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Joshua Zirkzee Netherlands flag

2025-26 Performances


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4.7 Season Average Rating
Appearances
26
Goals
2
Assists
1
Yellow cards
2
It's just useless bringing him on. That sequence when he misplaced two 5 yard passes within 5 seconds almost made me pull my last hair out
He was brought on because Sesko was struggling with something, looked like he might have tweaked his groin
 
It's just useless bringing him on. That sequence when he misplaced two 5 yard passes within 5 seconds almost made me pull my last hair out
What was more infuriating was he brought the ball under control well and won the ball back, only to just roll it to their players. Absolutely baffling cameo, topped off with a ridiculous yellow.
 
Can't see him staying beyond this season. Going back to Serie A would be great for him imo.
 
Mount's a great comparison to him in the sense neither lit up the pitch when brought on, but Mason does at least know how to bring some urgency. Lose the ball and go get it again.
 
Would have rather given those 5 mins uptop to Lacey or Dorgu
 
He will obviously go and we can't keep glorified cheerleaders but he does seem to be a very popular person at the club with others and imagine that is good for morale. If there was a way he could stay but just as a squad player at best then I would keep him
 
His confidence is shot

I don't think it's about confidence.

I haven't driven a car in 5 years now for medical reasons & when I have to reverse the car temporarily to let my brother take his car out - I've completely forgotten how to control the breaks or accelerator. It's kind of hard to start doing something you haven't done in a long time.

Zirkzee has had no game time, for him to come off the bench after only playing 5 mins a game once every month and make misplaced passes is completely normal for me.

I remember when he scored 2 goals in a row as a starting striker. In the 3rd game he had a shot that was cleared off the line and was instantly dropped because he didn't score which I thought was harsh.

I think Carrick knows what his strengths are & as such brings him on when we need more control of the ball. Hopefully he can get some game time under him next season because Carrick seems to have an eye to knowing both his own players & his oppositions weaknesses.

It's not necessarily about Zirkzee's technical ability but more about his ability to make our football more fluid, yet it kind of lack end product. Thats why he still has fans here because the attack gets a bit unpredictable for the defence when he starts interlinking with the rest of his forwards.
I think a manager like Nagelsmann can really improve Zirkzee simply because well he is a more fluid football tactical type of manager than what we have had recently in Amorim, Ten Hag & Carrick (but maybe he needs a pre-season).

@Dans

Yeah he did. That tackle he made in his own half where he got a yellow for kicking the ball out twice. He also pressed better than Sesko who runs much more when there's a chance to score.
 
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Yeah he did. That tackle he made in his own half where he got a yellow for kicking the ball out twice. He also pressed better than Sesko who runs much more when there's a chance to score.
The interesting thing with Zirkzee is that he really doesn't press much when the ball is ahead of our attackers, which some people focus on and say he doesn't work hard or help defend at all. But once the opposition get in behind the attackers he actually works quite hard at getting back and helping defend. I remember a couple months ago there was a moment where Casemiro was being a bit slow getting back and Zirkzee just sprinted past him to win the ball back in the corner (basically the same spot he won it in this match) to stop a dangerous attack.

It's actually the exact opposite of what I always found with Pogba, who was actually quite willing to press and defend on the front foot, but then tended to be lazy when the opposition got behind him.
 
I don't think it's about confidence.

I haven't driven a car in 5 years now for medical reasons & when I have to reverse the car temporarily to let my brother take his car out - I've completely forgotten how to control the breaks or accelerator. It's kind of hard to start doing something you haven't done in a long time.

Zirkzee has had no game time, for him to come off the bench after only playing 5 mins a game once every month and make misplaced passes is completely normal for me.

I remember when he scored 2 goals in a row as a starting striker. In the 3rd game he had a shot that was cleared off the line and was instantly dropped because he didn't score which I thought was harsh.

I think Carrick knows what his strengths are & as such brings him on when we need more control of the ball. Hopefully he can get some game time under him next season because Carrick seems to have an eye to knowing both his own players & his oppositions weaknesses.

It's not necessarily about Zirkzee's technical ability but more about his ability to make our football more fluid, yet it kind of lack end product. Thats why he still has fans here because the attack gets a bit unpredictable for the defence when he starts interlinking with the rest of his forwards.
I think a manager like Nagelsmann can really improve Zirkzee simply because well he is a more fluid football tactical type of manager than what we have had recently in Amorim, Ten Hag & Carrick (but maybe he needs a pre-season).

