Zirkzee decision slammed after ‘intelligent’ Man Utd star’s ‘beautiful’ Netherlands contribution

Rafael van der Vaart has hit out at Ronald Koeman for dropping Joshua Zirkzee after the Manchester United’s star’s display in the 5-2 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina on Saturday.

Zirkzee – signed by United for £36.5m from Bologna in the summer – got a goal and an assist in his first ever start for the Netherlands but will drop to the bench for their clash with Germany on Tuesday.

Dutch boss Koeman had already said ahead of the Bosnia win that Zirkzee would start the first game and Ajax forward Brian Brobbey would come in again Julian Nagelsmann’s side.

Both Van der Vaert and fellow NOS pundit Pierre van Hooijdonk claimed it was a “shame” that Zirkzee wouldn’t be given another chance to impress.

“What does Koeman gain from this?” Van der Vaart said on Dutch TV station NOS. “Imagine Brobbey does great against a big country like Germany, or he does badly… I would just continue like this, I think. Why would you make a change?

“He has already said it, of course, and he will do what he has in mind. But it is almost a bit of a shame, of course.”

Van Hooijdonk said: “It’s actually a shame that Koeman has already said that Brobbey will play against Germany because you are actually very curious to see how this duo [Zirkzee and Tijjani Reijnders] will do against a good opponent.”

Hans Kraay Jr, also a pundit on the show, was particularly impressed with Zirkzee’s assist, claiming it was a sign of the 23-year-old’s “intelligence”.

He said: “He passes it with exactly the right speed, so that Reijnders can curl it with his inside.

“Zirkzee is so intelligent. He not only passes it on the run, he also passes it in such a way that it is not too hard and ends up on Reijnders’ left. I think that is so beautiful.”

Zirkzee came off the bench to score on his Premier League debut for United but struggled in his first start for the club against Liverpool last time out.

Kraay Jr is convinced he can be prolific once he settles at Old Trafford, adding: “I think he can be the type that scores at least twenty goals every year.”

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Zirkzee was named in former United defender Wes Brown’s best United XI over Rasmus Hojlund, who’s currently missing through injury.

Brown said: “For me, Manchester United’s best XI would be Luke Shaw, Lisandro Martinez, Matthijs de Ligt and Diogo Dalot in front of Andre Onana,” Brown began. “It’s about finding that consistency and I think they would gel together if they had a run of games and all stayed fit. Those centre-halves would both dig in.

“I’d have Joshua Zirkzee up front who I have been impressed with, for his size he is very good with his feet. I’d stick with Marcus Rashford on the left and have Bruno Fernandesin the 10, having the freedom to create and score in between the lines, that’s where he plays his best football.”

‌”I’d like to see Kobbie Mainoo and if Manuel Ugarte is fit, I’d like to see him playing after the international break,” added Brown. “He has the experience to be able to break up opposition attacks and it’s good to have that competition now.

“Ugarte hasn’t been brought in to sit on the bench, he’ll be wanting to play and hopefully he’s fit after the break. On the right I’d go with Alejandro Garnacho, Amad Diallo has done a lot to try and get a starting spot for I’d stick with Garnacho for now.”