Joshua Zirkzee would have been desperate to get in on the act when introduced during Manchester United’s 7-0 shellacking of Barnsley in the Carabao Cup.
Fresh off the back of a resplendent ‘nine-and-half’ performance during Saturday’s 3-0 win over Southampton, Erik ten Hag’s decision to bring the £36 million summer signing off the bench with Barnsley already battered, bruised and beaten was surely one made with a goal or two in mind.
But, in his half an hour on the pitch, Joshua Zirkzee would not double his tally in a Manchester United shirt.
As Marcus Rashford, Antony, Alejandro Garnacho and Christian Eriksen got themselves on the scoresheet, the closest the Dutchman would come was in the dying seconds as his spin and volley was sharply kept out at the near post by an overworked Tykes goalkeeper.
Though while Zirkzee’s Man United tally remains stuck on one – a month on from his debut strike against Fulham – it should have become obvious already to those who did not watch him closely in Serie A that Man United bought the former Bologna talisman for more than his ability to stick the ball in the back of the net.
Joshua Zirkzee impressing at Manchester United
Zirkzee was labelled, by reporter Filip Joos, as the ‘best in the world’ when it comes to linking the play and acting as a conduit between the midfield and the frontline.
It was a role Zirkzee – a self-proclaimed ‘nine-and-a-half’ fulfilled beautifully against Southampton.
And, while there was no goal against Barnsley, there were still a few trademark flicks and flowing one-touch interplay. Zirkzee combined instinctively with Bruno Fernandes as Eriksen swept home his second and Man United’s seventh late on.
Already, the ‘very skilful’ Zirkzee seems to be striking up a growing understanding with Bruno, Amad Diallo, Garnacho and a revitalised Rashford.
And with former Juventus midfielder Massimo Orlando already feeling that his old employers missed a trick not triggering the release clause in the Dutchman’s Bologna contract, the way Zirkzee has settled effortlessly into life at Man United only adds to his frustrations.
Especially with £70 million Dusan Vlahovic – the man Orlando wanted Zirkzee to replace – enduring the latest in a growing collection of off nights in Juve’s 3-1 Champions League victory over PSV Eindhoven on the very same night.
Juventus told they missed a trick with former Bologna star
“Juve found a solid team. But, I will say, (coach Thiago) Motta should have imposed the purchase of Zirkzee and (Riccardo) Calafiori and sold Vlahovic,” Orlando tells Tuttomercatoweb.
Zirkzee won Serie A’s Young Player of the Year award alongside Motta at Bologna.
And while he may be perfectly-suited to the formerly United-linked manager’s gameplan, Vlahovic continues to look like a square peg in a very round hole.
“The Serbian does not have the characteristics for (Motta’s) game,” adds Orlando. “Motta must find other solutions. It takes time, it’s true, but it’s a team that struggles (to create chances). Very slow and predictable.”
“Vlahovic is a strong striker, there is no point in beating around the bush. If you are at that level, it means you are a top player. But he signed for a lot (of money) by Juventus and perhaps overvalued.
“In this Juventus style, he doesn’t know how to do certain things. If you expect a Zirkzee-style game you will never get a result.
“For this, you have to find a plan B.”
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