The goodwill and momentum Manchester United brought into the season has been punctured just three games in but Joshua Zirkzee remains bullish due to one factor.
The loss to Liverpool, which followed a late heartbreak vs Brighton has completely eroded the excitement for now, especially for Zirkzee, who started off with a bang.
His debut goal which was the winner against Fulham to cap a good first performance had fans dreaming of a new era, dreams which turned into a repeat of last season’s nightmare quickly.
Now away with the international team in the break, Zirkzee’s latest comments on the state of Manchester United to the Dutch press are as bullish as they come.
Joshua Zirkzee’s bullish statement on Man Utd
Fans might have started to doubt about where this season could go for Manchester United, but the players themselves remain convinced.
Joshua Zirkzee spoke to the Dutch press about his ‘crazy’ start to life at Old Trafford but has recognised the current growing pains.
However, he claimed that if United fans were to see how the team trains, they’ll rest easy knowing that the club is heading in the right direction.
He said [via Voetbal Primeur]: “The first few weeks it’s a matter of getting into your rhythm, getting to know everyone at the club, adapting quickly. The first game went well of course. That was of course crazy.
“It’s difficult at the moment. Everyone expects United to win. It’s a very big club, so that’s just part of it. If you see how we train, then we’re really going in the right direction. We have to show it on the field.”
Zirkzee’s role at Man United
When he arrived at Old Trafford, perhaps he didn’t expect to simultaneously create and score at a rapid rate from day one.
It is an ironic twist of fate that his skill set thrives when playing next to a naturally scoring striker, since he isn’t one himself, but that striker got injured five minutes after scoring in pre-season (Rasmus Hojlund).
Without an attack-minded focal point, United have looked toothless, exacerbating their worries by wasting the few chances they create.
Zirkzee was the biggest offender vs Liverpool, missing two guild-edged chances that could have shaped the momentum of that game which quickly fell apart.
His statement about training being top at United is comforting, but it counts for nothing if those performances aren’t replicated in actual games.
The atmosphere and environment of training well and hard aren’t nearly comparable to the thrill of the matchday.
If anything, the players not being able to replicate training performances in games is a damning indictment of their mentality and their ability to step up to the occasion.
Having said that, training well is still preferred to have issues in the dressing room itself which don’t seem to have festered just three games into the season.
Fans will wait for Zirkzee’s comments to come to fruition, starting with September 14 away from home against newly-promoted Southampton.
Just the fourth game of the season already has a “must-win” air around it. Welcome to Manchester United, Joshua Zirkzee!
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