McTominay - what’s his potential?

Blood Mage

Full Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2019
Messages
5,982
Solid midfielder for a mid-table club, that's it. I can't see him being in Ten Hag's plans.
 

Hughie77

Full Member
Joined
Oct 22, 2017
Messages
4,162
When the new guy comes in, and I hope he buys at least 1 CM, Mctom will become a squad player, hes playing now because we haven't got much else in there, and Even Ralph has gone back to him and Fred.
 

Chripper

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Mar 30, 2014
Messages
496
Type this into YouTube: Scott McTominay vs Barcelona Home 10 04 2019 UHD 4K



Cut to 1:09

If you can outmuscle and out maneuver three Barcelona players, singhanded, you might have something about you.

The issue is that he hasn't had a real manager to guide him. Jose is a troll who joins clubs only to collect the compensation package after three seasons. One is Championship level and RR is probably a director of football.
 

GreatDane

Full Member
Joined
Feb 19, 2019
Messages
1,607
I honestly really like him.
He might not be the most technical or the perfect midfielder, but some games requires a hard player and he's good at that. He can take and give a good tackle.
 

jesperjaap

Full Member
Joined
Jun 23, 2014
Messages
5,742
Good pro, goor physicality, godo work rate, good attitude. I like him in those respects....but he is limited, still find it funny a season or two back people on here saying Rice was a poor target as McTominay was as good if not better.

He doesnt have the intelligence to play defensive midfield, he regularly fails to track or notice movement of players around him, his touch is average, passing is average. But he is a useful player to hav ein the squad and for certain games.

Actually one of the bottom of the list of players I would move on, but also near the bottom of players should be starting for us regularly, but I feel every squad needs a player like him
 

Ghostrider318

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Dec 8, 2014
Messages
418
He needs a manager who will have to sort out his positioning first. He stands behinds players far too often. He has a decent pass in him but does give the ball away cheaply quite often with rushed passes. If we can fix these two issues then we have a pretty decent player on our hands.
 

Foxbatt

New Member
Joined
Oct 21, 2013
Messages
14,297
Type this into YouTube: Scott McTominay vs Barcelona Home 10 04 2019 UHD 4K



Cut to 1:09

If you can outmuscle and out maneuver three Barcelona players, singhanded, you might have something about you.

The issue is that he hasn't had a real manager to guide him. Jose is a troll who joins clubs only to collect the compensation package after three seasons. One is Championship level and RR is probably a director of football.
So did Fellaini. He scared Juventus so much that they scored an own goal. Does not mean he is good enough for Manchester United. That said I would always select Fellaini ahead of McTominay.
 

clarkydaz

Full Member
Joined
Oct 25, 2013
Messages
13,435
Location
manchester
So did Fellaini. He scared Juventus so much that they scored an own goal. Does not mean he is good enough for Manchester United. That said I would always select Fellaini ahead of McTominay.
same, at least he had an effect on games and ruffled the opposition
 

Rozay

Master of Hindsight
Joined
Oct 22, 2012
Messages
27,197
Location
...
Will still be central next season I suspect. For the blindingly obvious that we see, he has a lot of fans in places that matter. Pundits still seem to think he will go on to be a United captain, apparently Rangnick is a fan and I can’t see the likes of Fletcher telling Ten Hag early anything other than he’s the best thing since. I can’t see anything other than TH being told that he’s one of the players he can ‘trust’.
 

Bwuk

Full Member
Joined
Feb 29, 2012
Messages
17,344
I would imagine Ten Hag will want someone who can dictate play from deeper and well stop using McTominay as a #6. He’ll return to a more box to box role, which suits him better.
 

United in sin

New Member
Joined
Nov 14, 2020
Messages
2,781
I hope he's not forced on Hag like the others have been. No way he's a Ten Hag player. The club politics need to stop meddling
 

Chripper

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Mar 30, 2014
Messages
496
I hope he's not forced on Hag like the others have been. No way he's a Ten Hag player. The club politics need to stop meddling
McTominay hasn't been forced onto anyone.

