[Berbasbullet]

Don't think that's as useful, as being able to outpace defenders and move quicker with the ball in and around the box. I think he has vision, technique and creativity but just moves way too slowly.

I swear he’s faster than you’re making him out to be.

 

[Pexbo]

Jokes are not your forte i take it.

Oh right now I see it was a joke and a very funny one at that. I think it was your timing and intonation which really set it apart.

 

[iHicksy]

Oh right now I see it was a joke and a very funny one at that. I think it was your timing and intonation which really set it apart.

Bloody hell if saying tongue in cheek that Zirkzee has the touch of berba and the turning circle of fellaini as a light hearted joke gets you this wound up i think it's time to take a break from the internet for the day.

 

[Poborsky's hair]

I didn't expect much from him and he pleasantly surprised, I will not expect anything either for the next season, but he will have to improve. Lots of silky touches but also ball losses. He's just very slow which means he will never be good enough for us but he can play a part in the squad to change the game a bit and let other striker to have a breather. He can only surprise..

 

[Pexbo]

Bloody hell if saying tongue in cheek that Zirkzee has the touch of berba and the turning circle of fellaini as a light hearted joke gets you this wound up i think it's time to take a break from the internet for the day.

It doesn’t make sense as a joke is the point. He’s got a fantastic touch and he’s very agile so comparing his touch to someone who also has a fantastic touch and his agility to someone that was seen as a donkey doesn’t across as a joke it just comes across as you mocking his agility.

 

[pascell]

Seemed to get more fitter/athletic as the season went on, especially after his injury.

Hopefully a pre season under Amorim and he'll get around the pitch a tad quicker.

He proved he has something about it the tail end of the season, it's just whether his skillset lends itself well to Amorim system.

 

[Bondi77]

He was playing well until he done his hammy:

 

[Ezkay]

I do like him but think he was vastly overrated beceause of how tragic Hojlund was. Zirkzee managed 3 league goals ffs

 

[AjaxCunian]

I swear he’s faster than you’re making him out to be.

Maybe over a long distance, but very slow in the first meters. You need that in the PL.

 

[Berbasbullet]

Maybe over a long distance, but very slow in the first meters. You need that in the PL.

Yeah, maybe you’re right!

 

[RedC]

I like him, but don't see him doing too much next season, he doesn't get into spaces that gel with how the 2 10s will play when he plays as a 9, and he's probably 4th on the list (maybe even 5th with Mount fit) for one of those 10 spots.

 

[Devil81]

Weird cult status gained due to the abuse he received earlier in the season. Showed heart to come back but like others have said he offered next to nothing in all honesty.

I've said it a few times on here, get your money back, cash your chips.

 

[Idxomer]

He was playing well until he done his hammy:

Yep, started to use his physicality much better to his advantage and was bullying PL defenders at times. He has an interesting profile and needs a bit of patience to realise his potential. Difficult to find that at United, but he might be worth it.

 

[OverratedOpinion]

He was playing well until he done his hammy:

If this was a quick highlight of a forward we are linked with, most of those saying to get rid would be wanking themselves silly over it.

 

[Vidooq]

He has some very good movement for a tall person, can pass, can run. But we need much more. He has to want it more and ha has to impact games much more.

 

[HeirateMich]

I wish him the best for the coming season, he has a very good technique, I think he put the effort to get better, his record says otherwise but the whole team was crap. He has good presence in the build-up also, hoping next year we see a better version of him.

 

[FrankWhite]

Weird cult status gained due to the abuse he received earlier in the season. Showed heart to come back but like others have said he offered next to nothing in all honesty.

I've said it a few times on here, get your money back, cash your chips.

This ain't nothing:

 

[V.O.]

This ain't nothing:

He's a great Youtube player. Even in his worst game, he'll always have a nice touch to bring a ball down, a nutmeg, or a cute flick around the corner that looks nice on a compilation. The problem is the other 20 times he gave the ball away in that match. He was getting a bit sharper, and his success rate was getting better before his injury, but we shouldn't pretend he wasn't absolutely shocking for the vast majority of the season.

There's still hope it could click for him between two direct, clinical forwards like Cunha and Mbeumo.

 

[Raoul]

Good player. Hard see where he would fit in with Cunha, Mbuemo, and a proper striker probably all coming this summer.

