AneRu
Full Member
- Joined
- Jul 28, 2019
- Messages
- 3,149
He has a role to play in the squad but just not as a starter.
It's not only he can't pass, he usually doesn't bother to make himself available for the ball and subsequently doesn't pass much. He averages at least 20 passes less than any of our other midfielders in the PL. When he tries to be on the ball more like yesterday, his limitations are just more obvious.That's definitely his issue which isn't ideal for a central midfielder. He's one who needs to impress next season. Clearly useful when it comes to imposing oneself through sheer physicality and effort on opponents, but for one of the main 4/5 CMs at United let's see if he can display the necessary all round quality especially passing.
I tried but then remembered he has a contract that keeps him in the club till he's 30.Close your eyes, see him in a West Ham shirt.....perfect.
I think you're being a tad harsh but, in broad strokes, I think you're more right than wrong about McTominay's limitations. I feel similarly about Fred. People talk about the two of them as if they have had wonderful seasons. However, while there have been some games in which they were effective, with the two of them as our starting midfielders we were looking up at Leicester and Sheffield United. That should be enough to put their quality into perspective. It reminds me of when we were all getting giddy about Janzuaj, ignoring the fact that its very different to look the best player in the 7th placed team and the team that finishes where we aspire to be.I thought I’d stay out of this thread after tonight‘s game tbh. I’ve already said all I need to say on the matter, I’ve written it a million different ways and now it’s time for whatever will be to be.
My belief has always been that he has been riding on a wave of personal fondness on here. When that wears off, and other talented new kids start emerging behind him that take their emotion, all that will be left is the player. And there’s not much there, in my opinion. In the match day thread I read a lot of people asking what’s gotten into him’ and ‘where’s the old McTominay?’. This is how he’s always played in my eyes. He wasn’t passing the ball well last October either, it’s just that people didn’t care because they were so smitten with their future captain. It was just ‘passing a little sloppy today but what a warrior’. Well he was still a warrior tonight and his passing was still sloppy. It was always just going to stop being okay all of a sudden once certain novelties wore off.
Anyway, this is my own take on things, and I’m not going to try and convince posters their ‘favourite player’ isn’t all that. We’ll just let it run it’s course, and hopefully they turn out right and me wrong.
Oh God i remember when people on the Caf were talking about Pogba having to earn his place back on the teamTweet
— Twitter API (@user) date
Let’s not do this to Scott. In fairness, I doubt Ole, for one second, saw McTominay as some sort of credible competition for Pogba - only some die-harders on the internet. I don’t think Scott or the club have ever realistically seen him as some sort of Pogba rival, so I think using it to make jokes about him is unfair.Tweet
— Twitter API (@user) date
I admire posters who can criticise a player without having to criticise the person.Let’s not do this to Scott. In fairness, I doubt Ole, for one second, saw McTominay as some sort of credible competition for Pogba - only some die-harders on the internet. I don’t think Scott or the club have ever realistically seen him as some sort of Pogba rival, so I think using it to make jokes about him is unfair.
Scott is what he is, and he isn’t what he isn’t, but he’s at least an honest pro, I don’t think reds taking the piss out of his touch, technique etc is good form.
There is this twitter fan group of Manutd where they have their favourite players and then the rest are all on the chopping block.Scott is what he is, and he isn’t what he isn’t, but he’s at least an honest pro, I don’t think reds taking the piss out of his touch, technique etc is good form.
Eh? Mctominay had good season, this rewriting his season is so weird. Cleverley is baller compared to McT? McT is among top in completed dribbles for us.We are all happy how we are (kind of) selling deadwood but at the same time we are creating more of them. Long term contracts to him and Williams, buying James, Smalling is back... Neither of them is Man Utd quality. Especially McTominay. Cleverley looks like a baller comparing to McT.
Looks like some fans want us to have a starting 11 and no subs. Or they want 2 starting 11's with both with the same quality.Eh? Mctominay had good season, this rewriting his season is so weird. Cleverley is baller compared to McT? McT is among top in completed dribbles for us.
I don't understand how playing poorly now will change how he played before lockdown. All his good performances are forgotten and somehow he is deadwood now.Looks like some fans want us to have a starting 11 and no subs. Or they want 2 starting 11's with both with the same quality.
