[Escobar]

His passing yesterday was straight to the opposition every time. His movement is shite. He is slow as feck and never in the box when he needs to be.

And yet we played better with him on the pitch

 

[lsd]

Absolutely. But this idea that he is much better in nonsense. He can hold up the ball better but then does nothing with it. He is marginally better because we insist on hoofing ball to our striker instead of playing in a way that lets them run channels. Given Zirkzee is slow as feck but quite good at holding up the ball he will look much better, but he offers hardly anything more to the attack. If one of these two or even both are all we have for this season our other attackers need to start working more with providing runs and movement.

Yes but at least him holding the ball up shows other players into the attack so at this point in time he is better

 

[Lyng]

Yes but at least him holding the ball up shows other players into the attack so at this point in time he is better

We absolutely do and he should start. The one thing I am opposing is the idea that he is a miles better striker. He is marginally better and thus should start, but we desperately need a new striker.

 

[Gordon'sHill]

Yes but at least him holding the ball up shows other players into the attack so at this point in time he is better

The bar is low but Zirkzee at least makes defenders think a bit and his movement is better. With Hojlund the defender knows where he is, he barely moves and sticks his arse into them for good measure. The idea we can always play balls into channel from deep is just dumb. That's more of an option with a second ball once its played back and the forward or another player is making a run. With Hojlund we never even get that far

 

[MadDogg]

I think “better than Hojlund” is generous. He’s better at some things, worse at others. Depending on how we’re playing and their form, one will be a better fit, but both have massive, glaring, weaknesses.

For Zirkzee, generally the ball sticks to him a bit more, although today that wasn’t the case. But what you sacrifice is huge. He tends to play too deep and doesn’t seem to have the pace, instinct, and timing to get into the box and be at the end of chances or at least force the defensive line back.

And yet Zirkzee still gets double the amount of shots away as Hojlund does (and from a closer distance so it's not like he's stat-padding shots from far out).

Zirkzee's movement and timing around the box isn't good, but he's still better at it than Hojlund has been this season. So picking Zirkzee certainly doesn't sacrifice that. Indeed, other than pace (which Hojlund never seems to use anymore), I can't think of a single thing that Hojlund has been doing better than Zirkzee this season. Even in terms of pressing and winning the ball back, Zirkzee has been significantly better.

 

[Trex]

Neither are good, if we go for an out and out striker be it Osimhen or Gyokeres in the summer then Hojlund should go.

 

[Lyng]

And yet Zirkzee still gets double the amount of shots away as Hojlund does (and from a closer distance so it's not like he's stat-padding shots from far out).

Zirkzee's movement and timing around the box isn't good, but he's still better at it than Hojlund has been this season. So picking Zirkzee certainly doesn't sacrifice that. Indeed, other than pace (which Hojlund never seems to use anymore), I can't think of a single thing that Hojlund has been doing better than Zirkzee this season. Even in terms of pressing and winning the ball back, Zirkzee has been significantly better.

Good you added this season, because Højlunds first season was miles better than Zirkzee's has been so far.

 

[MadDogg]

Good you added this season, because Højlunds first season was miles better than Zirkzee's has been so far.

Not sure about miles, but yes he was better. In saying that, if we compare their respective performances last season then Zirkzee was better than Hojlund (made the Serie A team of the season and was the Serie A young player of the season). Obviously that was in a different league and there are doubts over whether he can do it in the PL, but at the moment I'd say there are equal doubts over Hojlund.

 

[Lyng]

Not sure about miles, but yes he was better. In saying that, if we compare their respective performances last season then Zirkzee was better than Hojlund (made the Serie A team of the season and was the Serie A young player of the season). Obviously that was in a different league and there are doubts over whether he can do it in the PL, but at the moment I'd say there are equal doubts over Hojlund.

Ultimately I dont think either is good enough for where we want to be, for different reasons.

 

[kouroux]

Another game/cameo where you wonder what's his actual use as a player

 

[jamesjimmybyrondean]

Seems like he’s always trying to be too clever. There can be a free man to his side and instead he’d try to pass it between the legs of the opponent and lose the ball

 

[Cathy Ferguson]

First we buy Höjlund and then we repeat the mistake. We are not very good in the transfer market.

 

[Minkaro]

The thing that winds me up about Zirkzee is he’s far too docile. He’s such a physical presence, but he seems almost shy.

I kind of want him to get angry. To use his size to move people out of the way. He’s trying to play like Berbatov when he should be watching Diego Costa.

We should loan him to Atletico and let Simeone corrupt him.

In summary, why does Joshua Zirkzee, the largest of the players, not simply eat the other players?

 

[Cassidy]

The thing that winds me up about Zirkzee is he’s far too docile. He’s such a physical presence, but he seems almost shy.

I kind of want him to get angry. To use his size to move people out of the way. He’s trying to play like Berbatov when he should be watching Diego Costa.

We should loan him to Atletico and let Simeone corrupt him.

In summary, why does Joshua Zirkzee, the largest of the players, not simply eat the other players?

Berbatov was not small

 

[Mike Smalling]

Considering how much space there was when he came on, he was very poor. Was almost made for him, but he seemed determined to give it away.

