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Joshua Zirkzee Netherlands flag

2024-25 Performances

View full 2024-25 profile

5.1 Season Average Rating
Appearances
46
Goals
6
Assists
2
Yellow cards
2
I like him but we were supposed to be getting past this cope cycle with younger players.

You just can't tell me a team that's ready to move on from Garnacho, Rashford, Martial and Sancho thinks Zirkzee is the one. We're just shuffling the same cards back and forth at this point.
 
kouroux said:
I keep reading he does things well and I keep wondering if I am watching the same games. He is shockingly average
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The “things” are trapping a ball, not messing up a simple pass, and being decent at keeping the ball under some pressure.

It’s not stuff that would set him apart in any way, it’s just the simple things that Hojlund has been struggling at.

He doesn’t have pace or a burst of acceleration, crucial for a 9 or 10 in this system. He is an above average dribbler in this team, but really nothing to write home about. And when it comes to progressive passing, through balls, or carrying the ball forward, he doesn’t quite have it, so really can’t play the #10 position.
 
The english game is too fast for him Even when he does something well he then takes ages to decide what to do next that the opponent ends up taking the ball back The amount of times he beats someone or makes a touch to give him space then spends too long on the ball that whatever advantage he has goes and he loses the ball. A sign of not thinking and making decisions quick enough. Still on the train of thought that if a decent bid comes in we should sell.
 
Oscar Bonavena said:
Throws a few shapes, has a few nice touches, the occasional nutmeg or two, and I think some fans are being taken in by that at the moment.

But from a chance creation point of view, does f**k all.
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Im with you. I think he is useless.

Can't press. Can't defend (which is needed as a 10). Slow as hell. No physicality.

Yes, has a skill in him occasionally, but the majority of the time he loses the ball with a bad touch or misplaced pass.

He will never lead the line in a Premier League team - he is nowhere near strong or quick enough. So why the hell did United / Ten Hag buy him?

And he is far from the profile to play in any of the Amorim positions.

Needs to be sold back to Italy.
 
flameinthesun said:
The english game is too fast for him Even when he does something well he then takes ages to decide what to do next that the opponent ends up taking the ball back The amount of times he beats someone or makes a touch to give him space then spends too long on the ball that whatever advantage he has goes and he loses the ball. A sign of not thinking and making decisions quick enough. Still on the train of thought that if a decent bid comes in we should sell.
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Totally agree.
 
Controls/holds the ball up well and then will misplace the pass.
Nice little bit of skill, then misplaces a pass.
He got two attempts at a pass at one point today and fecked them both up.
Won a ball really well on the wing, showing some nice physicality and then didn't make it far before losing the ball whilst dribbling.

Frustrating player.
 
I'm starting to maybe understand why he got Young Player of The Year in Serie A, played for a decent team with no pressure along with his obvious quality on the ball. He's just not suited to the Premier League at all for a club that has serious aspirations, way too slow and I don't think he's mentally the best
 
Lovely player. Zero G/A. Regardless of that the “anti” new generation nerds try to tell you. The best players all have G/A.
 
He looks better now than when he arrived.

Every new signing deserves a year to settle, so he still has time.
 
flameinthesun said:
Still on the train of thought that if a decent bid comes in we should sell.
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Question is, can we recoup his £30m book value?

If we can it's a no brainer to sell. No way he'll ever be good enough, he's an attacker with Harry Maguire pace and acceleration.

I still can't believe we signed him given unimpressive goal record + being painfully slow.
 
kouroux said:
I keep reading he does things well and I keep wondering if I am watching the same games. He is shockingly average
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You're absolutely right. The other posters are picking 1 or 2 things out of the 15 or so he attempted to control and find a pass today and played a shit pass, dwelled on the ball and eventually got a freekick or broke down a move by losing the ball or releasing it too late. Yes he brought one high ball down out of the air nicely, no that doesnt make up for the constant miscontrols and 10 times he was tackled. Yes 10, obviously with extra time it explains such a high number but even then... Nobody else is close. He was constantly losing the ball when he was trying to go past players


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RuudTom83 said:
He looks better now than when he arrived.

Every new signing deserves a year to settle, so he still has time.
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The problem isn't the performances, it's the attributes.

He is one of the slowest attacking players I've ever seen, and he also has a poor goal record (even before United).

It's bordering on impossible for him to become an attacker to the standard that we need.
 
Could have been the new Weghorst for Rashford, but pointless without such players playing off him.
 
The sort of player a Wolves or West Ham would sign. He’d look ok at that level of club with their expectations. Might get sold after about 2-3 years and never heard of again until a football pub quiz a few years later. He’s currently playing 90 mins every game for United as one of our supposedly main goal scoring threats but has no ambition to get in the box let alone have a shot. The scouting department should again be sacked for this type of signing. No way near good enough despite the odd nice touch her and there.
 
