Lukaku: Aguero successor

OverratedOpinion

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I should bloody well hope so considering he played in England for about 10 years.

Other than that hat trick hasnt scored a single goal against us in 11 attempts.

1 goal against Liverpool since 2013.

1 in 10 against Chelsea.
2 in 15 against Arsenal.
4 in 14 against City.

World class numbers.
He played for bang average sides for most of his time in England :lol:

I am not going to argue it (I know that is a shitty thing to do in this context) I have just done it so much.

My wish is just to say that he is very clearly world class, was the most important player in winning his side the league last season, is his countries all time top scorer and has been since he was about 24 and that is all. If he signs for City you will change your opinion within a season. That is just my view but I hope it never comes to fruition and they sign Danny Ings.
 

El Jefe

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He's a much better player now than he was with us so dismissing what he does now based on his last season with us makes no sense.

Anyway you try and spin it, Lukaku is one of the best goal scorers in world football. He finally has a league title to go with all the goals he's scored at domestic and international level.

You can see its eating away at some posters on here that he's left us and been successful. You'll hear every excuse in the book why his goals or performances aren't that impressive.
 

AjaxCunian

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So many players shining when they leave United, but we'll just think it is because they couldn't handle the pressure or it's some coincidence. The problems are so deep-rooted at this club.

We will down play Lukaku winning the Serie A and being the MVP, whilst we can't beat Sevilla or Villareal in the Europa League. This club is something else, and I love it.
 

Bepi

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Inter’s medics and Conte’s attitude put him into his most glorious shape ever. Will he revert to bad habits, now that such exceptional circumstances do not concur anymore?
 
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So many players shining when they leave United, but we'll just think it is because they couldn't handle the pressure or it's some coincidence. The problems are so deep-rooted at this club.

We will down play Lukaku winning the Serie A and being the MVP, whilst we can't beat Sevilla or Villareal in the Europa League. This club is something else, and I love it.
who are all these players? Who was the last player United regretted selling is a better question? Pique? Rafael? Herrera? Nani?

all very debatable. The 4 one mentioned above would have as many people saying we should have sold them as those who say we should have kept team.

it certainly wasn’t Di Maria, Lukaku, Darmian, Smalling, Schweinsteiger, Schneiderlain, Rojo, Welbwck, Hernandez, Evans, Kagawa, Depay, Miki.

should we expect every player we sell to be shit? There’s nothing wrong with players going on to play well for other clubs - but actually I see that most players who leave the club don’t do well. There’s no issue here.
 

Bastian

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I'm glad for him. I think he'll continue to have a good career. I am also happy we sold and I definitely wouldn't want him back, though I like his character. Absolutely not the right fit. But good luck to him.
 

adexkola

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I'm glad for him. I think he'll continue to have a good career. I am also happy we sold and I definitely wouldn't want him back, though I like his character. Absolutely not the right fit. But good luck to him.
This

One of the best strikers in the world, like it or not.
Also this
 

RedRonaldo

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He is now one of the best striker in the world. Scores goals in WC and Euro, in Italy and back then in England too (he was prolific until his last season with us)
 
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Halftrack

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So many players shining when they leave United, but we'll just think it is because they couldn't handle the pressure or it's some coincidence. The problems are so deep-rooted at this club.
Who are all of these players?
 

GifLord

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lefty_jakobz

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He loves scoring against Russia.
Apart from him having a poor first touch the rest of his game is good. Play him regularly in a City or Chelsea team over a season he scores 20+
 

