Napoli: McTominay’s 574-minute drought under Conte explained | OneFootball

Napoli continues to win and lead Serie A, but one of last season's certainties seems to have been lost. Scott McTominay, a key figure in the championship with 13 goals and 6 assists, hasn't scored in 574 minutes across all competitions. This is reported by Gazzetta dello Sport.

Napoli, McTominay, 574-minute crisis: why the Scot struggles in Conte's new Napoli

Not only that: in the last two games, he was substituted by Antonio Conte while the result was still uncertain, a detail that highlights the difficult moment for the Scottish midfielder.

From Serie A MVP to unexpected decline

A year ago, McTominay was considered Napoli's secret weapon: a midfielder with striker-like numbers, perfect at making runs, devastating in open spaces. Today, however, he seems like a faded copy of that player.

His last goal dates back to the first matchday against Sassuolo, in the 17th minute. Since then, only one assist against Pisa and many underwhelming performances. His performance is no longer what convinced Conte and the management to strongly rely on him as the cornerstone of the offensive midfield.

Conte's change of formation and the new balance

The decline is not coincidental, but mainly linked to the new tactical setup wanted by Antonio Conte. To ensure the coexistence of Anguissa, Lobotka, and especially Kevin De Bruyne, the coach modified the championship-winning 4-3-3 into a more compact 4-1-4-1.

In this structure, McTominay has lost the freedom to attack spaces that made him decisive. The creative burden has shifted to De Bruyne, with broader licenses. The Scot, instead, is forced to move wide or play with his back to goal, situations that do not highlight his characteristics.

Fewer spaces, fewer goals

Without pure offensive wingers to create depth, McTominay no longer finds openings between the lines. The opportunities for runs have drastically reduced, and the numbers confirm it: zero shots on target in the last two games and few appearances in the opponent's area.

It is evident that the new context penalizes him: he is not a classic playmaker, not a winger, and does not have the same creativity as De Bruyne.

Conte and the Napoli mission: rediscover the real McTominay

However, Antonio Conte does not seem inclined to change the formation immediately. "The 4-1-4-1 gives us balance," he reiterated in recent conferences. Variants with Lang or Neres are considered only during the match.

Thus, a key task remains: to bring McTominay back to the center of the project without distorting Napoli's tactical balance. The coach will have to find the formula that allows the Scot to become decisive again as he was a year ago.

The international break could become an opportunity to test alternative solutions and restore confidence to a player who, in terms of numbers and impact, remains potentially decisive.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.