump Weghourst up front last season instead.

 

[Earth Wind and McGuire]

I do think it's a shame no one's ever tried him out as a striker. He comes alive in the box, great touch, doesn't overthink, finishes well and overpowers almost all defenders. He's wasted in midfield really since he's never developed his passing game to a good enough level. You can see that his instincts from being a striker in his youth are still there.

I'd like to see it for a 10 game stretch to really evaluate but it'd never happen here with Hojlund here now, and ETH preferred the useless lump Weghourst up front last season instead.

Yep go with two up front. Rasmus and McTominay. Scott is the one scoring right now so I don’t think it’s a bad idea.

 

[Bwuk]

It’s stupid McTominay continues to play as a 6. He’s never going to be a controlling midfielder. He’s far better getting on the end of things upfront.

We can’t score goals. He should be played up with Hojlund.

Something like this is unfortunately probably our best side atm.

Hojlund
Rashford - McSauce - Bruno
Casemiro - Amrabat​

 

[edgecutter]

It’s stupid McTominay continues to play as a 6. He’s never going to be a controlling midfielder. He’s far better getting on the end of things upfront.

We can’t score goals. He should be played up with Hojlund.

Something like this is unfortunately probably our best side atm.

Hojlund
Rashford - McSauce - Bruno
Casemiro - Amrabat​

He practically played as a 10 today and had 16 touches. He was awful

 

[The holy trinity 68]

He practically played as a 10 today and had 16 touches. He was awful

Yet he still did more than what most of our attackers are able to, and that's actually score. Who cares how many touches a player gets if they can score goals.

Haaland can have 10 touches in a match and get a hatrick.

 

[edgecutter]

Yet he still did more than what most of our attackers are able to, and that's actually score. Who cares how many touches a player gets if they can score goals.

Haaland can have 10 touches in a match and get a hatrick.

We're playing with 10 men when he starts. Feck me, Casemiro has scored a few goals why not stick him up front?

 

[AndySmith1990]

Yet he still did more than what most of our attackers are able to, and that's actually score. Who cares how many touches a player gets if they can score goals.

Haaland can have 10 touches in a match and get a hatrick.

McTominay isn't Haaland. And the rest of our team don't play like City. Obviously when we come up against decent teams this actually matters

 

[Mr. MUJAC]

Mctominay use to be a striker Didn’t he? Makes sense to use him coming off the bench when we’re chasing a goal. He’s always been better when he’s played further forward. Scores for fun for Scotland. I’d rather him of came on earlier instead or Martial and had him and Højlund up front. 2 physically strong players.

No...he wasn't a striker.

 

[Berbasbullet]

No...he wasn't a striker.

This myth needs to end. IIRC he played probably less than 5 games up there?

 

[Spaghetti]

Yet he still did more than what most of our attackers are able to, and that's actually score. Who cares how many touches a player gets if they can score goals.

Haaland can have 10 touches in a match and get a hatrick.

Because he is a midfielder. A midfielder having 16 touches is virtually playing with a player less. It’s a bit different for strikers.

 

[DJ_21]

No...he wasn't a striker.

As a youth he was. He’s even said it himself in an interview.

 

[Eric_the_Red99]

This myth needs to end. IIRC he played probably less than 5 games up there?

And virtually all his recent goals have clearly come from an attacking midfielder position, making late runs into the box. None of them, as far as I can recall, have come from what you’d call typical centre forward play. That requires a different skill set, and one that McT doesn’t really have. He doesn’t have much pace or acceleration, he can’t really hold the ball up, and considering his height he’s surprisingly bad in the air. Flinging him forward should only ever be a desperation move in the dying minutes of a game, imo.

 

[Berbasbullet]

As a youth he was. He’s even said it himself in an interview.

When did he say that? And I mean being a striker when you're a kid is hardly relevant experience.

 

[pastyfool]

“People always said: ‘You played as a striker as a kid.' I never played as a striker.

“I played two games there with [former Reserves coach] Warren Joyce because we had no striker. So, whenever I score a goal, people always say: ‘He used to be a striker, that’s why.’

“I never used to be a striker! I’ve always been a midfield player, a number eight, so it is funny when you hear stuff like that.”

 

[Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber]

Ok, hear me out first before the inevitable pelters.

What we should do is buy a striker in January but with the expenditure laid out in the summer, and the Glazers unlikely to dip into their own pockets, it looks like the funds aren't gonna be available.

With Martial being a sick note, Rashford being better out wide and Ronaldo out of form/suspended/shite/leaving/all of the above, surely we can't do worse than him. ETH obviously doesn't trust any of the youth and after Greenwood, McTominay is probably the best finisher in the team.

No. He isn't and will never be a striker

 

[Baneofthegame]

Is he still our top goal scorer this season in the league?

 

[Lemon Moon]

Yeah he's mint. Get him up there. The big sweaty sock.

 

[Kellyiom]

Yeah, I'm going to get my sanity checked but things have been dire in the goalscoring department that I wouldn't mind him playing the last 30 minutes as the Scottish Fellaini.

 

[RedinIndia]

So he's the new fellaini.

Get him a contract already.

 

[Physiocrat]

This would probably be terrible but what about Maguire as a target man? He is good in the air and strong. He could get some good knock downs for McT to run on to.

 

[Kellyiom]

So he's the new fellaini.

Get him a contract already.

Haha, that made me laugh. Or maybe he could go to the China League? It does seem like the process the club's followed with contracts.