[BehemothTerror]

I think this is a really under focused on point, but you can see several examples of players who have looked very rusty after the Covid break. Rashford shows that sometimes players need a run of games before they get back to consistency

McTom for me was one of the squads better players until Jan but yes, he need to really kick on now in the next couple of seasons to be able to deputise for Pogba and Bruno

 

[Mcking]

I dont understand why people keep saying this, we didnt lose and we have no idea what would have happened if Pogba didn't come on. Point is we didnt lose.

It's like saying "Yeah Wenger went undefeated but he would have lost if not for Henry's magic or Pires dive".

McTominay doesn't suit all games but he is more suited for big games where he gets space and his work rate is of more use.

He is more suited to games against the big teams, that I agree with.

 

[Devil may care]

Hasn't gotten on at all in the last 2 games, has he got a knock?

 

[Solius]

Bit concerning how he's been used since the lockdown. I can't really see a place in the team for him at the moment if we continue with this current successful way of playing.

He's not going to be cover for Bruno, and he can't do the job Pogba does. Nor can he really perform the Matic role quite well. I think he's do well in a midfield three but we seem to be moving away from that now. He's also not played great in the time he has gotten.

 

[Highfather_24]

He was our best midfielder before he got injured in Dec. Yes he is better in the big games, but so were Park/Fletcher. You need players like that in your squad.

 

[KennyBurner]

Bit concerning how he's been used since the lockdown. I can't really see a place in the team for him at the moment if we continue with this current successful way of playing.

He's not going to be cover for Bruno, and he can't do the job Pogba does. Nor can he really perform the Matic role quite well. I think he's do well in a midfield three but we seem to be moving away from that now. He's also not played great in the time he has gotten.

Yeah I do think he should be worried. We were always going to progress from a counter attacking team at some point. In the big games we would counter with him breaking up plays and covering ground. With that not being the case anymore he is not so useful. He will need to reinvent his game to more than taking simple touches and playing non threatening passes. The two players ahead of him Bruno and Pogba can both play short and long passes and are also good on the ball. Would have loved to see more of him in the league but with the our current situation he will need to wait till next year.

 

[Mr Smith]

Bit concerning how he's been used since the lockdown. I can't really see a place in the team for him at the moment if we continue with this current successful way of playing.

He's not going to be cover for Bruno, and he can't do the job Pogba does. Nor can he really perform the Matic role quite well. I think he's do well in a midfield three but we seem to be moving away from that now. He's also not played great in the time he has gotten.

I disagree, I think he's a perfect player for us to have because he offers something completely different to all of Bruno, Matic and Pogba. Full of running and energy, great at breaking up the play, and also developing a nack for a late run into the box. I doubt he'll ever turn into a regular starter for us, but he's a great squad option.

I actually think Fred is the one more likely to be edged out.

 

[hungrywing]

Bit concerning how he's been used since the lockdown. I can't really see a place in the team for him at the moment if we continue with this current successful way of playing.

He's not going to be cover for Bruno, and he can't do the job Pogba does. Nor can he really perform the Matic role quite well. I think he's do well in a midfield three but we seem to be moving away from that now. He's also not played great in the time he has gotten.

Didn't we use him in a Pogba-McT-Fred during last year's 'unbeaten run'?

I think that's what has most people scratching their heads. The above lineup could have been used to give Bruno and Matic a rest against Villa for example.

He's started I think three of the eight league games and four of the ten overall games since the restart.

 

[In Rainbows]

I disagree, I think he's a perfect player for us to have because he offers something completely different to all of Bruno, Matic and Pogba. Full of running and energy, great at breaking up the play, and also developing a nack for a late run into the box. I doubt he'll ever turn into a regular starter for us, but he's a great squad option.

I actually think Fred is the one more likely to be edged out.

If Mejbri and Garner develop like Scott did, he's going to find it hard because they play with the same toughness, but are also more cultured on the ball.

 

[Mr Smith]

If Mejbri and Garner develop like Scott did, he's going to find it hard because they play with the same toughness, but are also more cultured on the ball.

I've seen nothing of Mejbri in particular so I'll take your word for it, but in the meantime I'm very happy we have Scott as a squad member to be called upon when needed.

