Scott McTominay

[Chripper]

23 minutes ago, Lion Rampant said:

Talk of Herrera being available again so he may miss out again

It's insanity.

The common consensus of United fans (and bear in mind, the majority of them wrote McTominay off) Is that McTominay has been their best player for a month or so. Dropping him to play Matic is just madness, and doing it for Pereira is just plain weird. 

I'm getting the impression from his handling of McTominay that OGS is out of his depth.

[Lion Rampant]

1 hour ago, Chripper said:

It's insanity.

The common consensus of United fans (and bear in mind, the majority of them wrote McTominay off) Is that McTominay has been their best player for a month or so. Dropping him to play Matic is just madness, and doing it for Pereira is just plain weird. 

I'm getting the impression from his handling of McTominay that OGS is out of his depth.

He shouldn't be in the team ahead of Herrera, United's points total with him in the team compared with when he's not is staggering. 

He's a better option that Matic at this point and is a completely different player to Pereira and doesn't play the same sort of role. If anything it was Fred that started over him on Wednesday, on the basis of his performance I doubt he'll be starting on Sunday. 

 

[Chripper]

4 minutes ago, Lion Rampant said:

He shouldn't be in the team ahead of Herrera, United's points total with him in the team compared with when he's not is staggering. 

He's a better option that Matic at this point and is a completely different player to Pereira and doesn't play the same sort of role. If anything it was Fred that started over him on Wednesday, on the basis of his performance I doubt he'll be starting on Sunday. 

 

Fred is an anchorman, McTominay is better when he has license to roam. Against Barcelona and PSG It was a midfield trio of Fred, Pogba and McTominay, with Fred as the anchorman.

[philip_OATN]

I heard Henderson at Liverpool went to Klopp and told him "I'm more effective as a forward midfielder" and Klopp had the maturity to trust a player's instinct. Henderson has always been far better as an attacking midfielder, and Klopp recognised this. Maybe McTominay should advise Solskjaer in the same way.

[Chripper]

5 minutes ago, philip_OATN said:

I heard Henderson at Liverpool went to Klopp and told him "I'm more effective as a forward midfielder" and Klopp had the maturity to trust a player's instinct. Henderson has always been far better as an attacking midfielder, and Klopp recognised this. Maybe McTominay should advise Solskjaer in the same way.

Cool. Never heard that one before.

This is what I mean about top players being able to play in more than one position. Henderson can play all through the middle of midfield. McTominay can play through the middle, both in defence and attack as well as midfield.

The next Scotland manager has to decide what he's going to do with our midfield. McTominay is the only central midfielder that I trust.

[ceudmilefailte]

Man U forum says he failed a fitness test for the Man City game and is having another to see if fit for tomorrow 

[Chripper]

Just now, ceudmilefailte said:

Man U forum says he failed a fitness test for the Man City game and is having another to see if fit for tomorrow 

Ah. Well spotted.

Hopefully he's alright for Sunday.

[Chripper]

17 hours ago, ceudmilefailte said:

Man U forum says he failed a fitness test for the Man City game and is having another to see if fit for tomorrow 

On the bench.

Call me bias, but I'd pick McTominay over Pogba 10 out of 10 times. For starters, McTominay loves the club, for Pogba it's just a stop gap before he moves to either Barcelona or Real Madrid.

[bazmidd]

6 minutes ago, Chripper said:

On the bench.

Call me bias, but I'd pick McTominay over Pogba 10 out of 10 times. For starters, McTominay loves the club, for Pogba it's just a stop gap before he moves to either Barcelona or Real Madrid.

Pogba is the most overrated player I have ever seen. Some players are described as luxury players and are forgiven for not putting the same effort in as other players because they tend to produce the magical moments when it matters, Pogba swans and struts about the park like such players but does not produce anywhere near the amount of magical moments necessary to be described as a luxury player. In facwhat does he actually do apart from hit a world cup pass now and again. He is the very definition of a lazy big time Charlie. He is a bad egg at that club. And it is very sad to see the evolution of the Man United midfield from Paul Scholes and Roy Keane to players like Paul Pogba. They have lost their core values in the a lot of the players at that club and it is only in players like McTominay that those values still exist. 

[Chripper]

1 minute ago, bazmidd said:

Pogba is the most overrated player I have ever seen. Some players are described as luxury players and are forgiven for not putting the same effort in as other players because they tend to produce the magical moments when it matters, Pogba swans and struts about the park like such players but does not produce anywhere near the amount of magical moments necessary to be described as a luxury player. In facwhat does he actually do apart from hit a world cup pass now and again. He is the very definition of a lazy big time Charlie. He is a bad egg at that club. And it is very sad to see the evolution of the Man United midfield from Paul Scholes and Roy Keane to players like Paul Pogba. They have lost their core values in the a lot of the players at that club and it is only in players like McTominay that those values still exist. 

I agree with you 100%. His performance against Barcelona was disgusting. It was like he was auditioning.

I've no idea why they splashed so much money to buy it back. He nailed his colours to the mast when he rejected SAF's plea to stay. He's not a United fan, he's never going to be a United fan. He's a mercenary, and the amazing thing is that there's a lot of Man United fans who love him. I find that amazing.

