Acquainted names lead the highest scorer charts in Euro 2024 qualifying. Rasmus Hojlund, Romelu Lukaku and, er, Scott McTominay every sit on six objectives apiece on the time of writing as they search to assist their respective nation ebook their spot at subsequent summer time’s event in Germany. The previous pair’s inclusion on the high of the leaderboard should not come as a shock, but McTominay’s inclusion has actually raised eyebrows.
After their 3-0 win at Cyprus, the Tartan Military high Group A having gained all 5 matches thus far, together with a powerful 2-0 win over Spain again in March. McTominay has been key of their 100% begin to qualification. The Manchester United man has been straight concerned in seven of their 12 objectives, and has a greater WhoScored ranking (8.04) than some other Scotland participant.
As well as, McTominay has been named the participant of the match in three of his 5 appearances for Steve Clarke’s aspect with the 26-year-old morphing into McSauce for the nationwide crew. If something, Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag can be taught on a lesson or two from Clarke on how greatest to maximise the midfielder’s expertise.
There isn’t any denying that McTominay has struggled to dwell as much as expectations at Previous Trafford. Years of mismanagement at United has seen the Scot wrestle to stamp his authority on the squad, typically bemoaned for his failure to supply ample safety to the defence alongside Fred. The additions of Christian Eriksen and Casemiro final summer time pushed McTominay additional down the pecking order at United, whereas the latest signings of Mason Mount and Sofyan Amrabat is predicted to restrict enjoying time additional. Certainly, McTominay has registered simply seven league minutes of recreation time.
The difficulty is that McTominay has been unfairly pigeon-holed as primarily a holding midfielder for his membership, and his improvement has been minimal because of this. Reasonably, Clarke has unleashed McTominay within the ultimate third, and he is performed a key function in Scotland’s push for European Championship thus far.
As such, McTominay has had extra photographs (14) in Scotland’s Euro 2024 qualification marketing campaign thus far than he has managed for Manchester United (13) because the begin of the 2022/23 Premier League season. He isn’t restricted to anchoring the midfield, however reasonably free to push ahead and assist the offensive, which he does so to a powerful customary. Contemplating Scotland’s objective woes lately, McTominay’s return for the Tartan Military this 12 months alone is trigger for optimism.
⚽️ No participant has been straight concerned in additional objectives than Scott McTominay (7 – 6 objectives, 1 help) in Euro 2024 qualifying pic.twitter.com/w3UlQLjyi9
— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) September 10, 2023
And having excelled for Scotland with the liberty to push on, there may be motive to consider he can carry out an analogous function for United. The choice to rebuff West Ham’s efforts to signal McTominay means he’ll be on the membership till no less than January and Ten Hag may do so much worse than unleash the Scotland star within the ultimate third than job him with defending the defence. That is a job for Casemiro and new addition Amrabat, so no less than there may be much less onus on Ten Hag to make use of McTominay as a holding midfielder in his favoured 4-2-3-1 setup.
Whereas he is unlikely to oust Bruno Fernandes within the quantity 10 function, Ten Hag would no less than have some tactical flexibility to utilise had been he to make use of McTominay similarly for United. With the Champions League kicking off this month, Ten Hag might want to utilise the gamers at his disposal, and McTominay, whereas seemingly out of favour for United in latest months, may but discover his approach again into the reckoning, particularly if the Dutch boss can discover a technique to coax out the midfielder’s nationwide crew shows for his membership.
When it appeared as if there was no place within the United squad for McTominay, his Scotland showings recommend in any other case. Ten Hag may actually take a web page out of Clarke’s ebook with a purpose to maximise the midfield choices in his squad.
