‘Doesn’t have time to think’ – Fabio Capello explains why new Manchester United signing is struggling

Manchester United’s 1-1 draw away at Fenerbahce on Thursday was another missed opportunity to make ground in the Europa League.

It leaves more questions than answers.

One of those questions stems from Erik ten Hag’s decision to start Joshua Zirkzee ahead of Rasmus Hojlund. The manager explained in his pre-match interview that he must be mindful of the fact Hojlund recently returned from a hamstring injury and that he had one eye on Sunday’s trip to West Ham in the Premier League.

Zirkzee provided an assist as Christian Eriksen opened the scoring in the first-half. Other than his goal contribution, the Netherlands international didn’t do a lot more to impact the game.

Overall, though, I think Zirkzee will be happy with his contribution. If he can record an assist most times he plays we’ll be happy.

There is no getting away from the realisation that Zirkzee has settled quickly at United. This can happen to new signings when they move from one country to another.

The way football is played in Italy and England is different and standards are lower.

Fabio Capello raises concerns about Joshua Zirkzee

Former England manager Fabio Capello has explained this in his new weekly column for Gazzetta dello Sport. The Italian focused on how football in Serie A is played at too slow pace.

Capello is of the opinion that Serie A clubs have tried to copy aspects of Pep Guardiola’s coaching but they do it much slower, which has proven to be counter-productive for their teams in European competition.

It proves that Guardiola has influenced football in Italy as well as Spain, Germany and England. The only difference is he has yet to manage in Serie A.

When it came to Zirkzee, Capello said (H/t Sport Witness): “After Bologna’s defeat at Aston Villa, I asked Italiano (Vincenzo, Bologna manager) what impression he had of the two English teams he faced immediately, Aston Villa and Liverpool. He replied: “They run, they go faster, they have a different pace.

“Go watch Zirkzee play in the Premier League and tell me if he seems like the same player we admired in Bologna: in Italy he did what he wanted, in England he doesn’t even have time to think about the play before the ball is stolen from him. More or less the same thing happens to our teams.”

Ten Hag is likely to start Hojlund when United take on West Ham on Sunday.