 

[Posh Red]

I predict a much better season ahead for him. He could work really well alongside the new attacking signings.

 

[Posh Red]

Good player. Hard see where he would fit in with Cunha, Mbuemo, and a proper striker probably all coming this summer.

Back up striker, for me. With Cunha and Mbeumo either side, there is far less expectation on him to be a finisher.

 

[Raoul]

Back up striker, for me. With Cunha and Mbeumo either side, there is far less expectation on him to be a finisher.

Agreed. Backup striker, back up 10 who subs on in the 2nd half and/or replaces Cunha or Mbuemo when injured (i'm under no illusion we will be injury free next). He could probably deputize as a decent midfield enforcer as well if needed.

 

[ManRed]

He was clearly improving, his first 6 months were not the best but you could see signs of a proper baller. I think if he stays fit he will play a lot of games and score 10+ goals next season.

 

[J!!Z]

Many people seem to underestimate how difficult it is to transition from Serie A to the premier. The leap in intensity is massive and is the major reason why many players who come from that league take a while to adjust and quite a few never do.
You could see at the start of the season that the English game was too fast for him but as the season went on he started to acclimitize. That hamstring came at an unfortunate time because he was getting better.

 

[Brazilian_Ronaldo_9]

Him doing Saliba was worth the money haha

He’ll have one more season to see if he improves further on his form and can start clicking. If it doesn’t, he’ll get sold next summer which I think is reasonable.

Rough start but started to show signs of a technical player. Still a lot of work to do yet though.

 

[Marwood]

Many people seem to underestimate how difficult it is to transition from Serie A to the premier. The leap in intensity is massive and is the major reason why many players who come from that league take a while to adjust and quite a few never do.
You could see at the start of the season that the English game was too fast for him but as the season went on he started to acclimitize. That hamstring came at an unfortunate time because he was getting better.

I just think he turned up unfit. Looked heavy. Way too laid back an attitude which hopefully has changed now.

If he turns up for next season in his best possible shape I think there's a role up top for him.

 

[AdNani]

I watched a highlight video of his season, he really does have all the tools, his link up is fantastic, he's strong, got a bit of pace, I really hope he adds goals to his game.

 

[Womp]

Think he can be very good with Cunho and Mbeuno, actually. It will take some of the goalscoring pressure off him and will magnify the good parts of his game, his touch, control in tight spaces and link-up play.

He was starting to look quite good before he got injured, if he can work on the physical aspects of his game this off-season, like his pace etc. he could be very good.

This is assuming we don't sign a striker, turning him into a second or third option.

 

[OleGunnar20]

As a 2nd choice striker and a 3rd/4th option at #10, I think he's a great player to keep around. His improvement was obvious, and making final judgements playing his first year in this binfire of a team while still so young would be daft in my opinion. I say this as someone who definitely knee-jerked and wrote him off after his horrible start.

Guys got class and clearly wants to make it here. He's improving and in a functioning side can be an asset I feel. Maybe never good enough to be a nailed on starter in either position, but still an asset worth keeping for what he cost.

 

[Gordon S]

This guy can offer something different up front if needed, nice to have the options

 

[appleman]

Amorim's ideals for the forward 3 is still a bit of a question of sorts, especially with Cunha (and Mbeumo?) in. With those two it should still be a much different situation for a player like him.
If his consistency continues to improve, there's already a pretty clearly good player there, but the obvious questions of getting in the numbers would still stay.

Even in those reels you can see both from him and his teammates (read: his number of assists) the numbers could have been at least a bit better. But luck isn't a bet to take.

But as you can see from more than just Zirkzee's performances, the set up both in approach of play and the surrounding teammates is not to be ignored.
Mainoo could have just had second season syndrome, but there was also a difference between his 4-2-3-1 role and both the double 10 and alternative double pivot position in this 3-4-3 ish thing we've got now.

We could also all see that outside of form, Garnacho as a left 10 thingie or as a winger... at least takes some adaptation. Luckily Amad's profile as a hard working playmaking winger allows him to play as a 10 or wingback almost just as easily as a more classical and direct winger like Garnacho would, who probably only had a real shot if he were willing to play as a wingback and work hard enough consistently in a stamina-based position as that one tends to be.

