[flameinthesun]

Showed both the good and the bad. He is great at breaking into the box, unfortunately he just doesn't have the technique to take the ball in tight spaces. It was even more glaring when Mainoo came on who could give and go in tight spaces whereas Mctominays touch was all over the place when in a tight space. Also this B2B role he is playing is another reason why there is so much space in midfield. He is doing a job but is still far off the quality that this team needs.

 

[Ekeke]

The maddening thing is he tops distance covered so you certainly can’t say he doesn’t try, but where the feck is he running to and from and why when he makes like 30 passes a game?

He's running from midfield into the 10 area in and around the box. It is a decent distance and he gets some goals from doing it. Unfortunately its at the cost of our buildup play

He's pretty much doing what was hoped for from VDB when we signed him. Start in midfield but get forward and show a bit of quality in and around the box. Didnt work out for VDB and McTom is certainly doing it better than he was because VDB (and Mount) didnt get any end product from it.

 

[InfiniteBoredom]

You do know what role he plays and what he is asked to do?


He is playing what tenHag is asking him to do. He is doing it good. I don't know how many runs he did today to open space for our player.

Let’s not pretend his passing under other managers were any better, the reason he’s playing right now is because he scored a few goals when we can’t hit a barn door, but Scott McTominay is and always will be a footballing terrorist, any semblance of control or domination with the ball dies with him in midfield, unless you play relegation fodders.

 

[Irwin99]

A very familiar story. Savage was saying that he's been one of our better players and i think he's our top scorer now i believe, but you cannot dominate games with him in midfield. Good for getting a goal, but so passive in receiving the ball and spraying passes. We probably should have taken that 30 million.

 

[90 + 5min]

Good one.

20 passes. 90 minutes, against Galatasaray.

He showed his strength, playing in the opposition box and bagging a goal, although it would’ve been an abomination if we didn’t score after the build up.

Other than that, he epitomised the lack of quality we have in midfield. Coward in possession, cowardly when defending.

He’s not the reason, but he’s certainly part and parcel of the reason why we can’t control games against absolute fodder opposition.

First and most, Galatasaray is no fodder team. They gave Bayern Munchen tough time there and are always hard to beat.

You always need different types of midfielders. You can't have 3 midfieders having ball exactly same big amount all the time. You give them different tasks.

If you are going to have a go at some midfielder today it is Amrabat.

 

[Redplane]

I still will never get people's attempt to scapegoat this guy. Is he a world beater? No of course not. But his mentality is without question. We've made the mistake way too many times over the years to release players with their heart in it just because some people think they aren't world class somehow. But then look at how fragile we are. We should have never released players like Blind, Fred, Chicharito, etc when we did. Same counts for Scott as far as I'm concerned. Any team can sign merchants who don't really care.

 

[90 + 5min]

I agree with the premise but I don't think it's good for the team. As much as you can praise him for his runs, he also deserves criticism for not providing much defensive cover.

That is not something he should be criticised for. It is all about tactics. It is up to manager. You can only judge a player for what he does. I'm not that happy with our setup because it leaves us open through the middle and with our not so defensive wingers it hurts us. However, that is how tenHag wants to play.

If I put Messi as goalkeeper. I can't start saying how poor he is for not scoring. Because it wouldn't be his task.

 

[Annihilate Now!]

The bad shot came soon after an attempt to be Stevie G. Neither were good choices because there were better options. The problem is he can’t even realise that as @Skills said. That’s particularly aggravating given he’s already making the rest of the team’s job harder by not doing his actual job, but not only does he go missing, he takes liberties in good positions. He‘s a joker.

The shot was definitely on for the first, it only just went wide.

Garnacho, Bruno, Pellestri and McT all took shots on when a pass was probably better. Only real surprise is Anthony didn't!

 

[emperortan]

McTom scored a goal today, but his performance was still as lackluster as usual. He struggled to distribute the ball, lacked positional awareness, and was nearly invisible in defense, rendering Manchester United's midfield almost ineffective. Poor Mainoo.
It's evident that the goal-scoring has deceived everyone. Continuously deploying McTom in the midfield position will keep Manchester United in a perpetual state of disarray like this. He lacks the mindset of a midfielder. Why not try retraining him as a forward?

