Why wouldn't he want to leave for a club like Madrid? We can't compete for any titles and worst, just making it to the CL is a challenge by the looks of it now. If the club did its part, a player like Pogba might not want to leave. Real want Sterling by the looks of it but they're not going to get him because first City will not allow him to leave. But also, because of where City are at this time, it's unlikely that Sterling himself will be looking to move (for the time being at least).
McTominay speaks on his development at the club. https://www.skysports.com/football/...-he-turned-down-loan-to-prove-himself-at-club The fact that he turned down a chance to go out on loan and stay to fight for his place speaks volume about his character (and self confidence). And it's obviously paying off as well: he's progressed steadily since he got his chance back when Mourinho was in charge. Shame that he got sidelined for some time this season. But it will be very interesting to see how he rises to the challenge with the competition for places in midfield looking fiercer than it's been in a while.
https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/scott-mctominay-signs-new-long-term-contract-at-man-utd Signed up till 2025+1. I'm very happy with this. He's still got some development to do but I fully expect him to be our Nicky Butt, getting plenty of crucial minutes and giving us big performances without ever being first choice.
https://www.manutd.com/en/news/deta...ct-and-discusses-being-a-role-model-to-others Interview with McT. Ole's comments:- “Scott has done tremendously well since I joined and has been a vital part of our midfield. He brings determination, tenacity and skill to the game and we know that Scott’s attributes will be a major asset to the squad over the coming years. “As we always say the Academy is the bedrock of the club and having come through the system everyone knows that Scott has shown the exact mentality that you need to succeed at Manchester United. I look forward to seeing his continued improvement in the years to come.”
Good news. Perfect squad guy to have around and hopefully he turns into a guy that can be a big game harasser as well.
I know you probably didn't mean it that way, but Nikcy Butt was way better with the ball at his feet. Thats really the only side if Scotts game that lets him down. His touch and his passing, especially in tight areas.
Relative to the time, sure. He never had McTominay's ball carrying ability either. If Scott's passing never improves then he'll get left behind. I think it will develop as he ages though, mostly in terms of decision making, but also in terms of being part of a more technical side that is better set up for possession and build-up. He's been better this season when Fred has been the 8 and McT the 6, rather than Matic or Fred the 6 and McT the 8. So we need to drop the idea of him being a marauding 8 and get him focused on his positioning. He might even be an outside bet to be third man in a back 3, as his defensive game improves.
this might be the first re-up we've done in years that's worth it. at least one of the few. i thought he was a pawn in Mourinho's game but he's shown a lot more than expected. credit to him
McTominay's passing is lacking, but the biggest gap between where he is and where he needs to be is in understanding. There are passes that he can make, touches that he's capable of that he never attempts, not due to a lack of confidence, but rather a lack of vision. He's not aware enough to be a CM for a team trying to break down a low block or escape an organized press. CM is the hardest position in the game. The window a CM operates in is both HUGE and tiny. In the sense of impact, you have an opportunity to change the game with 2 touches or a dummy. You can beat the press, you can progress the ball. When you don't see the 2nd pass AFTER you receive the ball, you can't beat a good press. There's definitely utility to Scott's game and I'd agree that he does better when he can see more of the field, but unless he starts to see more, he's not going to be useful beyond a rotation/bit part role and in bigger games against teams who will engage in counter/counter type games.
Can you teach vision tho? Perhaps it's different for soccer but I've played elite hoops all the way to college and some guys had great vision and some didn't - rarely did it ever improve.
I feel like your vision improves as the game slows around you. Specifically when you acclimate to the pace at the top of the game, you feel calmer and make better decisions/see the game better.
So in my mind there's two kinds of vision. There's vision to see the run on the other side of the pitch in the corner of your eye. That vision cannot be taught. That's not what I'm talking about. Basically what I'm talking about is tantamount to football iq. So the best CMs always have an idea of where their options for a short pass and an outlet pass are AND an idea of where the press will come from. What Scott needs to improve is his ability to anticipate the press and see 2 steps down the road. It isn't vision, moreso intepreting what is going to happen. Specifically, Scott cannot advance the ball while under pressure and he doesn't anticipate when a safe pass is going to lead to someone getting pressed. One of the great things Scholes did was see the safe pass, open up his body to make that pass - drawing defenders to that player, drop his shoulder and make a full 360 - losing the man pressing him AND opening up space for him to dribble into or angles for him to pass to. Scott doesn't have an ounce of that ability even though he's much stronger and faster than Scholes and would only need half the time/space Paul would to make that move.
