Joshua Zirkzee image 11

Joshua Zirkzee Netherlands flag

2024-25 Performances

View full 2024-25 profile

5.3 Season Average Rating
Appearances
10
Goals
1
Assists
0
Yellow cards
1

MyOnlySolskjaer

Creator of Player Performance threads
Joined
Nov 27, 2014
Messages
27,577
Location
Player Performance Threads
GSdM7QNXgAAhNlp


Full Name: Joshua Orobosa Zirkzee
Date of Birth: May 22, 2001
Nationality: Netherlands
122.png

Other Nationalities: Nigeria
124.png

Squad Number: TBD
Height: 193cm
Position: Attack - Centre-Forward
Foot: Right
Player Agent: Sports Invest UK ltd
Joined: Jul 14, 2024
Contract Expires: Jun 30, 2029
Outfitter: Nike​
 
6 goal season incoming.
 
How many games before we right him off?

I say 7
 
Not overly arsed how many goals he scores. His game looks to be along the lines of Firmino/Bergkamp/pre-Ronaldo-fecking-off-from-Madrid Benzema, and as such he should be judged on how much better he makes the players around him look, rather than purely on stats.

He should fit our attack like a glove, seeing as how all of our wingers (apart from maybe Amad) are selfish cnuts whose first, second, and third choice on the ball is to cut in and shoot. A facilitator like Zirkzee should be a dream to play with, and I'd also like to see him get some minutes alongside Hojlund when chasing games etc, who should also benefit massively from having a player of his type alongside.
 
10-15 G/A in all comps, good facilitating contribution, and giving us some tactical flexibility upfront are the realistic expectations IMO.

I would be inclined to start the season with him upfront as our starting #9. According to some people on Twitter who have watched him extensively and know a lot more about him than United fans do, he mentally isn't ready to just be a bench option at this stage of his career. Even before we were linked with him, I also thought the move doesn't make sense from the player's point of view, as with Hojlund already in the squad, we needed a striker that was willing to be 2nd choice without kicking up a fuss, like a Joselu or Choupo-Moting, for example. I feel like if we give Zirkzee a real chance up top from the get go, and then he gets benched for Hojlund, he'll take it much better than if he was just warming the bench from the beginning. Overall minutes shouldn't be a problem, though, so there will be a lot of play time available for him IMO, just not as a guaranteed striker, unless he completely hits the ground running for us and becomes undroppable.

I'm really interested to see how his first season goes at the club. I think we should be patient with him and many other current players as well.
 
You wouldn't buy a forward from Bologna with a patchy goalscoring record if the idea was he was going to score 20 odd goals in the PL. Not happening. He might develop more of a ruthless streak but it won't come instantly and the club will know that.

Which does beg the question of where the bulk of our goals will come from but I'd have thought they see this guy as a flexible option with more technical skill than the likes of Rashford and Hojlund that can play a few roles.
 
Abraxas said:
You wouldn't buy a forward from Bologna with a patchy goalscoring record if the idea was he was going to score 20 odd goals in the PL. Not happening. He might develop more of a ruthless streak but it won't come instantly and the club will know that.

Which does beg the question of where the bulk of our goals will come from but I'd have thought they see this guy as a flexible option with more technical skill than the likes of Rashford and Hojlund that can play a few roles.
Click to expand...

You say this like it's a fact when strikers have come from Hoffenheim (Demba Ba) from Freiburg (Papiss Cisse) from freaking Zamalek in Egypt (Zaki), from Maccabi Haifa (Yakubu) among others and hit 15 goals each in the Prem. Not saying Zirkzee will do it but to discount him because he's coming from Bologna (who finished 5th and will be playing Champions League football) off a season he won Serie A young player of the year is wild.
 
devilsadvoca8 said:
You say this like it's a fact when strikers have come from Hoffenheim (Demba Ba) from Freiburg (Papiss Cisse) from freaking Zamalek in Egypt (Zaki), from Maccabi Haifa (Yakubu) among others and hit 15 goals each in the Prem. Not saying Zirkzee will do it but to discount him because he's coming from Bologna (who finished 5th and will be playing Champions League football) off a season he won Serie A young player of the year is wild.
Click to expand...
Big difference between 15 goals and 20 odd. 15 goals is the sort of figure any forward playing for a major club should at least be targeting. 20 is when you start to get into the top performing players.