 

[90 + 5min]

Let’s not pretend his passing under other managers were any better, the reason he’s playing right now is because he scored a few goals when we can’t hit a barn door, but Scott McTominay is and always will be a footballing terrorist, any semblance of control or domination with the ball dies with him in midfield, unless you play relegation fodders.

Once again. His role is not to be Scholes or Xavi or some passing, controlling player. His role is different.

 

[NotoriousISSY]

First and most, Galatasaray is no fodder team. They gave Bayern Munchen tough time there and are always hard to beat.

You always need different types of midfielders. You can't have 3 midfieders having ball exactly same big amount all the time. You give them different tasks.

If you are going to have a go at some midfielder today it is Amrabat.

McTominay is shite. There is nothing you could say to change the facts.

 

[flappyjay]

Scored a goal but his performance as a midfielder was lackluster .

 

[Siorac]

Why not try retraining him as a forward?

Because his biggest strength, by far, is these late runs into the box. He is at his best when arriving with the "second wave". Playing as a striker is a completely different role.

 

[InfiniteBoredom]

I still will never get people's attempt to scapegoat this guy. Is he a world beater? No of course not. But his mentality is without question. We've made the mistake way too many times over the years to release players with their heart in it just because some people think they aren't world class somehow. But then look at how fragile we are. We should have never released players like Blind, Fred, Chicharito, etc when we did. Same counts for Scott as far as I'm concerned. Any team can sign merchants who don't really care.

Other teams sign quality players who have the professional pride to try their best without issues.

For all his faults, Pogba was still ten times the footballer McTominay is for this club. Imagine getting a player of his quality without the off field issues and better application. Keeping subpar players because they try their best and are affiliated with the club is the surest way to mediocrity. Fergie had no issue flogging the likes of Butt, Phil Nev, O Shea,Brown away the moment they stopped being useful, and he watched them grow up.

 

[edgecutter]

6th in the league and going out of Europe, and people still think this guy should be at the club. He needed to come off or sit back with Manioo when it went 2-3. He's becoming another luxery player like Bruno (he should never be considered a luxery player) who you hope will score a goal, because he offers nothing in midfield, but it's on the manager who sees something that I don't.

 

[AngliaRed]

If he wasnt chipping in with goals we would all be demanding he’s benched. He has been utter crap postiionally all season and made a host of mistakes when he needed to do better.

Grateful for the goals but never should be starting for Manchester United. He doesnt get anywhere near Liverpool, City, Arsenal, Newcastle and Spurs so why do we persist with him.

 

[emperortan]

Because his biggest strength, by far, is these late runs into the box. He is at his best when arriving with the "second wave". Playing as a striker is a completely different role.

At least there seems to be hope for retraining. With McTom's qualities in terms of making runs in the penalty area and his good finishing ability, it might be worth trying. Playing him in midfield is just too disastrous.

 

[KeanoMagicHat]

A fraud defensively and in defensive possession technically, good attacking awareness and shot but ultimately not really good enough at that either. Mid-table player who has cost various managers.

 

[InfiniteBoredom]

Once again. His role is not to be Scholes or Xavi or some passing, controlling player. His role is different.

His role doesn’t stop him from showing for the ball when a teammate is under pressure, or track a runner into the box, or not misplacing passes (like the one that lead to the free kick for their 1st). It’s absurd to say that having a specific task absolves him from all other basic duties of a midfielder. The only reason you are using this as a defense is because you yourself know he isn’t good at them.

 

[OverratedOpinion]

Terribly wasteful with those two shots when he had time to pick out teammates. Especially the first one that he dragged wide.

 

[AndySmith1990]

I still will never get people's attempt to scapegoat this guy. Is he a world beater? No of course not. But his mentality is without question. We've made the mistake way too many times over the years to release players with their heart in it just because some people think they aren't world class somehow. But then look at how fragile we are. We should have never released players like Blind, Fred, Chicharito, etc when we did. Same counts for Scott as far as I'm concerned. Any team can sign merchants who don't really care.

