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Joshua Zirkzee Netherlands flag

2024-25 Performances


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4.9 Season Average Rating
Appearances
21
Goals
3
Assists
2
Yellow cards
1
Amorim will ditch him for Gyokares, either in the winter or next summer (and yes, I'm aware Amorim has said he won't be raiding Sporting for players in the winter window).
He said Gyokares is 100m so unless there's a contract expiry happening, I doubt it.
 
I don't like jumping on a player so early but never mind the pace, there have been some brilliant players who ran like they were in treacle, but go down to your local 11 aside pitches on the weekend and you'd find somebody with a better touch.
 
I don't like jumping on a player so early but never mind the pace, there have been some brilliant players who ran like they were in treacle, but go down to your local 11 aside pitches on the weekend and you'd find somebody with a better touch.

For me, its as simple as saying Zirkzee simply doesn't pass the eye test. As in, when I see him play, there's nothing in his style or ability that screams to me he should play for one of the world's biggest clubs. Rather, he feels like your average mid table player who was only bought because the [now sacked] manager liked Dutch or former Dutch league players.
 
For me, its as simple as saying Zirkzee simply doesn't pass the eye test. As in, when I see him play, there's nothing in his style or ability that screams to me he should play for one of the world's biggest clubs. Rather, he feels like your average mid table player who was only bought because the [now sacked] manager liked Dutch or former Dutch league players.
Was Zirkzee definitely not an INEOS signing? I had read they preferred to go for him over Welbeck.
 
He's unbelievably bad, to a point where you are 100% certain he's not going to produce anything. When he was breaking on a counter yesterday I did not even care, I knew he was going to be pushed off the ball or make the wrong play. When other players are trying to deliver the ball to him in the box, I'm sure he's not going to be there or even if he's near it someone will get to the ball before he does anyway.

He also lacks any sort of effort. Looks like he's in cruise mode all game, barely breaks a sweat, just jogs about.
 
Was Zirkzee definitely not an INEOS signing? I had read they preferred to go for him over Welbeck.

I can see the logic of wanting a young 23 year old over a 33 year old Danny Welbeck, but i would have my doubts as to how much I would attribute last summer's signings to INEOS given that we were still in the process of building our executive management team heading into the summer, which is probably also another reason why ETH himself wasn't sacked when we should've been.
 
I can see the logic of wanting a young 23 year old over a 33 year old Danny Welbeck, but i would have my doubts as to how much I would attribute last summer's signings to INEOS given that we were still in the process of building our executive management team heading into the summer, which is probably also another reason why ETH himself wasn't sacked when we should've been.
If you put the framing purely down to age, then yes, no doubt. But I know which player I would rather have in a United squad.

If INEOS weren't in charge of the signings in the summer that's a problem. A problem they shouldn't have allowed to occur if they weren't certain of the manager's ability to move the club forward at the time. Why on earth would it be a good idea to trust a manager you have so many doubts about to spend a load more of the club's money? They should have been extra vigilant over the club's spending on player recruitment considering their clear misgivings they had over the manager.
 
I wouldn't write him off too fast, so far he doesn't seem to give a rat's ass but maybe a better man manager will get a tune out of him.

If not we'd be better off cutting our losses as fast as we can.
 
For me, its as simple as saying Zirkzee simply doesn't pass the eye test. As in, when I see him play, there's nothing in his style or ability that screams to me he should play for one of the world's biggest clubs. Rather, he feels like your average mid table player who was only bought because the [now sacked] manager liked Dutch or former Dutch league players.

Average players can make do with one or two stand out attributes like pace or finishing but when a player has difficulty with how they control and move a football it's hard to see how they're going to overcome that in a league as fast and physical as the PL.
 
A slightly worse version of Rashford to me. And Rashford himself isn't even that great!
 
I'm really starting to worry about Zirkzee, who looks like a player completely out of his element in the PL and could do with a loan and a fitness program in the second half of the season.
 
Maguire is probably more effective centre forward. His performance in the FA Cup tie against Liverpool was actually brilliant.
 
The real question about Zirkzeeis is how was he scouted and thought to be united quality .
Very average player who fits in quite well with our substandard recruitment of players in the last 10 years .
 
