Joshua Zirkzee image 11

Joshua Zirkzee Netherlands flag

2024-25 Performances

View full 2024-25 profile

5.0 Season Average Rating
Appearances
20
Goals
3
Assists
2
Yellow cards
1
Some people on here shouldn't call themselves supporters!!

He's a young lad, coming from a different country, where he was bought as a back up / different option to Rasmus. He's not looked great so far but plenty of young players needed time to adapt to a new country before hitting their stride!

Let's get behind him as he has shown some very nice touches and it's easy to see how this type of CF could fit into a team if Rashford and Garnacho are deployed as wide forwards (like Firminio did with Salah/Mane)
 
IrishRedDevil said:
How do we keep ending up with these 'link players' that don't offer anything else.

Imagine him and Mount starting games together, link play and flicks galore. Pointless
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Good point. Every 'linkup player' who we've signed has frustrated the hell out of me. Sometimes you just want your attacking players to pick up the ball and drive at defenders. Kagawa, Van De Beek, Mount, Zirkzee. They all arrived with the reputation of 'intelligent technical players' but they've all contributed very little.
 
AngeloHenriquez said:
Crazy how quick people go here, it worries me.

Not looked great so far but shown touches of class - I think he could do with upping his reaction time and looking a bit more alert and showing for the ball but he's barely had any time, I'm willing to be patient but I'd like to know the long term plan with him as I don't think it works with Bruno in the team as they occupy similar positions.
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Not really crazy, everyone has eyes and can see his lacklusture attitude on the pitch.

His pressing is absolutely poor, off the ball he seems like he 2 speeds, slow and reverse. He seems to lack any sort of urgency
 
I think eventually he will become useful, I'm just interested to know who signed off on signing him. Was he a Ineos target or a Ten Hag one ?
 
FrankDrebin said:
I think eventually he will become useful, I'm just interested to know who signed off on signing him. Was he a Ineos target or a Ten Hag one ?
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Useful in what sense. Fellaini was quite useful at times under Mourinho and LVG. Doesn't necessarily make him a United player. If I was to take a gamble I'd say this signing has ETH's paws all over it. Considering he thought players like Weghorst and Antony would work out in this league.
 
romufc said:
Not really crazy, everyone has eyes and can see his lacklusture attitude on the pitch.

His pressing is absolutely poor, off the ball he seems like he 2 speeds, slow and reverse. He seems to lack any sort of urgency
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Just goes to show how poor most people are at analysing footballers. Zirkzee’s off the ball work in Italy was second to none. I’m fairly sure he won the ball in the final third more than any other striker. This hasn’t been so obvious at United yet but his workrate is fine. Certainly nowhere near as crap as you describe.
 
Pogue Mahone said:
Just goes to show how poor most people are at analysing footballers. Zirkzee’s off the ball work in Italy was second to none. I’m fairly sure he won the ball in the final third more than any other striker. This hasn’t been so obvious at United yet but his workrate is fine. Certainly nowhere near as crap as you describe.
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I don't watch Serie A to be honest. Didn't know much about him and only judging him on the games he has played for us so far.

I have seen in alot of games he has this languid way of moving and it may be too soon to judge him but from initial views, I think he will be sold in 2 years time.
 
I still think the technical quality he has in that frame is a rare combo, but he’s worrying lacking in any sort of urgency or quick reactive instincts that you need to be a top forward. The non chalant style can be very silky and fun to watch but you still have to have the ability to pounce quickly when the chance is there.

Clear second choice at the moment until we see improvements in that.
 
Still think there is an interesting player there, but he needs to show a bit more sharpness.
 
IrishRedDevil said:
How do we keep ending up with these 'link players' that don't offer anything else.

Imagine him and Mount starting games together, link play and flicks galore. Pointless
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Don't forget Mount is good at pressing though.

The highest attribute you want from an attacking mid :lol:
 
From what I've seen until now, I don't think he's very good. Too slow, lacks technical ability and his shooting/finishing does not seem anything special, not that he gets into shooting positions very often.
What he offers off the ball is just a bonus, but that shouldn't be too relevant regarding a striker.

