He did. I remember him coming on as a sub against England and I was surprised at how passive he was when the ball was in the air.
11
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 25
- Goals
- 4
- Assists
- 2
- Yellow cards
- 1
He has had periods of injury himself, but has managed 1 in 3 for us in the league so far, and 5 in 6 in the CL even with McT standing all over his toes. Imagine what he can do with some space! He is also still a kid, so this kind of judgement is unfair.
When he’s back after the intl break I’m sure we’ll see him kick on.
Not to derail the thread, but Isak is 24 and in his 3rd season with his team. Last season he managed 21 in 30 and 2 assists. Thats not a million miles off Rasmus’s stats, who is much younger and probably truthfully still adapting to the team and the league.
Zirkzee may have the same period of adjustment, but will come good. I rid said it will take 2/3 seasons to reach the teams potential and challenge for the league, and these signings are with that room for growth in mind. Fans need to be patient.
Isak last year in the PL got 21 goal in 30 appearances and 2266 minutes. Hojlund got 10 goals in 30 appearances and 2171 minutes. Sure Isak is older and had more time with his team, but he's also playing for an inferior (on paper, ETH makes a big difference and with him in the equation, we are the inferior team) side and scored more than twice as many goals as Rasmus. That's quite miles off Hojlund's stats, but obviously Rasmus has time to catch up.
It defo was mixed game. He should have had at least one goal though. Im interested to see where he plays when Hoiijlund returns or if its a case of one or the other and they swap with each other. Im also wondering if he was thrown in to yesterdays match before he should have (given Mount and Hoijlund are both injured and the plan was maybe a sub appearance for him).
Think the problem for us will be the time to settle for new players. This why too many changes in players can be a detriment to the team overall.
Not sure about Zirkzee but likes of Ugarte have not played much football recently. Will need time and minutes.
The only negative for me about Zirkzee is he looks clumsy when simply running. Has such a weird style. Even his celebration for his goal had me laughing.
I can’t believe that a lot of you here are criticizing a youngster who just came from Italy in his full debut in a disjointed team.
Granted he should’ve done better with the chances, but he was alright in the first 25 minutes till the whole team lost their composure and the senior players weren’t able to transmit any calm nor was the coach able to counter Slot’s tactics.
With the way he plays, he needs to build connections with the players around him. And that takes time. Geez!
Granted he should’ve done better with the chances, but he was alright in the first 25 minutes till the whole team lost their composure and the senior players weren’t able to transmit any calm nor was the coach able to counter Slot’s tactics.
With the way he plays, he needs to build connections with the players around him. And that takes time. Geez!
No, but I can't imagine he tried more than once or twice.
He's also not at all the type of striker you lob balls to, to win headers. Honestly, looking at United yesterday I have no clue why you signed him.
We clearly need an elite striker as much as we do anything else. Neither Zirkzee or Hoijlund are that (at least not yet). It makes all the difference, we probably have a strike force as bad as any club in the Premier League.
Said it even before he signed that this would be luxury signing, we aren't in a position to make them when we desperately needed a proven goalscorer
You literally haven't posted a single top striker........ and probably more than half the players you mentioned didn't really cut it in the PL
Wouldn't say "not up to it". More like overwhelmed and a bit lost, which you can hardly hold against him at this point.
Another light weight. Not quick, not skilful, no intelligence, can't hold the ball up.
Sloppy passing was the most frustrating thing.
Find a red shirt, ffs.
Find a red shirt, ffs.
Bit too early to properly judge him, lets wait a few months.
I'm bored of seeing us sign players who are immediately crap, only for people to say we need to give them some arbitrary amount of time before we can judge them. When you're forking out millions of quid you should expect that person to look somewhat decent from the off.
I mean, he literally scored a winner on his debut. Does that constitute being “somewhat decent from the off”?
Sloppy passing, needs to work on physical presence more, looks more of a 10 than a striker but early days
He is not a kid. He is a grown man. Quit making excuses. If Hojlund doesn't step up this season, there will be question about his viability at Manchester United as should be applied to all players at this club. If he wants his hands held, he can go back to the minnow leagues in Denmark.
