At the moment they both look so out of place in comparison with Martial, Rashford or Pogba it's not even funny. Hope they can somehow improve but given how much every attacking player improved under Ole and those two haven't, it's a tad worrying yes.
Lukaku and Sanchez - cut our losses? Poll now added
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik and Imran hold a long overdue conversation about United's awful league form with 1 win in 7. They discuss a disappointing draw at Bournemouth, a not so disappointing draw against Liverpool and a crushing defeat at Chelsea - Is time nearly over for Erik Ten Hag?
Then in a special second half of the pod, Nik welcomes Natalie ( https://twitter.com/natalie_17) to discuss the fortunes of Manchester United Women as they booked a place in the FA Cup Final after a historic first ever win vs. Chelsea.
An exchange, then. For the sake of argument, that money is a write off and should be seen as such from the age Sanchez was and would be by the end of even a couple of seasons here, which give him next to no sell-on value - there's no way that can not be factored into assessment of the deal; we just thought we were getting the better end of it and were expectant of a few good seasons out of him to make it worthwhile.. not what we got instead.
Lukaku will never be good enough for us. Purely because his technical ability is so poor. I don't want him as a squad option. While watching the game the ball came to him and even though it was moving very slowly he tried to control it with his right foot but it bounced off his left and he was luckly that it rolled to his right as he lurched to try and get it under control. I wish him no ill, but this kind of awful technique will eventually bite us in the ass. It happens three or four times a game. The ball comes to him and he just fails to control it, more often than not, the ball isn't even moving at pace.
Don't get me wrong, he definitely can be effective if we use him on the right, and something I've been championing for since Jose was here. However, say he comes on in the CL semi-final and has a chance to score but his shithouse technique squanders the chance and we go out. I'd much rather have a technically proficient forward on our books, and there are in no short supply.
Don't get me wrong, he definitely can be effective if we use him on the right, and something I've been championing for since Jose was here. However, say he comes on in the CL semi-final and has a chance to score but his shithouse technique squanders the chance and we go out. I'd much rather have a technically proficient forward on our books, and there are in no short supply.
Well mate that's why I said we can't really expect any fee for Sanchez.
Yes get rid of both. They barely contribute even as squad options and they are far too expensive to be used as such anyway. If I could only sell one, I'd sell Lukaku. At least we would get a decent fee for him. Sanchez could be used as back up for Martial and Rashford.
Maybe we can put out a rumour that Solksjaer just hates Belgians. That's why he sold Fellaini, that's why Lukaku is playing sh!t. Some clubs might make a decent offer if they think his form is down to the manager...
Maybe we can put out a rumour that Solksjaer just hates Belgians. That's why he sold Fellaini, that's why Lukaku is playing sh!t. Some clubs might make a decent offer if they think his form is down to the manager...
I have a strong bias against knee-jerkism. That's all. This thread is as crazy as people earlier in the season asking for Pogba to be moved on. Well, not as crazy. But in the same ball park. Again, thank goodness our management isn't that reactionary.
I think he (Lukaku) is massively out of form, and was caught off-guard by the manager switch and change in style. He hasn't reached my threshold where you cut losses. Plus, I don't think he has to massively transform in order to be effective in this system. Shed some muscle mass in the offseason, watch some film, get your cardio up. He probably will never have the first touch of Berbatov, but if you're making yourself available for the final ball and stretching defensive lines, AND you have a great goalscoring record, at the very least you will be strong competition for a young strike force. And if he can't do that, then get rid. What's the rush with moving him on so soon?
Plus I expect Rashford to have more dips in his form as he continues to mature. It's inevitable with young players. I'm all ears for who we can get, that has Lukaku's goalscoring ability, and is willing to sit on the bench. For a minimal fee.
Now if you've always disliked his style of play or his personality or whatever, then fair enough.
Is it the bulking up which damaged Lukaku or. He looks pretty worse than last year.
Vastly improves our team if we do this
Honestly don't think those two situations are comparable.
When Pogba hits a bad pass or has a poor first touch you know that's just a fluke, but with Lukaku you just shrug your shoulders and make your peace with it because those are his weak points. He won't miraculously learn how to control the ball, protect the ball etc.
Also regarding Rashford's inevitable dip in form, it will undoubtedly happen but who's to say Lukaku will be ready to step up to the task at that moment ?
When I say big man I'm not thinking about someone like Lukaku but a target man like Jimenez at Wolves. Who would bring a different threat to Rashford but might not expect to start every game.
More than mobile aswell so if required could stand in for a period of games.
Throw £70m at Neves and Jimenez. Neves can compete with Matic and Herrera if Freds not up to the task. Jimenez can replace Lukaku and we'll save money on the wages for a 2nd choice striker.