Players like Martial/Rashford/Garnacho/Greenwood showed quality even from the first 2-3 games with us, just to give some examples.
 
Edgio said:
Yup. He has ability, so long as the game is played slowly. PL looks far too hectic for him.
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Why can't our scouts identify what the average fan can in a couple of games. It's just baffling at this point.
 
I really like his abilities and I think he's got quality. I just feel he's a bit too laid back. If he just shows a smidge more urgency, he'd be deadly
 
He's got talent but in the EPL you need to play with more intensity otherwise you'll go in the same direction as Sancho. Hopefully he'll bring it.
 
Glorio said:
I really like his abilities and I think he's got quality. I just feel he's a bit too laid back. If he just shows a smidge more urgency, he'd be deadly
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Exactly, he just seems like he cannot be bothered. There is no urgency to anything he does.
 
Shark said:
Why can't our scouts identify what the average fan can in a couple of games. It's just baffling at this point.
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Alternatively, maybe it's just going to take a bit of time before he can adjust. Quite a few players have come to the PL and struggled in the early days before turning around and succeeding once they get used to the tempo. Hopefully Zirkzee will be one of them. He seems to have the rest of the tools to do so, he's just struggling a lot with the speed and intensity so far.

Personally, I think the criticism in the latest game is a bit over the top. His first few minutes were definitely poor, but after that he was decent. Not great, not even good, but not bad either. He's had truly bad games previously but I don't think this was one of them.
 
Rumours today out of Italy is that he’s already ‘regretting’ his decision to sign for United and Juve and Milan are interested in a loan come January if he wants out.

If there’s any truth in it then he should obviously be sent out on loan with an obligation.

Despite that, when we signed him I had zero expectations and I’m still disappointed in him.
 
jderbyshire said:
Come on, are we writing him off already??
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Are people writing him off? We have this strange fetish for ‘nothing’ players who play in dangerous positions but don’t offer goals or assists. It’s no wonder we’re struggling for goals. He’s not a 10 goal + a season player but I think some people on here saw young Italian player of the season and presumed potential is all but guaranteed, hence the reaction when they realise what kind of player he really is.
 
The bigger worry for me is where we thought we’d be playing him. It’s nice to have options but it seems like Ten Hag wants Hojlund as first choice and we already gave Bruno a big contract. He just doesn’t seem an obvious fit at all.
 
Dan_F said:
The bigger worry for me is where we thought we’d be playing him. It’s nice to have options but it seems like Ten Hag wants Hojlund as first choice and we already gave Bruno a big contract. He just doesn’t seem an obvious fit at all.
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It’s never a bad thing to have alternatives that provides something different.
 
Pexbo said:
It’s never a bad thing to have alternatives that provides something different.
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It is if it doesn’t fit any system that we try to play. All we’ve really seen from Ten Hag is fast counter attacking football or a more compact style against City with a false nine. He could fit that false nine role but Bruno plays every minute of every match.

It reminds me of when we bought Van De Beek to play back up for Bruno because they played in the same position, despite being completely different players. So every time Bruno was out we had no creativity because the team was so used to everything going through him.

We’d get far more use out of a decent out and out striker.
 
Dan_F said:
It is if it doesn’t fit any system that we try to play. All we’ve really seen from Ten Hag is fast counter attacking football or a more compact style against City with a false nine. He could fit that false nine role but Bruno plays every minute of every match.

It reminds me of when we bought Van De Beek to play back up for Bruno because they played in the same position, despite being completely different players. So every time Bruno was out we had no creativity because the team was so used to everything going through him.

We’d get far more use out of a decent out and out striker.
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I agree about striker.

In my opinion, Sir Alex Ferguson built his entire empire on having a section of players that guaranteed you goals and he stopped at nothing to make sure he always had that.

That’s something we have neglected since he retired. We should have broken the bank for Kane years ago, Ferguson definitely would have. He’d have signed the likes of Watkins too although he’d have used his as an option rather than his star striker.

