Is Lukaku forcing his way into first team consideration when we are back to full strength?

[sullydnl]

Yes. He's in form, he should start.

Ideally it would be a Martial/Rashford/Lukaku frontline but it might be that a set up with those three together doesn't work. In which case Rashford and Lukaku should start with Martial on the bench. As with Lukaku's absence at the start of Solskjaer's reign, if players perform while you are out then you should have to play your way back in.

 

[Smores]

You can't bench a striker in goal scoring form it's as simple as that. Rashfords looked poor since his injury so I'd even consider giving him a rest.

 

[dogwithabone]

No way can you drop a man with 6 goals in 3 games, big goals too.

His confidence in a United shirt will be at an all time high and we have to cash in on that confidence. This is Kane and Augero ratios of scoring.

 

[JPRouve]

At least it's worth trying.

 

[Smores]

It's amazing what can happen to a player when their first team spot is up for grabs. I think he got a bit complacent knowing he was a guaranteed starter under Mourinho.

Think he was just in bad form and had not come back in the right shape. He looks like the Lukaku of his first season right now.

 

[Sied]

After Ole's original preferred 11 started dropping like flies due to overwork, and the replacements have done well, we should simply rotate more.

 

[yo@Kirk]

When Lukaku isn't isolated at center forward, he's been productive against good teams for Belgium in the WC and at Man Utd under Ole.

 

[Janson]

I think Martial would have more impact of the bench than Lingard. Lingard is too important to drop imo, he's so important with his movement and link up.

 

[Adamsk7]

I think any three from Martial, Rashford, Lukaku and Lingard works fine in a fluid formation. Any of those players can also play in the “false 9” formation Ole sometimes deploys too.

Think if we add Sancho it will give us the best flexibility because then we have 5 players to cover those three positions. I don’t trust Alexis or Mata and think one or both should make way for quicker players who can play anywhere across that forward line.

But in answer to the main question, yes he should be starting while he’s in this form. I think we’ve actually forgot that he’s a top no.9 due to his drop in performances. 6 in three games is a good reminder though!

 

[VeevaVee]

Almost certainly. Play who's in form. Rashford especially benefits from when Martial and Lingard are adding movement up top, which he hasn't had. Lukaku I think benefits from not being relied upon as a lone striker. Should mean he'll get more opportunities and space to do it in.

 

[Canagel]

I'm more worried lukaku is a streaky player like Rooney. all his goals come in one cluster and then he goes hours with goal drought and messing up our general play. hes been missing for nearly 8/9 months. if he showed himself to be consistent and improved his hold up play and first touch I have nothing against him. The question his what can he give us when not scoring?

 

[JohnnyKills]

I guess OGS will rotate won't he. If he can take anything from Fergie, it's his squad management.

 

[Jeppers7]

We're still a better side without him

 

[Steerpike]

Lukaku's fine form of late means that he will most likely keep his place when everyone is fit. The good thing is that he adds variety to our striking options, which gives the manager tactical alternatives.

Ole looked like he had a pretty set first XI, but now it looks like there is genuine competition for places. McTominay has done well as a Matic replacement, Dalot is an option anywhere on the right hand side, and Fred and Perreira have both shown improvement in the last couple of games.

Happy days!

 

[gerdm07]

All good managers know to stick with a hot scorer. This is a no brainer until he goes 2 or 3 matches with no goals.

 

[shamans]

We may have to start two upfront.

 

[antohan]

Apart form the obvious 'yes' answer to the question above, I want to challenge the notion that we have to pick only 3 out of Martial, Lukaku, Lingard and Rashford.

For most games we don't need 2 defensive minded CMs in Herrera and Matic. It's perfectly reasonable to pick 1 of Matic or Herrera and pair him with Pogba and Lingard. Like so...

After all both Pogba and Lingard are very hardworking players that cover lots of ground

Aye, would like to see more of this in home games when handed the initiative.