Not impossible no but not the most likely scenario. There's probably a better chance Hojlund kicks on and gets near those numbers with more experience and because he should be playing higher up the pitch.
 
Holland contributed 17 G/A in his first season so that would be a good target for Zirkzee.

Being a few years older doesn't change it's his first season in England so anything around the 15 mark will be a good season.
 
RuudTom83 said:
Holland contributed 17 G/A in his first season so that would be a good target for Zirkzee.

Being a few years older doesn't change it's his first season in England so anything around the 15 mark will be a good season.
Click to expand...
Is that Rasmus' name change to try and fit in with the Dutch clique? :)
 
If he can get 15+ goals that would be a very good season. Or I’d take him getting 10 goals but making Rashford get 15+.
 
Welcome! Good backup option. Need squad depth if we want to compete in multiple competitions.
 
It’s seems to me he has much better first touch than Hojlund. Hope it’s not misperception! Our attacking play is so chaotic and lack of ideas. Hope he can help gel a functional system.
 
He missed only 4 big chances last season but created 11!

5 offsides during the whole season!
 
Tony247 said:
Welcome! Good backup option. Need squad depth if we want to compete in multiple competitions.
Click to expand...
I hope him play starting role. If he can’t, the new season might become another overwhelming one on the horizon.
 
Very good addition to our squad, but I think our attack still lack goals.
 
city-puma said:
I hope him play starting role. If he can’t, the new season might become another overwhelming one on the horizon.
Click to expand...
Likely that they'll just rotate week to week depending on form and opponents. It's good to have options and depth to change games. He's definitely not currently better than what Hojlund can do when he's on form, but both are young.

Our #1 issue last season was the defence and midfield structure, basically the entire team off the ball organization. Depth up top doesn't change this, Ugarte and de ligt will have a big impact, but ultimately if it's not set up properly from ten hag, then it'll be a slog of a season. The coaching and instructions he sets out, as well as our collective mentality, will have a far bigger impact than any individual signing to determine if this will be a good or bad season.
 
From video footage alone he looks like a comfortably better footballer than Hojlund and I'd expect him to start.
 
RuudTom83 said:
Holland contributed 17 G/A in his first season so that would be a good target for Zirkzee.

Being a few years older doesn't change it's his first season in England so anything around the 15 mark will be a good season.
Click to expand...

Haaland scored 52 in his first season, age 22. Not assists+goals, just goals.

(If that's what you mean by "Holland".)
 
Any news on when he would join the squad for training? I assume he gets an extended break after the Euro's?
 
Last edited:
Think he could turn out to be a great signing in the sense that, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. This type of squad building is something Ten Hag probably excels in.
 
I'm very curious about this guy. Although I'm Dutch, I think I've seen exactly the same of Zirkzee as the most people on the Caf; His 8 minutes combined at the Euro's. The guy has never played in the Eredivisie, or the Dutch NT before, and I don't watch foreign leagues apart from the PRemier League. So curious what he can do. From the YT vids I have seen, stylistically he looks silky smooth. Would love for him to replace Memphis as the #1 striker in the Dutch NT, because Memphis is fekking done.
 
How come he’s not joining the lads on pre season?
 
DJ_21 said:
How come he’s not joining the lads on pre season?
Click to expand...
Holland went deeper into the Euros than Denmark. He needs a break.

Most likely the club decides it's not worth bringing people out midway through the tour. Likely join first day back at Carrington.
 
DJ_21 said:
How come he’s not joining the lads on pre season?
Click to expand...
Netherlands played through to the semi's, so he's training in Carrington. I'd imagine he'd join us for the Charity Shield.
 
Redplane said:
Probably being placed on a light program coming off the Euros. He may not have played more than some minutes there - he still trained every day for it, so I presume they re just trying to take it easy.
Click to expand...
Makes sense.
 
VP89 said:
Netherlands played through to the semi's, so he's training in Carrington. I'd imagine he'd join us for the Charity Shield.
Click to expand...
Fair. Tough game to come into though.
 
Aside playing as a nine I can see a situation were ETH uses him as a 10 like he use to a times with Weghorst.
 
Trex said:
Aside playing as a nine I can see a situation were ETH uses him as a 10 like he use to a times with Weghorst.
Click to expand...
My impression as well. Hell I think he's going to end up closer to competing with Bruno than Hojjlund. This is the short passing, link up, ball carrier type we've been missing
 
You must log in or register to reply here.