Who do you suggest we play? Matic's legs have all but gone. Mata would be found out if he played deep in midfield. Pogba can't be trusted playing deep. The ones below those players are kids.

Scott McTominay Is playing because there's no alternative. He hasn't been forced onto anyone. People say stuff like that like we have a young Robson or a young Keane being ignored. We don't.
 

United in sin

New Member
Joined
Nov 14, 2020
Messages
2,781
McTominay hasn't been forced onto anyone.

Who do you suggest we play? Matic's legs have all but gone. Mata would be found out if he played deep in midfield. Pogba can't be trusted playing deep. The ones below those players are kids.

Scott McTominay Is playing because there's no alternative. He hasn't been forced onto anyone. People say stuff like that like we have a young Robson or a young Keane being ignored. We don't.
Pogba has played deep evertytime he's had to partner McTominay. You're merely saying things that are not factual. McTominay lacks positional and spacial awareness and this has affected his partners including Fred who covers more acres constantly to cover Mctominays ineptitude. Pogba has made more ball recoveries per 90 in the league than McTominay has and it goes unmentioned for instance
 
Last edited:

Bebestation

Im a doctor btw, my IQ destroys yours
Joined
Oct 9, 2019
Messages
11,862
Pogba has played deep evertytime he's had to partner McTominay. You're merely saying things that are not factual. McTominay lacks positional and spacial awareness and this has affected his partners including Fred who covers more acres constantly to cover Mctominays ineptitude. Pogba has made more ball recoveries per 90 in the league than McTominay has and it goes unmentioned
I personally don't see why a pure box to box player needs this positional and spacial awareness.

Seems like the description of a ball winning defensive midfielder which Mctominay is not.
 

cyril C

Full Member
Joined
Nov 26, 2017
Messages
2,656
If he can consistently reach prime Fletcher performances, we'll be just fine.
Agree. But he is still KM away from Fletcher's average standard. But if you are talking about 2-3 years horizon, if he puts his head down to train and learn instead of thinking he is already there, then he can be a useful box-2-box player.
 

lex talionis

Full Member
Joined
Jul 25, 2017
Messages
14,055
His potential is modest, but I’m still ok with McTominay being a squad player for us.
 

Bebestation

Im a doctor btw, my IQ destroys yours
Joined
Oct 9, 2019
Messages
11,862
Fletcher without Carrick, Keane and Scholes would have been fantastic to watch for United through a decade :lol: imagine him being our main and only midfielder for year upon year except that random season he stepped up in his prime.
 

Chripper

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Mar 30, 2014
Messages
496
Pogba has played deep evertytime he's had to partner McTominay. You're merely saying things that are not factual. McTominay lacks positional and spacial awareness and this has affected his partners including Fred who covers more acres constantly to cover Mctominays ineptitude. Pogba has made more ball recoveries per 90 in the league than McTominay has and it goes unmentioned
I didn't say that Pogba hasn't been a pivot. I'm saying that it's not his game. Not exactly what his game is, though, as Pogba has been useless everywhere.

Yes. And Pogba has also lost possession more than McTominay and it still goes unmentioned.

Paul Pogba has cost Manchester United £179.6 in transfer fee and wages. If all that does is buy you more ball recoveries than players who cost £0, then football is in a dreadful state.
 

United in sin

New Member
Joined
Nov 14, 2020
Messages
2,781
I didn't say that Pogba hasn't been a pivot. I'm saying that it's not his game. Not exactly what his game is, though, as Pogba has been useless everywhere.

Yes. And Pogba has also lost possession more than McTominay and it still goes unmentioned.

Paul Pogba has cost Manchester United £179.6 in transfer fee and wages. If all that does is buy you more ball recoveries than players who cost £0, then football is in a dreadful state.
Pogba has been uniteds best central midfielder since he signed, uts not even close.
 