Yes please. If for nothing else, the wages they occupy could be going towards players who will contribute more than them, especially the fortune that Sanchez is stealing from the club weekly.
There is no rush to sell them, they could still do a decent job from bench or rotation. But if we've got a good offer, then yes why not.
It's not 'knee-jerkism' though, unless you're going to be selective about comments regarding him for a very long time now. Pogba was based on emotion for most of those who I believe just went along with what the manager of the time was pumping them with. There's been no such 'campaign' against Lukaku, and he has, actually, been given a very easy time of it in the press and even in the threads on here because he isn't an incendiary character nor an easy target, like Pogba, for emotional vitriol.
Ole's asking far more of our forwards than being available for the final ball, isn't he? He wants them to run the lines, over and over giving other team-mates openings and confusing the hell out of defenses with consistent positional switches - he doesn't even want a focal point of the attack or a go-to striker, which kills a lot of Lukaku's assets straight out of the gate (which is why I said sometimes it's unfair on him because we don't, and won't, play to his strengths) and that kind of metronomic running is just not Lukaku's cup of tea. In all the teams he has played for, he is the man the team worked to get chances for, he could make the runs he wanted, when he wanted and the team functioned well in the meantime, or certainly accommodated his style of play (short-burst, breather, repeat) but it's very different now under Ole and he'll not be afforded the same liberty here.
Lukaku is absolutely not willing to sit on the bench - it's why he left Chelsea, and why I think he will leave here come the summer. Being usurped by Rashford has got to be a blow in itself, but then only getting to play in his main position when Rashford is out of the team is even worse. Besides that, he's an expensive striker on high wages, which is not substitute territory.
You say what's the rush in moving him on, well his wages, his value in the market and our own needs to have players who fit with what the manager wants and needs his forward line to be able to do. Two seasons at this level for Lukaku and he's not going to be worth much in an open market
I had an open mind when Lukaku came, to be honest. I would say that I just think he's a bad fit more than anything else as goals is not the only currency forwards are judged on these days - you can't be poor on the field and pop up with a goal and keep your place in the team these days. Anyway, saying all this, it would actually be great if he can prove his worth and get some starts on merit between now and May, we do need him to deliver and I understand him being a bit put out of joint having his place stripped from him like this.
I would move them on, invest it all into a world class right winger, you have martial, lingard and rasford add one brilliant forward who maybe can play accross the three positions, gives us the depth to rotate the four. Yes we would need to sign another striker to help rashford our, but we would be allot stronger swapping two players who are giving giving us 4/5/6 out of 10, for one forward who would be giving us 8 and 9’s out of 10. It’s all about balance, lukaku and Sanchez are just over luxury players who don’t even give us the performances their wages show. I think adding mata and move all three of mata, Sanchez and lukaku, swapped for one player who would Solve our right sided problem would make us allot stronger, then keeping players who are becoming passengers in our squad
Its funny that players Mou wanted to build a team around have no place in a functional team. Funny that people he wanted to get rid of are now a driving force of the most in-form in the EPL.
you don't pay those wages for "bench" or "rotation" players, its just not sustainable. and the play time they get would be better off being given to developing kids, at least there's potential of future great pay off in that case. its not like their contributions could be any worse than what Sanchez and Lukaku have been doing.
Selling Sanchez for peanuts, we could still free up 19m wage per year, and that would be 57m in next 3 years...
Sanchez yes. Complete disaster.
Lukaku is an ideal squad player. I never thought he looked comfortable as the main no.9. But as a rotation player or impact player he looks fantastic.
Lukaku is an ideal squad player. I never thought he looked comfortable as the main no.9. But as a rotation player or impact player he looks fantastic.
If we got good or decent offer, then I am on for selling them. But let's say if someone offer us 30m or less for Lukaku, and no one willing to pay off Sanchez wages, then we better off not selling them in hurry....
I'd look to move Sanchez on definitely. He looks finished at the highest level.
It's an incredible irony!
We can only thank our lucky stars he wasn't allowed to bring in Willian or Perisic, and that we didn't pump insane money on Maguire.
he looked decent today, but I dare say every week we'll think, maybe this week he'll show his "real" form, and then it'll suddenly be the end of the season.
Not sure he's that great off the bench to be fair?
And it's a heck of a status change playing every game (West Brom, Everton, first season here, Belgium) to suddenly being a rotational
Shop them both. Lukaku has failed at what he came to do, was not signed to be a squad player. Keeping him for another 4 years on superstar money is unfeasible. He should never have been here in the first place.
With Sanchez, the same applies. He can’t be here for another 3 years making what he makes and contributing what he does (which will likely only lessen over time). He’s also failed at what he was meant to be. Was meant to offer something to the first team similar to what Pogba is offering.
