While we need a new CDM, here are some players who we may have to replace in the summer.
Long list eh?

Lingard (Contract expiry, likely to leave)
Pogba (Contract expiry, likely to leave)
Cavani (Contract expiry, likely to leave)
Mata(Too old. Contract expiry, likely to leave)
Greenwood (Court case)
Matic (Final year of contract. Sell or allow him to leave on free the following season)
Fred (Final year of contract. Sell or allow him to leave on free the following season)
Dalot (Final year of contract. Sell or allow him to leave on free the following season)
Martial (Might push for a transfer)
Van De Beek (Might push for a transfer)

My view on Scott at DM will be harsh because in all fairness, he is not a DM. I'd class him as a box to box.
I wouldn't put him anywhere near the top 50% in the PL if we are going by CDM stats. He can contribute in a B2B role, or even cover as CDM. Just not first choice CDM.

Just like why I would say Scott does not fit at RW, there are some criterias on why I think CDM doesn't play to his strengths. He has roughly half the skillset required to be a top CDM which makes him 50% suitable for the role. Another player then needs to compliment the other 50% like Fred. Hence McFred. A top class CDM can do it all. What Scott lacks are :

- He does not sense danger quick enough. McT is not a natural defensive player as he actually started his career as a forward. There are situations that he doesn't sense the danger quick enough to alter his possition. So at times, he gets caught out.
- He does not provide the distribution for the team at the base of midfield. This is key for any top CDM when in possession. He does not offer himself consistent enough as a passing option and lacks the passing range/accuracy to dictate play.
- Speed of thought not fast enough. His mental attribute on decision making isn't quick enough to play CDM. The top players at CDM often make decisions before even receiving the ball. So they are efficient with one touch. McT is not.

This is not a knock on McT as these attributes are for top CDMs. Scott isn't even a CDM to begin with. I can imagine he'd do a good job for a relegation side that sits deep but not for United.
I like McTominay as a personality and a graduate of the academy. But we have been using him as a square peg in a round hole that the Board refuses to fix.

I'm too old for these early morning games.
Being 4am, you might want to sleep early and set your alarm. Then once the game finishes can go for breakfast.

Was it Xavi who said as a DM if you have to tackle it means you are already positioned wrongly?
But he was a DM who preferred to read the game and rely on interceptions. Like Carrick whom you will not see running around putting in tackles & blocks.

So to put into context McT's performance at the 6 position, here is another player who played in a double 6 position with Allan in the same weekend.
Player cam.

This video was making the rounds today on a few news platforms.

The important things from this match was to get the three points and keep a clean sheet. After the recent run of draws, this was always critical in maintaining team morale.

Performance could be better, yes. With McFred in the midfield it is no surprise to see Brighton have the sort of control they enjoyed. Fernandes seems to be short on confidence. After his open goal miss previously, he missed another sitter that Ronaldo rolled on a plate for him. Ronaldo seems to get frustrated easiy which I have no doubt is caused by his scoring drought.

So player wise, it is important that Ronaldo scored. After he did, he settled better and even gave up that chance to try to assist for Fernandes which was the right thing to do. Too bad Fernandes didn't bury it. And at the end, Fernandes scoring is also a possitive to give him back some semblance of confidence.

Without Varane the defence was always going to be a question mark. With McFred and the Maguire-Lindelof pairing this is the familiar Back 6 we had for 3 seasons. Only AWB is missing. A clean sheet today will do us plenty of good.


Yes the performance is not the swashbuckling United of old but that wass a different time without our current set of problems. Barring injuries, I am of the opinion that we will get a result in the next game against Leeds and the CL game against Atletico. Folks can probably quote this and it'll come back to bite me.

For once, I don't blame Fred for the loose pass.
That ball was meant for Shaw to latch on to while running. Shaw didn't even bother to make the run. Fred literally gave Shaw the WTF look.

This was Luke Shaw not putting in the required run to create the passing triangle.
Again, work rate issue.

Red line is the pass from Fred.
Blue line is the required run from Shaw.

I was stunned too. It was the first 5 minutes. Fred's pass was correct, why Shaw didn't make the run is beyond me.

Seeing more news reports on the dressing room divide in the United team.

Apparently the English group of which Maguire and Rashford were named does not like Ronaldo trying to lead the dressing room and speaking out about the lack of standards. Take what you want from the leaks. Looks like the biggest impact to the club was Ronaldo's transfer. Someone who walks into the dressing room and identified the rot. Ronaldo may be a legend, but he does not have age on his side. The English players have long term contracts and commercial value on their side.

That's the difference nowadays I guess.

In previous times if you felt you were being undermined, you upped your performance and played your way into things to show you were a big part of the team.
Nowadays, you look for validation via social media and expect others to come make you feel better.

A hint?

If Bailly and Varane can stay fit, I wonder if their partnership will work.

Is the Ronaldo camp going to end up with the non-British formation below?

De Gea
Dalot - Bailly - Varane - Telles
Fred - Pogba - Bruno - Elanga
Cavani - Ronaldo

Elanga is an academy graduate so he ticks that requirement.

Club management wise, this is the default move. Clubs do not change their captains mid season barring serious disciplinary action.
So to do it is really bad rep for the club. Not surprised the club made such a stance. I think even if Rangnick truly believed Ronaldo will be the captain, he knows it is a bad move to immediately replace Maguire. You start slow by having Ronaldo do some of the things the captain does like mentor young players without actually holding the armband. Which is already happening. Enough for Maguire to feel really insecure.

And note the keyword in the interview if anyone managed to pick it up.

"...until the end of the season."

Yup, it's United fans wet dream.
Our new CB pairing is Varane - Vidic.

With United playing tomorrow, I'll be watching Everton tonight!

Southampton were very good and the entire Everton team was second best.
VDB was efficient and could've had an assist. I wouldn't say impress as the entire team was off but still a workmanlike performance. The game was gone when Gomes got caught in possession in his own half and Southampton scored from the mistake.

The simplicity is a strength when playing in that position in my opinon. When playing in a 6, the role is to keep the the game efficient. There can be a tough tackling, all action English style midfielder. But the best deep midfielders in the modern game makes the efficiency look simple. Think of Busquests, Xavi or Carrick. For the casual fans their game will be boring as it is all built on simple passes. Think also about Makelele, who defined the role. His instructions in the famous Real Madrid side was to pass it 6 yards when recovering the ball. No long Hollywood passes to risk losing possession, just give the short ball to the more gifted players like Zidane to play.

The interesting question for is how big a difference is having Zidane (One of my favourite players) as compared to having Pogba & Bruno for creativity?
Maybe, just maybe, we are one Claude Makelele away from providing consistent supply to both Pogba & Bruno to enable them to perform at their best.

We will never find out now.

Onwards to Leeds tonight!

McTominay providing literally zero distribution options from the base of midfield.

Maguire..... And he didn't put his fingers in his ears this time.

Hire a specialist set piece coach.
Scores one from 140 corners.

That's such a Manchester United thing to do.

Lindelof showing Maguire how to dribble up like Beckenbauer.