It really is shocking how many bad, or unsuitable players we have signed in recent years. Every club gets one or two signings wrong, but we could offer a master class in how to sign bad players, while paying over the odds for the privilege.
 
What a ridiculous post!
Ridiculous? In the sense that you think he's been way better than Rashford? Or you think he's more like some other type of forward? He's neither a target man nor a goal poacher. If his best position is inside forward then that is Rashy's position.
 
For me, its as simple as saying Zirkzee simply doesn't pass the eye test.

Yeah, I agree.

If this guy ever turns into a world beater, I'll be very surprised.

(But I have been surprised before - and so forth.)

Point being - I can't see anything there to be overly excited about, and I don't understand why we triggered this guy's release clause (which was 40m or so, I think).

I would be extremely pleased to be proven wrong, mind you - we desperately need some quality up front.
 
I think his confidence is shot. Not to say he’s good enough either way but you get the feeling he’s lacking in confidence, which is sad to see with a young player who’d probably backed himself before coming here.
 
He's as an INEOS signing, they all are, from Ugarte to Maz to MdL to this fella, yes 2 are Dutch, 2 played for Ten Hag at Ajax, but still, all of them are players the new management got for Ten Hag.
 
Fofana is extremely quick especially at recovery but he caught up with Zirkzee almost instantly.
 
I can see the logic of wanting a young 23 year old over a 33 year old Danny Welbeck, but i would have my doubts as to how much I would attribute last summer's signings to INEOS given that we were still in the process of building our executive management team heading into the summer, which is probably also another reason why ETH himself wasn't sacked when we should've been.
There were a lot of stories over the summer detailing ineos' involvement in our transfer targets. Even de Ligt was an Ineos signing - they recommended him to EtH who said yes to his signing - it didn't start from a request from EtH.
 
I'd love for the club to bring in an experienced striker in January to ease the burden on Zirkzee - that way the latter can be eased in more gradually and build his confidence over time.

There's surely a player in there given that he won the Serie A young player of the year award. I'm not giving up hope on him yet, but I think it would do him a world of good to be less exposed as one of only two options for us leading the line.
 
There were a lot of stories over the summer detailing ineos' involvement in our transfer targets. Even de Ligt was an Ineos signing - they recommended him to EtH who said yes to his signing - it didn't start from a request from EtH.

I'm sure there was some degree of back and forth where ETH provided them with a list of players with profiles or attributes for what he needed to improve the squad, for which he was then offered a few realistic options based on whether their previous clubs would be amenable to selling. Otherwise there's no way we wind up with 3 former Dutch league players, two of which previously played for him at Ajax, by pure coincidence.
 
The theory was fine - Need a link up forward ala Martial when we play Rashford / Garnacho together. It worked for a bit with Martial, Rashford and Greenwood quite well.

Tippy tappy players like Zirkzee / Sancho etc. need to be used the right way. Let's see if the new coach can get a tune out of him. Maybe he makes a front-3 with Zirkzee at #10.
 
Ridiculous? In the sense that you think he's been way better than Rashford? Or you think he's more like some other type of forward? He's neither a target man nor a goal poacher. If his best position is inside forward then that is Rashy's position.
They are nothing alike in any aspect. Different qualities, different roles in the team and completely different body types.

If you see similarities in those two, I'd suggest a visit to Specsavers.
 
They are nothing alike in any aspect. Different qualities, different roles in the team and completely different body types.

If you see similarities in those two, I'd suggest a visit to Specsavers.

I actually think they have similar body types and are likely fighting to play in the same positions in the team. Rashford has got a bit more pace to burn so he's better on the wing, but neither of them are built strong to shield the ball or good in the air so they are not natural No.9s. You can argue for Zirkzee to be a No.10 where Rashford doesn't really play, but he doesn't look like he has the tactical or passing nous to play deeper either, just like Rashford. The guy's in limbo if Rashford is fit.
 
No qualities are jumping out to be honest, so far, but we have actual scouts and such, hopefully they saw stuff I am not seeing and the lad hasn’t had a chance to show yet.
 
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I actually think they have similar body types and are likely fighting to play in the same positions in the team. Rashford has got a bit more pace to burn so he's better on the wing, but neither of them are built strong to shield the ball or good in the air so they are not natural No.9s. You can argue for Zirkzee to be a No.10 where Rashford doesn't really play, but he doesn't look like he has the tactical or passing nous to play deeper either, just like Rashford. The guy's in limbo if Rashford is fit.

