[khoazany]

Not sure what people's expectation is. McTominay had never been a midfield maestro or pass master. He's a physical, dynamic midfielder with decent passing ability. That's about it. Jose promoted him because he likes what Scott offers.

Who give a damn whether the media is interested or not?

 

[DdeGoat]

He's a better passer than Herrera, Fellaini and Periera. For that reason alone, he'll never be 'average'.

Ally that with his size, and offset it by his age. He's got oodles of potential.

Who McTominay?

He is not a better passer than Herrera or Pereira. Herrera's passing is really underrated. He doesn't have the hollywood pass in his locker but his short passing and vision is excellent.

 

[Gerald G]

Same for me. Just doesn't seem to have anything special which screams a United player. Seems like another Cleverley, rated by own fans when younger but who would not get a second look if he played for a mid table team.

I don't even think he's like Cleverley because I think Cleverley had more to his game but didn't improve. I just don't see anything good with McTominay, without sounding too harsh.

 

[lsd]

Who McTominay?

He is not a better passer than Herrera or Pereira. Herrera's passing is really underrated. He doesn't have the hollywood pass in his locker but his short passing and vision is excellent.

He had a very good game and was way more effective than Herrera .Gets better every time i see him and i can see him bring in out team for years

 

[Decomposing In Paris]

Who McTominay?

He is not a better passer than Herrera or Pereira. Herrera's passing is really underrated. He doesn't have the hollywood pass in his locker but his short passing and vision is excellent.

That one against Chelsea last season was awesome.

 

[DdeGoat]

I don't even think he's like Cleverley because I think Cleverley had more to his game but didn't improve. I just don't see anything good with McTominay, without sounding too harsh.

Both Cleverley and Gibson were more talented. I am with you, looks like a nothing player.

He had a very good game and was way more effective than Herrera .Gets better every time i see him and i can see him bring in out team for years

He wasn't more effective than Herrera. Herrera was a bit circumspect in the first half but was excellent in the second half. He had a very good game overall. As for McTominay, well, he was there.

 

[Fiskey]

At his age Matic was a dodgy number 10 and Carrick a nothing midfielder in a West Ham team that got relegated. Scholes was a striker, Kante and Makelele were nowhere. I'm sure there are other examples.

He's destined to be a 6, and they develop later. Give him time.

 

[Gerald G]

Both Cleverley and Gibson were more talented. I am with you, looks like a nothing player.

Yeah I agree with that. I saw the quality in Cleverley and Gibson, and it was just about whether they can improve. I don't see it with McTominay.

 

[Dante]

Who McTominay?

He is not a better passer than Herrera or Pereira. Herrera's passing is really underrated. He doesn't have the hollywood pass in his locker but his short passing and vision is excellent.

I don't agree with that at all. Here are all of McTominay's touches. I don't think he had a great game against Yeovil, but that's not what I'm looking at when I'm assessing his potential.

See how efficient he is with the ball. See how few touches he takes. See how quickly he releases his passes. It's obvious he's got a picture of the pitch in his head before he even gets the ball, and he always seems to know exactly what he's going to do next.


That's Pereira's latest game for which I can find a touch compilation. It's obviously much flashier, but he's far more hesitant in posession. I think he's a great prospect as well, but this is the main thing that's going to hold him back from making it to the top.

At the top end, being a good passer isn't about flashiness. It's about efficiency and crispness. Once all the pieces fall into place, McTominay will be an excellent passer. I think he's comfortably better than Herrera, too.

In a given situation, Scholes or Xavi wouldn't need to take any touches before making a useful pass. The likes of Carrick or Matic would take one. Someone at the level of Henderson or Herrera would take two. A midtable midfilelder would take three. McTominay is comfortably in the second tier already.

 

[Tapori]

Impressed with the lad; looks a mourinho player.
Inconsistency is to be expected. Yes he made a few mistake, so what?
When is that last time we had a midfielder come though the academy?
Will improve and who better to coach him than Carrick himself.
Loved him turning and running and you can see he want to pick that incisive pass through the lines.
Will be a starter if he carries on developing.
Stop expecting him to be a full product; look at his qualities and potential.

 

[Tapori]

I don't agree with that at all. Here are all of McTominay's touches. I don't think he had a great game against Yeovil, but that's not what I'm looking at when I'm assessing his potential.

