No one gave any precision which is terrible because I can't make any joke. Hopefully it's nothing too serious.
9
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 45
- Goals
- 15
- Assists
- 3
- Yellow cards
- 5
- Status
According to twitter his dad has passed away. I haven't seen that confirmed by a proper source though.
That would be surprising, his brother was playing this weekend.
People do tend to forget that Lukaku was very good for us for the first 3 or so months last season. For a period there he was arguably our best player by banging in the goals while nobody else was really playing well, and he seemed to be working harder than most as well.
Of course he deserves a chance to show what he can do.
Of course he deserves a chance to show what he can do.
Has Rom secretly been sent on warm weather training do you think? It would make sense. We're not exactly missing him at the moment are we.
I'm of the same opinion as yours. That's the reason why we've seen many young players been hyped then later people complained they didn't reach their potential. It was the case for Rooney for example, he had a physic of an adult at younger age but little stand out talent and that physic gave him an advantage but he never reached the level many predicted for him while Messi and Ronaldo got better years after years. I suspect Mbappe will be another one as he relies on his speed to beat defenders and put himself in better goal scoring position. There are too many British players who fall into this category.
I think if Ole is a perfectionist (and I suspect he's) like Pep and Sarri than Lukaku will have to settle for a bench role at best as he doesn't possess the needed skills to play as a striker in a technical possession style and he lacks the stamina to press the entire game like Rash, Lingard and Martial did. The only thing he has over the others is his goal scoring ability (debatable), a quality that's not enough for that style of football, reason why someone like Pep early at City preferred Jesus over Aguero before the later up and change his game. If mobility and short link up play are more important for Ole, then Lukaku should worry for his spot as he'll struggle to displace anyone in the front 3 that played last time.
Anyway, like many are saying, he's a decent goal scorer but he's too an average football player overall, he has no stand out quality to be main striker in a big club; like Bayern with Mandzukic, or Liverpool with Benteke, we'll need to move on from Lukaku to have a fluid front 3. I doubt Liverpool'd have reach the CL final last season with a striker like Benteke/Lukaku instead of Firmino. Whatever number of goals Lukaku scores, he'll still lack many qualities to be considered our main striker, SAF had a better version of Lukaku in Chicharito but he couldn't find better role for him than that of a super sub. Sometimes, it's better to move on from a mistake, Lukaku was an expensive mistake and it'd be better for him and for the club to part way in the summer.
Edit : Merry Christmas Redcafe
Body shape
It's becoming increasingly clear the impact of the negativity at the club and I wonder how compromised Rom would have been as what I see as stuck right in the middle of it. Clearly pro Jose whilst his best friend at the club is polar opposite? Being played irrespective of his poor form whilst others including his best friend is on the bench sat next to the other French speaking player. In the same way as we have the Spaniard union, it was clear last season we had a young black player union too. Remember how Rom and his mate Pogba use to celebrate together along with Martial? That doesn't happen anymore.....still friends outside the club, but in it, something def has changed.
I'm in no doubt this has had an impact on his form.....
Happy Christmas too.....
It's becoming increasingly clear the impact of the negativity at the club and I wonder how compromised Rom would have been as what I see as stuck right in the middle of it. Clearly pro Jose whilst his best friend at the club is polar opposite? Being played irrespective of his poor form whilst others including his best friend is on the bench sat next to the other French speaking player. In the same way as we have the Spaniard union, it was clear last season we had a young black player union too. Remember how Rom and his mate Pogba use to celebrate together along with Martial? That doesn't happen anymore.....still friends outside the club, but in it, something def has changed.
I'm in no doubt this has had an impact on his form.....
I think Mourinho's system exposed players weaknesses. For technical players, their mentality is their weakness hence the like of Martial, Shaw, Pogba and Sanchez who needs confidence to show their qualities, struggled. But for average and less gifted players like Lukaku and Smalling their technical weakness become apparent the moment you don't play to their strength; Lukaku needs the team to offer him clear chances in the box to finish them, the moment you ask him to do more things like pressing, holding up and linking up play you're calling for troubles as you're asking him to do tasks he's isn't comfortable in. Using SAF case with Chicharito, he was bringing him in the last minutes of a game to basically play in the opposition box as a pure poacher, he didn't ask him to do anything else: "stay in the box and hunt the ball"; the moment he asked him to do more, he struggled (remember that CL final against Barcelona where we look like playing with 10 men with him in the first 11).
