The issue is that they both do parts of a top striker's job separately. Zirkzee's hold up play is better than Hojlund's, but Hojlund's mobility is slightly better than Zirkzee's. In reality, even if you combined both, you would still have a fairly ineffective striker. They're both a long way from what we need.
Hojlund or Zirkzee as first choice striker?
- Thread starter Walrus
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The issue is that they both do parts of a top striker's job separately. Zirkzee's hold up play is better than Hojlund's, but Hojlund's mobility is slightly better than Zirkzee's. In reality, even if you combined both, you would still have a fairly ineffective striker. They're both a long way from what we need.
At this point Amorim must be thinking he should have kept Ruud on in a playing capacity...
We played half a season with Giggs and O'Shea as our central midfield partnership, which on paper is awful. But somehow they were pretty good in there!
For me it's clear Zirkzee just brings more to the team, with Hojlund was like playing with 10 men. Both of them are not starter level. A loan striker would be good.
To be honest, he would probably do a better job
Both are bad but at the moment Zirkzee must get the nod, Hojlund looks driven to get the longest distance between him and the ball every time he touches it. But we need a striker ASAP.
Hojlund I am sorry is a pointless player. What does he do well? Ten Hag really destroyed us with these acquisitions
Hojlund is playing hide and seek with our midfield.
Giggs might not have been a CM at that stage, but he was still Ryan fecking Giggs, a world class talent with outrageous technical ability.
I don't know what Amorin does with these 2, I think he has to go with Zirkzee as at least he has the basic technical ability but without transfers what other options are there. Does he go back to Rashford at the end of the window? Amad or Garnacho as a 9, Bruno pushed up as a false 9? A kid?
They are both absolute dog.
We would be better playing a false 9 and leave those two on the bench...at least it would give us an extra man compared to those two playing.
We would be better playing a false 9 and leave those two on the bench...at least it would give us an extra man compared to those two playing.
Neither. Obi is better than both.
I still think both need to be on the pitch. Or at least tried.
I think Hojlund just needs the remit as a linekar or Haaland style forward. Just get in positions to score.
Zirkzee needs to just move the ball on.
A Heskey, Owen type partnership.
Not saying it would get us to great heights because currently they are not at the levels of people I have mentioned above. But bar selling them or loaning them out I can't see a different role for either with our squad.
I think Hojlund just needs the remit as a linekar or Haaland style forward. Just get in positions to score.
Zirkzee needs to just move the ball on.
A Heskey, Owen type partnership.
Not saying it would get us to great heights because currently they are not at the levels of people I have mentioned above. But bar selling them or loaning them out I can't see a different role for either with our squad.
I've been thinking this too.
Højlund was really bad, and then Zirkzee came on and did basically nothing for 35 minutes. Really bad times, and this is guaranteed to continue for the rest of the season. Might as well get ready for it. Neither of these are jumping a level or two in the next months.
With the schedule we probably still have to switch them around a bit. I'd still give Zirkzee the edge at the moment - there is more to work with, even if he also has major flaws.
With the schedule we probably still have to switch them around a bit. I'd still give Zirkzee the edge at the moment - there is more to work with, even if he also has major flaws.
They’re equally shit. Zirkzee’s first touch is always undone by his second
Yeah, Zirkzee just looks so bloody clumsy and awkward. It's like we've tried to convert a Rugby League player into a footballer.
Hojlund at least looks the part, its just a shame hes absolutely garbage.
They are both absolutely dogshite aren't they. One goes missing and is shot shy and other is clumsy and awkward but when he gets a chance he finishes like Gary Neville.
Absolutely and when they find him he loses the ball every time he touches it.
Rock and hard place
They both love a game of hide and seek. One goes missing in the buildup the other once the ball reaches the final third. You have to start Zirkzee because even sterile possession is better than Hojlund's nothing.
Ten Hag and Arnold man. I just can't. Zirkzee, Hojlund and Antony turned out to be a 200m downgrade on Sancho, Rashford and Martial.
Ten Hag and Arnold man. I just can't. Zirkzee, Hojlund and Antony turned out to be a 200m downgrade on Sancho, Rashford and Martial.