Okay, great, he has a big heart.

Now answer me this. If we released Scott McTominay from the club, would City sign him? Would Real Madrid? Would Bayern?

We're supposed to be competing with these clubs, right? At least that's the standards I hold the club to. I can't imagine any of those clubs would have the slightest interest in him. I think it's more likely he'd end up at West Ham. So I pose the question, why is he good enough for United?

 

[Ludens the Red]

Mediocre CENTRAL MIDFIELD player. I accept him getting into the box and forward is instructional from Ten Hag but having the defensive positional awareness in defensive actions and turnovers of a dead goat is on him.
The longer he plays in midfield the more disjointed we will look. Don’t really give a shit that he scores the odd goal. It doesn’t outweigh how inadequate he is as a central midfield player especially in defensive phases . People talk about his workrate and big heart but he runs back and around aimlessly.

 

[Red Rash]

He made 20 passes tonight. That’s quite something in a game that open.

Wow that's ridiculous. In a game that open how did he not manage to get more involved

 

[NotoriousISSY]

His role doesn’t stop him from showing for the ball when a teammate is under pressure, or track a runner into the box, or not misplacing passes (like the one that lead to the free kick for their 1st). It’s absurd to say that having a specific task absolves him from all other basic duties of a midfielder. The only reason you are using this as a defense is because you yourself know he isn’t good at them.

It’s the least watertight defence of a player I’ve seen on here. Bizarre point of view

 

[PlayerOne]

He's a huge reason why we don't control the midfield. He should be playing but I can't figure out where, he's not a 10, his passing is very limited, but not an 8 either.

Adds nothing to the build up, he runs to the box any time we get the ball, which I guess comes from the manager.

 

[kundalini]

Good performance. Decent finish from Wan-Bissaka's cross. Did well in the build-up to Garnacho's goal. Shame his shot went just wide with the keeper beaten. Other attempts less impressive. 95% pass completion.

 

[harms]

He’s good at finding goalscoring opportunities but I don’t think it’s worth playing him, considering how poor he makes our midfield.

 

[Fortitude]

pre-game:

I do think McTominay will get the nod over Amrabat as ten Hag likes to match aggression and energy with aggression and energy, which is what McTominay will be expected to deliver.

There can be none of this excessively low touches of the ball business. Actually, let me rephrase: if the touches are low then there has to be a large number of solid ball carries to compensate, so even if McTominay isn't doing well in passing chains or touch progression, he needs to be juggernauting up the pitch and stretching the opposition in that way whilst mentally conditioning them to the threat of him taking off, which would naturally drag bodies into his vicinity to snuff before he can pick up a head of steam, once he has them trailing, it's imperative he can release the ball - absolutely nothing fancy, just a short pass to another red shirt, please. On the other side of the ball, he needs to make a nuisance of himself. Positionally he is poor, but he should at least get himself in the thick of the action and be an obstacle rather than a traffic cone.

McTominay has a terrible penchant for ball-watching and letting players run off him. That can't be fixed, but instead of ball-watching, at least go toward it and be useful in some kind of press or pressuring sense.

Feel we got all of that, good and bad. I don't think there's anything more for him to give.

He lends the opposition a massive hand in controlling the midfield and he just can't help that. He can contribute with his driving runs, but you go up a few levels and his weaknesses are too much to carry.

What's becoming increasingly obvious is that he doesn't know to power on and lay off - it's always a shot. Complete tunnel vision.

He'd be so much more of a threat if he'd run and then actually play others in.

 

[Borys]

He’s good at finding goalscoring opportunities but I don’t think it’s worth playing him, considering how poor he makes our midfield.

Interesting thing is, when Ole was in charge McTominay played a very traditional, limited midfielder role in midfield two. He didn't score goals like now, but the team didn't look as porous as now. ETH is trying to be too smart now IMO. Not to mention SM shouldn't be in this club this season anyway (if that's true we were oferred north of 30m for him in the summer).

