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Joshua Zirkzee Netherlands flag

2024-25 Performances

View full 2024-25 profile

5.8 Season Average Rating
Appearances
7
Goals
1
Assists
0
Yellow cards
1
Remember the geese said:
He doesn't look a poor signing to me. He looks silky smooth.
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There are small moments where he looks like an absolute oaf. I think it's his gait and stature mostly, and him getting in the way of a goal-bound shot didn't help him to look any smaller. But damn is he smooth on the ball. Some absolutely lovely play in tight areas the last few games.
 
Solius said:
There are small moments where he looks like an absolute oaf. I think it's his gait and stature mostly, and him getting in the way of a goal-bound shot didn't help him to look any smaller. But damn is he smooth on the ball. Some absolutely lovely play in tight areas the last few games.
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There are times where he leaves me frustrated because you expect a guy of his stature to be a bit more aggressive in the air and on occasion in his hold up play. Though I love his link up play. If we had a couple of wide forwards around him who could score 15-20 Premier League goals consistently, then we really would be in business.
 
He needs to impose himself on the game more, he's neat and tidy with very little aggression
 
I disagree with the notion that he can't play with a Bruno-type player. The issue is both of them are not in good goal scoring form.

Zirkzee is not a 10, he's a 9.5 and I feel those players work best with a Bruno type who tends to operate very high up the pitch and makes runs into the box constantly.
Having both of them has seen us create loads of chances, but they're just not taking them.
 
Glorio said:
I disagree with the notion that he can't play with a Bruno-type player. The issue is both of them are not in good goal scoring form.

Zirkzee is not a 10, he's a 9.5 and I feel those players work best with a Bruno type who tends to operate very high up the pitch and makes runs into the box constantly.
Having both of them has seen us create loads of chances, but they're just not taking them.
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He can play with a Bruno-like player, it’s just a waste to have him play with Bruno in his current form
 
Remember the geese said:
There are times where he leaves me frustrated because you expect a guy of his stature to be a bit more aggressive in the air and on occasion in his hold up play. Though I love his link up play. If we had a couple of wide forwards around him who could score 15-20 Premier League goals consistently, then we really would be in business.
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Who are those wide forwards that could be able to provide 15-20 Premier League goals
 
When playing Zirkzee we should play with a midfield 3 because the needs for a CAM can be covered by Zirkzee as he drops deep and interlinks the play.

We have goalscoring wingers in Garmacho, Rashford and hopefully Amad if we can let them find some form ( wouldn't mind trying Hojlund as a RF because he also likes to make runs in behind the defence however his dribbling is not good enough to play out wider as a winger).

When playing Bruno as a 10 next to Zirkzee- we turn to a 424 especially when we press without the ball.

A 433 would be much better imo.
 
croadyman said:
Who are those wide forwards that could be able to provide 15-20 Premier League goals
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I assume there is some hope that Rashford can return to being that player. I'm sceptical that he can. At least consistently. Then there is the hope that Garnacho and Amad can step up over the coming years. To be honest, these type of players are not in abundance. Even if we splashed out and signed Kvaratskhelia or Rodrygo, there would be no guarantee that they would hit those numbers.
 
I think he will be great in a functioning side…which this is a very long way away from being
 
Not really sure what he’s supposed to be doing. He’s got a decent touch and link up play but next to nothing of a goal threat

1 in 7 isn’t great at all
 
He needs to do more than just the occasional tidy touch. His slowness to react to Rashford's cross was something we've seen from him a few times already. If he doesn't start being on his toes soon then he's getting dropped for Hojlund.
 
Really isn't a goal threat. But play him as a 10 and he will be good
 
Almost all of his touches are brilliant, but he's just not really a goal threat. Very pleasing to watch though. Some of is his toucher are just pure art.
 
Nobodies finding him with any level of consistent quality. It's basically Hojlund from last season all over again, Bruno prime suspect as per.
 
Like a shitter version of Berbatov without the goals. Nice touches and link up play but zero goal threat. Which isnt only in him though. Our football in the final third this is uninspiring, uncreative and ineffectice to say the least.
 
His build play was very good the other day but he was so bad tonight.

The guy has like negative goal threat. A complete unnatural in the final third - late to everything and poor instincts. Comes across as a poor man’s Martial which I didn’t think I’d be saying.

Early days of course.
 
Godfather said:
Like a shitter version of Berbatov without the goals. Nice touches and link up play but zero goal threat. Which isnt only in him though. Our football in the final third this is uninspiring, uncreative and ineffectice to say the least.
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This has sort of been my point for almost 2 years now. Berbatov from the SAF days would have struggled for goals as well. We don't consistently pressure and create openings enough for strikers. It took Hojlund a top tier conversion rate just to get half decent goal numbers last year. Even Zirkzee's one chance tonight was basically him having good feet to create an opening for that shot himself.
 
sugar_kane said:
He’s skilled but feck me he is lethargic, he seemed to spend most of the game walking.
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So did Berbatov... Not putting them in the same league but he's been head and shoulders above Bruno in the last few games. He's technically better than Bruno and more tidy, he looks lazy on the eye for sure but he's effective.
 
We currently have the choice between him, a technically tidy false nine that's unthreatening and a more threatening classic nine with the touch of a donkey as our striker options.
 
klayton88 said:
He's not a striker. He's as much a striker as Mctomminay imo.
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McTominay is way better.

If we played McTominay as a false 9 for the 7 games this season Zirkzee has, I’d be amazed if he didn’t score more than 1.
 
There's a great player in him but it's gonna take some time. Like Hojlund he seems to be a good signing but not what we need exactly at the moment. It's not his fault.
 
Another Ten Hag master stroke.

Plays like he has cement in his legs. Be nice if he could attempt to break into a sprint at some stage.

So was his signing part of the “transfer strategy” ?
 
I really like him. I think his link up play is fantastic.

The only thing is that I don't know how you bring goals into the team without having to exclude him.

I think you probably need prolific wingers, like Firmino was fine because he had Mane and Salah on either side. We don't have that.

It's a bit of a conundrum.
 
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