See how efficient he is with the ball. See how few touches he takes. See how quickly he releaes his passes. It's obvious he's got a picture of the pitch in his head before he even gets the ball, and he always seems to know exactly what he's going to do next.


That's Pereira's latest game for which I can find a touch compilation. It's obviously much flashier, but he's far more hesitant in posession. I think he a great prospect, but that's the one thing that's going to hold him back from making it to the top.

At the top end, being a good passer isn't about flashiness. It's about efficiency and crispness. Once all the pieces fall into place, McTominay will be an excellent passer. I think he's comfortably better than Herrera, too.

In a given situation, Scholes or Xavi wouldn't need to take any touches before making a useful pass. The likes of Carrick or Matic would take one. Someone at the level ofHenderson or Herrera would take two. A midtable midfilelder would take three. McTominay is comfortably in the second tier already.

Well said.
I would rather a player making the right decisions and them not being executed; that finesse that fine tuning can be improved with regular play.

 

[Fiskey]

Well said @Dante

 

[andersj]

I don't agree with that at all. Here are all of McTominay's touches. I don't think he had a great game against Yeovil, but that's not what I'm looking at when I'm assessing his potential.

See how efficient he is with the ball. See how few touches he takes. See how quickly he releases his passes. It's obvious he's got a picture of the pitch in his head before he even gets the ball, and he always seems to know exactly what he's going to do next.


That's Pereira's latest game for which I can find a touch compilation. It's obviously much flashier, but he's far more hesitant in posession. I think he's a great prospect as well, but this is the main thing that's going to hold him back from making it to the top.

At the top end, being a good passer isn't about flashiness. It's about efficiency and crispness. Once all the pieces fall into place, McTominay will be an excellent passer. I think he's comfortably better than Herrera, too.

In a given situation, Scholes or Xavi wouldn't need to take any touches before making a useful pass. The likes of Carrick or Matic would take one. Someone at the level of Henderson or Herrera would take two. A midtable midfilelder would take three. McTominay is comfortably in the second tier already.

Good post. McTominay still have a long way to go, but the basic foundation is there. Mourinho probably makes a similar assesment as you, furthermore I would guess he assess the following;

- Technique is «good enough»,
- Physically he is already good (pace, stamnia and strength), with excellent potential,
- Intelligent,
- Very professional with good attitude,

A player like Pereira is better in terms of abilities, but lack the attitude and intelligence of McTominay. And his abilites is not good enough to make up for it.

 

[TheFlagStaysDown]

He had a very good game and was way more effective than Herrera .Gets better every time i see him and i can see him bring in out team for years

Surely he had a better game he set up a counter few times he tried to play a crossfield pass, his first touch was inconsistent and didn't play anything special. Looked unfazed but his pass completion should be much better for a midfielder.

Of course he was in the game more because we had sanchez and shaw on the left in the first half pulling the strings as opposed to shocking Darmian with Mata.

Second half Herrera dominated the game, scored a great goal which he started on our half and added some neat passing through the lines for lukaku goal and earlier released lingard on goal.

Just sums up how some fans are deluded and try hard to look their player to look better than others. This game wasn’t really the one to make your point as you might look like a fool. Herrera was also by far MotM on Whoscored.

I really don't see and never seen anything in McTominay’s game to show he’s got top abilities to play for Mufc, hes got a fighting spirit and is tall but lacks big time in positioning and passing accuracy, the same why I think Pereira will probably struggle to make it ss a midfielder, hes losing the ball too much. So no matter how composed he looks on the ball with a decent passing, there are other traits to learn.

In ideal world he should go out on loan and play as much as possible but hes jist too average at everything that very few clubs might go after him. There were better midfielders before like Pearson or Rothwell who are playing in lower divisions. Scott was lucky for the timing and with Mou’s fetish of prefering tall players.

Id rather see someone like Hamilton to get a chance but haven't seen a game of reserves for some time.

 

[Kag]

I don't agree with that at all. Here are all of McTominay's touches. I don't think he had a great game against Yeovil, but that's not what I'm looking at when I'm assessing his potential.

See how efficient he is with the ball. See how few touches he takes. See how quickly he releases his passes. It's obvious he's got a picture of the pitch in his head before he even gets the ball, and he always seems to know exactly what he's going to do next.


That's Pereira's latest game for which I can find a touch compilation. It's obviously much flashier, but he's far more hesitant in posession. I think he's a great prospect as well, but this is the main thing that's going to hold him back from making it to the top.

