Not replacing Lukaku

[Lentwood]

The mistake was not anticipating the sale of Lukaku. An ambitious club might have targeted a replacement from the outset, not waiting to see if Lukaku left to try to find a replacement

 

[FootyGirl88]

I don't know why we didn't get Ben Yedder he wasn't expensive either

 

[kouroux]

Easier said than done of course but Ole should have put his job on the line with this, get me a striker and then sell Lukaku. If you sell him without a replacement, just feck off type of thing (too much money at stake though)

 

[Judge Red]

We didn’t need this thread today. It was all said before the season started.

 

[Suv666]

I think not getting a proper no.10 or a right winger is where we've fecked up more. Zero balance.

Agree its too easy to shut us off. The RW has been a problem for 6 years. Its incredible.

 

[Canagel]

Martial is better and should be backed fully with a creative machine to be built behind him, not the trash we have in our midfield excluding PP and wide positions (RW)..

 

[John Blund]

Lukaku's goal scoring record was pretty much average compared to the number of chances he needed to score. His last season at Everton, however, he was beastlike, but he also had much better service from his team.

Lukaku isn't offering much more than goals to the team, and if our team can't provide him with good enough crosses for his tap-ins, then we might as well take the £70M we got for him.

Build-up play with Lukaku as the target-man is just a waste of time.

 

[Ravel96]

Say what you want about the guy, but he's a natural goalscorer and was a proven goal getter in the PL. Not replacing him has left us with -

Martial - good in front of goal, but has played the majority of his career as a left winger
Rashford - erratic in front of goal, also has played the majority of his career as a left winger
Greenwood - 17 years old, potential is there but still looks very raw. Anything over 5 goals from him would be a bonus. Also seems to be a bit injury prone.

With Lukaku leaving it leaves us with three centre forward options, none of whom are proven prolific goalscorers. None have even ever been starting centre forwards in the league. Is anyone else starting to think not replacing him was a fecking stupid move by us?

Just how did we even allow aubameyang to go to arsenal without even putting in a bid is a mystery

 

[redpatron]

Just how did we even allow aubameyang to go to arsenal without even putting in a bid is a mystery

this place hated him and said he wasn’t United quality just like lacazette. Called him a speed merchant. He fits ole’s system to a tee.

but Jose never rated him and he wasn’t a Jose striker.

 

[ottosec]

Lukaku was our only proven goalscorer. We shouldn't have sold him in the first place. 20+ goals per season strikers don't grow on trees.

But apparently he didn't fit Ole's philosophy. Whatever the feck that is.

 

[Massive Spanner]

If Ole really did make the decision to not get a replacement because he trusted Rashford/Martial to be the ones to take the mantle off Lukaku then god help us, because anyone could see that was a stupid thing to do.

 

[Oldyella]

I think not getting a proper no.10 or a right winger is where we've fecked up more. Zero balance.

Agreed. We have 3 players covering the one CF spot, just bad luck they are all out at once. Meanwhile we knew going into the season our right hand side was weak and if we wanted to play with a 10 would be relying on Mata or Lingard.

 

[Mr.Plow]

Selling your best goalscorer and not replacing them is befitting of a club like Stoke, not Utd.

Massive mistake which made our already shit frontline even weaker and left us with no depth or plan B.

 

[Rossa]

Agree with this. What separates a top team from a good one is great attackers. All great teams have that, and depth there as well. Selling Lukaku was fine. Not replacing him was a huge mistake.

 

[Denis79]

If Ole really did make the decision to not get a replacement because he trusted Rashford/Martial to be the ones to take the mantle off Lukaku then god help us, because anyone could see that was a stupid thing to do.

Ole said in pre-season, that if any players are sold they need to be replaced. Now if Ole felt that Greenwood was an adequate replacement or the if the board failed to bring someone else in place for Lukaku, we don't know.

 

[Volumiza]

If Ole really did make the decision to not get a replacement because he trusted Rashford/Martial to be the ones to take the mantle off Lukaku then god help us, because anyone could see that was a stupid thing to do.

Not everyone dude, I got called out for daring to suggest 'Rashy' Rashford could carry the can on his own. Neither Rashford or Martial should have been considered to lead our line. It has been a huge error!

 

[sparx99]

Striker depth is ok in isolation.

Utd have Rashford, Martial, Greenwood

Liverpool have Firmino, Origi and ?

