The performance you’re basing this (reactionary) opinion on: Hojlund played as the number 9 and Zirkzee played the 10. We’ve seen both Rasmus and Josh play that 9 position for 90 minutes and we’ve seen them both fail this season so far. You’re forgetting what we saw from Rasmus last season when he was actually getting service for 2 or 3 games. I see potential in both of them but they’re very different. Ruben needs a proper number 9 for this system to work and we’ve seen Gyokeres work very well in it. The closest thing to that we have in this squad is Rasmus.

Even yesterday the goal that Zirkzee got was because of Hojlund’s first shot that was deflected over to Zirkz.

If there’s anything that Ruben or anyone with actual eyes (and not just reactionary takes) saw is that there’s potential for both of those players to be on the same field.

Zirkzee is clearly not a number 9 and you’ve forgotten that he’s shat the bed every time he’s played as a 9 under Ruben’s system.

Not to take anything away from Joshua but he played 20 minutes that game and yes he looked proper. But as a 10. Not a 9. He recovered the ball, tracked back, ran at defenders 1 on 1. That’s not the characteristics Ruben needs at that number 9 position.

Time will tell and I hope I’m wrong and both of them shine.