Halftrack

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Hmm from recent memories: Lukaku, Lingard, Smalling, Depay, Zaha.
Lukaku's a given. He went from being unfit and out of form, in a team that didn't play to his strengths to being fit and in a team that did.
Lingard's went on a good run of form, then disappeared for the last half dozen games. Let's see him keep it up a bit longer before we confidently state that he's been shining after leaving United.
Smalling didn't improve at Roma. People think he did because for some reason they convinced themselves that he was shit, but his performances for Roma have been no better than his performances for us (maybe slightly worse, even.)
Depay has been pretty candid about his struggles here, and from what I recall, he puts it all on himself. Van Gaal wanted him to take on more defensive responsibility, and to take less risks going forward, and Depay couldn't understand why. He wondered why van Gaal had signed him if he was going to turn him into a different player. There's some religious stuff in his own reasoning, but the short version is that his confidence took a hit, and he blamed everyone but himself for his struggles (during his time here.)
Zaha never got a chance here. He was singed by Ferguson, and for some reason Moyes had no intention of giving him a real chance. Neither did van Gaal for that matter. When you're not playing at all, anything is improvement.
 

Bebestation

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Lukaku for City :lol:

He has always been a good striker able to put up numbers - that hasn’t changed before or after United.

The problem is there is places where his first touch gets too easy to deal with.

If people think Pep’s possession team can handle his poor first touch and passing ability then they are in for a shock.

Better against the smaller teams less tactically or technically capable teams and always has been.

Glad he went because with Bruno and Lukakus ability to lose the ball - we would be counter attacked and targeting Lindelof.
 

RedRonaldo

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Lukaku's a given. He went from being unfit and out of form, in a team that didn't play to his strengths to being fit and in a team that did.
Lingard's went on a good run of form, then disappeared for the last half dozen games. Let's see him keep it up a bit longer before we confidently state that he's been shining after leaving United.
Smalling didn't improve at Roma. People think he did because for some reason they convinced themselves that he was shit, but his performances for Roma have been no better than his performances for us (maybe slightly worse, even.)
Depay has been pretty candid about his struggles here, and from what I recall, he puts it all on himself. Van Gaal wanted him to take on more defensive responsibility, and to take less risks going forward, and Depay couldn't understand why. He wondered why van Gaal had signed him if he was going to turn him into a different player. There's some religious stuff in his own reasoning, but the short version is that his confidence took a hit, and he blamed everyone but himself for his struggles (during his time here.)
Zaha never got a chance here. He was singed by Ferguson, and for some reason Moyes had no intention of giving him a real chance. Neither did van Gaal for that matter. When you're not playing at all, anything is improvement.
Lingard - going from 1 goals in 22 PL last season (avg rating 6.3) to 9 goals 4 assists in 16 games this season (avg rating 7.22). He did shine despite not scoring in his last few games there.
Zaha - well we sold him for 3m and he is later worth 75m at one point. I think he is doing far better than what we were expecting, despite not given much chances here.
Smalling - Fair enough. But maybe we shouldn't sell him, he isn't any worst than Lindelof.
Depay - For whatever his issues at Man Utd, he becomes a top player for Lyon, scored 20 goals 12 assist last season, beating PSG to league title, and outperform the likes of Neymar over there. He did shine far better than what we have been expecting.
 

meamth

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After a Serie A, MVP, and 2 international goals against Russia, I still don't believe him to be top tier like RVP, Ruud, Benzema, Lewandowski, Cavani, etc.

I just don't see it.
 

amolbhatia50k

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This is why I hate talking about Lukaku.

In my mind it is a fact that he is a top, top striker and people disagree so strongly that it is always so far apart that there is no common ground.

He has scored a ton of goals against great teams. He played in some pretty average United teams yet still scored some big goals against top teams (also the top 6 changes every season, he has a 1 in 2 strike rate against Spurs for example).

If you do not rate him that is fine.
Depends on what you consider to be a "top" striker. He obviously isn't as good as Lewandowski, Kane, peak Aguero let alone Suarez and Henry who are probably the best I've seen myself. I'd say he's two levels below the generational CFs, and one level below the genuinely top class CFs (like Kane). For me he's generally a very mediocre footballer but a very good goalscorer, which obviously means that he's a really good CF. But I wouldn't have him as a top class one as per my definition of that term.
 

amolbhatia50k

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After a Serie A, MVP, and 2 international goals against Russia, I still don't believe him to be top tier like RVP, Ruud, Benzema, Lewandowski, Cavani, etc.