City have Aguero, Jesus and ?

Chelsea have Abraham, Giroud and ?

Tottenham have Kane, maybe Son, maybe Moura?

Arsenal have Lacazette, Aubameyang and Nketiah (or did he go on loan?).

the point is though our players are covering two positions rather than just competing up front. When Martial got injured Rashford should have been coming in from the bench with Greenwood taking his bench spot. Instead, Rashford was already in our first XI so moved from LW to Striker.

The real problem is we have players covering multiple positions rather than having true depth.

LW - Rashford, Chong
AM - Mata, Gomes
RW - Lingard, James

ST - Martial, Greenwood

that’s our depth if each player only covers one position. You can see why one injury causes so many issues.

Despite that you would think Liverpool would struggle if Firmino, Mane, Robertson and Henderson got injured at the same time. That’s effectively what we have at the moment.

 

[afrocentricity]

If Ole really did make the decision to not get a replacement because he trusted Rashford/Martial to be the ones to take the mantle off Lukaku then god help us, because anyone could see that was a stupid thing to do.

I doubt it was him. He played in a team with multiple strikers rotating between 2 positions... He knows the
benefits of this.

 

[Casanova85]

Selling Lukaku: good move.
Not buying a new CF: mistake.

 

[red4ever 79]

We should only sell when we have a replacement lined up. Club knew for 2 months that he was going so what the heck did we do.

 

[Dec9003]

Lukaku scored 12 premier league goals last season.
Martial got 10 whilst barely ever playing as the striker.
We should have replaced him, but letting go of Lukaku should never be seen as a bad decision.
He was below average on the ball, unfit, and not scoring nearly as many as some would have you believe.

 

[haram]

Lukaku scored 12 premier league goals last season.
Martial got 10 whilst barely ever playing as the striker.
We should have replaced him, but letting go of Lukaku should never be seen as a bad decision.
He was below average on the ball, unfit, and not scoring nearly as many as some would have you believe.

Helped us finish 2nd the season before. If people understood tactics they would be able to acknowledge that. Instead people cried to have Rashford up front. Hope they are happy.

 

[Eriku]

Its just the same problem as after New Year last season: we start beasting the players in fitness training and that leads to a spate of muscle injuries. Too many players out now: Martial, now Rashford, Greenwood ill, Pogba, Shaw, Fred may as well have been with missing pre-season.

He gambled on any injury crisis happening later in the season when the kids were more ready, but they've gone down like flies from the off. A risky gamble that he's lost, presumably risking it with confidence he still has enough patience in the club to ride any bad periods out. Questionable that.

Think Martial and Pogba will be back soon, and that will steady the ship though.

I mean, you might not be wrong in your general thrust, but why on earth would you invoke Greenwood to support the argument? You reckon the training regime caused his tonsillitis?

 

[roonster09]

Helped us finish 2nd the season before. If people understood tactics they would be able to acknowledge that. Instead people cried to have Rashford up front. Hope they are happy.

If you understood football you would have made at least few decent posts. At this point you are nothing but a PR machine for few players/manager.

 

[fergiesarmy1]

Reminds me of that advert where he sings mistake.........

3 strikers would be ok if they were proven but they aren’t yet no matter what the talent is there. I’d still be for bringing Zlatan back to help out though it will stink of desperation but c’est la vie.

 

[haram]

If you understood football you would have made at least few decent posts. At this point you are nothing but a PR machine for few players/manager.

You have quoted me three times in a row because deep down you know I have been right for a very long time. Im off to eat.

 

[StrettyEnder07]

What would people do in January? I personally think we need a first choice No. 9 and have Greenwood as his back up.

Unfortunately, we have 3 players who favoured position is LW (Rashford Martial James), as per usual the right hand side has been ignored.

I would offer 40M for Wilson at Bournemouth in January, very surprised he stayed there in the summer and ticks all boxes, can finish, his movement is fantastic, pace, can finish with both feet, good in the air.

Not to sure we will spend more than that in January (a bid for Maddison would be brilliant but can't see that happening).

Wilson in, James, Rashford, Martial to fight for the two win positions, give Gomes a consistent run at No. 10.

Then sort the rest out in the summer.

