Just sell him for whatever we can get and move along
11
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 25
- Goals
- 2
- Assists
- 1
- Yellow cards
- 2
I know he didn't feature today... but Zirkzee was in the middle of it all after Sesko's winner. He looked absolutely fkn delighted. I liked him for that more than I have done whenever he's played.
So as a non-playing sub, his performance was immaculate, exactly what you want. Good on him.
So as a non-playing sub, his performance was immaculate, exactly what you want. Good on him.
I would send him on loan to Italy, if he’s up for it. Both for him to get some action and to hopefully raise his profile with a mind to getting a decent offer in the summer:
Mbeumo and Sesko are covering the ST position and Cunha and Obi can also play in case of absences. I don’t see a long term future for him here, unfortunately.
Mbeumo and Sesko are covering the ST position and Cunha and Obi can also play in case of absences. I don’t see a long term future for him here, unfortunately.
Quickest I’ve seen him move.
Man Utd 2:0 Tottenham
Gotta say one thing about Zirkzee. He might not be getting minutes, but he's been a class on the sideline. He's first to celebrate the goal with his teammates and isn't throwing a hissy fit for not playing it seems.
He has his qualities, hopping that he can be useful to us.
He has his qualities, hopping that he can be useful to us.
I concur.
I wish he had pace or urgency. He would be a joy to watch.
He was singing the Casemiro song today after the red card, then positioned himself at the corner flag to shithouse Romero as he walked off the pitch. Had a little laugh about it with Mazraoui
Probably his best performance for the club
Probably his best performance for the club
Could we get him a job as Fred The Red? Sounds like he’s got all the right qualities.
Seems to love his teammates. Feels like narratively he should be getting a crucial goal or assist off the bench and then leaving this summer as a semi-ironic cult hero like Forlan before thriving on a Europa League level team on the continent, but since we're out of all the cups it would have to be a goal that secures a CL spot or Arsenal choke and we sneak the title.
That is legend status right there.
Dunno, maybe if the pressure/spotlight is off him, he can spend the remainder of this season and the summer break working on speed and fitness and whatever other areas he needs improvement in, and...? I'm guessing he, like most everyone else, was better than he looked because he played in an unfamiliar role in a dysfunctional Amorim team. Maybe Carrick and Co. can use him correctly and there's still a player in there.
I think Zirkzee is the true Bruno replacement in an emergency, rather than Mainoo (Sorry Amorim). He has a good eye for the killer pass.
Can you give any examples?
Amorim was a disaster and did play people in the wrong positions.
But Zirkzee - where is he meant to actually play? “He’s not a 9, and he’s not a 10”!
Admittedly, this is mostly from what I see in matches. I think he had an assist a couple of matches ago but there were also other instances where he created opportunities which were missed. He certainly is not a no. 9. But further back, he can feed the ball with the right weight for others to score.
I think people make to much of those numbers and exact position. This type of player can be your striker if the people around him are more runners/finishers (or at least move that way many times during a match), or he can be one of two strikers close to each other (like at Bologna). If he hits form he might work in this Carrick set up so far, especially since Bruno looks to be allowed to play to his strengths and close to the goal more consistently. Could also be behind Mbeumo (or interchanging), as a lot of these games have the 10 and 9 playing beside each other.
If the players know each other a little better by now, the runs and passes are also (probably) a little different if different players are actually on the field and express (and synchronize) their strengths differently. In that sense the 2-1 of Amorim up fron was probably a bit too rigid for such little adaptions (for some players), but many other 3-4-2-1 type setups would look more like a 3-4-1-2 or 3-5-2 in practice when you'd field Zirkzee and Sesko/Hojlund together. And even under Amorim the games before his injury were increasingly promising, so even there it's not all black-and-white. In the end I think it will depend if Zirkzee can find his form quickly like Mainoo did or requires a different approach to get into gear. And even if many of these players show a level they never did for Amorim or ETH, doesn't mean it will click the same way for all of them.
I hope so, I like the type of player he is (though his goal celebration makes me a bit uncomfortable
) so him succeeding here (or elsewhere if needed) would be great. But if it doesn't work out, so be it.Not sure about which position he can play on the pitch...but he is the best cheerleader in the squad no question.
His celebrations on the sidelines are top-class.
His celebrations on the sidelines are top-class.
I used the numbers specifically as it’s what his supporters say. He’s not a nine, not a ten. But no one’s ever been able to say what he is! The most I’ve heard, is that he’s good with little passes…I think people make to much of those numbers and exact position. This type of player can be your striker if the people around him are more runners/finishers (or at least move that way many times during a match), or he can be one of two strikers close to each other (like at Bologna). If he hits form he might work in this Carrick set up so far, especially since Bruno looks to be allowed to play to his strengths and close to the goal more consistently. Could also be behind Mbeumo (or interchanging), as a lot of these games have the 10 and 9 playing beside each other.