This debate is pointless. At least in the days of Hernandez vs Welbeck they were both scoring goals. This is like comparing two horses that have lost their front legs.
I just don’t understand why Hojlund doesn’t use his main attribute which is his pace and work the channels then run at defenders rather than attempting to hold the ball up or wrestling with defenders, I get he’s young but it’s fairly simple that he loses every time when he attempts to hold the ball up and when you’ve someone like Fernandes behind you who you know loves to play through balls or over the top surely you’d do that.
Have you ever seen a pair of more toothless strikers? Even worse when they both cost a fortune
If you fuse them together you probably get Danny Ings.
Underlying point is, we need a new striker.
Underlying point is, we need a new striker.
I was thinking this the other day but tonight was a great example - if you combined the very best attributes of both, how good would the player be?
I'm honestly not sure the player would be good enough to start up front on his own for any premier league club. He wouldn't even be up to the standard of someone like Troy Deeney or Danny Ings. The closest I could think of was Neal Maupay.
That's really fecking bad, but then you think about what they'd be worth if you sold them both. £25m each? That's miles more than you'd get for Maupey. So... every cloud and that...
Its becoming painful watching Höjlund. He achieves absolutely nothing. It's the same every match. He needs to watch Isak. Then we're talking movement and ball control. Höjlund I'm afraid has none of those qualities. Zirkzee has other issues so none of them are any good. However if I was pushed I'd give Zirkzee a run and hope a run of games will get him used to the PL and hopefully get a tune out of him. Höjlund is just a lost cause.
Yep £100m for 7 to 8 PL goals combined ed a season!
Hojlund is dependent on the team creating and playing well. When he's cut off like today he's not very useful. I still have hope for him once we improve.
This is the complete opposite of the Messi vs Ronaldo debate.
Most posts are about what each player is not good at, the pain associated with watching them, and occasionally how one is a bit less terrible at something than the other guy.
Most posts are about what each player is not good at, the pain associated with watching them, and occasionally how one is a bit less terrible at something than the other guy.
Is there a third option?
I can bet that whoever scouted these players probably scouted Fred. They are of similar quality and football intelligence.
i think we just pull someone from the youths and let him have a chance, the pair of these ain’t worth starting to be fair!
I join the vast majority in not being a huge fan of either right now but I do think it's possible to build an attack that is at least somewhat functional with Zirkzee given the possession-based style we're now moving towards, and I can't say that about Hojlund at the moment.
Zirkzee's goal threat is pretty abysmal for this level but he is rather good at holding up the ball and he's clever enough to bring other forwards into play with that. Hojlund doesn't use his body well enough to hold the ball up against even some of the weakest centre backs in the Premier League, and his touch is also poor. Further, his movement isn't clever enough to outwit again even the weakest Premier League defences (he was almost useless against Southampton at Old Trafford), so he's offering basically nothing right now.
Zirkzee's goal threat is pretty abysmal for this level but he is rather good at holding up the ball and he's clever enough to bring other forwards into play with that. Hojlund doesn't use his body well enough to hold the ball up against even some of the weakest centre backs in the Premier League, and his touch is also poor. Further, his movement isn't clever enough to outwit again even the weakest Premier League defences (he was almost useless against Southampton at Old Trafford), so he's offering basically nothing right now.
I bet Ruben flips a coin each match regarding who of these two starts first.
No way Chido plays worse than those 2 today
We need TWO new strikers.
I can’t decide who’s actually worse .
One just constantly loses possession while the other is a statue / ghost most of the time
On this, I feel like the constant rotation isn’t helping. You probably need to pick one and stick with them for a solid 5-10 games. Hojlund had a big run of games, probably should give Zirkzee one now.
Players elsewhere like Watkins and Jackson go through extended spells of bad form, but the manager keeps faith and tries to play them back into form. I feel like the constant swapping between the two is not helping matters at this point.
Two of the worst strikers we've ever had.
I don't know how you choose between them, both are so far below the required quality.
I don't know how you choose between them, both are so far below the required quality.
Is he even training with the firsts yet?
Neither. In 62 years of watching United, these are the weakest strikers we have ever had to rely on.