@johno got you, i was indeed talking about the former. i also see what you mean by football iq - mct is certainly capable of playing short or long but he often misses the window to unlock a complicated situation, and this has to revert to a square pass. he just doesn't (yet) process spatial information quickly enough.
Yup, not processing quickly enough at all. That's why Scott & Fred don't work as a partnership. Fred has those ideas but he can't dovetail with Scott and the result is a disjointed midfield.
Given the captaincy and named MotM. There are deficiencies in his game, but also some signs recently of improvement. He’s only recently turned 24 so should hit his peak in a few years (eg Fred is 27 coming up to 28). https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55574516 "When the manager told me it was a surreal moment.""I've been at this club since just turning five years old.""I absolutely love this football club and it's been my whole life."Scott McTominay on captaining Man Utd for the first time 🙌🎙 @TheDesKelly pic.twitter.com/RoG7C8uopn— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) January 9, 2021
McTominay: "Criticism is a part of football. It's no problem. I've been criticised a million times before and I'll be criticised again for sure. That's not the problem, at all." #mulive [mu]— utdreport (@utdreport) February 10, 2021 McTominay: "The problem is when you start believing what other people say, whether it's good things or bad things. You just have to keep all the outside noise, especially at this football club, to a bare minimum." #mulive [mu]— utdreport (@utdreport) February 10, 2021 McTominay: "It's [racism] a disgrace and that's the type of people who are on social media saying the things that they're saying at this moment in time. Honestly, it makes me feel sick coming in seeing Axel the next day after the [Everton] game." #mulive [mu]— utdreport (@utdreport) February 10, 2021
The Brilliance of Scott McTominay – Breaking The Lines His presence does not mean we don't need an upgrade in the holding role. But all the same, he's become a pretty integral member of the squad, and moved to his proper position on a more regular basis, I feel that he could progress even more. He's done pretty well in a position he's not really used to and it could be argued we'd be trouble (this season and the last) without him...
I believe he really can be the Fletcher type Squadie/spot starter that can lead the seconds when the first teamers are not around.
Sir Alex Ferguson: "When you watch #mufc pick their team for a big game, McTominay's name is it. Good character, great trainer. I know a lot about the boy." #mulive [men]— utdreport (@utdreport) April 22, 2021 While I'm certainly not down on the guy, I'm also starting to wrap my head around the fact that he will be a big reason why we probably will not go for a holding mid in the summer. As of now, think he'd be a near perfect squad guy for us in midfield, with his ability to fill in at the 6 when required but also quite capable of playing in a more advanced role as well. Believe that Ole shares the same opinion SAF expressed above, and sees him also as one of his locks in his preferred XI (in defensive midfield). Not to say that he might not become that player for us sometime down the line, but he's not there yet (not consistently at least). Still believe that going next season with him, Fred and Matic as our options for that role, will be a gamble. In Mc's favor however, he has steadily progressed since joining the first team and has become a team leader also. We can only hope he can take his game to another level next season. We'll see...
The main takeaway here, providing this report is accurate (considering the source) is that this should support the idea that we will target a new holding mid for this window.
🗣️ "I am doing my very best to improve" Scott McTominay responds to criticism he has received at times this season pic.twitter.com/HVNSWlZAIe— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) December 9, 2021 Hmmm, interesting how he reacted to a pretty innocuous query... Ftr, his commitment and effort are not the issue, but he needs to start more consistent progress at this stage.. n
He is a lost cause in terms of being Man U starter quality, is ok as squad cover. Reason being he is 25, coaching should improve some aspects of his game, but if he doesnt have the football brain at this age and experience to provide him better defensive positioning, reading of the game and vision for quick forward passes, then his upside is severely limited. Those things cannot be taught or performed mechanically on the instructions of a coach - they are and need to be more instinctive.