Chripper

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Mar 30, 2014
Messages
496
Pogba has been uniteds best central midfielder since he signed, uts not even close.
Paul Pogba is not a centra midfielder.

The reason he was so imperious at Juventue is because he had midfielders like Pirlo, Vidal, Marchisio and Khedira doing the dirty work, allowing him to stroll around.

He doesn't have that luxury at United.
 

RedRonaldo

Wishes to be oppressed.
Joined
Aug 17, 2003
Messages
18,996
Worst than Fletcher, better than Cleverley.

Good workhorse/attitude, bad passer/technique. Midtable footballer.
 

Lecland07

Full Member
Joined
Oct 23, 2021
Messages
2,835
He reached his potential the moment he stepped on the pitch for his debut
 

Walrus

Oppressed White Male
Joined
Aug 25, 2008
Messages
11,165
Ive been a big advocate of McTominay, and still think he can be a very effective player for us. The problem is that he has zero sense of defensive positioning or awareness/reading the game, which makes him completely unsuitable for any sort of DM role. I hope that this is an area he can improve on, because it is quite a glaring weakness right now.

The other issue is that McTominay and Fred both have the same essential role. They both thrive when given a bit of freedom and license to get forward, they both struggle when asked to sit back and be disciplined. I feel like one of them probably needs to leave - I would prefer to keep Scott as he is an academy player which - aside from the purely romantic angle - is very helpful for meeting homegrown quotas (you ever wonder why City always seem to have a couple of random 17yo academy players on their bench?).
 

Lemon Moon

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Dec 10, 2020
Messages
713
Location
Manchester
That's the position he's been playing since Ralf took over. Scott was actually quite good for the first month (arguably his best ever run of games for us IMO) and had me wondering if maybe I'd been too harsh on him and he was going to be able to step up further. But since then he's completely fallen away again.
I've seen him play there once or twice this season & like you said played well, held his own.
He's in a run of poor form like the rest of the lads but I back him to turn it around. He's got the right mentality.
 

Lemon Moon

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Dec 10, 2020
Messages
713
Location
Manchester
Please no. It’s so clear he’s an able if unspectacular B2B but he should never ever ever be a holding midfielder. Problem for him is Fred is much better as a B2B than him and so he’s the most easily upgradable midfielder we have right now. Just imagine how much more balance we’d have with someone like Ndidi instead of McT. Just look at how much better we are structurally when old man Matic plays.

McT is a great squad player and versatile without being elite, I don’t think he should be starting though if our ambitions are to challenge for the league.
I believe he can do a job there. But agree he's not an elite footballer.
 

Lentwood

Full Member
Joined
Jan 2, 2015
Messages
6,840
Location
West Didsbury, Manchester
McTominay is one of those 7/10 players SAF would have used perfectly and managed to get consistent 8/10 performances out of when selected. See Phil Neville, John O'Shea, Nicky Butt etc...

I think there's a role for him, I think maybe in a midfield three or even in a back three?
 

honirelandboy

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Jun 24, 2021
Messages
363
McTominay is one of those 7/10 players SAF would have used perfectly and managed to get consistent 8/10 performances out of when selected. See Phil Neville, John O'Shea, Nicky Butt etc...

I think there's a role for him, I think maybe in a midfield three or even in a back three?
No just No, I wouldn't even class him as average. He wouldn't start for the top 15 teams in the league so why would you keep him.
 

FrankDrebin

Don't call me Shirley
Joined
Aug 25, 2019
Messages
20,476
Location
Police Squad
Supports
USA Manchester Red Socks
Don't care how SAF would've used him, It's all about Hag. Technically McTom isn't at the required level.
 