 

[12OunceEpilogue]

He was our best midfielder before he got injured in Dec. Yes he is better in the big games, but so were Park/Fletcher. You need players like that in your squad.

Fair enough, but I'm with Solius in my worry about how he slots into this system. Park was a workhorse and a decent technician who could operate between both boxes and wide with aplomb, whether we were dominating the ball or set up to counter, while Fletch was a very underrated box to box player who was a fantastic marker and tackler who could also contribute higher up the pitch, and in his (relatively short) prime was a complete midfielder. McTominay has shades of that kind of player, an underrated workhorse who chips in very well at either end of the pitch, so I know why the comparisons are drawn but at the moment I think Park and Fletch are leagues ahead of what McTominay is offering, particularly after lockdown where he's struggling to integrate into our system.

Don't get me wrong, I'm a fan of McTominay and I think he can have a future here but if we aspire to be at the very top he needs to develop a defined role in the squad, which I don't think he has yet, as alluded to in this post:

Bit concerning how he's been used since the lockdown. I can't really see a place in the team for him at the moment if we continue with this current successful way of playing.

He's not going to be cover for Bruno, and he can't do the job Pogba does. Nor can he really perform the Matic role quite well. I think he's do well in a midfield three but we seem to be moving away from that now. He's also not played great in the time he has gotten.

 

[Augustus Gloop]

I know there’s a bit of worry prevalent in the posts above about how he’ll be utilised in the team now we’re on song, but I bet Scott isn’t worried. One of his best attributes which sometimes gets used against him when detractors belittle his on-the-ball talent, is his elite attitude/mentality.

He’s got in the team above Matić and Pogba before, I’m sure he can do it again.

In a world where Jordan Henderson can win player of the season, there is a place for Scott McTominay at Man United.

 

[MyOnlySolskjaer]

 

[Walters_19_MuFc]

Nice to see he got up following that awful tackle from Evans.

 

[simplyared]

Great to have him on the bench. He's got the potential to be a regular starter for us. A very valuable player for us.

 

[Shark]

He needs to clearly play further up the pitch. Never was or will be a DM.

 

[Web of Bissaka]

And so his record in big games continues.
Vs City, Pool, Chelsea, Spurs, Arsenal + Leicester & Wolves

Season 19/20
United with McT -- 7W 4D Never lost.
(1W 1D of those with Bruno)

United without him -- 3W 2D 4L
(2W 1D 1L of those with Bruno)

 

[Web of Bissaka]

It's like they are dancing in sync!

 

[Art]

Unless he works on his on-the-ball this off season, I can see the omitting of McT continue. No use being absolutely ripped if you can't control and pass a football.

 

[SAFMUTD]

Hahaha like out of a videogame

 

[Web of Bissaka]

So I had a look at all his seasons..

McTominay against the best clubs record,

Domestic Competitions	W	D	L
Chelsea (5)	4	1	0
MCity (3)	3	0	0
Spurs (3)	2	1	0
Liverpool (3)	1	2	0
Arsenal (2)	0	1	1
Leicester (3)	3	0	0
Wolves (3)	0	1	2
TOTAL (22)	13	6	3

The one lost vs Arsenal -- he only played 6 mins in 16/17.
Exclude Wolves and my gahd, this is an impressive record.

Domestic Competitions	W	D	L
Chelsea (5)	4	1	0
MCity (3)	3	0	0
Spurs (3)	2	1	0
Liverpool (3)	1	2	0
Arsenal (2)	0	1	1
Leicester (3)	3	0	0
TOTAL (19)	13	5	1

^ if we filter this even more removing the games where he play low number of minutes eg. let's say less than 20 mins.
16/17 -- Arsenal (6mins)
17/18 -- City (5mins)
18/19 -- Leicester (14mins), Chelsea (9mins, 1min), Spurs (1min)
19/20 -- City (12mins but he scored a goal here to make it 2-0), Leicester (4mins)

Domestic Competitions	W	D	L
Chelsea (3)	3	0	0
MCity (1)	1	0	0
Spurs (2)	1	1	0
Liverpool (3)	1	2	0
Arsenal (1)	0	1	0
Leicester (1)	1	0	0
TOTAL (11)	7	4	0

Still impressive.