With Sanchez, the same applies. He can’t be here for another 3 years making what he makes and contributing what he does (which will likely only lessen over time). He’s also failed at what he was meant to be. Was meant to offer something to the first team similar to what Pogba is offering.
Would be fine as squad players but they’re on superstar wages, so it’s tough. Lukaku looks shot of confidence, I do think he can turn a corner and score plenty of goals for us. Sanchez looks to be in terminal decline. Getting a Torres vibe from him.
£19m a year. Who else is going to pay him that? Think we may be stuck until the end of his contract.
Surely there must be a deal Utd can do with Sanchez that will save the club money in the long run. Like a 50% pay off to cancel his contract.
Lukaku is emotional, more or less like Pogba. He needs constant reassurance and love. When he was at Chelsea and they won CL, he did not accept the medal saying he didn't think he earned it as he was not a regular part of the team. He demanded to be their main striker, which was refused and he was shipped away on loan. So, if Ole is going to play him sporadically and not build attack around him, then he will feel back to square one to those days at Chelsea. Eventually Man Utd will have to ship him out.
https://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/291...kaku-i-did-not-deserve-champions-league-medal
https://www.independent.co.uk/sport...u-cannot-touch-chelseas-trophies-7808387.html
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As I said in the previous post, if the shoe doesn't fit, then don't wear it. If you want to distinguish between what Pogba went through and what Lukaku is going through then be my guest.
All of what you've listed is all well and good. I don't see any of those qualities as something Lukaku is incapable of doing. He has shown he can play through the middle and on the right.
There is the big question of whether Ole will be here beyond this season. Do you think the board has seen enough of Lukaku that they will quickly move him on? They just signed Jones to a 5 year deal. I have my doubts. I'm not worried about Lukaku having any suitors, his goalscoring record alone will ensure that if he decides to move on, he'll be fine in that regards. But as to finding this mythical replacement that's better than him (not current form wise) and is willing to sit on the bench and won't be cost prohibitive...
Anyways, no point going back and forth. If all of that happens this summer I'll bump this and admit I was wrong.
He's been ok. Just dont think he's dynamic enough any more for how we want to play. I feel the same about Mata. Neither will ever be first choice under Ole imo.
110% yes, for me.
Think of the wages we'd save. We could rpleace them with two actual squad players - you know, guys who are on nowhere near 400k or 200k a week. It is downright scandalous to be paying two substitutes that sort of me, especially substitutes who barely offer anything when they do get a run-out.
Sanchez to China, I reckon. He's finished as a big-club player.
Lukaku - someone like Wolves would take him, in my opinion. Big upgrade on their current strikers, a club 'on the up' so Rom wouldn't mind joining them, they have the money to spend - £50m should be enough, but I'd personally take £40m.
Think of the wages we'd save. We could rpleace them with two actual squad players - you know, guys who are on nowhere near 400k or 200k a week. It is downright scandalous to be paying two substitutes that sort of me, especially substitutes who barely offer anything when they do get a run-out.
Sanchez to China, I reckon. He's finished as a big-club player.
Lukaku - someone like Wolves would take him, in my opinion. Big upgrade on their current strikers, a club 'on the up' so Rom wouldn't mind joining them, they have the money to spend - £50m should be enough, but I'd personally take £40m.
I dare say a Wolves wouldn't have anywhere near the wage capability to take Lukaku.
And the whole point he left Everton was to make the step up from the second bracket of Premier league team
Yes, both. I just don't see either of them succeeding here. Sanchez just can't get going for some reason and Lukaku is unfortunately not good enough for a side like us. We can still get a reasonable amount back especially for Lukaku if we follow Chelsea's model. It means being ruthless. Chelsea basically got their money back for a striker who doesn't score goals. We could do similar with Lukaku but knowing us he will stay for 5 more years and then leave for nothing.
Yes please. They both look out of place in this United team, Sanchez was better today but that's not saying much. Hope we get rid of them both and bring in younger and hungrier talents.
I still think that Sanchez could play as a false 9 in the system we are playing at the moment. He could interchange him and lingard in this position. We will never be able to sell him unless we agree to subsidise his salary
He'll be in Italy this time next year.
Sell these two. Sign Sancho. Promote Greenwood. Or maybe try to get Dybala in exchange for Lukaku and Darmian plus whatever Juve demand. It looks like Dybala is not in good terms with his manager so there might be a chance. He'll fit well on our right.
I wonder if Mkhitaryan would be more useful under Ole. At least he could be a backup to Lingard?
He peaked when he was 29, late bloomer. Ideal age to be a rotation player in my eyes.Vardy32 years old