Mctominay shouldn't start games in midfield for a top10 team

Amar__

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Especially as a defensive midfielder because he isn't one.

It's quite criminal that our club is completely fine with playing someone like him every week, and what's worse he is paired with Fred! Ralph apparently thinks he is great too which is worrying too, because Acott is obviously not a defensive midfielder to begin with.

Fellaini was better midfielder than both, and he was never good enough for us either. Scott has his uses attacking wise, but defensively he is one of the most pointless midfielders I've seen, he has no idea what to do, he is absolutely lazy tracking his players, and he is hiding most of the time both with the ball and without the ball. He is running away from the situations, I can argue anyone that is at most fault for both goals today, he just jogs back from both situations like he couldn't care less, and it's because he doesn't know what to do.

Discuss.
 

SalfordRed18

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Gonna be real awkward when he scores the winner
 

L1nk

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He's a completely average midfielder yes. But what else do you expect when we don't buy another midfielder and all we have are Fred and McTominay to play those positions. Matic just hasn't got the legs to play every game.
 

amolbhatia50k

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Agreed. A CM who can't pass isn't a proper CM. He's an option you use to disrupt games or add physicality to the midfield battle. But he shouldn't be starting for top 4 hopefuls.
 

AaronRedDevil

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WE HAVE NO REPLACEMENTS. For literally any fecking player. We have like 10 players in the sqaud and the rest are League One level.
 

Swedish_Plumber

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Been a good half from United.

But there are clear deficiencies in his game when asked to sit and protect what is behind him. Rarely intercepts passes through his channel, and only puts a foot near the ball defensively to give needless fouls away.

There’s use for him in the squad but he shouldn’t start next season when we hopefully strengthen in the summer.
 

Tom Cato

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I think it would be a great idea to disable topic creation during a game.
 

Amar__

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He's a completely average midfielder yes. But what else do you expect when we don't buy another midfielder and all we have are Fred and McTominay to play those positions. Matic just hasn't got the legs to play every game.
We don't have a CDM who can play 2 games a week so the club is having to use what they have
Well finishing the transfer period without bringing any half competent Premier league midfielder at worst to play there is why I am asking why are they ignoring it?

We could bring 5 most avaregae PL midfielders and they wouldn't look any worse than him and Fred. Relying on him is why I am baffled in first place, are we that broke?
 

Chairman Steve

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He’s only starting so many because Utd over the years have grossly neglected the area of the pitch he plays in. He’s a decent squad rotation option if we were a serious major honours contender.
 

2 man midfield

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Midfield has been neglected for ages, so Ralf is making the best of what he’s got. We need serious investment in that area but that doesn’t help us right now.
 

matt23

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I think he'd be pretty good at somewhere like Southampton to be fair.
 

sullydnl

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I don't see much point in judging him overly harshly when he's a non-DM playing as a DM. It's not like his performances don't suffer from being part of a dyfunctional midfield too.
 

Red Devil 26

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Utterly criminal for that 2nd goal. Loses his man and then proceeds to stand around whilst chaos unfolds around him. Garbage.
 

Adisa

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Hes not good enough to start for our rivals. So the blatant truth is that he shouldn't start for us either. That said, he plays becuase the club has failed in team building but at least, he gives everything. I cant say that for a lot of our players
 

MattofManchester

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Yeah, no shit.

Not like the whole fanbase hasn't been calling for a new DM and CM since last season.

You're a real Sherlock.
 

Abraxas

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It's all very well having a rant about him but the OP offers no alternative suggestion. That is the crux of the matter. It is probable that McT plays not because he is an outstanding candidate to take this club forward but because we are defaulting upon him at this point. The alternatives come with their own not insignificant drawbacks.

Matic can hardly move. Best utilised occasionally or for 15-20 minutes so we can use his passing.

Pogba, well, that story has been done to death but he's needed in an attacking role today

The manager is doing what he can quite frankly. Until the summer this is the hand we have to play.
 

Manny

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If you watch him in the defensive phases, he never looks around to see what dangers are around him and will just run straight towards the player with the ball.
 