Conclusion?
Ole has to pick him more in the big games (excluding Wolves = higher mid-table team) but the team is fine now with Bruno vs any team.
Statistically, playing both Bruno and also McT would help improved more the odds of us winning or at least draw.

As for european games.. these is interesting.

European Competitions	W	D	L
Champions League (7)	4	1	2
Europa League (5)	4	1	0
TOTAL (12)	8	2	2

1 Win vs PSG. The two Loss vs Barca, though many argued he is our best player in both games.

 

[Zoo]

We struggle to play football with him in midfield. I’m worried about him because he doesn’t bring anything to the table.

 

[Isotope]

Is he really our "future DM"?

 

[MyOnlySolskjaer]

Can't pass.

 

[Hugh Jass]

Someone should do a montage of his first half performance because it was a horror show. Better in the second half though.

I still think we need a decent MF in the summer.

 

[Godfather]

Brutal game

 

[FootyGirl88]

Can we all agree he's not a DM

 

[Idxomer]

Could he be taught to play as a goalkeeper?

 

[Zlatans Knee]

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.

 

[JakeC]

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.

Jesus like he wasn't great, but the hyperbole is strong in you.

 

[Eddy_JukeZ]

I've never been a fan of his, so I won't pile on today when he was pretty poor.

I just think our midfielders for the most part should be of the quality that they help us control the game.

I don't want the type of midfielders that are best when they negate the opposition midfield from controlling the game. That's McTominay's game. I'd rather we move away from that.

I am pretty sure @Rozay or @Raees share the same opinion.

 

[Still ill]

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.

A car crash? Wow. Would you care to rate Dan James? I thought he was fine, sloppy at times but competent.

 

[Based Adnan]

Terrible first half, good second half

 

[limerickcitykid]

I've never been a fan of his, so I won't pile on today when he was pretty poor.

I just think our midfielders for the most part should be of the quality that they help us control the game.

I don't want the type of midfielders that are best when they negate the opposition midfield from controlling the game. That's McTominay's game. I'd rather we move away from that.

I am pretty sure @Rozay or @Raees share the same opinion.

It’s exactly what I’ve said many times and today is just another example of it. Against weaker teams when you need your midfield to actually play football and control a game he’s beyond useless. He offers nothing.

He’s a defensive 8 at a club who don’t play with a defensive 8 and shouldn’t be. It’s all the more compounded with the fact Fred is also a defensive 8 rendering it completely pointless having the both of them. Fred at least occasionally resembles a footballer with the ball.

 

[Sandikan]

When McTom and Fred were playing regularly they were getting plenty of praise.

Now they're not only getting sketchy minutes, but we all know without any sort of doubt who our best 3 in the centre are.

 

[Zlatans Knee]

A car crash? Wow. Would you care to rate Dan James? I thought he was fine, sloppy at times but competent.

Not sure what he is getting paid but I would think that whatever it is warrants more than competent (which I really did not think he was). The amount of misplaced passes and missed tackles was embarrassing. And we were playing LASK, not Barcelona.

 

[Djemba-Djemba]

Big fan of his generally but he was rotten tonight.

 

[Rozay]

I've never been a fan of his, so I won't pile on today when he was pretty poor.

I just think our midfielders for the most part should be of the quality that they help us control the game.

I don't want the type of midfielders that are best when they negate the opposition midfield from controlling the game. That's McTominay's game. I'd rather we move away from that.

I am pretty sure @Rozay or @Raees share the same opinion.

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.

 

[marc1_007]

He can't keep the ball, whether he is passing or running with it, what use is a midfielder that can't even make a simple five yard pass. There is a lot of sentimentality with our academy products amongst our supporters but everytime I watch McTominay play, I see a player that just does not belong, his lack of simple technical skill affects our whole midfield because we can't move the ball quickly enough, maybe he needs to be in a team that play more on the counter attack and we are moving away from that

 

[MetoTTT]

It's time for him to deliver and get the next level now. Not there yet.