08 Jul 2024 17:57:34
Ed001, if you have the time, do you have any opinion on Joshua Zirkzee? He seems raw for a 23 yr old but with very good potential and the physicality to match EPL center backs. Interested to hear your thoughts.
{Ed001's Note - I have only seen little bits and pieces of him. Raw is an excellent description of him from that little sighting that I have had. He seemed to struggle in the second half of the season and not look quite the same player, but I could be influenced by match highlights that I saw of Serie A on that. He didn't score very many in the latter half of the season, which maybe affected my memory of his play, as I did see more highlights than full games. I did try and watch Bologna when they were shown, as Thiago Motta's style of play intrigued me, but they weren't shown a lot, so I mostly ended up just watching Serie A highlight programs. In the first half of the season he was prominently featured, but in the second half he wasn't scoring, so didn't get as much coverage. Whether that means he truly struggled or if he just wasn't getting as many chances is difficult to tell without watching the full games.
He does look to be suited to the Prem, in terms of physicality and pace. From the little I saw his movement was hit and miss, but that could be inexperience rather than lack of ability.}
08 Jul 2024 18:33:01
Ed001 if Ruud VN does come on board I suspect it’s hoped that his coaching will greatly help both Zirkzee and Hoiland move on from being ‘raw’?
{Ed001's Note - is he good at coaching strikers? Often defenders end up being better at coaching attacking play, as they look at what caused them problems. Top class finishers like RVN are often instinctual, which is something you can't really coach. It will be interesting to see if he was just instinctual. He always seemed a bit more cerebral.}
08 Jul 2024 18:57:13
There was an interview done a while back when he was manager of psv ed with Gary Neville RVN said he was a no10 until I think he moved to heerenveen and the coach there worked with him and moved him to number 9 showed him how to use the offside spaces etc. so hopefully, for us, he can pass it on to hojlund Rashford and zirkzee.
{Ed001's Note - thanks Dbrooks, I haven't seen that but it makes sense. If he can pass that on, it would make a particular difference to Hojlund. He really struggled with his movement.}
08 Jul 2024 19:41:45
Thanks for the insights Ed001, looking forward to the new season.
{Ed001's Note - it should be a very exciting season, with so much changed. Shame Guardiola hasn't followed through on his desire to quit City yet, as that would really have thrown the cat among the pigeons.}
08 Jul 2024 20:51:56
We all can't wait to see the back of him Ed ??.
{Ed001's Note - including him now!}
09 Jul 2024 05:35:08
I see Zirkzee as the new Fellaini, which isn't a bad thing in my opinion.
09 Jul 2024 05:59:39
grim
I hope not. Fellaini was not exactly the most mobile player lol.
09 Jul 2024 06:47:37
Thanks, as ever. Ed001.
{Ed001's Note - very welcome Fizz.}
09 Jul 2024 06:53:08
Zirkzee is nothing at all like Fellaini. Other than being tall and having big hair, his style of play is completely different. Zirkzee is a runner with quick feet and good strength. He isn’t someone to lump the ball up to for 90 minutes a la Mourinho.
09 Jul 2024 13:25:25
Zirkzee offers a rare opportunity to sign a player for a reason fee in a crazy market, especially for forward players.
I think saying he is a little raw probably sums him up. He is a very different kind a striker to Hojlund, he isn't a channel runner, he prefers to drop deep off the forward line to link play and create space and chances for others. He's the kind of striker who could help get Rashford back up to 25-30 goals a season, and/ or pump Garnacho's goal tally with an extra 10-12 goals. I could even see Hojlund starting some games on the right eith Zirkzee starting up top. That might be good to round out his game and give him game time with less pressure, while Zirkzee dropping deep to open up space for Hojlund to run into from the right cutting in on top his stronger left foot to shoot could be a really good way to both solve our RW issues, score more goals and develop a young Hojlund.
When he drops deep he tends to pull a defender with him, which makes space for wide attackers to run into and have more/ better shooting opportunities. While not at that level yet (and maybe never will be) he is reminiscent of Firmino at Liverpool, starting as a striker but is more like a No.10 and a creator/ facilitator for the likes of Salah and Mane, massively bumping up their goal numbers.
I'd be surprised if he got more than 12 league goals next season, but he will make the attack more dangerous.
Obviously as a 23 year old who is still a little raw he will have bad games and he will be frustrating at times as he learns and develops. If he can polish off his game and improve to reach his potential then we will have a very good player on our hands.
I'm fairly confident there isn't a better player, as proven as Zirkzee and with the same level of potential available for cheaper this summer. He's as close to a tap in as we could get.