A player I hope we offload this summer. I don't even want him on the bench. We need to aim higher and leave sentiment behind. 150 games for the club and bar 10 or so games, been totally mediocre. If he wasn't from the academy more fans would want him sold.
39
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 37
- Goals
- 2
- Assists
- 1
- Yellow cards
- 10
- Status
Needs replacing sort it out Ralf
When he isn't doing that he is usually getting tunneled or end up chasing them. He is tackling players half heartedly, and his positioning is terrible, recipe for disaster defensively. When Jones played his position it was a comedy but at least he knew how to mark and tackle individual player, if not covering the space. And with the ball there isn't much difference.
I love that he sees square passes as mistakes.
Everything Scott ever does on a football field is a mistake.
I doubt, RR meant that every square pass is a mistake. He is pragmatic, if a square pass is the most sensible thing to do, do it. The two passes he refered to were probably long passes (not necessarily lofted ones) that were played and then intercepted by CP. Especially the Fred one was very obvious from the television perspective, think, there is a rule to never do square passes in your own penalty box, I guess the rule applies more or less for Defensive Midfield as well - at least for longer balls.
He's in trouble. No, he's done here unless he can suddenly gain an ability that's not innate to him.
That is one thing you do not get out of him. He never sprints and always jogs back to defend. He get beaten by our forwards sprinting back to defend. I presume the only option is Matic and that's why RR has to keep playing him and boosting him up.
Apart from being awful with the ball. Gives away numerous needless fouls around the box leading to dangerous set pieces. Really hope he is dropped soon.
Fred has a really annoying habit of doing that as well, hopefully we can coach it out of their games.
I thought he was alright to be honest. Think he's getting judged a bit harshly.
Fred was quite a lot better, he's simply a better player but I thought McT was at least aggressive today. Yes he gave away fouls but I think RR will be looking for him to make his presence felt and win the ball. Actually use his size and attributes. I think he'd gone a bit limp this season and this was more like the attitude.
If we can sustain playing aggressively as in the first 30 mins we don't need to worry about his poor buildup so much. Win the ball, lay it off to somebody better as quickly as possible. Run into space if it's there. I think he'll have quite a simple role which should suit him because when he's asked to play tactically he's not great.
Fred was quite a lot better, he's simply a better player but I thought McT was at least aggressive today. Yes he gave away fouls but I think RR will be looking for him to make his presence felt and win the ball. Actually use his size and attributes. I think he'd gone a bit limp this season and this was more like the attitude.
If we can sustain playing aggressively as in the first 30 mins we don't need to worry about his poor buildup so much. Win the ball, lay it off to somebody better as quickly as possible. Run into space if it's there. I think he'll have quite a simple role which should suit him because when he's asked to play tactically he's not great.
He hasn’t been having good games recently but I think he’ll be fine. Every player goes through ups and downs in form.
He's somehow both not good enough yet sadly Fred's best partner (as the rest are either antique or can't defend).
Ralph disagrees though.
He will play alot this season along with Fred. They are both nailed on starters.
It's just the need to complain.
They were complaining about Fred when he was playing in a role that didn't get the best out of him - the Brazilian pressing CM as the furthest forward was instead playing as a ball winning CDM anchorman.
Now Mctominay who is a box to box player with some defensive ability is playing deeper than Fred and hardly getting to play his forward run type of game. Provides the cover most of the time to the CB'S.
Just complaint after complaint. He is doing his best to play the role only Matic can cover or do.
Pogba can't do it. VDB can't do it. Bruno fernandes can't do it. Hannibal can't do it. Only Matic is natural at playing that role and Mctominay is covering for that.
Atleast Rangnick was happy with that performance whilst alot of the fans are here crying about it.
We should always take what manager say with a bit of caution tbh. I don't think Rangnick is gonna slate/criticize anyone publicly this early.
It's just way too soon. We have seen for months and months Ole saying good thing about players who we were all witnessing playing badly.
That's fine but what we are now seeing is Rangnick's first match when he played a double pivot with us having one proactive pressing midfielder and one who defensively sat deeper.
The manager gives a very specific comment about how he found that Mctominay and Fred were in his eyes perfect OFF the ball.
Perfect is not something you can say and then hide behind the scenes.
Here everyone is then complaining about how Mctominay is playing ON the ball - when Mctominay is not even playing his most natural position to play his best ON the ball game.
Thing is, he and Fred are our best options in midfield. VDB is hyped up here but is weak defensively. Having said that, Mctominay is nowhere near the level required, and should really be the Phil Neville of this club (an option) but the issue is that the other options are so weak that he is usually first choice for any manager. We desperately need two additions in midfield, one DM and one playmaker.
yet another manager picks and praises MC Tominay, high lighting his defensive adeptness. But the all knowing cafe supposedly knows better....
In at this point thought its a lame caveat. Every manager since Mourinho picks and praises him. At some point it cease being mere coincidence and a manager not telling the whole truth
That's the biggest problem. The worst thing we did this summer was not buy a #6. The only option is to play someone that isn't a natural there. Whoever gets the job isn't going to be consistently good. I don't think McT is good enough, but we don't have a better option. Our fans keep asking for VDB, but he's not a #6.
This is fair. He has been consistently picked and praised by multiple managers. They definitely see something that a lot of us don't see. Based on the eye test and stats, I can't see it. It's still early days for Ralf, though. He also doesn't have any other options. If we don't look to bring in a #6 during the window, I guess he must also see McT as being good enough.
