SCOTT FREE
How Scott McTominay has sparked a major tactical transformation by Antonio Conte as he ditches trademark playing style
The experienced boss has lavished his summer signing with unique praise
SCOTT MCTOMINAY has quickly endeared himself to the Napoli fans.
But he's had an even greater impact on boss Antonio Conte - who has performed a major tactical transformation in order to see the Scot flourish at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.
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McTominay, 27, joined the Serie A giants last month in a £25.7m transfer - a deal that made him the most expensive Scottish player of all-time.
On his first start for the club last week, McTominay left the Italian media in awe of his virtuoso performance.
He then bagged a goal in his next game, coming off the bench in style to help Napoli to a 5-0 win over Palermo.
Conte has been in management for almost 20 years now and in that time has coached Juventus, Chelsea and Inter Milan, among others.
One thing the 55-year-old is known for perhaps more than anything is his use of the 3-5-2 formation.
Conte was credited with reviving the use of three-man defensive units to great success, particularly with Juventus and Chelsea.
He has generally varied between a standard 3-5-2 and a 3-4-2-1, 3-4-3 and 3-5-1-1 but this year his set up at Napoli is markedly different.
Conte has ditched his trademark playing style in favour of a 4-3-3 this season, with McTominay operating in a mezzala role as one of the advanced central midfielders.
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The role allows McTominay to make the same trademark runs into the penalty area as he does for Scotland, with his boundless energy in the middle of the park also being utilised as he covers ground from box-to-box.
Conveniently for McTominay - and Scotland - the man playing behind him in midfield this season for Napoli is Billy Gilmour.
Kris Boyd explains how Tartan Army hero Scott McTominay can get even better for Scotland
The 23-year-old former Rangers wonderkid deployment in the deeper playmaking role allows McTominay to go and cause havoc in the opponents' half, whilst Gilmour sits and recycles the play, a blueprint Steve Clarke knows can yield results.
Napoli have lost just once this season and that was before McTominay arrived in Naples.
Indeed, in the matches McTominay has been involved in Napoli have only dropped points against Juventus (a 0-0 draw) and sxored 11 goals in the process. They also haven't conceded.
Gli Azzurri are top of Serie A at the moment and Conte is excited at what McTominay is bringing to the team.
He said: "Scott is a player who has goals in his blood, he is very good at getting into the game.
"He has very good technical qualities, as well as a significant physical build.
"And he makes his presence felt in the air. He has quite a few goals in his DNA."
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