I think the reason why you notice that "young black union" is because there a lot of black players in our team, so it's normal to see them more often together especially when they speak the same language. Lukaku, I think, was starting to suffer from superiority complex due to the fact the manager made him his favorite and untouchable (and the world cup hype got too much into his head); for the 1st time I saw a player saying he's a manager favorite, like admitting that he was untouchable and indirectly accusing Mourinho of being impartial; he dare criticized his teammates and this is a dangerous way to take especially when you are the least gifted.
No attacking approach will make him unbelievable. He can definitely improve his scoring record if he plays in a more attacking system and he adapts himself (lose weight and move more off the ball) but there are aspects of his game that will never change and they will always limit him to at best, being a good player but in no way unbelievable
If the style we played against Cardiff is what to expect going forward then he will be fine. I would back him to still go on to hit 20 goals + this season and make a few people in this thread look ridiculous at the overreaction to a simple slump in form, which has been exacerbated by a world cup and tactical changes under Mourinho to try to make him a target man which he simply doesn't have the skill set for.
I'm not so sure we will se Lukaku play in red again. I think the deal with Juve is done, and thats the reason behind the compassionate leave. We see more and more rumors about Juve, and no smoke without a fire.
What do you base this on, buddy?
Juve? Why would Juve need him, or want him?
That will be swirl
Execpt this isn't true. He wasn't the best player the 1st 3 months of last season, he was scoring goals at normal ratio given that he was the central striker and was playing every munite of every game and some people were falling in the trap of thinking he was amazing. Someone like Martial was putting better performances and had bettre stats than him despite coming from the bench, he then went in a long spell of 2 or 3 months without scoring and looked horrible but this was overlooked becauce we were busy spending our time comparing him with another average striker in Morata. At his best, his level still below of the like of Aguero, Kane, Icardi, Suarez, Benzema, Cavani, Mbappe, Lewandowaki, Aubamyang, Lacazette, Grirzman, Costa, Mandzukic, Firminho, Mertens. Actually all other big clubs have better strikers than him. Working hard isn't a barometer of good performance, Messi is actually one of the lasiest player in the planet but still head and shoulder above everyone.
Nobody denies that he's able to score goals, but it's his overall game that's in question. Scoring goals alone isn't good enough for certains style, Zlatan was scoring but it didn't stop Pep from kicking him out. Lukaku inability to control a ball and his lack of stamina make him a liability.
Execpt this isn't true. He wasn't the best player the 1st 3 months of last season, he was scoring goals at normal ratio given that he was the central striker and was playing every munite of every game and some people were falling in the trap of thinking he was amazing. Someone like Martial was putting better performances and had bettre stats than him despite coming from the bench, he then went in a long spell of 2 or 3 months without scoring and looked horrible but this was overlooked becauce we were busy spending our time comparing him with another average striker in Morata. At his best, his level still below of the like of Aguero, Kane, Icardi, Suarez, Benzema, Cavani, Mbappe, Lewandowaki, Aubamyang, Lacazette, Grirzman, Costa, Mandzukic, Firminho, Mertens. Actually all other big clubs have better strikers than him. Working hard isn't a barometer of good performance, Messi is actually one of the lasiest player in the planet but still head and shoulder above everyone.
Nobody denies that he's able to score goals, but it's his overall game that's in question. Scoring goals alone isn't good enough for certains style, Zlatan was scoring but it didn't stop Pep from kicking him out. Lukaku inability to control a ball and his lack of stamina make him a liability.
They’re the club hotly linked, for some reason.
I agree though, it makes little sense with Ronaldo in the side. In fact, they basically let go of a superior striker with a similar skill-set to Lukaku so they could obtain Ronaldo initially (Higuain).
He wasn't the best player for the entire three months, but he was for a period of roughly a month, while also being quite good for the other two months around it. Better than you are giving him credit for.
Overall I agree with you that he probably isn't good enough to be our first choice going forward. But he is much better than what he has been showing and also a much different type of player than how Mourinho has been trying to make him play. So it's only fair that to give him the chance to showcase what he can actually do in a better system, just like all our other players. Right now he probably needs some time off and focus on getting properly fit though.
Lukaku's "lack of stamina" is not an issue I remember being mentioned during his first season with us where he started pretty much every game he was fit enough to start (51 in total and was subbed on very few occasions if any), you then have him going to a world cup rather than resting fully during close season with a good showing helping his country to a semi final and 3rd place overall and then having to come back from holiday 3 days earlier than scheduled to be ready for the opening fixture against Leicester. Might those "stamina issues" be mental and physical fatigue following a pretty hectic first season where for me he was overused? I think so in fact it may be part of the reason for his current "compassionate leave" although that is just speculation from me, what is clear to me is that he looks to be physically struggling.