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Good performance. Decent finish from Wan-Bissaka's cross. Did well in the build-up to Garnacho's goal. Shame his shot went just wide with the keeper beaten. Other attempts less impressive. 95% pass completion.

All 20 of them. In a team that made 310 passes. And he was playing in central midfield. He’s made letting the game go on around him into a form of performance art.

 

[thebelfastboy]

223 appearances for Manchester United....

 

[Skills]

223 appearances for Manchester United....

The worst footballer to have ever had 50 caps for us. Should never have made it through the academy.

It was a massive failing to let him through in the first place.

 

[90 + 5min]

He made 20 passes tonight. That’s quite something in a game that open.

Garnacho had 5 passes. So what do we think there?

McTominay is shite. There is nothing you could say to change the facts.

He is not and everything points to that. Very underrated player.

His role doesn’t stop him from showing for the ball when a teammate is under pressure, or track a runner into the box, or not misplacing passes (like the one that lead to the free kick for their 1st). It’s absurd to say that having a specific task absolves him from all other basic duties of a midfielder. The only reason you are using this as a defense is because you yourself know he isn’t good at them.

Nobody is saying he shouldn't do basics. He does that. People are just expecting something else from him that they don't expect from others.

The worst footballer to have ever had 50 caps for us. Should never have made it through the academy.

It was a massive failing to let him through in the first place.

Of course not. This is just jealousy.

 

[clarkydaz]

He is a Tony Pulis footballer

 

[AndyMUFC]

We've found a much better role for him than being a 6 at the very least, I am definitely positive about that but we have the exact same problem we did when we had Bruno and Mount ahead of Casemiro when he plays. Needs to play in a 3 with 2 disciplined midfielders, which we're not likely to do because we have Bruno.

 

[Cantona’s Kung Fu Kick]

223 appearances for Manchester United....

Quite unbelievable stat that. This puts the lie to the claim that ‘he’s fine as a squad player’. He’s not a squad player he’s a regular and it’s a sad indictment of just how far we have fallen as a club that such a mediocre, nothing should feature so often for us.

 

[Borys]

You need to play him in a midfield 3. We've found a much better role for him than being a 6 at the very least but he's not disciplined enough to play in the midfield set up we play at the moment.

I'd say he's very disciplined. He's clearly following managers instructions not to get involved in the buildup and to limit his game to attacking the box, maybe sometimes go for an aerial duel. I'm not even joking now. He's core of Eric Ten Hag's United. This is what the manager wants.

 

[MadMike]

I personally don't like him, but I think we all know by now what you get from him. We know all his strengths and weaknesses and we saw them yet again today. Terrible midfielder, as far as midfielder skillset goes, but a chaos merchant and goal nabber around the opposition box.

The fact he played 90 mins when we needed to control the tempo and slow down the game at 1-3, is not his fault. This is clearly a Ten Hag problem. He chooses, every game, to both start and play the full 90' with only one actual midfielder. He had to the option to take McTominay off for Mainoo and didn't, took of Amrabat instead. Responsibility is 100% his. It's not Scott's for not playing like a midfield maestro, when he's clearly not that and never has been.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

I personally don't like him, but I think we all know by now what you get from him. We know all his strengths and weaknesses and we saw them yet again today. Terrible midfielder, as far as midfielder skillset goes, but a chaos merchant and goal nabber around the opposition box.

The fact he played 90 mins when we needed to control the tempo and slow down the game at 1-3, is not his fault. This is clearly a Ten Hag problem. He chooses, every game, to both start and play the full 90' with only one actual midfielder. He had to the option to take McTominay off for Mainoo and didn't, took of Amrabat instead. Responsibility is 100% his. It's not Scott's for not playing like a midfield maestro, when he's clearly not that and never has been.

That was obviously because Amrabat was on a booking. And the referee was giving us cards for feck all (unlike the Gala players). Not that long ago when half the caf was ripping into Ole for not subbing off Fred when he was on a booking. Now they’re all slagging off ETH for doing what they wanted Ole to do. Go figure.

 

[Bobski]

He should have been subbed because he was clearly out on his feet in the last 15, walking then a burst forward every 5 mins.