Naples – Napoli manager Antonio Conte believes Scott McTominay‘s diminished impact this season stems from a shift in perception:โฃ the Scottish midfielder is no longer an unexpected threat. After a breakout debut season following his transfer from Manchester United, McTominayโ is facing increased scrutiny and โฃtactical adjustments from opposing teams.
McTominay arrived at โNapoli as a relatively unknown quantity and quickly became a key player, scoring โ12 goals and providing six assists to helpโ secure the 2024/25โ Scudetto. Though, at the start of the 2025/26 season, his performance has dipped, with one goal and oneโค assist in โsix league appearances. Conte attributes this change to opponents now being acutely aware of McTominay’s capabilities andโข actively working to neutralize โhim, a situationโค exacerbated by โคa tactical shift thatโ has sometimes โขseen McTominay deployed on the left wing following the arrival of kevinโฃ de Bruyne.
“It’s very easy, his status has now โchanged,” Conte told TuttoNapoli.”He โwas the best player in the league lastโข season. Whenโฃ he arrived, heโ didn’t play โmuch at Manchester United. He came hereโฃ as an โคunderdog with somethingโข to prove. Nowโข his status โขis diffrent and the attention he receives, even from opponents preparing to face him, is completely different. It’s asโค simple as that.”
Conte further explained that McTominay’s success last season was partly due to his ability to adapt to various formations, including playing with two strikers and โin a 4-3-3 system. “Lastโ season he adapted to everythingโฆnow opponents โsee him differently, and naturally โthey make tactical adjustments to limit him,” Conte said.
