Despite Manchester United's defeat in Gdansk on Wednesday, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer made a special mention of one player: Scott McTominay.
Many will have to wait a few more days before the cloud of disappointment lifts and we can look back on the season as a whole. Given the manager's praise for McTominay, whom he called "absolutely outstanding" and the "best player on the pitch," it's worth focusing on the midfielder's development during the 2020/21 season.
Although pondering hypotheticals in football is risky, it is interesting to consider how McTominay's performance might have been regarded had a different outcome from penalties in Poland occurred. As combative as ever, the Scotland international received widespread acclaim for his performance.
McTominay is no stranger to praise. Solskjaer is the third United manager to regularly praise the 24-year-old, joining Jose Mourinho and Sir Alex Ferguson. McTominay has been described as one of our "big players" with a "great attitude to the game" by our legendary former coach.
What has Scott been working on this season to improve his game? He explained his mindset to us ahead of the final.
“I've always got things I'm looking at all the time for me to really dial into and focus on improving,” he explained.
“I hold myself to high standards. I always have high expectations. I'll never be satisfied with just playing well. I'm always looking to advance to the next level.
“That's what sports are all about. You want to take your performance to the next level. Pushing yourself to see how far you can go is really the goal of life. I enjoy it because the adrenaline and rush you get from constantly pushing yourself are exciting.”
He went into more detail in a fan Q&A session, the full version of which will be released in the coming weeks, highlighting one aspect of his game in particular that he has dialled in, focused on and improved.
“There are a lot of things that people would miss,” Scott observed.
“When receiving the ball, I find myself in a much better position, facing forwards, chest and shoulders facing forwards. I'm ready to pass or run forward in order to score and create goals.
“It's just a little bit of positional shifting.”
McTominay has shown for some time that he has the qualities to play as a combative midfielder, breaking up play, committing to tackles, and acting as a sort of shield to the defence, thanks to what Sir Alex has described as his "long, lanky" legs. That insight into his body shape, on the other hand, is intriguing, and it's about adding a new dimension to his game.
McTominay is incorporating more attacking drive into his game in the hopes of contributing more in that area. United's great midfielders have never been limited to just one skill because, at the highest level, you must be more than just a ball-winner, passer, or dribbler; you must be one of those things, more, and then something else on top of that. It takes time to get to that level.
McTominay has been seen driving forward this season, using his long stride and upper body strength to keep people at bay and drag his team up the pitch. That was certainly evident in Gdansk. That aspect of a footballer's game is only possible if he or she can receive the ball in space or has good enough footwork to navigate through tight spaces.
The former option is a simpler and more reliable way of finding space, and it's what McTominay has been working on, honing his ability to turn with his first touch, push into space, and give himself more options. When you watch McTominay now, you'll notice him opening up his body and scanning the pitch for his next action, whether it's a shot, dribble, or pass.
Receiving the ball and getting away from his defender is a minor change in McTominay's game, but it has significant implications. He has more options by opening up his body and kicking the ball out into space. Because of the time and space created by the first action, new passing lanes have opened up or he has more green grass to punch into. A player may be forced to pass backwards due to a different first touch or body shape.
In this regard, the statistics show a shift in McTominay's game. In terms of carrying the ball, this is his best season yet. In terms of the number of carries into the final third per game, he is just behind serial creators Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford. The same can be said for progressive dribbles all over the field, with a career-high average of 5.27 per 90 minutes.
There's a lot more. This season, he's had more touches in the final third and in the opposition's penalty area than any other United player. Only Bruno and Rashford have been fouled more than McTominay, indicating that he is getting past his man and being dragged back or taken down to prevent a counter-attack.
THERE IS ALWAYS ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT.
Scott has stated that there is still work to be done. This was a good season for him, with two notable highlights being his brace in a 6-2 thrashing of Leeds and his goalscoring captain's performance in an FA Cup win over Watford. Adding more goals to his game is an obvious goal, one that he and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer have discussed.
There will also be small improvements to specific aspects of his game that casual observers may not notice, but players and coaches will, such as body shape and positioning. It has a significant impact. McTominay is still only 24 years old. Because of his style and nationality, he will be compared to current United staff member Darren Fletcher. Replacing Fletcher would be a good start. Both players proved their doubters wrong, and Fletcher, like McTominay, has made himself indispensable in big games.
For the time being, his focus will be on representing Scotland at Euro 2020, and then it will be back to seeking regular improvements to ensure he has the best chance of establishing himself in the United midfield.
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