Similar for Zirkzee. It's not weird he was quite all right as a 10 initially, but you can see he's more of a false 9 or double striker. He can of course develop into a more clearly defined 9 or 10 instead of this 9.5 thing, but his current profile is still more this 9.5 thing.

It's not like this could only work with a running 10 behind him and finishing/striker wingers, but if, say, Bruno and Mount are the 10s behind him, you will take away a lot of the goal scoring by default and ask Zirkzee (and even Hojlund) to take on responsibilities well beyond their (current) profile.

There are no guarantees, but simply playing beside Cunha and Mbeumo/Amad (consistently) should provide him with settings fitting to the skills, attributes and profile he already has.

Perhaps with time he could be a 9 or 10, and he has his own responsibility to make the most of his career as well, but it will make things easier for both him and United to actually make use of his strengths instead of asking a whale to be a fish. Good chance another striker will arrive as well, but don't think that automatically means Zirkzee will be #2 to anyone. As it currently stands, a player Amorim chose will probably get the benefit of the doubt to prove himself, but Zirkzee also deserves his chance to show he can continue the upwards trajectory we've seen since the winter, especially if the conditions for a player like him to thrive are looking to arrive.

Hopefully it all clicks more next season. Personally not a fan of Amorim per se, but hopefully he can prove he's as talented a manager as he was deemed not so long ago. Unfortunately for him and managers that came before, United damaged a lot of images before him, and so far it doesn't look too great for him.

 

[statpadders]

I do like him but think he was vastly overrated beceause of how tragic Hojlund was. Zirkzee managed 3 league goals ffs

Watching games through excel sheets should be banned ffs. Zirkzee is not a natural goal scorer - he is someone who links up the attack. Can we go back to actually watching games and see how players perform?

 

[Mick1]

Amorim's ideals for the forward 3 is still a bit of a question of sorts, especially with Cunha (and Mbeumo?) in. With those two it should still be a much different situation for a player like him.
If his consistency continues to improve, there's already a pretty clearly good player there, but the obvious questions of getting in the numbers would still stay.

Even in those reels you can see both from him and his teammates (read: his number of assists) the numbers could have been at least a bit better. But luck isn't a bet to take.

But as you can see from more than just Zirkzee's performances, the set up both in approach of play and the surrounding teammates is not to be ignored.
Mainoo could have just had second season syndrome, but there was also a difference between his 4-2-3-1 role and both the double 10 and alternative double pivot position in this 3-4-3 ish thing we've got now.

We could also all see that outside of form, Garnacho as a left 10 thingie or as a winger... at least takes some adaptation. Luckily Amad's profile as a hard working playmaking winger allows him to play as a 10 or wingback almost just as easily as a more classical and direct winger like Garnacho would, who probably only had a real shot if he were willing to play as a wingback and work hard enough consistently in a stamina-based position as that one tends to be.

Similar for Zirkzee. It's not weird he was quite all right as a 10 initially, but you can see he's more of a false 9 or double striker. He can of course develop into a more clearly defined 9 or 10 instead of this 9.5 thing, but his current profile is still more this 9.5 thing.

It's not like this could only work with a running 10 behind him and finishing/striker wingers, but if, say, Bruno and Mount are the 10s behind him, you will take away a lot of the goal scoring by default and ask Zirkzee (and even Hojlund) to take on responsibilities well beyond their (current) profile.

There are no guarantees, but simply playing beside Cunha and Mbeumo/Amad (consistently) should provide him with settings fitting to the skills, attributes and profile he already has.

Perhaps with time he could be a 9 or 10, and he has his own responsibility to make the most of his career as well, but it will make things easier for both him and United to actually make use of his strengths instead of asking a whale to be a fish. Good chance another striker will arrive as well, but don't think that automatically means Zirkzee will be #2 to anyone. As it currently stands, a player Amorim chose will probably get the benefit of the doubt to prove himself, but Zirkzee also deserves his chance to show he can continue the upwards trajectory we've seen since the winter, especially if the conditions for a player like him to thrive are looking to arrive.

Hopefully it all clicks more next season. Personally not a fan of Amorim per se, but hopefully he can prove he's as talented a manager as he was deemed not so long ago. Unfortunately for him and managers that came before, United damaged a lot of images before him, and so far it doesn't look too great for him.