From Scholes, Keane, Fletcher, Park, midfielders who would bleed for Manchester United, to a player who is never far off from wrangling for another move. The sooner Pogba leaves United the better, as I feel like he's the ring leader at United, the followers are Lingard, Rashford and Lukaku.

If Pogba had a shred of what the four aforementioned midfielders have, he'd be one of the best midfielders in the world.

He reminds me of Balotelli. I first saw Balotelli in an Inter match against... someone. He was absolutely superb. He was lightening quick. Brilliant skill and technique. But the reason why Balotelli didn't hit the heights he should've is because he doesn't like football. I get the same vibe with Pogba, too. Pogba is too immersed in his emojis, his fashion label, etc. Football comes a distant 3rd.

[Chripper]

He had a good 18 minutes (including 8 mins of injury time).

He made three impacts on the game: the first was when he bullied Kante off the ball to set up an attack; a great block; and he held off three Chelsea players to win a corner.

The way that he strides forward with the ball, aided with his power (and he's only going to get stronger) it would be a mistake to claim that he's an anchorman. We aren't good enough to put shackles on our best players.

Watching him in the final third I can see why he played up front for United at under 23 level. His hold up play is exceptional. He actually looks like an upgrade on Lukaku.

With his endeavor and his unwillingness to hide, he puts players like Pogba, etc, to shame.

Edited April 29, 2019 by Chripper

[Tartan_McCole]

On ‎4‎/‎27‎/‎2019 at 12:11 PM, philip_OATN said:

I heard Henderson at Liverpool went to Klopp and told him "I'm more effective as a forward midfielder" and Klopp had the maturity to trust a player's instinct. Henderson has always been far better as an attacking midfielder, and Klopp recognised this. Maybe McTominay should advise Solskjaer in the same way.

Surely if it took for Henderson to chap his door and tell him then Klopp never recognised it at all?

[stevenmcn]

17 hours ago, bazmidd said:

And it is very sad to see the evolution of the Man United midfield from Paul Scholes and Roy Keane to players like Paul Pogba. They have lost their core values in the a lot of the players at that club and it is only in players like McTominay that those values still exist. 

That Man Utd died when they brought Woodward in. They're ran as a business now with a main goal of making the shareholders money. Pogba and his likes are perfect for a club like that. I think it could be a while before they are winning major honours again.

[Chripper]

2 hours ago, stevenmcn said:

That Man Utd died when they brought Woodward in. They're ran as a business now with a main goal of making the shareholders money. Pogba and his likes are perfect for a club like that. I think it could be a while before they are winning major honours again.

Woodward is incompetent.

Jurgen Klopp was willing to join Manchester United... till he met Woodward. Apparently Woodward's pitch was to say to Klopp that Old Trafford is an adult version of Disneyland. 

 

[McTeeko]

11 hours ago, Chripper said:

He had a good 18 minutes (including 8 mins of injury time).

He made three impacts on the game: the first was when he bullied Kante off the ball to set up an attack; a great block; and he held off three Chelsea players to win a corner.

The way that he strides forward with the ball, aided with his power (and he's only going to get stronger) it would be a mistake to claim that he's an anchorman. We aren't good enough to put shackles on our best players.

Watching him in the final third I can see why he played up front for United at under 23 level. His hold up play is exceptional. He actually looks like an upgrade on Lukaku.

With his endeavor and his unwillingness to hide, he puts players like Pogba, etc, to shame.

Yet you want Robertson, joint record holder for a defender with assists in EPL history, to play ‘anchorman’?

[Chripper]

40 minutes ago, McTeeko said:

Yet you want Robertson, joint record holder for a defender with assists in EPL history, to play ‘anchorman’?

As opposed to the left side of the defence?

Quotes like yours makes me wonder if people really know that much about football. Yes, he's record holder for assists for a defender in EPL history, but we don't have Salah, we don't have Mane or Firminho. We have McBurnie and McNulty.

Robertson doesn't get into the same positions with Scotland as he does Liverpool, he is unable to have the same authority, he's not able to lay chances on a plate for Scotland because Scotland are not of the same level as Liverpool.

Do I even have to say that?

Edited April 29, 2019 by Chripper

[ceudmilefailte]

27 minutes ago, McTeeko said:

Yet you want Robertson, joint record holder for a defender with assists in EPL history, to play ‘anchorman’?

Problem is all our best players bar Mctominay are left sided. I'm not sure how to use Robertson and Fraser on the left wing without some sort of cover on left side of central defence and midfield. Which brings back the Tierney problem. It's great to have two of the top four assists players available but not much use if they don't have the cover to provide the assists. Tierney is a class left back and a better defensive left back than Robertson imo.

A lot of talk on here has been  about playing Tierney out of position, perhaps giving our captain a more central role is not that stupid an idea.

Hopefully we can find a manager who can work it out, because let's be honest all we have is Mctominay and three players who are superb on the left wing.

[Chripper]

2 hours ago, McTeeko said:

Yet you want Robertson, joint record holder for a defender with assists in EPL history, to play ‘anchorman’?