I said it before, for a player like Zhirkzee to survive at a club like Manchester United, he will need raise his level significantly. He is not very dynamic and seems languid. His first touch, hold up play, passing, movement and finishing will have to compensate for that. Early stages yet but United cannot afford passengers up top. He needs to raise his goal scoring levels and overall effectiveness.
I thought almost everyone wanted us to buy younger players and not 'older players who just come for a last pay day'. Downside of that is that younger players will need some more time to adapt before they become stars.
Think this lad looks massively off the pace of the Premier league.
It's his style that gives me the most concern, looks like a Wish Berba.
I'm not sure he has it in his game to succeed in the intensity of the Prem.
Will be delighted if he proves me wrong and shuts me up.
It's his style that gives me the most concern, looks like a Wish Berba.
I'm not sure he has it in his game to succeed in the intensity of the Prem.
Will be delighted if he proves me wrong and shuts me up.
He's 23 though. It's not your traditional "finished article" age but it's not especially young by today's standards either.
Everyone's development is different and it's very case-by-case. Every player can't be neatly categorised into "old enough to be better" or "young and learning". So only time will tell.
But at face value, it is disheartening when we're so desperate for talent that can elevate us now, to see a 23-year-old come in and look as far off the pace as he did in such an important game. If he was 20 or 21, then yeah I think the "strategy of investing in young players" argument would be a bit easier to swallow in the context, but it's a bit more of a leap of faith here.
So I'm not wrong then? Against England in particular, they were throwing long balls to him chasing a goal, and he barely competed. Against Fulham, he had a header that would have at us through on the break, but he backed out against Smith Rowe. Just an observation in the time I've watched him, but it sounds like I'm right?
Yes on the tiny sample size I guess so then
Baptism of fire for him yesterday. I think the speed of the game suprised him. So much so even the stuff he was supposed to be good at, like holding the ball up and connecting plays, he couldn't do.
No need to panic just yet though, I think he'll come good. It was a strange off season, A few teams were always going to take time to get back into gear. Shame we we are one of them.
No need to panic just yet though, I think he'll come good. It was a strange off season, A few teams were always going to take time to get back into gear. Shame we we are one of them.
Didn't he have very high pressing stats in Italy? yesterday he just seemed very off pace, which is probably not surprising being a new player in a new league.
Have you listened to likes of Evra and Vidic on when they came to UTD and felt like football wasn't for them?
Point being it is a thing, re speed of game etc.
Reading some old biographies the impact UTD itself has on players is understated. Stories of established players moving here and just in awe and literally afraid when stepping on to the pitch. Being physically sick before each game.
Zirkzee is a false nine aka more a creator in the last third than a finisher or a poacher in the box… as such, neither the quickest nor the most imposing forward.
Some of you haven't watched a game he had for Bologna and it shows.
This is happening in reverse to what I had expected. From what I saw of him at Bologna, I thought his overall play will be stellar and his goal scoring will leave much to be desired. However, so far his overall play has been utterly mediocre as he hasn't got used to the pace of the league but he has been getting on the end of chances:
- Scored in his first game
- The Garnacho disallowed goal was a feck-up, but at least he was there to get on the end of a cross. A better cross would have seen him score.
- Got close a couple of times in the last game.
I think he'll become a useful player when he get more accustomed to the pace of the league. People are writing him off too early.
- Scored in his first game
- The Garnacho disallowed goal was a feck-up, but at least he was there to get on the end of a cross. A better cross would have seen him score.
- Got close a couple of times in the last game.
I think he'll become a useful player when he get more accustomed to the pace of the league. People are writing him off too early.
This
I’d be worried after 3 games if his goal threat was non existent, but he’s scored and had chances.
The game againest Liverpool will probably make him think to himself ‘wow this is a tough league’ Liverpool pressed very well and for a new player in a new league it will be tough.
Let’s see after half the season gone where he is.
Very poor against Liverpool IMO. Just looked out of sync..
It's still early days though and as with young foreign players new to the league i'll give him the benefit of doubt this season...
It's still early days though and as with young foreign players new to the league i'll give him the benefit of doubt this season...