 

[Tincanalley]

I'd start him and have a fluid front 3 of Lukaku, Martial, and Rashford (when everyone is fit). He's so much better when he's not static in the center.

Excellent point

 

[Handré1990]

Definitely. Deservedly so (on current form).

 

[K2K]

Players should make it into the team based on form.

His current form justifies that easily.

 

[Shimo]

It's going to be an interesting choice for OGS. Rashford is just better through the middle and to get the best out of both they have to get a chance to play up top more. So does OGS accommodate by changing approach or does he still go with just 1 of the 2. Knowing that one can come on for the other to change things up and keep our overall approach the same. Be hard to bench either one of them but, rotation may just be what's needed when everyone is fit..

 

[P-Nut]

Agree you can't drop him at the moment, but not as convinced that it will be Lingard that makes way over Martial to be honest.

Ole was having a lot of joy with the split strikers and Lingard at the point of the diamond. Neither Rashford nor Martial would be as effective there so it massively depends on which formation he decides to go with.

A 433 could see

Martial - Rashford - Lukaku

But a diamond has to have Lingard at the point with any combination of the other 3

 

[Cheesy]

I'm more worried lukaku is a streaky player like Rooney. all his goals come in one cluster and then he goes hours with goal drought and messing up our general play. hes been missing for nearly 8/9 months. if he showed himself to be consistent and improved his hold up play and first touch I have nothing against him. The question his what can he give us when not scoring?

I think that's the problem: he has noticeable limitations in his overall game, and in many ways he's essentially a poacher whose primary asset above all else is goals. Without that he's not necessarily awful but doesn't do enough to justify being a starter for a team that wants to win major tournaments. But if he can consistently hit 20+ in the league then I don't think it has to be a huge problem provided players like Martial and Rashford play well around him.

 

[Ekeke]

Yes.

 

[Zlatattack]

Apart form the obvious 'yes' answer to the question above, I want to challenge the notion that we have to pick only 3 out of Martial, Lukaku, Lingard and Rashford.

For most games we don't need 2 defensive minded CMs in Herrera and Matic. It's perfectly reasonable to pick 1 of Matic or Herrera and pair him with Pogba and Lingard. Like so...

After all both Pogba and Lingard are very hardworking players that cover lots of ground

Lingard is good, but he can't bring what Herrera does. He'll have to be benched.

 

[Ish]

Players should make it into the team based on form.

His current form justifies that easily.

This. Long may his form continue.

 

[CG1010]

At home we should anyway play a front three, which can be Martial, Rashford and Lukaku if all fit, with Pogba behind them supplying. Lukaku is essential for us given both Martial and Rashford can be quite inconsistent, and Lingard doesn't have a reliable output.

 

[MadMike]

Lingard is good, but he can't bring what Herrera does. He'll have to be benched.

Neither does Herrera bring what Lingard does. Each one brings something very different. The point is that you don't need both Herrera and Matic for a large number of games.

 

[CG1010]

I'm more worried lukaku is a streaky player like Rooney. all his goals come in one cluster and then he goes hours with goal drought and messing up our general play. hes been missing for nearly 8/9 months. if he showed himself to be consistent and improved his hold up play and first touch I have nothing against him. The question his what can he give us when not scoring?

All our attackers are streaky at the moment. He can also provide assists as he has shown in the last few games. Thankfully having him gives us enough depth to rotate and play the most in form players.

 

[VP89]

It's not a debate for me, he should always start.

 

[RU Devil]

Definitely in the mix. Appreciate his selflessness in actually defending, especially when Rash was a bit hobbled. As long as he's playing like he is, almost undropable.

Seems best on the right wing, not center. As it seems most teams seem to be trying to attack our right side, his strength & speed make him a great outlet and gets easily beyond an attacking LB.

 

[Nori-]

Ole has no choice but to start him now, 6 goals in 3 games. He's firing.

