[Lay]

It's baffling to me that the scouts weren't capable of seeing his obvious flaws.

 

[lex talionis]

Zirkzee is unworthy of the shirt that the likes of Forlan and Welbeck once wore, let alone Rooney, Ruud, Ronaldo, Cantona and Law.

 

[McGrathsipan]

It's baffling to me that the scouts weren't capable of seeing his obvious flaws.

What I'd like to know is what actual strengths they saw?
He's a Futsal player at best.

 

[Marwood]

Has to go in the summer. No messing about.

 

[kettledrumhamster]

I'll tell you what sums Zirkzee up - his machine gun celebration. He's right footed isn't he? Yet he holds his "gun" with his right hand in front of his left. Like he's pulling the trigger with his left.
Would any right handed person in the world ever do it that way round?

If ever something encapsulates a man so confused with his own body and coordination, so awkward in his physicality, it's that.

 

[Annihilate Now!]

Whoever recommended this guy, should be named and shamed.

Were they watching italian women’s tits bouncing around when supposedly scouting this guy in games?

I'd hope they'd have been sacked by now to be honest.

£35m on him, Christ alive.

 

[AnotherLondonManc]

It's baffling to me that the scouts weren't capable of seeing his obvious flaws.

Serie A young player of the year on a very affordable release clause. Many here don't watch Serie A, but he was good last season!

This gamble hasn't paid off, but I would back us to make similar signings in the future, and I hope we do

 

[JBG]

Really hope we sell him in the summer and get an actual goalscorer. If that's Gyokeres, Osimhen or someone else, no preference, just an actual goalscorer.

 

[Cutch]

Impressive cameo

 

[Martial'sEmergingSmile]

5 tackles and an interception in 26 minutes.

Fantastic out of possession, pretty good with the ball too.

 

[Giggsyking]

Better than Hojlund by 10k miles.

 

[Ekeke]

Scored by being in the right place and fought for the ball a few times. Its a start and was better than Mainoo. Hopefully the goal gives him some confidence to continue improving... But I hoped that last time he scored as well

 

[Shaw's Shank Redemption]

Atleast he can come off the bench and do something.

Hojlund looks lost

 

[The Mitcher]

Seems to enjoy the FA cup.

 

[Berbaclass]

Really tidy player. Needs to start the next game.

 

[edgecutter]

Mainoo should not start games ahead of this guy.

 

[Ollie Derbyshire]

Better than Hojlund by 10k miles.

We say this but when he gets a start he looks just as bad usually. I’m not sure what the answer is to be honest.

 

[RedSky]

Better than Hojlund by 10k miles.

Yup, its clear as day to me. The problem is we don't have an alternative to Hojlund. But Zirkzee simply pushes us further up the pitch and helps link up the play. His big weakness is his movement in the box, he doesn't seem like an instinctive goal scorer to me. But he's by far the best option right now.

 

[Lay]

Nice to see him score

 

[Godfather]

Looked full of confidence when he came on. One of only a few

 

[Gabriel Djemba-Bebe]

Excellent performance. Lovely footwork at times. He also seems to have improved his work rate recently and has started chasing after the ball instead of jogging, which I didn't think he had in him.

 

[DeGea]

Better than Hojlund, which is not that difficult. But he does have better first touch and ball control.

 

[Andycoleno9]

I enjoy watching his close ball control. Guy knows to play football. I bet that he kick ass in 5 a side football.

 

[Roboc7]

We say this but when he gets a start he looks just as bad usually. I’m not sure what the answer is to be honest.

I know, Zirkzee often looks good from the bench and then starts and looks shite. Good all round performance tonight though, I’m not convinced he is suited to the Premier League but decent player in there somewhere.

 

[cj_sparky]

He comes on does well, starts the next game and is awful. Rinse and repeat.

He played well after coming on tonight, but it just seems more of the same from him.

 

[ShinjiNinja26]

Has to start over Højlund for me. Gets far more involved in the build up and looks more threatening in the box. Obviously has his flaws but who the feck doesn’t in this team.

 

[C3Pique]

Looks like he's growing into it a bit at least, seems to be using his size and strength a bit better.

 

[redshaw]

Brought some good energy and close control. Pleased he's really putting himself about and being confident out there.

For an attacking line up maybe Amad wing back with Zirkzee right 10. While Hojlund isn't great his presence can help Zirkzee and his main game is playing deeper. That's how we ended the game today and he benefitted from a Hojliund back heel.

We probably need some kind false two striker setup to push teams and mix it up. I doubt either can be effective on their own central.

 

[Giggsyking]

We say this but when he gets a start he looks just as bad usually. I’m not sure what the answer is to be honest.

I am not saying Z is a player that is good enough for a club in our size, but he is still miles better than Hojlund. That tells you alot about Hojlund.

 

[Ollie Derbyshire]

I am not saying Z is a player that is good enough for a club in our size, but he is still miles better than Hojlund. That tells you alot about Hojlund.

Hojlund has been pretty bad this season but I still feel we’ve never really played to his strengths at all.

Anyway I’d play both, Hojlund as the 9 and Zirkzee as one of the 10’s.

 

[Gandalf]

We say this but when he gets a start he looks just as bad usually. I’m not sure what the answer is to be honest.

I think the answer is what we saw tonight. Play him as one of the 10's behind Hojlund, they are completely different types of players but both look more dangerous in the limited action they have seen together on the pitch. We start with so many defensive options that whoever is up top get isolated and we don't progress the ball quickly enough. Start with Rasmus, Zirkzee and Garna as our front 3 with Amad at RWB and at least we will carry a threat in games.

 

[lost7]

Good performance today. Am I crazy or his preferred position might actually be as a 10 as opposed to play at the 9?

 

[Ollie Derbyshire]

I think the answer is what we saw tonight. Play him as one of the 10's behind Hojlund, they are completely different types of players but both look more dangerous in the limited action they have seen together on the pitch. We start with so many defensive options that whoever is up top get isolated and we don't progress the ball quickly enough. Start with Rasmus, Zirkzee and Garna as our front 3 with Amad at RWB and at least we will carry a threat in games.

Yeah I agree, said the say in my post above. Need to start to get more attack minded players on the pitch in their right positions

 

[The Hilton]

His passing can be a bit erratic, but he's so much better at holding the ball up and bringing others into play than Hojlund that it's difficult to make an argument for why the latter should ever start.

 

[Red00012]

He’s always better when he is subbed on

 

[Cutch]

Good performance today. Am I crazy or his preferred position might actually be as a 10 as opposed to play at the 9?

I think that's generally accepted to be the case

 

[KeanoMagicHat]

He’s always better when he is subbed on

Almost gets the point where it’s worth playing Hojlund for 50 mins just to unleash Zirkzee against tired defenders.

 

[BorisManUtd]

Great cameo. Will surely start at Tottenham and hope he can do well in that game as well, as it seems he's been better coming on in games than starting. Also scored at Spurs in the Carabao Cup.

 

[Annihilate Now!]

Great cameo. Will surely start at Tottenham and hope he can do well in that game as well, as it seems he's been better coming on in games than starting. Also scored at Spurs in the Carabao Cup.

Start where though? Because this cameo showed us that he's definitely not a striker

 

[Hughes35]

Fair play to the useless lump for his goal and contributing something.

Good moment and hopefully it gives him a boost.