I think I agree with @amolbhatia50k and we just don't have the second midfielder with the quality on the ball as well as the tenacity defensively. And that will probably mean seeing Mctominay a lot more than many of us would like due to his limitations on the ball.
I can see Rangnick being in charge next season, too, and I foresee him signing a high energy midfielder to partner Fred in a 4222.
I can see Rangnick being in charge next season, too, and I foresee him signing a high energy midfielder to partner Fred in a 4222.
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There is no way RR is letting go of a high energy player when he wants to implent pressing football. The ones hoping to see his back will be very disappointed.
I’d still hope that Rangnick still at least tried VDB in the position at some stage soon alongside Fred. While he might not be as good defensively, he’s certainly a far better option on the ball. If he can’t claim that spot I don’t see him playing a huge amount.
It isn't a coincidence in my opinion that when Fred plays higher up and McTominay sits; the former looks better and the latter looks poorer. The exact same has been the case when McTominay has more freedom and Fred is instructed to sit and cover.
The truth is they're both box to box midfielders so when either of them aren't involved in the opposition half you're taking away their biggest strength.
If you put Fred is his weaker deeper position you'll get one of our least press resistant players who has a penchant for suicide passes that put us under pressure. If you put McTominay there you get someone who will be far less involved and will inevitably give away a couple of dangerous free kicks.
You're also taking away their best qualities which for Fred is his ability to press and win the ball high up the pitch; or the goalscoring threat from the edge of the box that McTominay brings.
The truth is they're both box to box midfielders so when either of them aren't involved in the opposition half you're taking away their biggest strength.
If you put Fred is his weaker deeper position you'll get one of our least press resistant players who has a penchant for suicide passes that put us under pressure. If you put McTominay there you get someone who will be far less involved and will inevitably give away a couple of dangerous free kicks.
You're also taking away their best qualities which for Fred is his ability to press and win the ball high up the pitch; or the goalscoring threat from the edge of the box that McTominay brings.
And with every manager since Mourinho, we've always had issues in CM. McT is a player who is loved by his bosses because he doesn't cheat you in terms or performances. He gives his best but it would take serious delusion to think he should be a regular feature for a side aiming to win the PL/CL.
Maybe I'm obtuse and seriously narrow minded but there is no one who will ever fully convince me (so far at least) that McT being a regular starter is good for the club long term
@amolbhatia50k I agree 100%. Hopefully Rangnick or his successor will adress that.
@Bebestation McT tries his best every game for sure and he will always get praised by his managers.
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I think someone like Rice will come in and make McTominay an alternative to Fred instead of partnering him. Atleast that’s my opinion. They are too simular for my liking. Both are best without the ball, and when playing with freedom to go on deep runs into the box. As it stands, Fred is the better player for now.
Good post. I share your thougts
The agenda against McT is amazing on here.
Yes, I agree he isn't an elite player but some of the things on here is crazy.
The comments from posters I love " We should play Donny, Bruno, Fred". When I read those, I know the poster has actually no clue about football and think its FIFA.
I would do the same on FIFA tbh, when it comes to watching real football, its kind of obvious why none of the managers play that.
1. Fred is NOT a holding mid, he is a pressing player means he needs someone else beside him
2. Playing 4-2-2-2, you have 6 players inc 2 full backs in forward positions so need CM's to be disciplined.
3. Is Donny a CDM or a 6? will he win the ball back? will he stay in his position when we attack? No, he likes to get in the box.
What people need to realise, a team needs balance.
McTominay seems like the kind of player that Rangnick will love - huge amounts of energy, strong, loves to press, and can carry the ball forward well.
He isn't the sitting midfielder that we've tried to play him as previously, but if you want someone to press like a madman, you won't find too many better than McT or Fred.
He isn't the sitting midfielder that we've tried to play him as previously, but if you want someone to press like a madman, you won't find too many better than McT or Fred.
It's also relative to the available options really. He has been slightly better the last few weeks, but yesterday I think he was dreadful.
There was visible difference in his play.
Hopefully he stops those square passes and become more progressive in his play. Needs to work on his passing
Hopefully he stops those square passes and become more progressive in his play. Needs to work on his passing
Perfectly good player to have on the bench. Has decent attributes, if not a bit limited and was decent against CP.
I like him, we know what we're getting and he works hard, but shouldn't be a starter,
I like him, we know what we're getting and he works hard, but shouldn't be a starter,
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Under Mourinho we didn't have any issues in CM. We had strictly issue on the flanks. Especially down the dead right wing
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I Saw Sancho, Bruno all give away balls too, does that mean they shouldn't play?
By all the news available RR wants the Leipzig midfielder. His release clause is 36m. He might come in January.
Bruno's form needs to improve, if not he should lose his spot. Sancho has been playing well of late, he was rightly subbed off yesterday because 2nd half he wasn't very good (given the ball away a lot, looked tired)
McTominay has been poor all season and should be dropped if there is a replacement if his form does not improve.
his biggest problem is not passing out of the touchline, but instead his refusal to make that obvious and no brainer pass into the space in front of dalot to open up the defence.
Obviously everbody makes mistakes, but it does capture some of McTominay's top-level limitations quite neatly. As in he should have a picture in his head before he receives the ball, and a top midfielder there either opens it up first-time off his left peg / outside of his right foot, or takes a sharper touch and punches it quickly inside the opposition midfielder before he can recover his angle.
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