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Joshua Zirkzee Netherlands flag

2024-25 Performances

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5.1 Season Average Rating
Appearances
49
Goals
7
Assists
2
Yellow cards
3
Status
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Devil81 said:
No Berba had a certain style it was all about control and bringing others into play. I see the comparison in the terms of bringing others into play but one was an absolute genius skill wise and the other just looks clumsy and out of his depth.
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Seems like we agree completely. As I say - I would love to be proven wrong though, but his lack of intensity is concerning.
 
Every time I see him play I remember the phrase "like a bull in a china shop" - like I literally see in my head this clumsy huge creature fecking everything up. Why the feck is he so big and slow and clumsy? And which genius thought it was a good idea to bring a player like that into our team?
 
Berba was past his best when we got him. He was frustrating but capable of sublime moments - some match wining - more than performances. Often slow, uninterested, and on the periphery.
Zirkzee is all of the above without the sublime moments and match winning abilities. It’s not his fault that he doesn’t suit our style of play, but he could at least put a shift in every minute he’s in the pitch. Unfortunately that appears beyond him.
 
He is one of a list of players who is allegedly the ‘fix’ or the ‘key’ to some playing style. This includes
Oonana
Martinez
Ugarte

The only one I would now agree with is a proven goal scorer like a Kane or Salah. Not getting that.

The reality is we have no consistent style for them to fit into, so it’s basically down to individuality too many times. This is the manager’s fault. I have no idea if Zirkzee could prove himself longer term but solving the problem is about more than just misplaced players and individual form. I sometimes watch the structure in other, smaller, teams and want to weep.
 
He's a poor mans Havertz in all honesty, not sure what his position is meant to be but no where near the levels of Doku, Grealish, Salah, Diaz, Palmer, Havertz, Saka, Odergard, Trossard etc

If you want to talk about strikers he's no where near the likes of Haaland, Watkins, ISak, Havertz, even Nicholas Jackson.

He's a very average limited player. If his job is to hold up the ball he's also crap at that.

We are so far behind the other teams it's crazy.
 
TrailMonkey said:
Berba was past his best when we got him. He was frustrating but capable of sublime moments - some match wining - more than performances. Often slow, uninterested, and on the periphery.
Zirkzee is all of the above without the sublime moments and match winning abilities. It’s not his fault that he doesn’t suit our style of play, but he could at least put a shift in every minute he’s in the pitch. Unfortunately that appears beyond him.
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He was 27 when we got him.
 
DevilDug said:
He is one of a list of players who is allegedly the ‘fix’ or the ‘key’ to some playing style. This includes
Oonana
Martinez
Ugarte

The only one I would now agree with is a proven goal scorer like a Kane or Salah. Not getting that.

The reality is we have no consistent style for them to fit into, so it’s basically down to individuality too many times. This is the manager’s fault. I have no idea if Zirkzee could prove himself longer term but solving the problem is about more than just misplaced players and individual form. I sometimes watch the structure in other, smaller, teams and want to weep.
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I am not sure why we bought him. We needed goals, he isn’t anything special. From what I have seen, he isn’t a pure 9. I would have rather focused on developing Hojlund and sign an experienced striker.
 
RedorDead21 said:
You can be past your best at 27?? Loads of players dropped off a cliff at younger ages
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He wasn't past his best in any way, he just was incredibly different style wise from the other players we had in our squad at that time. In truth he struggled with our quick counter attacks but he still managed some brilliant displays.
 
Man Utd 5:2 Leicester
Someone needs to plug him out and back in again.

As he isn't working as a footballer.
 
If he could get fit he'd be an interesting player.

But I don't get the feeling he's got it in him to do so.
 
He hasn't hit third gear yet, but if he pick up his physical and mental fitness he could be a decent squad player for us.
 
Hojilund wasn't much better, and I rate him for the future. Realistically I think we need to seriously look at rather either of them are ready, or good enough at this moment. Could be a case of a striker duo version of Antony and Sancho on the wings in terms of ineffectiveness.
 
Either he needs to put a shock collar on that punishes him for not sprinting, or he needs to get out. Because the lackadaisical gimmick won’t work at this level. Even Berbatov had an excellent eye for goal and knew when to go at it. This guy plays like he’s Pirlo in a charity match strolling about, except he’s a 23 year old striker for Manchester United.

The intensity in possession has to be raised.
 
I don't think it was quite as bad as all that; his pressing work was good; he did a lot of good defensively, in fact, and he knows how to move the ball early and to the right player, which is more than can be said for Hojlund right now.

Overall he will be judged by his goals and assists which may or may not come, but he is still doing all the right things which make you think its going to happen for him eventually. Probably one that needs 12 months to get the Serie A out of his legs fully.
 
I thought his linkup play in his first few games was excellent. Just lacked the final third quality but now even the linkup is poor he looks quite bad. Confidence clearly not there and he’s better than what he’s showing but not sure he has a long term future here especially if Amorim comes.
 
Solius said:
I thought his linkup play in his first few games was excellent. Just lacked the final third quality but now even the linkup is poor he looks quite bad. Confidence clearly not there and he’s better than what he’s showing but not sure he has a long term future here especially if Amorim comes.
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Completely agree. Hopefully just needs a goal to get him going again and the confidence will come back and we can actually start seeing the best of him in a Utd shirt.
 
Weird player. Best description I've heard of him is a Gen Z Fellaini. He's definitely not a goal scorer and clearly his game is dropping deep and feeding the wide attackers but yeah he just looks like he doesn't give a feck at times so he's gonna come in for harsher criticism when we're in a rut.
 
First 60 was seriously Bebe level, couldn't do anything right, so off the pace, then showed a few better moments in the last part of his game.

His intensity levels and energy are a problem, it is all a bit leaden footed. I really liked his technique and use of the ball in his first couple of appearances, could be a guy, especially with his body shape who needs to be constantly playing to keep his sharpness.
 
It's getting difficult to see him making it. If he gets the ball, unless there's an obvious, simple pass on to advance the play, you don't really fancy him to do much other than give it away.

Would be nice to see some glimpses of what he's supposed to be about, and if not the club needs to be more proactive than we have been with other failed signings in moving him on to somewhere more his level.
 
He just looks pretty much out of shape, looked gassed from the 25th minute. Guess we replaced Marital with even worse Martial
 
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