I just don't see it.
Well, because he isn't. Those are some of the best strikers of their respective generations. I think Cavani's level, though, is attainable. Despite the love in for him from United fans he's not one of the striker greats like the others you mention, for me.
 

amolbhatia50k

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Hmm from recent memories: Lukaku, Lingard, Smalling, Depay, Zaha.
Most of them made a step down in terms of club or league which made it easier for them to shine. Lukaku and ADM are anomalies. One was unprofessional and unfit with us and thereafter turned that around. The other was unprofessional and never wanted to be here so obviously was better for PSG. The others all found their actual level elsewhere
 

Josep Dowling

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So many players shining when they leave United, but we'll just think it is because they couldn't handle the pressure or it's some coincidence. The problems are so deep-rooted at this club.

We will down play Lukaku winning the Serie A and being the MVP, whilst we can't beat Sevilla or Villareal in the Europa League. This club is something else, and I love it.
Sadly this is the truth.
 

cyberman

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So many players shining when they leave United, but we'll just think it is because they couldn't handle the pressure or it's some coincidence. The problems are so deep-rooted at this club.

We will down play Lukaku winning the Serie A and being the MVP, whilst we can't beat Sevilla or Villareal in the Europa League. This club is something else, and I love it.
Inter, and Lukaku, literally lost v Sevilla in the final last year.
 

Ish

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So many players shining when they leave United, but we'll just think it is because they couldn't handle the pressure or it's some coincidence. The problems are so deep-rooted at this club.

We will down play Lukaku winning the Serie A and being the MVP, whilst we can't beat Sevilla or Villareal in the Europa League. This club is something else, and I love it.
Not sure about that last sentence. Almost reads like you’re a United supporter, yet love celebrating our misery? Unless I’ve missed something?

On to your broader point, agreed. I’m happy we sold Lukaku because he wasn’t a good fit & he has glaring technical weaknesses but he’s done exceptionally well since he’s left us and is one of the best current goal scorers in the game. I suppose some on here will never forgive him for the way he’s shot his mouth off at the club, since he’s left.
 

Bondi77

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Ridiculous post,
If I was going to bet on a transfer for next season it will be Kane to City and if I could bet on who would not go to City it would be Lukaku
 
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Lingard - going from 1 goals in 22 PL last season (avg rating 6.3) to 9 goals 4 assists in 16 games this season (avg rating 7.22). He did shine despite not scoring in his last few games there.
Zaha - well we sold him for 3m and he is later worth 75m at one point. I think he is doing far better than what we were expecting, despite not given much chances here.
Smalling - Fair enough. But maybe we shouldn't sell him, he isn't any worst than Lindelof.
Depay - For whatever his issues at Man Utd, he becomes a top player for Lyon, scored 20 goals 12 assist last season, beating PSG to league title, and outperform the likes of Neymar over there. He did shine far better than what we have been expecting.
without going into everything - how many years ago did we sell Depay?

Is it a criticism of the club, that a player we sold four years ago has a good season?
 

meamth

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People really pointed out Depay, heck he is Pepe level player, at best.

Acts like a superstar, but really, doesn't really impact the French league.
 

Lee565

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Whether he is an elite striker or not, it was still a mistake to choose martial over him, not only was he a more reliable striker but his whole mentality/personality is better than that of the sulky, half hearted approach of martial.

It baffles me how much fans suggest that our transfer business has improved under ole when to me it has been very underwhelming outside of the Fernandes signing.
 

RedRonaldo

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without going into everything - how many years ago did we sell Depay?

Is it a criticism of the club, that a player we sold four years ago has a good season?
To be fair he has a good season at Lyon immediately the year after we sold him in 2017, when he has scored 22 goals 15 assists in 17-18, which is comparable to some of top seasons from Sancho in Germany, the player we are going to spend 90-95m euros on.