At the top end, being a good passer isn't about flashiness. It's about efficiency and crispness. Once all the pieces fall into place, McTominay will be an excellent passer. I think he's comfortably better than Herrera, too.

In a given situation, Scholes or Xavi wouldn't need to take any touches before making a useful pass. The likes of Carrick or Matic would take one. Someone at the level of Henderson or Herrera would take two. A midtable midfilelder would take three. McTominay is comfortably in the second tier already.

McTominay is quite an intelligent lad - and very involved during a game - but the wider picture to be taken away from comparing those specific videos is that Pereira is a significantly better footballer at this point in time.

I'm not seeing the hesitancy either - unless getting caught on the ball in the opposition half on one occasion is a fair reflection of hesitation.

Apples and oranges, really. Pereira and McTominay are quite different in their approach to the game, never mind passing.

@andersj I would also take issue with the suggestion McTominay has an "attitude" that Pereira doesn't. The latter doesn't work hard or get stuck in? Being noticeably gifted player doesn't make one lazy.

 

[elmo]

He’ll replace Fellaini’s role next season and will probably be better for us in 2-3 years time.

 

[andersj]

McTominay is quite an intelligent lad - and very involved during a game - but the wider picture to be taken away from comparing those specific videos is that Pereira is a significantly better footballer at this point in time.

I'm not seeing the hesitancy either - unless getting caught on the ball in the opposition half on one occasion is a fair reflection of hesitation.

Apples and oranges, really. Pereira and McTominay are quite different in their approach to the game, never mind passing.

@andersj I would also take issue with the suggestion McTominay has an "attitude" that Pereira doesn't. The latter doesn't work hard or get stuck in? Being noticeably gifted player doesn't make one lazy.

Why would you assume that I suggest being gifted makes you lazy? Dont make sense...

My impression is that McTominay is the type of guy who follows instructions from a coach thoroughly. A boy scout. Or to borrow a Mourinho-phrase, a soldier. Sometimes when Pereira plays I get the feeling he tries a bit too hard. Yes, he is very talented, but if he wants the trust of a coach like Mourinho he should prove that he is able to do what he is told, not being able to do the Hollywood-pass.

Was not Pereira involved in the corner-competition with Januzaj a couple of years ago? I’m sure he has matured since, but it was unprofessional from him. I also seem to remember Warren Joyce claiming recently that Pereira will have to mature to reach his potential.

 

[King.of.Red]

I like this kid. Strong and always fearless.

 

[RyRy11]

He needs to improve if he hopes to be at least a squad player here... He'll probably be sold to a championship team within 3 years if not.

 

[podurban2]

He needs to improve if he hopes to be at least a squad player here... He'll probably be sold to a championship team within 3 years if not.

He’s 21yo and doing just fine under Morinho who has faith in him. Take a chill pill.

 

[Kag]

Why would you assume that I suggest being gifted makes you lazy? Dont make sense...

My impression is that McTominay is the type of guy who follows instructions from a coach thoroughly. A boy scout. Or to borrow a Mourinho-phrase, a soldier. Sometimes when Pereira plays I get the feeling he tries a bit too hard. Yes, he is very talented, but if he wants the trust of a coach like Mourinho he should prove that he is able to do what he is told, not being able to do the Hollywood-pass.

Was not Pereira involved in the corner-competition with Januzaj a couple of years ago? I’m sure he has matured since, but it was unprofessional from him. I also seem to remember Warren Joyce claiming recently that Pereira will have to mature to reach his potential.

Not necessarily in this case, but it does happen. Nani, for example, was often described as lazy in spite of always tracking back. He'd be compared to Valencia (apparently less talented/more economical) and criticised by comparison. It was unfair. The Pereiria attitude remark seemed comparable, that's all.

Again, I look at Pereira and don't really see a player that doesn't follow instructions. I don't think he's particularly Hollywood either. Usually, it's his work rate and tackling that is better than the more attacking areas of his game.

 

[jb8521]

I think one thing people aren't taking into account with McTominay is just how much football he missed with growth related issues when he was younger. He's basically only played around 50 games at any level over the past 5 years and many of these were only short cameos or playing out of position so he's basically learning his trade at the highest level so of course there are times when he'll look raw or make the wrong decision but the upside with these types of players is that the manager can basically mould them into whatever type of player they want and they can develop very quickly when things click. I don't think he'll ever be a world beater but he seems like the type of lad who takes on the managers instructions well and does exactly what the manager wants with no ego which is probably why Mourinho likes him.