Joshua Kimmich has second most assists this season in the Bundesliga with 14 (and two goals). He plays at right back for Bayern Munich.

He plays as an anchorman with Germany.

[Chripper]

It would appear that people are so beaten up by me that they'd rather put a "sad" smilie next to my post than actually question me.

[bazmidd]

1 hour ago, Chripper said:

As opposed to the left side of the defence?

Quotes like yours makes me wonder if people really know that much about football. Yes, he's record holder for assists for a defender in EPL history, but we don't have Salah, we don't have Mane or Firminho. We have McBurnie and McNulty.

Robertson doesn't get into the same positions with Scotland as he does Liverpool, he is unable to have the same authority, he's not able to lay chances on a plate for Scotland because Scotland are not of the same level as Liverpool.

Do I even have to say that?

There is also an argument to say that with having the top two players for assists in the Premiership that even Kevin Kyle should be able to come back and score for us with those two laying them on a plate otherwise you are saying all Robbo and Fraser assists are down to the ability and movement of the strikers they feed not their ability to create chances. Going from what I have seen in Robertsons case the majority of his assists are through Roberstons ability to cross the ball right on the botton. Fraser has been a mix of good crossing and good link up play with Wilson

[kumnio]

McTominay looks quite big, maybe he can replace McGregor in goal. We need to give it a go, anyone who cant see the logic just doesnt know football.

McTominay

Griffiths McGregor Bain Russell

Robertson Sounness McGrain Burke

Shinnie Tierney

Football genius, no one knows it though. 

 

[Chripper]

13 minutes ago, bazmidd said:

There is also an argument to say that with having the top two players for assists in the Premiership that even Kevin Kyle should be able to come back and score for us with those two laying them on a plate otherwise you are saying all Robbo and Fraser assists are down to the ability and movement of the strikers they feed not their ability to create chances. Going from what I have seen in Robertsons case the majority of his assists are through Roberstons ability to cross the ball right on the botton. Fraser has been a mix of good crossing and good link up play with Wilson

I think there's many factors. Let's not pretend that Robertson is akin to Bale or Ronaldo where he beats three and four players and lays it on a plate for a striker. The majority of time he's played in by a midfielder allowing Robertson to either pass it or cross it into the middle. We only have one central midfielder who could spot a pass at the very top level.

Fraser has proven me wrong. He's far better than I gave him credit for. He does his best work in the middle with his movement and fast little passes.

With our general creativity and how many real chances we create, not even the best strikers in the world would have a sniff of a chance if they played for Scotland.

Our next manager must start with the basics and make it difficult to beat, once that's achieved we can begin to think about actually creating and scoring.

Edited April 29, 2019 by Chripper

[Chripper]

4 minutes ago, kumnio said:

McTominay looks quite big, maybe he can replace McGregor in goal. We need to give it a go, anyone who cant see the logic just doesnt know football.

McTominay

Griffiths McGregor Bain Russell

Robertson Sounness McGrain Burke

Shinnie Tierney

Football genius, no one knows it though. 

 

McTominay can't play in goal, someone else had the same idea as you: 
"If only he could play in goal"

 

[McTeeko]

54 minutes ago, Chripper said:

Joshua Kimmich has second most assists this season in the Bundesliga with 14 (and two goals). He plays at right back for Bayern Munich.

He plays as an anchorman with Germany.

But that’s a daft comparison when you look deeper into it. The remodelled German coaching theory is more based on the Ajax/Dutch system where youth players are not assigned a position until into their teens. They all come through the system with an understanding of various positions having played for years coming through the ranks all over the pitch. They can slip seamlessly into different areas  

We have SFA/Celtic coaches who emptied Robertson as a laddie for being too wee ffs!

You’ve said yourself countless times the coaching in Scotland is crap (I agree), so I don’t think comparing Robertson/Kimmich like for like is a good barometer. 

Edited April 29, 2019 by McTeeko

[Chripper]

2 minutes ago, McTeeko said:

But that’s a daft comparison when you look deeper into it. The remodelled German coaching theory is more based on the Ajax/Dutch system where youth players are not assigned a position until into their teens. They all come through the system with an understanding of various positions having played for years coming through the ranks all over the pitch. They can slip seamlessly into different areas  

We have SFA/Celtic coaches who emptied Robertson as a laddie for being too wee ffs!

You’ve said yourself countless times the coaching in Scotland is crap (I agree), so I don’t think comparing Robertson/Kimmish like for like is a good barometer. 

I can't disagree with any of that, as it's spot-on.

However, Robertson, Tierney and Fraser are players that we've produced by accident and not design. These three are a few levels above their Scottish pears (apart from McTominay). I'd say that those four (including McTominay) can play in multiple positions and make it look seamless. Look at McTominay, at youth level he played a fair percentage of his matches as a striker.

The better a player is the better they are at adaptability.

The majority of our players look unconvincing in one position, let alone multiple positions. Trust me, if we managed to snare a top manager he would mould those four and build the team around them. There would be none of this "playing players out of position" nonsense. A top manager would make sure that the end justified the means.