@Dans

Yeah he did. That tackle he made in his own half where he got a yellow for kicking the ball out twice. He also pressed better than Sesko who runs much more when there's a chance to score.
I would normally agree about match readiness and relations being more important than confidence. In Zirkzee’s case I find it hard to fully explain it away by that as even when he has had a few games on the trot, he reverts to making mistakes - and it’s not question of a few mistakes or some misunderstandings, a lack of precision here and there. No’ I would say 1 out of 4 appearances for us is marked by a flourish of mindboggling short circuits of abilities you easily see he has when he is in flow: Missed five yard passes, running past or steppingon the ball, standing around watching play pass by, five yard touches, getting outmuscled by midgets - things he really has the technique and physique to excell in. He trains with the rest every week playing lots of football - it’s even said he trains very well and impresses when playing in training. Not being match sharp I get, but his floor is so low and surprisingly broad that match fitness doesn’t cover it. Even Wayne Rooney at 30 with a two month lay off didn’t stoop so low from his standard.

When he is on song, he really is a beauty to behold around that 10-spot, siljy touches, spreading passes, one touch, using his strength well.
 
Reminds me a bit of George Graham when he was a United player. Known as 'stroller' he played some lovely football but often the pace of the game passed him by.
 
Man Utd 3:2 Liverpool New
Was great. His hold up play to get Dorgu through before the foul was brill, and then that pass just then to Amad for the Dalot shot

Should definitely play more. Not necessarily starting, but coming on earlier as a sub.
 
Very different to Sesko. I will keep him. You wouldn't find a better backup option.
 
He can do some crazily quick things at times but those moments are few and far between. Certainly should be moved on in the summer based on this season as a whole.
 
He is clearly a false 9 that brings wide forwards in to the game, yet we never use him in that way.

He has hardly been allowed to play that way, now that we qualified I hope we can just see Zirkzee in-between two inverted wingers.

The last time he got to play with a deadly winger was with Rashford where he looked class v Everton.

That last pass is something we all know Cunha can't do. That's not diminishing Cunha who is the better player - but it's more the mindset of me liking that we have different type of forwards ie a false 9, target man, channel running in the squad.

Currently Zirkzee is a false 9, Sesko is the target man and Mbeumo is playing like a channel running striker on the counter.

I hope we can see some games we are able to play to his strengths before we decide to ditch him. We can't ask him to score headers from crosses, that's not his style of play.
 
Pointless footballer.
Don't agree at all. His build up play is excellent, and the timing of the pass is also very good. Surprisingly strong in a one to one situation, where he does lack is getting the ball into the back of the net.
 
Better than Amad but pretty clear the manager doesn't trust him. Pretty simple really take what we can for him and call it a day. On today thought he was alright, needs to be the 1st sub attacking wise next game because Amad is a mess right now.
 
Don't agree at all. His build up play is excellent, and the timing of the pass is also very good. Surprisingly strong in a one to one situation, where he does lack is getting the ball into the back of the net.

And being able to move at anything more than a pedestrian pace.
 
Another very nice cameo.

Maybe there is a place for him here?
I guess it depends on if he wants a bench role with Man United or a starting role on a (much) lessor team. It says a lot about the mentality of a player if he is ok with being a bit player though, not everyone is Ole and have that killer instinct
 
I wanted Mount to come on instead of Zirkzee because I think Zirk is too loose with his passing and gives the ball away cheaply, which is the last thing you want when trying to close out a game. Especially when he had already gifted them two goals with loose passes. Mount will guarantee you 100% pass accuracy.

However, he did well when he came on. Kept the ball well and even set up the attack that Dalot should have scored at the end with a great cross field volleyed pass.

I think the club need to be ruthless with him this summer though. It would be easier to get rid of him if he was a knobhead like Garnacho, but he comes across as a thoroughly likeable chap and obviously has talent. However he's not good enough for where we want to go, not even as a squad option.
 
Nice cameo. He kept the ball well and made a pass for that counter when Dalot skied the ball in heaven near the end of the game.
 
He did really well when he came on. Should currently be ahead of Amad in the pecking order
 
I imagine we will see him play quite a bit in the next 3 matches along with Ugarte in an attempt to put them in the shop window.
 
Did well when coming on. It’s just not really transferable to what you could expect when starting him in tough PL or CL games. Likely his highest value to this team would be as an incoming transfer fee, if possible.
 
I thought he was getting it together at the back end of last season then got that injury.

Misses pre season, returns after a quite a long lay off and finds himself in a squad that only has 1 game per week.

So he's had a bit of bad luck really.

But ultimately he arrived at the club unfit and you just can't do that.