Scott Mctominay is the perfect man to resolve the Midfield Dilemma of Manchester United – if they hadn't sold it last summer.
None of the current midfielders of Ruben Amorim fits his profile or offers goals (except Bruno Fernandes) and can offer something at both ends of the field.
McTominay left Man United for Serie A Side Napoli for £ 30 million in the summer, and the transfer split the fan base.
Some fans thought that Mctominay had a shortage of the required level at the club.
However, others were adamant that his mix of physicality and aggression in central areas was exactly what the current team missed.
With the advantage of retrospect, the last group of fans seems to have won the argument.
Napoli has become the home of McTominay, and the fans love him.
Napoli is second in the Serie A, a point behind leaders Inter Milan, and the midfielder has so far played 23 games with six goals and three assists.
Compare this with the constant misery at United.
Amorim misses a player in midfield with McTominay's profile.
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They miss his mix of power and aggression, and someone who is at home in the attacking or defensive roles.
Here Chris Beaumont van We Scout explains why Man United misses the Scottish International.
Possibility to drive through midfield
As a rule, Amorim's midfielders usually do not take the responsibility to move through the zones while they are in possession of the ball.
They are all technically neat and tidy, and Fernandes, when he steps into deeper positions, is an aggressive and progressive passer of the ball.
But United is missing a midfield player with the physical capacity to make repeated intensity runs through the third to link the defense and attack.
This is one of McTominay's biggest strengths, as he has shown so far during his time in Italy with Napoli.
There is indeed an argument that MCTominay would be able to play as one of the two deeper midfielders or as one of the two more advanced midfielders in Amorim's system at Man United.
It is fair to say that MCTominay is the kind of player who thrives on physical duels.
He likes to take possession of the ball and drives forward in every room that the opposition is willing to give him.
He is not a striking one-on-one attacker who uses deception and fast feet to surpass opposition fever.
But he does have the physical profile to be exceptionally dangerous as soon as he starts moving with speed.
At the moment Man Utd misses a player who has the conditioning and capacity to be effective in both the defensive and offensive phases of the game.
For as many as Amorim promotes a structured midfield with two deeper players and two advanced players, there is room for players to be more liquid in going to those zones.
This is where a more traditional box-to-box profile such as McTominay would be useful.
Everything about the way Man United is playing right now feels very structured.
They would benefit from a player like McTominay who can inject some chaos into the game.
McTominay can dominate duels
Part of what MCTominay has made so effective since he moved to Napoli is that his dominance in one-on-one duels, both defensive and attacking.
He gives his team an effective platform that they can play over the entire field.
Whether he plays as a deeper or more advanced midfield player, his ability to receive the ball when under pressure and to protect the ball, his team enables to move forward in a safer way.
We often see McTominay in the opposition half in possession with several defenders around him.
Although he will never be the most silky or technical of midfielders, he is effectively in possession of possession, and his physical attributes often let him play through pressure and bring the ball to a teammate.
This is another aspect of his profile that United is currently missing in midfield.
McTominay is so physically strong that he will often put on several defensive players to the ball if they want to regain recovering.
If he can escape the press, he will create space that his teammates can exploit.
Tactically, this means that Napoli often seems to have a reserve man who goes into space while attacking in the last third part.
This is also something that United is very lacking this season.
They never seem to be able to create an overload in the attacking phase they can exploit, but having a physical player to hold the ball and bring others into play would solve that problem.
At the moment Man United would benefit from having one of their midfielders who could get on the ball and keep possession before they get others into play.
Goal scores threat
Mctominay has developed into something of an underrated player for the goal as his career progressed.
With his size and frame he is a threat of set pieces in the area, but he is also underestimated with his movement and the timing of his runs of deep.
He often attacks with late runs from outside the area, and he can shoot with accuracy and strength when he comes to the ball in advanced parts of the field.
Although this season was a remarkable boost for Napoli, his target contributions are a reason that the fans of the club went to the Scottish midfielder so quickly.
This is something that United was missing those who play in the deeper midfield positions.
It would be honest to say that Mctominay is not the most natural or cleaning, but there is no doubt that he is effective for the goal.
He can finish the foot or head and he is dangerous when attacking in transition.
These are all aspects of the game that United is currently lacking.
There is a real argument that they would be better served to keep the Scottish international in their midfield.
At the moment, Man United gets goals, mainly from people like Amad Diallo or Bruno Fernandes, which produces what magic produces.
There is no doubt that a midfield player who is so powerful and effective for the goal such as McTominay would have brought something to Amorim's team.
Conclusion
The decision to allow Scott McTominay to leave United in the summer is more and more like a bad one.
Although the deal was favorable because McTominay was an academic product that represented pure profit, his profile is one that seems to be missing United.
As the season progresses, its strength and the ability to influence the game centrally could have provided real value for Amorim's United Squad.
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