Having players that bang in goals takes all the focus and pressure off your midfield and defence.
 
romufc said:
Not really crazy, everyone has eyes and can see his lacklusture attitude on the pitch.

His pressing is absolutely poor, off the ball he seems like he 2 speeds, slow and reverse. He seems to lack any sort of urgency
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Quite.......he's hardly not giving fans reason to question him is he?
 
Pexbo said:
I agree about striker.

In my opinion, Sir Alex Ferguson built his entire empire on having a section of players that guaranteed you goals and he stopped at nothing to make sure he always had that.

That’s something we have neglected since he retired. We should have broken the bank for Kane years ago, Ferguson definitely would have. He’d have signed the likes of Watkins too although he’d have used his as an option rather than his star striker.

Having players that bang in goals takes all the focus and pressure off your midfield and defence.
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This is well said.

It's always struck me that throughout so many failed managers that this hasn't been the first priority. Especially when you consider the money we have had available.

It's amazing how many flaws in a side can be masked and even counteracted by having a couple of genuine reliable goalscorers.

Whatever issues we have as a side this season we better bloody hope that Rashford can find one of his scoring stretches. A lot of our issues would suddenly not feel as perilous.
 
I see there are already press reports that he is unhappy in England and Utd are considering loaning him in January , with Juventus possible interested.

Of course the press reports could be a ball of smoke but he has not had a great start and will need to show mental toughness and confidence in himself to make it here.

Currently on his performances he seems to be struggling to keep up with the intensity of the premier league. An interview he done at the start of the season worried me a little when he said he likes his back flicks and tricks and entertaining the crowd , that is all very well and a bonus if you are consistently delivering real output as well such as assists and goals. That is criteria that any serious forward will be judged on.
 
Betson said:
I see there are already press reports that he is unhappy in England and Utd are considering loaning him in January , with Juventus possible interested.

Of course the press reports could be a ball of smoke but he has not had a great start and will need to show mental toughness and confidence in himself to make it here.

Currently on his performances he seems to be struggling to keep up with the intensity of the premier league. An interview he done at the start of the season worried me a little when he said he likes his back flicks and tricks and entertaining the crowd , that is all very well and a bonus if you are consistently delivering real output as well such as assists and goals. That is criteria that any serious forward will be judged on.
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Wouldn't surprise me.
 
Betson said:
I see there are already press reports that he is unhappy in England and Utd are considering loaning him in January , with Juventus possible interested.

Of course the press reports could be a ball of smoke but he has not had a great start and will need to show mental toughness and confidence in himself to make it here.

Currently on his performances he seems to be struggling to keep up with the intensity of the premier league. An interview he done at the start of the season worried me a little when he said he likes his back flicks and tricks and entertaining the crowd , that is all very well and a bonus if you are consistently delivering real output as well such as assists and goals. That is criteria that any serious forward will be judged on.
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He's probably a bit shell-shocked. One look at him in Italy though, and you could see his game is slow. That doesn't mean he can't succeed in this league necessarily. Take somebody like Berbatov for instance, he needs to have a lot more in his locker to succeed playing at his own pace and find a way to use his strengths to the absolute maximum. Nothing else will be enough.
 
A loan swap with our misfit Douglas Luiz and we have a deal :p

I mean, Luiz here cannot get minutes because Serie A has too many CMs with his skills and almost all smarter than him. And he was the best CM in PL last year, really??
 
Bepi said:
A loan swap with our misfit Douglas Luiz and we have a deal :p

I mean, Luiz here cannot get minutes because Serie A has too many CMs with his skills and almost all smarter than him. And he was the best CM in PL last year, really??
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When was he ever considered the best cm in the pl last year ?
 
Bepi said:
A loan swap with our misfit Douglas Luiz and we have a deal :p

I mean, Luiz here cannot get minutes because Serie A has too many CMs with his skills and almost all smarter than him. And he was the best CM in PL last year, really??
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:lol: maybe if the category was “Brazilian CM’s playing in Birmingham”
 
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