Some good and some bad. His positioning is much better than Hojlund's that's for sure, maybe lacking a bit in his technique. Early days, hope he does well for us.
I think Ten Hag pushing Bruno Fernandes to press as high up as 2 strikers basically playing a 424 completely defeats the purpose of playing a false 9 type striker like Zirkzee.
Zirkzee should be dropping deep playing balls in to other wider forwards or even midfielders - him pressing as our highest player alongside Bruno doesnt allow him to recieve the ball nor gets anyone in to play, be that wingers, attacking midfielders nor our two midfielders stuck on defensive duty.
Off the ball we press like this
Rashford - Zirkzee - Bruno - Garnacho
Its like asking Villa, Messi, Iniesta and Pedro to go up and press whilst Xavi and Busquets has to deal with the deeper defensive side to the game by themselves.
Stupid tactics unfortunately irrelevant to whether if Zirkzee doesn't or does come good for us as a player.
Zirkzee should be dropping deep playing balls in to other wider forwards or even midfielders - him pressing as our highest player alongside Bruno doesnt allow him to recieve the ball nor gets anyone in to play, be that wingers, attacking midfielders nor our two midfielders stuck on defensive duty.
Off the ball we press like this
Rashford - Zirkzee - Bruno - Garnacho
Its like asking Villa, Messi, Iniesta and Pedro to go up and press whilst Xavi and Busquets has to deal with the deeper defensive side to the game by themselves.
Stupid tactics unfortunately irrelevant to whether if Zirkzee doesn't or does come good for us as a player.
At this moment I prefer Zrikzee over Hojlund.
It looked to me that Zirkzee hadn't adjusted to the pace of the game, that'll take a few games for him to get up to speed, not overly concerned about that.
His physicality is better than Hojlund's, from the simple perspective that he can receive a ball (with a defender on his heels) and control the ball, instead of having it bounce off him like Hojlund (ie Hojlund can't control a ball, he flops around and he loses complete control of the ball, under pressure, usually giving it away immediately)
Zirkzee had 3 chances against liverpool, a long shot from outside the box which was decent enough and the 2 chances you'd expect him to finish, that's encouraging enough.
He needs time to settle and for me has shown more potential than Hojlund
It looked to me that Zirkzee hadn't adjusted to the pace of the game, that'll take a few games for him to get up to speed, not overly concerned about that.
His physicality is better than Hojlund's, from the simple perspective that he can receive a ball (with a defender on his heels) and control the ball, instead of having it bounce off him like Hojlund (ie Hojlund can't control a ball, he flops around and he loses complete control of the ball, under pressure, usually giving it away immediately)
Zirkzee had 3 chances against liverpool, a long shot from outside the box which was decent enough and the 2 chances you'd expect him to finish, that's encouraging enough.
He needs time to settle and for me has shown more potential than Hojlund
I don’t fully know what to make of him yet. He was very good in the play for his debut goal. I know we have to see more of it. Very early days.
It’s going to be a pick between him and Hojilund, I don’t see how the two can start together.
He is a player that will be more involved but I think if Hojlund is utilised properly he will start.
Also, might depend on the opponent. Either or might be better suited on the day.
It’s going to be a pick between him and Hojilund, I don’t see how the two can start together.
He is a player that will be more involved but I think if Hojlund is utilised properly he will start.
Also, might depend on the opponent. Either or might be better suited on the day.
Why? Zirkzee can fit the SS role in a 4-4-2, not that we play that way or a 4-2-4 in attack. Against Liverpool he was dropping deep regularly to pick up the ball but was very poor.
In what way does pressing high stop him from dropping deep when in possession? 'Dropping' deep implies a high starting position. Yes, he's not going to be receiving passes nor bringing others into play when he is pressing high alongside Bruno - because we don't have the ball!
Hope he will come good. This guy has a horrendous start here. Prevented a goal against Brighton and changed the course of the game that cause our defeat.
Missed some good chances vs Liverpool and so far off the pace for PL.
Hope not another Antony or Sancho who are not suited to PL.
Missed some good chances vs Liverpool and so far off the pace for PL.
Hope not another Antony or Sancho who are not suited to PL.