The problem is I never feel completely confident with Lukaku as our striker. He's often clumsy and will miss standard chances.....then bury something he had no right scoring. If we can get what we paid for him this summer, i'd sell him and buy a striker better suited to our new faster paced football.

 

[charlenefan]

Who knows how we line up now tbh, we looked so good with Martial - Rashford - Lingard but fair play Lukaku is now reminding us what he can do. Great problem to have

 

[Milo2035]

1 month ago the whole world thought he's a joke, except his boss and teammates of course. Way to go big Rom. Keep scoring and assisting for fun.

 

[Shark]

He’s forced himself back into our starting 11 for the time being. You don’t leave out a player that’s scored a brace in his last three games.

 

[mancave bear]

After Ole's original preferred 11 started dropping like flies due to overwork, and the replacements have done well, we should simply rotate more.

Agree. As Solskjaer is getting to know his players/team better, he will start to rotate them. Ole used to compete with 3 other strikers (2 positions) which Ferguson rotated. And no, I woulden't drop Lukaku with his current form.

 

[Inter Yer Nan]

Of course he should be starting. He's the most experienced of the front three and he's on fire. His tail is up, his attitude is great and he's coming off back-to-back-to-back braces and I think his best performance in the last month was arguably the Fulham game where he didn't score so he's contributing a lot to the overall play.

I think how we counter, how fast we move and the space we create these days coupled with the confidence throughout the team is a great set-up for him. His heavy touch is less exposed and he has more space to run into and play with.

 

[FFK Norway]

Lukaku has done really well as rw also. Running much more than you would think. Also had some nice plays .I would use Rash, Martial and Lukaku and let them switch places under the games. Would make a mess for other teams defence.

And then with Greenwood growing also looks like a bright future and I feel sorry for the other teams.

 

[Havak]

He has to start on current form and even when we get the likes of Martial and Lingard fully fit (I doubt they'll be at the required level of fitness until after the international break), he'll probably still start assuming he keeps up a good goals to game ratio.

Somewhat surprisingly, he's our top scorer in all competitions with 15 goals in 37 appearances (11 apps as a sub) without taking penalties. For comparison, Rashford has 11 goals in 36 appearances (10 apps as a sub). Martial has 11 goals in 28 appearances (7 apps as a sub), and Pogba has 14 goals in 35 appearances (2 apps as a sub). A little bit off topic, but Lingard and Mata only have 5 goals a piece, we really should be expecting these guys to get into double figures for goals considering they will make well in excess of 30 appearances. They're getting bailed out a bit by Pogba hitting the numbers this term, but when he isn't doing it (as seen under Jose), we'll struggle to find the goals from our more 'no.10 / wide right forwards' to take the pressure off the main forwards.

I know we all complain about Romelu's touch, but in the box he is as dangerous as most of the world's top strikers. He needs a specific kind of service with quick cut-backs and crosses that he can run onto and just bury. He scores so many goals inside the box when the full backs or wingers run beyond to open the game up. If we can keep doing that he will hit 20+ goals this season quite comfortably. Rashford, Martial, and Pogba should all comfortably hit 15+, probably more like a combined total of 50 between the three. Then, again, Mata and Lingard will probably need to pop up with a few more each at some point in a game which could be the difference between success and failure in the end.

I've discounted Sanchez here as he's just not managed to get anywhere. While he has been very poor, injuries have definitely interrupted his momentum and ruined any chance he had to work his way into some form. However, if he can stay fit and adapt his game (he should be able to do this, he's obviously got the quality), then we shouldn't be accepting less than 15 goals next season from him as well.

 

[Red-17]

Yeah I think he should keep on starting. Against weaker sides I like to see us maybe have Martial, Pogba, Lingard, Rashford and Lukaku all starting sometimes.

I think that would be a great way to rest Pogba in the run in while still maintaining an attacking side. Fred and Matic/McTominay in a midfield two with those 4 ahead would be interesting to see.