Gordon Godot

New Member
Joined
Feb 19, 2016
Messages
1,374
Don't care how SAF would've used him, It's all about Hag. Technically McTom isn't at the required level.
Agreed. I think also there is a tendency to romantacise Fergie and also big up home grown players. McT is nowhere near a Scholes, Fletcher or even Butt. In his later years CM was a disaster zone for Ferguson, from Klebberson to Djemba-Djemba, some awful signings. Shame that Hargreaves knees were knackered. But still, Fergie left a big hole in midfield when he retired that Carrick could only carry for so long. McT is at best a squad player for league cup and rotation, maybe late impact sub when need some energy. Nothing more.
 

luke511

Full Member
Joined
Jul 13, 2013
Messages
6,966











The manager we have has nothing to do with it really, he's just not good enough technically or mentally to be a utd player. Butt, P.Neville and O'Shea were lightyears ahead of this guy.
 

Gordon Godot

New Member
Joined
Feb 19, 2016
Messages
1,374
All from this season -












The manager we have has nothing to do with it really, he's just not good enough technically or mentally to be a utd player. Butt, P.Neville and O'Shea were lightyears ahead of this guy.
100% agree. Honestly not sure Fred is much better, though has raised his game recently. But still a massive gaping hole in the middle of pitch. MCT never will be a starter by merit at MUFC. End of debate
 

Gordon Godot

New Member
Joined
Feb 19, 2016
Messages
1,374
Look, he's not even a squad player.
Dont disagree but given state of squad, Matic is done, for next season or two we may have no choice. Garner needs a chance but not sure have a proper physical DM ready for 1st team squad? Precisely the gap that Ralf has called out.
 

FrankDrebin

Don't call me Shirley
Joined
Aug 25, 2019
Messages
20,476
Location
Police Squad
Supports
USA Manchester Red Socks
Dont disagree but given state of squad, Matic is done, for next season or two we may have no choice. Garner needs a chance but not sure have a proper physical DM ready for 1st team squad? Precisely the gap that Ralf has called out.
I think we'll bring in 3 midfielders in the summer. Yeah, I'm being optimistic. :D
 

Lentwood

Full Member
Joined
Jan 2, 2015
Messages
6,840
Location
West Didsbury, Manchester
No just No, I wouldn't even class him as average. He wouldn't start for the top 15 teams in the league so why would you keep him.
I don't mean to attack you personally but I'll say in general, you fit the hyperbolic nature of a decent percentage of our fanbase who want to throw the baby out with the bathwater everytime we go through a bad spell.

Of course McTominay would get a game in other top 10 clubs. Sure, he's not world class but just because we're a dysfunctional side, doesn't mean some of our players can't perform well in a functional one.

McTominay is strong, athletic, decent in the air, strikes a ball well and can actually ping a pass. What he lacks, for a top CM, is the ability to play on the half-turn, so only really tends to be effective in straight-lines.

The players we need to get rid of are the players who can't compete physically. For me right now, that's Pogba, Ronaldo, Mata, Matic, Rashford, Martial, van de Beek and most likely fringe players like Amad and Pellistri. Fred would also be on my list, but not a priority right now.

Note when I say "physically", sometimes it's not the same trait they lack. Pogba, for example, is strong but lacks intensity/aggression. Rashford is quick but lacks intensity/aggresion. Fred has intensity and some aggression but is physically small and weak.

Then what we need to figure out is how we bring in players who are both athletic AND very good footballers. Then we'll have a monster of a side. However, to get back to the point, "athletic but only slightly above average" will go further in the PL than "talented but not athletic"....hence I'd keep McTominay just for now at least.
 

bosnian_red

Worst scout to ever exist
Joined
Aug 13, 2011
Messages
58,071
Location
Canada
Realistically McTominay isn't going anywhere as I'm sure he'll be fine with being a squaddie. For sure shouldn't be a starter, but as a bench option why not. Someone with his physical attributes and drive is useful enough as a bench player, especially when there are more important issues to solve (like the starter to push him to the bench).