Amar__

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Hes not good enough to start for our rivals. So the blatant truth is that he shouldn't start for us either. That said, he plays becuase the club has failed in team building but at least, he gives everything. I cant say that for a lot of our players
He doesn't, as proved today for both goals where was just lazy. How can you watch him every week and say he gives everything because he is generally the slowest player to return back when people counter attack us.

I don't see much point in judging him overly harshly when he's a non-DM playing as a DM. It's not like his performances don't suffer from being part of a dyfunctional midfield too.
I blame him for his lack of effort, and I find it amazing that people praise him for his effort when he lets go his players so many times, like for both goals today. It happens in literally every game, I don't think I've ever seen him sprint back.
 

Harry190

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I don't think he's a defensive midfielder. Wasn't he a forward in the youth teams? Like Fred?
 

Amar__

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It's all very well having a rant about him but the OP offers no alternative suggestion. That is the crux of the matter. It is probable that McT plays not because he is an outstanding candidate to take this club forward but because we are defaulting upon him at this point. The alternatives come with their own not insignificant drawbacks.

Matic can hardly move. Best utilised occasionally or for 15-20 minutes so we can use his passing.

Pogba, well, that story has been done to death but he's needed in an attacking role today

The manager is doing what he can quite frankly. Until the summer this is the hand we have to play.
As I said, there were probably many average midfielders we could have brought in the January and we would be much better, if we didn't have anyone special anyway. Sticking with Scott there is like saying Lingard is our option for a CF position and saying it's not our fault we don't have anyone better.
 

r3idy

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Don't use this word lightly but his performance has been particularly cowardly when he needs to show for the ball in the first half.
 

Abraxas

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As I said, there were probably many average midfielders we could have brought in the January and we would be much better, if we didn't have anyone special anyway. Sticking with Scott there is like saying Lingard is our option for a CF position and saying it's not our fault we don't have anyone better.
Why would we sign an average midfielder? Completely pointless. Marginal upgrades are not going to help us.

A manager and budget will be in place in the summer and it's then down to the club and manager to identify the problem and resolve it.
 

Trequarista10

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Feel a little sorry for him because he simply isn't a DM and yet is repeatedly tasked with the role. However, despite that, I still would have expected more improvement from him. Perhaps a comparison to Herrera's temporary stint as a DM could be made - Herrera was a box to box mid, somewhat similiar to McTominay, yet there was a spell of games where Herrera had to play as a DM due to injuries. Herrera showed signs of improvement despite it being awkward for him. He showed an understanding of the basics of the position. McTominay doesn't, despite having a physical advantage over Herrera that should be to his advantage. Positioning, decision making, all over the place.
 

Amar__

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Why would we sign an average midfielder? Completely pointless. Marginal upgrades are not going to help us.

A manager and budget will be in place in the summer and it's then down to the club and manager to identify the problem and resolve it.
Maybe because we don't have a defensive midfielder to begin with? Having a average midfielder instead of a make shit defensive midfielder is more than a marginal upgrade.
 

11101

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Every time City come through the middle it's him that's lost his man. He's no better than Tom Cleverley was and will also end up at a Watford some day.
 

Abraxas

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Maybe because we don't have a defensive midfielder to begin with? Having a average midfielder instead of a make shit defensive midfielder is more than a marginal upgrade.
In your mind it is. Maybe the club and manager took the view that resources spent on an average player has a knock on effect for a summer budget when a full-time manager is in place. Maybe they also realise that transfers don't come with guanratees and don't necessarily immediately hit the ground running so the 6 months between January and the summer isn't worth compromising on quality.

There are a lot of potential reasons why not much was done in January that are pretty logical and if it results in getting the right midfielders in the summer I would say the club acted prudently.

Ole probably ballsed it up by not prioritising it, but it's water under the bridge now and you're preaching to the converted on McTominay so I don't know what the grand point is. We know it's a problem but we also know the uncertainty around the club and how January works.
 

elmo

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I've been saying it for a long time, he's championship level at best and most championship sides would want better than Scott starting for them if they want to get promoted.