I know! Imagine a player for United having to actually earn his place!Oh God i remember when people on the Caf were talking about Pogba having to earn his place back on the team
New this type of reaction would happen, some people are so quick to criticize any player who doesn't look like a world class player every game. He was quite ordinary first half, as most of the team were, but picked up second half, and was far from a carcrash. The whole team was better second half, but when you've hardly played a competitive game for months, the rustiness is bound to be there, and some players will get back to form quite quickly, others will take several games. This is why we have pre season friendlies. I was disappointed that Ole didn't rotate the team more during those last few matches, especially in midfield, where I don't think a Matic, Pogba, Bruno midfield works at all. We give away too much possession in midfield for me, and against better teams than Southampton, Villa, Palace, West Ham and Leicester, we could we'll give away goals. To me we need one of Fred or McTominay in that midfield position.Just a carcrash of a performance. I can only think that Ole was hoping he would play himself into form, otherwise no idea how he got to stay on the pitch.
No clue... It feels some fans on twitter don't actually want us to do well. McTominay and Fred are what they are, they are back ups that in my opinion will improve. Deadwood in my book is someone who has been given opportunity after opportunity and not done well, or someone who is in the squad for no reason, never gets playing time.I don't understand how playing poorly now will change how he played before lockdown. All his good performances are forgotten and somehow he is deadwood now.
Yep, it is sad. All I can put it down to is the fact that McTominay burst onto the scene unexpectedly, no one, that I can remember, tipped him to get a first team game, let alone become a member of the first team squad, so because his rise was not spotted by these 'fans', they have great delight in putting him down when he doesn't perform as well as he should. Comparing him with Pogba is interesting. Technically McTominay is way behind Pogba, but when you need someone in that midfield to close down, tackle, win a defensive header, let the ball smash them in the face rather than give a penalty away, who would you rather have. That's why a Matic Pogba midfield two just doesn't work for me, it requires a Fred or McTominay in there.There is this twitter fan group of Manutd where they have their favourite players and then the rest are all on the chopping block.
Like Scott - He does not have Pogba's technical ability granted, but he has alot of work ethic and he wants to improve.
There is alot of this in twitter where fans minds have been made up. Lindelof cant defend, Shaw cant attack, Martial cant be a striker, McTominay can't pass based on mistakes players make in the game.
How often do we see players do 100% of things right, especially players that have not played regularly, it was a game where we were 5-0 up, instead of encouraging our players, we find anything to put them down.
It is quite sad to see really.
I agree, we have seen signs of this in games where the midfield looks open. McTominay or Fred will give us the energy to close teams down, too often Matic is way too far from the ball.That's why a Matic Pogba midfield two just doesn't work for me, it requires a Fred or McTominay in there
I don't think this is what most McTominay's critics are saying. Maybe they're not expressing themselves well? However, as I interpret it most people are saying he has no role in the team as its currently configured. I think that's right.I don't understand how playing poorly now will change how he played before lockdown. All his good performances are forgotten and somehow he is deadwood now.
You sound like you were one of those people that made such a ridiculous statementI know! Imagine a player for United having to actually earn his place!
Irony, buddy.You sound like you were one of those people that made such a ridiculous statement
I remember having same discussion with you last month, don't think we are going to agree anyways.I don't think this is what most McTominay's critics are saying. Maybe they're not expressing themselves well? However, as I interpret it most people are saying he has no role in the team as its currently configured. I think that's right.
When McTominay was playing very well for United we were playing quite differently: More compact, more role for hustling in midfield, less emphasis on what we do in possession. That set up let McTominay thrive. However, since Bruno has come in and Pogba has come back our tactics are very different. The midfield shape is different to what it was before and the balance of midfield responsibilities has changed too.
Now instead of being compact, the team is spread out and the midfield can't go chasing the ball. If they do they leave gaps for the opposition to play into cos our defensive and midfield lines are not sat on top of each other. Also with this new shape comes more defined roles in midfield. There's a clear #6 who drops back into defence to split our centre backs and allow our shape to become 3-3-1-3 in possession. A clear #8 who has the job of shuttling the ball forward. A clear #10 who has free licence.
McTominay is no longer sharing duties and so, rather than being decent to good at everything, he's being expected to be really good to great at one thing. Also the thing Ole wants him to be really good at, playing in defensive midfield, is not his strength. He doesn't have that instinct for sniffing danger and taking up the right positions on transitions. He's much better when the ball is ahead of him and he can go hunting for it. He might one day learn the position. Michael Carrick is one of his coaches so if anyone can teach him Carrick can. At the moment he's just not up to it though. He was poor in the role against Palace, he was poor against LASK. IMO his best recent performances have come as an #8 where he can push forward more and use his physical presence in an attacking capacity.
I wasn't trying to argue with you. I was just saying where people like me are coming from.I remember having same discussion with you last month, don't think we are going to agree anyways.
You might be coming from that point of view but not everyone.I wasn't trying to argue with you. I was just saying where people like me are coming from.
Not saying that this is your opinion, however it is possible that some people don't hate McTominay they just don't think what he's being asked to do plays to his strengths or helps the team.