Scotland expects: What is behind McTominay's understated World Cup?

How can McTominay be more effective against Brazil?

Undoubtedly McTominay's biggest attributes are in the forward areas. It has been a long time since the days of Steve Clarke playing him at centre-back.

His lethal eye for goal, his guile to be in the right place, his power to beat a man and arrive on time.

It is no coincidence that the former Manchester United man's less influential moments came in moments at Boston Stadium when Scotland were on the back foot.

For much of the game against Haiti, Scotland were not advancing into the final third with purpose, or working the ball well enough.

They received the ball 77 times in the final third compared to 116 at the other end.

The graph below illustrates just how much Haiti were the team with the attacking initiative, particularly with the amount of passes in the final third towards the end of the game.

The second-half against the Moroccans has arguably been Scotland's most forthcoming showing of the three tournament appearances under Clarke and McTominay's involvement began to swell.

"I've watched a bit of Scott," former Scotland winger Pat Nevin said of McTominay at Napoli and Scotland. "Scott is not Billy Gilmour. He's not going to go and run the game and pass.

"He can pass, he can do all those things. But is he going to be a technical player who runs the game? No, he's not going to be that.

"Is he going to be world class at arriving in the box? Yeah, as a 10 or an 8. And he's very, very good at other things and his work rate is fantastic.

"So when you say, 'oh he didn't do it to the last wee while', well we weren't up there at that end of the pitch. So it's kind of hard to do it."

While still not constant pressure from their possession in the second half, the graph below is evidence that Scotland were much more effective in the latter stages of the game as an attacking entity.

But why?

Image caption,

Scotland, in red, got on the ball more in dangerous areas late on against Morocco

The loss of Gilmour is a key point to consider when talking about McTominay's effectiveness.

Lewis Ferguson has been used instead, with the Bologna man arguably Scotland's best player across both games so far.

But, while he's been used more in a holding position, his licence to engage his energy to free up the likes of McTominay and McGinn is perhaps stifled.

This is something that changed late on against Morocco with the introduction of Kenny McLean on 71 minutes, which allowed Ferguson to roam.

Former Scotland international Leanne Crichton suggested: "I think we've played with bravery and quality and composure in flashes and, when that happens, I think that's where Scott McTominay's at his best.

"I think you can see his qualities, he's absolutely there.

"If Scott McTominay's been picked up and he's been marked and doubled up in certain moments, players are tracking those runs that he normally makes then it's up to other players around that to recognise and make better decisions with the ball.

"I think that's probably where we've fallen short in certain moments in the game."

Nevin added: "He's not a controller of games like that. Some of the best players in the world aren't that.

"In midfield, they are different things. And he's got a great specialism, which is a world-class specialism. But you need to be in a position to play for him to use that to his best.

"And we didn't really get into that position to do that because we weren't in the final third to do that.

"So I wouldn't be having any dig at Scott at all. He's doing a hard shift."