Disagree about the Hojlund part.
Players like Zirkzee need to play with goal hungry wingers who cut inside.
You need him having time on the ball to turn in tight spaces whilst inverted wingers and 10s run in behind. With Mbeumo and Cunha being high goal output players and run in behind, I actually believe a zirkzee style forward would be much better than a typical 20+ goal a season.
With Bruno, Mbeumo, Cunha and Diallo capable of going into double figures, Casemiro/whoever else comes in, the wbs and even a defender in a 3 cb system can all contribute (Martinez and Maguire have scored a few goals between them this season, and not only on corners). Even if Z manages 10 to 15 goals BUT facilitates the whole team scoring more goals, I'd consider it a great season.
Still has everything to prove in terms of overall effectiveness and quality but I love the profile. Even if we get a world class 9, I'd still like a Zirkzee style player who can come on and allow a different tactical approach.

Hojlunds the opposite, he's always on the last line ready to pounce. A typical number 9. You need 2 creative 10s around him (Bruno, Mount, Diallo/Mainoo) who can drop balls in behind for him to run into. Too bad he s rubbish this season with Rashford out and Garna on the fritz should have been a decent season for him, and we did create some chances for him.

 

[MyOnlySolskjaer]

This ain't nothing:

There is a player in there, just get the right support.

 

[soapythecat]

I think he’ll be great next season. Playing Ina more involved front 3 he clearly has bags of ability in tight spaces, I reckon he will be very good. His performances weee hampered by confidence for much of the season but he grew into the squad.
I’m going to put my neck out and say he will be one of our better players next season.

 

[appleman]

Disagree about the Hojlund part.
Players like Zirkzee need to play with goal hungry wingers who cut inside.
You need him having time on the ball to turn in tight spaces whilst inverted wingers and 10s run in behind. With Mbeumo and Cunha being high goal output players and run in behind, I actually believe a zirkzee style forward would be much better than a typical 20+ goal a season.
With Bruno, Mbeumo, Cunha and Diallo capable of going into double figures, Casemiro/whoever else comes in, the wbs and even a defender in a 3 cb system can all contribute (Martinez and Maguire have scored a few goals between them this season, and not only on corners). Even if Z manages 10 to 15 goals BUT facilitates the whole team scoring more goals, I'd consider it a great season.
Still has everything to prove in terms of overall effectiveness and quality but I love the profile. Even if we get a world class 9, I'd still like a Zirkzee style player who can come on and allow a different tactical approach.

Hojlunds the opposite, he's always on the last line ready to pounce. A typical number 9. You need 2 creative 10s around him (Bruno, Mount, Diallo/Mainoo) who can drop balls in behind for him to run into. Too bad he s rubbish this season with Rashford out and Garna on the fritz should have been a decent season for him, and we did create some chances for him.

I actually do agree with you on Hojlund, and think I was incomplete in my description, as I was focused on all the other players on the pitch, but specifically the 10 being less of a (direct) goal threat this season, outside of perhaps Bruno in the second half.

Because to get him to play Hojlund-like, you do need the delivery-type behind/around him. What I meant by him snowing under too, is a team set up like Utd often was not getting the most out of a more "go to" striker like him. With no other finisher to act as bait in his vicinity, there was never a distraction for the defenders besides maybe the few good Garnacho games. So he neither had the chance to be kept in the shadows a bit more when underperforming as a young striker with the pressures of a top club in a team struggling to give you the chance to find some type of form.

A lot of #9 strikers have one or two playmakers nearby, like a 10, 8, playmaking winger, or some type of combination, but still tend to have either another striker, a running 10, or a more direct winger nearby. In that sense he might have had a better second half to the season under ETH/RVN and being surrounded by two or three of Rashford, Garnacho, Bruno and Amad, but with their respective forms, perfomances, and his own, he never found those strings of games of which he had one or two last season. And it's clear he isn't at the level (yet?) to be independent and rather stoic as the more clear cut striker, that's limited the more you diverge from there. He did underperform, but even if you have the playmakers ready and in enough of a form, it's still like asking him to be like prime Inzaghi, capable of keeping his cool in front of goal, while still clearly building up towards a (possible) "feel" for the goal.

For example, Inter's Thuram and Martinez both won't score 30+ goals, but having the other next to them, and even having Arnautovic around (missed opportunity?) did help them in relieving pressure off the other and themselves. Neither is as 9 as Hojlund is, but they aren't as 9.5 as Zirkzee either.

