It is turning out to be a footballing enigma – Joshua Zirkzee, the PS36.5 million striker, who was meant to burn Old Trafford, is unable to persuade Ruben Amorim to give him the opportunity to play. The draw of 2-2 between Manchester United and Nottingham Forest was an ideal example: two lost points, nine minutes to the game, and Zirkzee has not even warmed up. Somewhere in the dugout, he must’ve wondered if Amorim had accidentally mistaken him for a water bottle.
According to sources, the Dutch forward’s patience is wearing thinner than United’s defense in the 80th minute. With the World Cup on the horizon, he’s itching for minutes — any minutes — to prove he’s more than just a good-looking bench ornament.
Joshua Zirkzee Should Get More than a Front-Row Seat.
Being frank, when Amorim chose to retain Zirkzee as a bench-warmer, when Benjamin Sesko was in a free-fall upfront, it was like the cook burning the steak, but does not want to open the oven door.
Sure, Sesko’s height helps on set pieces, but goals don’t come from good posture. Even Matheus Cunha, who had a quieter afternoon than an unplugged microphone, stayed on the pitch while Zirkzee remained frozen in time.
The question isn’t whether Zirkzee is good enough — it’s whether Amorim’s tactical rigidity is strangling his potential.
The Author’s Take: Amorim’s Logic Is Starting to Smell Like Week-Old Lasagna
Football’s full of mysteries — why VAR takes five minutes to spot an obvious handball, or why United’s corners still look like accidents in progress. But Amorim’s treatment of Zirkzee tops the lot. According to sources, a January loan move is on the cards, and who could blame him? A striker without game time is like a poet without words — tragic, underused, and dangerously close to irrelevant.
If Amorim truly wants to “need everyone,” as he insists, he might start by letting Zirkzee, well, play football. Until then, United fans can only watch and wonder whether the next substitution board will ever flash the number of the man who’s somehow too good — and too benched — to go past our memory.
As featured on ManUNews.com