Him and Amad have been the only enjoyment I've got out of this season.

Keep.
 



I love watching this guy. That almost assist to Garnacho after sitting down that opposition player would've been *insert old school drool emoji*
 
He has great feet but I can't help but wonder what his best position is. Possibly in midfield?
 
Shit players don't sit their opponents down by twisting their ankles or meg them. You could make quite a long compilation of him making defenders look silly. Like today when he set up Garnacho fot that chance. He just turned on a dime like it was nothing.

He's not the finished article yet but we need to be a little bit patient. There's a quality player in there if we nurture him.
 
kouroux said:
There are career dribblers whose youtube highlights are full of that but they never truly achieved anything significant when it comes to their overall performances
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Absolutely. He's got a bit of a street footballer about him. But out of him and Rasmus I think he's the one who has earned himself another look next season. If Garnacho could finish better, we would be talking about a fantastic assist.
 
Dominos said:
The problem isn't the performances, it's the attributes.

He is one of the slowest attacking players I've ever seen, and he also has a poor goal record (even before United).

It's bordering on impossible for him to become an attacker to the standard that we need.
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Agree. With all the good will in the world, he wont get 30% stronger, 20% faster and suddenly posses an 100% improved goal threat, because currently he posses absolutely non.

He is what he is and that is a second striker in an Italian two uptop system.

I would love to know what the plan was for Zirkzee from Ten Hag / Ashworth.

Aparetly Ten Hag wanted him....
https://onefootball.com/en/news/he-...s-ten-hag-wanted-him-to-join-man-utd-39998577

But then again, apparently not...
https://www.goal.com/en-us/lists/er...d-old-trafford-overweight/blt08ca3616554dd01b

Baffling signing.
 
He seems to have a decent attitude, and offers some moments of promise but generally completely lacks the quality to be a success for us, or most PL teams tbh.
Isn’t fast or strong enough, his ball striking is pretty poor for a striker.
Hopefully we can get £20-30m and send him back to Serie A.
 
flameinthesun said:
The english game is too fast for him Even when he does something well he then takes ages to decide what to do next that the opponent ends up taking the ball back The amount of times he beats someone or makes a touch to give him space then spends too long on the ball that whatever advantage he has goes and he loses the ball. A sign of not thinking and making decisions quick enough.
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This is exactly my feeling about him as well. A few times he's had the chance to play in one of our wider players, and in trying to adjust his body (or planning to execute) he's gotten swarmed by the opposing midfielder or defender.

A markedly noticeable contrast to earlier in the season where he'd pass it very quickly and try flicks and lay-offs. In a way he's definitely improved those early season performances - especially on the ball - but the speed of decision making and execution is below the required level for this league.

Should cut out loses.
 
Top_Bins said:
He has great feet but I can't help but wonder what his best position is. Possibly in midfield?
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Yeah I’m beginning to think he’s a midfielder at this level. He doesn’t offer anywhere near enough goal scoring threat.
 
I'm very much a fan of Zirkzee. I think he absolutely can play in the EPL. I just don't think he's suited to this system, especially off the ball. Our high press is typically ineffective and for me, he's one of the reasons why. Just can't get to the wings quickly enough and can't do it consistently enough either. If he spends the summer improving his fitness then maybe but I just can't see it.
 
He does some delightful things on the ball. But he’s essentially no threat most of the time and is usually off the pace (on and off the ball) for the speed of English football.

I’d still sell him this summer. If he can magically up his intensity there could be a case for him stating but I can’t see it. He stands still far too much to be a success in the PL.
 
Top_Bins said:
He has great feet but I can't help but wonder what his best position is. Possibly in midfield?
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A midfielder that static? I think everyone likes the close control he sometimes shows but in the PL it isn’t enough. There’s no position where your mobility can be that poor without harmony the team.
 
Thought that was one of his better games. I don't think he is the long term answer, but at least you can see some ability with him
 
Can see now that he has some use, and worked incredibly hard. There will be some serious suitors if United decide to sell him this Summer.
 
I have a hard time understanding his usp. Like the rest of our offensive players. They can't shoot, they can't hold up the ball, the aren't that quick, or smart enough in their running. Our front trio scores less then our defenders. Zirkzee is such a strange player. Tall, but not yet strong enough or good at hold up or at heading the ball. As he strived his whole career to work against his physical abilities.
 
He has very good physicality, skills and technique to hold the ball and bring others into play but he keeps giving the ball away cheaply with his passing. If he can improve his concentration to make sure he can pass more accurately, he could be a good asset in this role.
 
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