10 Feb 2021 20:06:23
Gets s bit of a mixed reception on here but s mctom continues to improve imo really starting to look like a possible box to box cm .
I really like the lad, I would have him ahead of rice . Slightly different players but both should bd working towards the same goals imo.

1.) 10 Feb 2021
10 Feb 2021 20:17:26
I've always thought his best position was box to box. He brings more energy to the team when he plays as a box to box midfielder. Originally he played that way when OGS took over. When he got injured last season he never got his form back.

Playing him ada Bix to vox would add a lot more to our midfield, particularly a driving force.

2.) 10 Feb 2021
10 Feb 2021 20:29:42
Was thinking this earlier jred.

Interesting comments after the Leeds game when he said he wants to be box to box, sounding frustrated about the role he has to play.

I feel a bit sorry for him as Jose used to play him at CB to prove a point and now Ole is also making him play a different role.

I think he’s another who could flourish under a proper coach.

3.) 10 Feb 2021
10 Feb 2021 20:42:12
Really wazza I think he is flourishing now and developing into a box to box cm .
I think he is looking really good what role do you think he is doing now?

4.) 10 Feb 2021
10 Feb 2021 20:57:09
Yh i agree a box to box role suits him best, his best attributes are all physical, his stamina, strength and power.

Bit more painful to watch him deeper as he struggles to receive the ball and his passing is pretty poor, mainly at peoples kneecaps.

5.) 11 Feb 2021
11 Feb 2021 00:27:29
Wazza,

Was that just a post to try and blame something on Ole? The role he’s playing now is clearly working perfectly.

6.) 11 Feb 2021
11 Feb 2021 05:06:18
He was a youth striker. It shows! He has a knack for scoring goals and is a great addition to first team squad.

His passing is much better than people credit it for. He maneuvers the ball well through midfield and is more progressive than. Say Tom Cleverly was. Unfortunately he has an error in him, so every now and then he mis places a pass out for touch. But this has been improving. He looks a good player to me. He is still developing.

7.) 11 Feb 2021
11 Feb 2021 06:11:23
If McT was playing in a Dutch or German league, we would be ready to play 75mil for him.

8.) 11 Feb 2021
11 Feb 2021 06:24:09
Ed001 previously said McT has more to his game than a defensive midfielder.
He has loads of energy and has excellent work ethic.

Still feel McT is not pushed further up because we have him and Fred sitting deep to cover the lack of pace of Maguire and Lindelof.

9.) 11 Feb 2021
11 Feb 2021 09:00:58
McTominay is one of if not my favourite current United player. For me he embodies the best of what United is, he works hard, has a great attitude, gives 100%, is dedicated to self-improvement, as an added bonus he came through our academy.
He is the example that all academy lads should aim to follow, he certainly wasn't the most naturally gifted youngster from his academy year, but through hard work and dedication he has made himself a first team player, and he continues to improve.

Personally I never thought of him as a defensive midfielder, he doesn't have the passing range and his natural stamina and drive mean that a sitting role doesn't make the most of his best assists. He needs to be a driving box to box player, using his strength and long legs to win tackles and put himself about in midfield, while also boasting a great shot, so is able to be the second or third phase of an attack breaking into the box to finish cut backs.

I think an ideal midfield set up would be to have someone like Rice holding and shielding the defence, Bruno in a free No.10 role then someone like McTominay or Donny offering either a dynamic powerful box to box presence or a more controlled measured passing approach dependant on the opposition and game plan.

10.) 11 Feb 2021
11 Feb 2021 09:24:45
Treured
Really? He has scored 7 goals this season is he really sitting deep as you say.

11.) 11 Feb 2021
11 Feb 2021 10:17:55
Jred, while he might not be bolted down to the halfway line, I don't think he is playing quite as freely as would best suit his game.

Of his 7 goals 4 have come from or started from set piece situations where a player of McTominay's size would be pushed further forward, especially as he has the stamina to get back.

So he's hardly been waltzing up field every other minute to have a crack at goal.

His goal against West Ham the other night was the ideal situation for him. The ball was played across in the first phase of the attack, it was cleared poorly twice making its way to Rashford who now in the second phase of the attack laid it off to McTominay to sweep home.

That is where I think McTominay can really make a good attacking contribution. After the first phase has broken down offering himself as the free player breaking into the box in the second phase of the attack.

I want to see more of him doing that. Personally to do so he needs to be playing with a more positionally responsible CDM who'll sit and allow McTominay to break forward without leaving the backdoor wide open.

12.) 11 Feb 2021
11 Feb 2021 10:39:00
Yes jred. I think his freedom is restricted in most games.
Most of the time Fred and McT sit deep protecting the CB's.

13.) 11 Feb 2021
11 Feb 2021 10:57:27
True
I disagree.

14.) 11 Feb 2021
11 Feb 2021 15:43:34
jred, go and have a look at McTominay's heatmap against West Ham, he came on as a sub when we were chasing the game, yet the hot spot for him is 10 yards outside his own penalty box to the right of the centre of the pitch.

McTominay is very much playing a deep role this season.

15.) 11 Feb 2021
11 Feb 2021 17:12:10
Shappy
What a load of rubbish.

16.) 11 Feb 2021
11 Feb 2021 17:41:37
Don't worry Jred, it's okay to say you were wrong.

Pop over to whoscored and have a look at the games McTominay has played and you look at his heatmap which highlights where he touches the ball and you'll see that in pretty much all of his game the majority of his touches happen well inside our own half.

He's been played deep, there is no shame in saying you were mistaken. That doesn't mean that he hasn't got forward, just that in our current set up he rarely does.

17.) 11 Feb 2021
11 Feb 2021 22:21:51
He’s definitely been played deep. Not sure what you’re watching jred. We play with the double pivot, we all know that, and it’s been nicknamed McFred.

He’s being asked to sit which I think is holding him back. Nothing to do with having Ole, just discussing what’s happening.

18.) 12 Feb 2021
12 Feb 2021 09:00:22
Just because a player breaks up play doesn't make him a defensive cm .
People say the same about kante its rubbish.

19.) 12 Feb 2021
12 Feb 2021 09:04:17
Mctom plays CM and gets forward which is pretty much what a box to box cm does he doesn't just sit in front of the defense.
Honestly it gets worse.

20.) 12 Feb 2021
12 Feb 2021 10:23:01
There there Jred, it's a okay, we all get it wrong from time to time.

21.) 12 Feb 2021
12 Feb 2021 13:19:11
Shappy its not in his make up to admit when he is wrong.

22.) 12 Feb 2021
12 Feb 2021 14:01:05
Its because I'm not wrong in this case .
Scott mctom is playing more and more as a box to box cm .
Shappy can throw stats round or heat maps but there is no context, as usually.
Trying to make an argument over what a player is doing over a season based on him coming on with 15 minutes to go in the game
Its childish rubbish.
Its a cup game after Scott scores a goal in which he breaks up play in one box then scores in the other his role will change.
There is no need to to push on etc .
Heat maps to judge a player now 🤦‍♂️.

23.) 12 Feb 2021
12 Feb 2021 16:13:38
Jred, you clearly don't understand what a heatmap is. It charts the position of a player during the whole 90 minutes. For McTominay he clearly spends most of his time in our own half siting in front of our defence.

Ergo he is playing as a holding midfielder in a double pivot more often than not. Yes he gets forward occasionally and even scores as does Maguire. Just like Maguire though that doesn't make him a box to box midfielder.