In that sense I am a little sad we never really saw the 4-4-2 ETH mentioned at the ZZ presentation or a 3-4-1-2 instead of the 3-4-2-1 with Zirkzee pushed back. But if we're replacing one and choose to keep faith in the other, I do agree with your points on Zirkzee and how he would fit with the "new" set up. Him and the newbies still have everything to prove (we've all seen the United-unlockers before), but hopefully Cunha (and more?) benefit from starting at 0.

I still believe Hojlund is talented enough, but I do think that budget wise and his own career wise, odds are it might be better to change the situation. If they had the luxury, getting a new striker while keeping both Zirkzee and Hojlund would have been ideal, but that's the type of luxury that needs at least the idea of a reliable XI going into a season, while now we're a team hoping the new players, the summer break, and more time to adjust to the new way of playing (and way of working) will unlock the players already here.

It's probably healthy to be a little skeptical about United nowadays, but it does suck to feel like there's a lost sense of dreaming.

Good thing there's more than football

I think he’ll be great next season. Playing Ina more involved front 3 he clearly has bags of ability in tight spaces, I reckon he will be very good. His performances weee hampered by confidence for much of the season but he grew into the squad.
I’m going to put my neck out and say he will be one of our better players next season.

I really hope so. Again, I'll be wary, but this is the type of player that gets me to return to this game, even just for their profile in video games. I get success tastes good, and United's fanbase has had to dial down their diet to the point of utter confusion, so I get the worry about his numbers, especially with the players around him not showing much better, but the type of elegance he is able to show is just so fun and exciting.

 

[Dominos]

Watching games through excel sheets should be banned ffs. Zirkzee is not a natural goal scorer - he is someone who links up the attack. Can we go back to actually watching games and see how players perform?

He's an attacking player. He doesn't score and doesn't assist. Doesn't have the pace to threaten in behind, doesn't have the pace to trouble defenders 1v1, doesn't have the pace to work himself half a yard to get shots away. Do you think the fact our attackers don't score goals might have something to do with how bad we were last season, and why we finished 15th?

"Linking up the attack" is just not enough. The only defence people seem to have of him is this fantasy that we're Klopp's Liverpool and Zirkzee is Firmino. We're not, and he isn't.

 

[cpresc]

He's an attacking player. He doesn't score and doesn't assist. Doesn't have the pace to threaten in behind, doesn't have the pace to trouble defenders 1v1, doesn't have the pace to work himself half a yard to get shots away. Do you think the fact our attackers don't score goals might have something to do with how bad we were last season, and why we finished 15th?

"Linking up the attack" is just not enough. The only defence people seem to have of him is this fantasy that we're Klopp's Liverpool and Zirkzee is Firmino. We're not, and he isn't.

And not good at headers!

Or penalties!

 

[DrRodo]

This ain't nothing:

Maybe if we had more clinical players than Garnacho and Hojlund we would be all raving for his contribution and his berba-assists

Hes a keeper for me. Loads of talent and flair, young. As the whole team, still gotta level up, but hes not our biggest concern now

 

[Wing Attack Plan R]

A few months ago this was exactly what I was saying too. But I do think he started to show a stronger mentality in coming back from the Old Trafford boos with some genuine improvement, and also more intensity. Albeit that wasn't a hard ask after how lackadaisical he was initially!

Still a hell of a lot of room for improvement in bith areas, but just for in the EL final I thought we looked 10x better when he came on. Admittedly that also isn't actually a huge compliment, given how he was replacing a statue in Hojlund! But I really wish he had been given the opportunity to start that game or at least come on at HT, given how Hojlind was looking even more ineffective than usual. Van de Ven and Romero just completely nullified him, whereas Zirkzee had them out of position and creating space for others, but there was only about 15 minutes left by that point. Still grates me how long it took Amorim to change up something that clearly wasn't working in the biggest game of the season. Rant over.

This early sub gets more bizarre the more time that passes. Especially given how Amorim apparently could give two fecks about us winning or losing, he basically engaged in some psychological warfare with Zirkzee with that sub. I don't think Zirkzee is good enough* but what Amorim did is fecking harsh.

*those highlights are pretty good though!