If the players know each other a little better by now, the runs and passes are also (probably) a little different if different players are actually on the field and express (and synchronize) their strengths differently. In that sense the 2-1 of Amorim up fron was probably a bit too rigid for such little adaptions (for some players), but many other 3-4-2-1 type setups would look more like a 3-4-1-2 or 3-5-2 in practice when you'd field Zirkzee and Sesko/Hojlund together. And even under Amorim the games before his injury were increasingly promising, so even there it's not all black-and-white. In the end I think it will depend if Zirkzee can find his form quickly like Mainoo did or requires a different approach to get into gear. And even if many of these players show a level they never did for Amorim or ETH, doesn't mean it will click the same way for all of them.
I hope so, I like the type of player he is (though his goal celebration makes me a bit uncomfortable
I agree, it’s about the qualities of the individual player - and unfortunately I’ve not seen anything to suggest he can be a success at United or in the PL. He’s got a good first touch, but then so did Onana.
He seems like a likeable kid and one of those "good characters" to have in the squad that's popular with everyone, but let's not kid ourselves. He's not good enough to be a United player, not even as a squad option.
I think he can go to Serie A and have a good career there, and he'd be one those players I'd enjoy watching if I switched on a Serie A game on a quiet Sunday afternoon, but he's not cut out for the Premier league.
Do people seriously think we can go from Bruno as our main playmaker to Zirkzee?!
I think he can go to Serie A and have a good career there, and he'd be one those players I'd enjoy watching if I switched on a Serie A game on a quiet Sunday afternoon, but he's not cut out for the Premier league.
Do people seriously think we can go from Bruno as our main playmaker to Zirkzee?!
Z himself said as much before we signed him, he likens himself to a “9.5”. I don’t know where he plays in a functional side.
Good God no. But Dorgu looked lost at sea as a wingback and looked not good enough for this league, but as a wing he’s like a new player. Zirkzee ain’t no Bruno, but if we played 2 up top he could feed the other striker (?).
I don’t even know what that means! To me, it seems to be a way of saying he doesn’t need to score (not a 9) and doesn’t need to create (not a 10) - just operate ahead of the midfield and drift around.
Like you, I just can’t see where this guy fits.
He’s like a woodpecker with a rubber beak.
No need to change the subject. It doesn't matter whether he's a 9 or a 10, or a striker or center forward of false forward or shadow striker or attacking midfielder.
If he's a sole striker he'd probably work best if one or two of the midfielders and wingers around him show up in scoring areas frequently. As a "10" or in a striking partnership he'd probably need some room to roam and act like a striker, so you'd probably have wingers able to act a bit more like wide midfielders for more balance. Just the same as a "pure 9" would bring risk if your 10 is one who loves to spend a lot of time near the opposition box.
Think in this system he could kinda play both, as at times it looks like a 4-2-4-0 when Bruno and Mbeumo are on the same line and both get involved in build-up. Amad has a lot of midfielder elements on his side, on the left you see a lot of difference between Dorgu or Cunha there, which is its own rebalancing act. Doesn't mean it actually matters whether Cunha is an 11 or a 10 or 7 or 9.
Spot on description of him.
Sell him and buy a rapid pacy player.
I'd love to see him get a few games with Cunha and Mbuemo either side. I think he'd be brilliant but there's no chance because we can't drop Amad.
He's a 10, for whatever reason he's been labelled a 9 or a 9.5 and we are expecting a 9 type player, but he's not really that. We have a few 10s but fortunately for him he's something different in that role. I'd love for him to get a bit more aggressive though I think that would do wonders for his effectiveness
If he was aggressive and had pace yeah i could see him heading towards, inching towards, reminding me of becoming more like Cavani
I dare say we could yet get a tune out of him under the new regime.
He looked sharp during his cameo against Spurs.
He looked sharp during his cameo against Spurs.
Doesn’t make any difference if he’s a 9, 9.5 or 10. He’s simply not good enough and should be sold so we can bring in a more suitable player.
He’s not shown anything other than maybe 2 or 3 decent things since he signed.
He’s not shown anything other than maybe 2 or 3 decent things since he signed.
No chance. He barely offers anything. Maybe a few 4-5 yards passes if he’s up for it. Otherwise just casually jogging around
He offers nothing of what Bruno offers. If we're bringing on Zirkzee in an emergency we have probably already lost.
If only he loved them enough to break into a run for them occasionally.
He really looks an odd man out.
West Ham 1:1 Man Utd
I felt sorry for him when he missed the goal with a decent header. Had a decent cameo, I thought. Seems like a nice, talented dude, just not suited to this league.
Sell asap
Yeah. Seems a decent enough bloke to have round the squad but it’s painful and frustrating watching him.
Looks like he’s treading water half the time. Reminds me of Val Kilmer in the bar fight scene in Top Secret.
He wasn't awful but we can do an awful lot better.
Man Utd 2:1 Crystal Palace
He plays like he's paying subs to play and doesn't want to get injured and miss work the following week.... not being paid, probably 100k a week for this