 

[Ollie Derbyshire]

Seems like he’s always trying to be too clever. There can be a free man to his side and instead he’d try to pass it between the legs of the opponent and lose the ball

Yeah I think this too, he needs to be told to keep it simple, just receive the ball and lay it off, he doesn’t need to try and nutmeg someone or chop it inside for no reason. Just lay it off or play a runner through.

He’s a very frustrating player cause he’s shown he can do that.

 

[Minkaro]

Berbatov was not small

I never said he was?

 

[Cassidy]

I never said he was?

I know but you were linking being big with not being similar to Berbatov in playing style. Zirkzee is similar to Berbatov in playing style and him being big isn't a factor

 

[Minkaro]

I know but you were linking being big with not being similar to Berbatov in playing style. Zirkzee is similar to Berbatov in playing style and him being big isn't a factor

No, I meant that Berbatov could get away with playing that way because he was really good at it. Zirkzee isn’t, so needs to find more ways to use his physique to his advantage.

 

[Cassidy]

No, I meant that Berbatov could get away with playing that way because he was really good at it. Zirkzee isn’t, so needs to find more ways to use his physique to his advantage.

Yes thats fair, also I would say Zirkzee has not shown he's good at it in the PL, however he has only been here a few months.

 

[Mike Smalling]

I never said he was?

So you were fine when we sold Jaap Stam?

 

[Minkaro]

So you were fine when we sold Jaap Stam?

I believe the sale of Stam stemmed from looking at his stats, seeing that he was making fewer tackles and deciding it meant that he was too slow, whereas in reality he’d gotten better at positioning and intercepting.

I’m not sure I’ve understood your post fully, so I may be barking up the wrong tree here, but are you suggesting that there is another part of Zirkzee’s game that makes up for his lack of physicality and subpar touch and technique? An equivalent to Stam’s positioning making up for his decrease in tackles?

To answer your question on the base level, I was very annoyed when we sold him.

 

[Slevs]

We sign this guy for his link up play and passing, proceeds to overhit or miss every pass.

 

[Ekeke]

Was back to pre-boo Zirkzee today. Hitting and hoping that players got out of the way so passes would go through, getting the weight and direction wrong at other times. Looked like he'd just been woken up after 2 hours sleep instead of getting a full night's rest.

 

[ClassOf'99]

We sign this guy for his link up play and passing, proceeds to overhit or miss every pass.

Killed every attack that came his way

 

[MattofManchester]

It was very bad defending, but the entire build up phase for the second goal comes from him smashing a pass to feck knows who at a Palace player.

Gave the ball away about five times bafter he came on, lost a header to someone half his size.

Yeah, I don't think he's ever going to make it here or anywhere in the PL. 6 foot 3(193cm) but can't beat anybody in the air is fecking absurd.

 

[Superunknown]

We sign this guy for his link up play and passing, proceeds to overhit or miss every pass.

100% agree. He was actually detrimental to our play when he came on. I thought it was an awful cameo.

 

[FromTheBench]

What did our scouts see in him seriously?

Hoijlund isnt very good but atleast he is a striker of some sort. Dont know what position this guy is even.

 

[bond19821982]

The feck was that. Second goal is on him.
So careless,lethargic as if he is playing some Sunday league. I don't know if he is trying to show himself as a cool composed player but it's embarrassing.

 

[Kinsella]

Awful.

What did our scouts see in him seriously?

I've no idea. £37m down the tubes.

 

[redshaw]

Such a bad area to just smash a pass in, no awareness to what happens if this goes wrong and we get another mid table PL team breaking on us and scoring with ease.

 

[Chinchy98]

Smashing a percentage ball into the middle of the pitch was not the best idea. Really poor cameo for Zirkzee.

I think his link play is absolutely basic unless he’s on the same line as our number 8’s and has 10 yards of space.

 

[soapythecat]

Good of him to set Palace away for their second goal. Another disasterclass from him.

 

[Superunknown]

I hope that he is one of the last 'positionless' players that we sign. Every player we sign from this point on should be more of an expert in a specific position.

 

[KirkDuyt]

Only saw last 15 minutes, but he was terrible.

Really hoped those few good appearences would be the start of something.

 

[Hughes35]

I'm calling it now. He is the worst player I've ever seen in a Utd shirt. At least Bebe was quick and could run, Van de Beek was dreadful but could pass to a man stood next to him, Falcao had been good at other clubs.

Zirkzee has zero good qualities. Actually none.

Our scouts want shooting....... but they'd probably buy the wrong type of gun and end up with a water pistol.

How anybody could see Zirkzee and think a top club should sign him is beyond baffling

 

[MadDogg]

He had a period of a month or so where he was starting to look better, but his last three appearances he's gone back to struggling again unfortunately.

 

[CloneMC16]

That's as bad as the Newcastle game when he got subbed off after 25 minutes. Dogshit performance.

 

[jem]

I want to like this guy and I get encouraged by the occasional glimpses of class, and then he comes on and plays like that...

 

[Wing Attack Plan R]

We absolutely do and he should start. The one thing I am opposing is the idea that he is a miles better striker. He is marginally better and thus should start, but we desperately need a new striker.

I wouldn’t start either of them and instead would use a false 9. Højlund for the last 25 minutes against tired legs. Zirkzee has no place in this team. We end up playing a man down because he’s more of an attacking midfielder and is never where you need/expect a CF to be.