 

[andersj]

I think one thing people aren't taking into account with McTominay is just how much football he missed with growth related issues when he was younger. He's basically only played around 50 games at any level over the past 5 years and many of these were only short cameos or playing out of position so he's basically learning his trade at the highest level so of course there are times when he'll look raw or make the wrong decision but the upside with these types of players is that the manager can basically mould them into whatever type of player they want and they can develop very quickly when things click. I don't think he'll ever be a world beater but he seems like the type of lad who takes on the managers instructions well and does exactly what the manager wants with no ego which is probably why Mourinho likes him.

He must also be a late developer. Some players are finished growing at 16 and are men at 18-19. McTominay finished growing at 20, and will develop a lot physically the next couple of years. It is a similar case to Lingard, but due to his height it is easy to forget.

 

[JoaquinJoaquin]

He's a better passer than Herrera, Fellaini and Periera. For that reason alone, he'll never be 'average'.
.

Nope. He isn't.

 

[Seven Seas Sardines]

He’s not going to get any football at wba either. They’re in a relegation battle and will probably be out of the cup this weekend too

 

[Dante]

Nope. He isn't.

Cool.You're not somebody who understands football particularly well, then

Hopefully when McTominay gets a better rating on FM, you'll be able to see how good he is

 

[LazyRed-Ninja]

People are already judging a 20 year old youth prospect...

 

[Brightonian]

Cool.You're not somebody who understands football particularly well, then

Hopefully when McTominay gets a better rating on FM, you'll be able to see how good he is

Nah, he's right. McTominay is not a better passer than Herrera. Yet, anyway.

I did like the look of him against Yeovil more than I have either for the first team or in the youth sides though - admittedly limited given that he's spent so much of his development injured, or at least that's been my impression. But there was definitely something about him the other day. A sort of Carrick-esque coolness and willingness to take his time when necessary.

 

[Yagami]

I used to think posters who always said members of the Café go overboard when rating our youth products who come onto the scene were a bit OTT, but you really see it here with McTominay.

 

[Mr PG]

The car underrating him is a good thing if Rashford(barely anybody here believed in him even after scorching start, Lingard are anything to go by. By now you’d think people would know, JM doesn’t play anybody by chance. Least of all young players.

 

[shamans]

People are already judging a 20 year old youth prospect...

You realize there's a billion dollar business of coaches and scouts that do exactly that? There's nothing wrong with judging a prospect. Are you telling me we can't say anything about how he will develop vs someone of a similar age like Martial?

 

[Suedesi]

He's not a Man Utd quality player.

 

[LazyRed-Ninja]

You realize there's a billion dollar business of coaches and scouts that do exactly that? There's nothing wrong with judging a prospect. Are you telling me we can't say anything about how he will develop vs someone of a similar age like Martial?

There is no issue in posters acting like scouts, but i object to those who make definitive conclusions.

 

[Jonno]

He's not a Man Utd quality player.

How do you know? The guy is 21 and I can think of tonnes of central midfielders at 21 that wouldn’t be deemed good enough, only to improve dramatically in the next 5 years.

 

[POF]

He's a better passer than Herrera, Fellaini and Periera. For that reason alone, he'll never be 'average'.

Ally that with his size, and offset it by his age. He's got oodles of potential.

He really really isn't. Interesting that you used his touch compilation against Yeovil to demonstrate this. From the same game, see the passes Herrera played to Lingard (put him through when he missed his kick), Rojo (for the 4th goal) and Mata midway through the second half.

Herrera spots a pass and plays through the lines far better than he is given credit for and certainly far better than McTominay.

McTominay is a good solid passer but he doesn't have much creativity or imagination in his passing. He will play because of his physical attributes and that's ok.

 

[Jonno]

21 year old McTominay v 28 year old, peak Hererra?

Let’s revisit this when McTominay is 28

 

[MikeKing]

Has a long way to go. But he looks a tidy, clever and functional player already. As people have said, José sees him as a soldier and is moulding him into whatever he wants. That is exciting! He also seems to always get at least a strike on goal a game

 

[Jaybomb]

If his name was Tomilinho, nobody would have a negative word to say about him.

 

[dannyrhinos89]

Don’t rate him either, he will be in the championship in a couple of seasons.

 

[Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber]

he will be a very refined and quicker version of Afro man. I really like the positions he takes up in midfield