 

[Thaila-X]

Lukaku wasn’t a great player for us by any stretch of the imagination but he will get ten goals a season purely by being in the right place at the right time/strikers instinct/whatever you want to call it. I think we gambled on a few fronts not replacing him; Martial hasn’t a great record injury wise, Rashford can blow hot and cold and Greenwood is a talented but untested wildcard at this stage of his career. Martial & Rashford have potential to be reliable forwards but it’s a step up from being a winger and contributing with goals here and there to being the main man at any club.

 

[roonster09]

You have quoted me three times in a row because deep down you know I have been right for a very long time. Im off to eat.

No, deep down I always knew you are just a troll and Jose fan boy. I wont be surprised if this account is created just to defend Jose, just like we had 1 or 2 accounts that were created just to defend board.

Hopefully you are getting paid well enough.

Edit: Also I quoted you 3 times in a row because you are a propaganda machine who is posting same nonsense everywhere.

 

[StrettyEnder07]

No, deep down I always knew you are just a troll and Jose fan boy. I wont be surprised if this account is created just to defend Jose, just like we had 1 or 2 accounts that were created just to defend board.

Hopefully you are getting paid well enough.

Edit: Also I quoted you 3 times in a row because you are a propaganda machine who is posting same nonsense everywhere.

Do you actually do anything other than give out abuse?

 

[roonster09]

Do you actually do anything other than give out abuse?

Yes.

 

[Ban]

Maybe next time we'll buy a striker first and then sell one.. Baffling decision.

 

[StrettyEnder07]

Yes.

Good to know, look forward to seeing a post about something else soon

 

[roonster09]

Good to know, look forward to seeing a post about something else soon

Make the full use of search feature, not hard.

 

[jackal&hyde]

Striker depth is ok in isolation.

Utd have Rashford, Martial, Greenwood

Liverpool have Firmino, Origi and ?

City have Aguero, Jesus and ?

Chelsea have Abraham, Giroud and ?

Tottenham have Kane, maybe Son, maybe Moura?

Arsenal have Lacazette, Aubameyang and Nketiah (or did he go on loan?).

the point is though our players are covering two positions rather than just competing up front. When Martial got injured Rashford should have been coming in from the bench with Greenwood taking his bench spot. Instead, Rashford was already in our first XI so moved from LW to Striker.

The real problem is we have players covering multiple positions rather than having true depth.

LW - Rashford, Chong
AM - Mata, Gomes
RW - Lingard, James

ST - Martial, Greenwood

that’s our depth if each player only covers one position. You can see why one injury causes so many issues.

Despite that you would think Liverpool would struggle if Firmino, Mane, Robertson and Henderson got injured at the same time. That’s effectively what we have at the moment.

Good post. Also Rashford happens to be in terrible form at the worst possible time. Martial, Pogba, Shaw and now Rashford injured is a bit of a major crisis that we have, most teams would struggle in this situation.

 

[Dec9003]

Helped us finish 2nd the season before. If people understood tactics they would be able to acknowledge that. Instead people cried to have Rashford up front. Hope they are happy.

Rashford helped us finish second as well, no?
We've had this conversation before and done all the comparisons.
Lukaku was not and is not good enough to get United to where we need to be.
I'm really, really glad we sold him.
We're all just disappointed the club didn't have the ambition to buy a better striker.
I know you really like Lukaku but he just wasn't good enough mate.

 

[cyril C]

While "not replacing Lukaku" is an obvious problem, not replacing Mourinho is another problem.

 

[haram]

Rashford helped us finish second as well, no?
We've had this conversation before and done all the comparisons.
Lukaku was not and is not good enough to get United to where we need to be.
I'm really, really glad we sold him.
We're all just disappointed the club didn't have the ambition to buy a better striker.
I know you really like Lukaku but he just wasn't good enough mate.

Rashford played on the left. Jose got more than enough out of the team but people did not want to accept it.

 

[Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber]

Replacing Lukaku has never mattered. Even when he was he the problem was zero creativity in midfield outside of Pogba, a dead right flank and no natural wingers


I simply fail to understand why anyone would believe a replacement for Lukaku would miraculously suddenly start scoring regularly for United, when for the reasons above a natural goal scorer like him couldn't.

 

[Dec9003]

Rashford played on the left. Jose got more than enough out of the team but people did not want to accept it.

I liked Jose, it's not surprising that he was sacked though, he said that himself the other day.
Doesn't have anything to do with Lukaku/our striker situation anyway, but then I think you probably don't have anything more to say about that.