Rashford is a wide forward who can when asked play as a CF (quite poorly).

Zirkzee has played 200 of his 202 career games in a CF role. They are nothing alike in profile and you lack an understanding of football if you think they are even close in anyway to the same player. Rashford's game relies heavily on pace, it's no coincidence that his game has gone down a few levels since he lost some of his pace. Zirkzee has 0 pace, he likes linking up with players and bringing others into play, again nothing that resembles rashford's play.

Once again, please go to the opticians if you believe Rashford and Zirkzee have similar physiques.
 
Rashford is a wide forward who can when asked play as a CF (quite poorly).

Zirkzee has played 200 of his 202 career games in a CF role. They are nothing alike in profile and you lack an understanding of football if you think they are even close in anyway to the same player. Rashford's game relies heavily on pace, it's no coincidence that his game has gone down a few levels since he lost some of his pace. Zirkzee has 0 pace, he likes linking up with players and bringing others into play, again nothing that resembles rashford's play.

Once again, please go to the opticians if you believe Rashford and Zirkzee have similar physiques.
Zirkzee is not a No.9.

Edit: Not one for Premier League, anyway.
 

I knew in my mind Sancho would flop before he kicked a ball for us when I read that he opted to take his time off (despite barely playing in the Euros) rather than join the United squad

It’s worrying that Zirkzee did the same. Completely the wrong attitude to have as a new United player for me
 
I knew in my mind Sancho would flop before he kicked a ball for us when I read that he opted to take his time off (despite barely playing in the Euros) rather than join the United squad

It’s worrying that Zirkzee did the same. Completely the wrong attitude to have as a new United player for me
That's pretty unfair.

Just because you're not playing 90 minutes every match in the Euros, doesn’t mean you're not at the training camp, on a month long business trip that ends with you relocating from Italy to Manchester.

For as hideously overpaid as elite footballers are, they still need time off with their families. This isn't a stick you can really use to beat Zirkzee over the head with.
 
I knew in my mind Sancho would flop before he kicked a ball for us when I read that he opted to take his time off (despite barely playing in the Euros) rather than join the United squad

It’s worrying that Zirkzee did the same. Completely the wrong attitude to have as a new United player for me
Sancho apparently had an infection.
 
Yeah, I agree.

If this guy ever turns into a world beater, I'll be very surprised.

(But I have been surprised before - and so forth.)

Point being - I can't see anything there to be overly excited about, and I don't understand why we triggered this guy's release clause (which was 40m or so, I think).

I would be extremely pleased to be proven wrong, mind you - we desperately need some quality up front.

I wouldn't be surprised if he'd surprise, honestly. The Zirkzee I remember from NL U21 (and Bayern) and Bologna was absolutely night-and-day, and currently (but especially since a seeming drop in confidence) he looks more like that younger Zirkzee again.

Like with injuries, you never know how players develop or regain their top levels. Especially confidence can be tricky and made superstars look like fodder (Fernando Torres and Radamel Falcao anyone?) and I remember many players under Quique Flores' Atleti turn from some of the best to some of the worst talents and players I've ever seen. People change through experiences, for the better or for the (footballing-wise) worse. Ruud before and after his big injury on the one hand, but many many many more on the other.

No idea how this will turn out, but he's new, and he's young in the BPL. Many players had a horrible first season before they turned great. Maybe he needs less time, maybe he just needs one lucky break to break loose. Maybe he's just another Sanchony. Time will tell. Personally think he has what it takes to make it and he didn't make the Serie A team of the year (or was it talent of the year award?) for no reason, he showed some very very special stuff. But here I can definitely imagine that this idea does not fit with the eye test. But time will tell.

That's pretty unfair.

Just because you're not playing 90 minutes every match in the Euros, doesn’t mean you're not at the training camp, on a month long business trip that ends with you relocating from Italy to Manchester.

For as hideously overpaid as elite footballers are, they still need time off with their families. This isn't a stick you can really use to beat Zirkzee over the head with.

This, plus with the injury records of late you better take extra care of your players. When's the last time we had a left back?