In the meanwhile as for goals alone not being good enough, his stats for his first season with us read 51 starts/27 Goals/9 assists so in terms of his overall game providing 9 assists on top of his goals tally is none too shabby.
The simple fact of the matter is he looked last season like a striker coming into his own in terms of his place on the World stage who this season looks to be recovering from poor amounts of rest and being rushed back a few too many days early for pre-season (when a lot of coaches may have given him an extended break beyond even what he was originally scheduled for due to his overuse last season followed then by a world cup)
He is already capable of providing much more than just goals and would for me thrive is a side where he is actually receiving good service into the channels and the final 3rd which with Full-backs regularly overlapping and an actually pass and move attacking emphasis in central midfield he should now get.
As for the group of strikers you say he is a class below most of those guys would kill for an international scoring record like his and you could argue that he is keeping one of them (Mertens) out of the starting striker position at international level so I think your appraisal of his current level of talent is more than a little harsh.
Based on his first season here and his performances at international level he just about belongs in that group, comfortably in place of Mertens. In fact and I'd have a fit and well rested Lukaku in my side any day ahead of both Manzukic (a good effective striker in his own right but not top tier of even just below it for me) or Costa (a good striker on his day, a complete liability on any other).
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I really wanna see a front 3 of Rashford, Martial and Sanchez...
I like Rom, and I wish him well, but to be honest I think Juve could be a great move for him (and us if price is right).
I like Rom, and I wish him well, but to be honest I think Juve could be a great move for him (and us if price is right).
Now I'm even excited to see what can Ole do with Lukaku to make him perform !
Almost looking forward to his return as I think he’s about to come back and light the league up as last 2 games we’ve created numerous situations that I think Lukaku would thrive on.
There was an occasion today where it was just going to be a sprint but Rashford was muscled out of it and I just don’t see that happening to Lukaku and there were two similar incidents vs Cardiff. In a way I do feel bad for Rashford and Lingard as I do think they are probably going to lose their fully deserved places pretty soon to the front 3 of Martial, Rom and Sanchez.
There was an occasion today where it was just going to be a sprint but Rashford was muscled out of it and I just don’t see that happening to Lukaku and there were two similar incidents vs Cardiff. In a way I do feel bad for Rashford and Lingard as I do think they are probably going to lose their fully deserved places pretty soon to the front 3 of Martial, Rom and Sanchez.
He's so big he blocks out the sun... there's nothing to suggest he's going to light up the league - he's never done it before, why now.
He was on an upwards trajectory before he moved to us where he had his worst league season for 3 years where the season before he pushed Harry Kane till the final few weeks where Kane scored for fun to pull away from him. He still ended up with 25 goals and from the looks of the way we play now which is in a manner that would suit his attributes I Hope/imagine that if we continue this way and continue to create these scenarios he’ll get back to banging in goals and putting in numbers that would bring him back to being one of the best goal scorers in the league.
Notice how we don't pointlessly cross it over and over again when he isn't in the team (or is it because Mourinho isn't the manager anymore ?). I like how our FBs get to the byline instead of attempting tough long crosses to Lukaku
Yes, me too!!! There is so much potential in our team that can come alive with the right system. Lukaku cannot be a very bad player and still score hundreds of goals. If he's United level is debatable but definitely not bad like people projecting him in here.
To be honest even when he wasn’t in the team we’d pointlessly cross it over and over again even if the only person in the box was Mata, and we did do this numerous times. Partly the reason why I love Mata because that dude could be facing Van Dijk and still fancy his chances at out jumping him to get his head on the ball.
Yep, let's not write him off yet. Ole seemed quite excited when he was talking about having Lukaku, Sanchez and Martial available for the weekend.
Gonna be a lot of humble pie being eaten.....
I think he'll do well under OGS. We've already started playing more to his strengths and I don't think he's as static as some make out. I see him making runs and the ball is never played.
There's obviously areas where he can do better but I think we'll see better from him, as we've done with everyone else.
There's obviously areas where he can do better but I think we'll see better from him, as we've done with everyone else.
We should have Gomes follow him around everywhere, sticking to him like glue. Gomes takes care of the touches, while Lukaku pushes people away. Together they can become some sort of an anglerfish. One amazing player with 2 moving parts. Baiting then bite.
Why? Didnt read last couple of pages but not sure people calling him out as shit striker, most of criticism is regarding his first touch, not his ability to score goals.
Don't set them up for more "Lukaku is fat" jokes.
No. Most of us know he can score goals and go on a run of games scoring a few but these months of first touch/passes aren't something a club of our level should be able to tolerate.
I don’t doubt he will score goals again, at some point. Solskjaer won’t teach him how to play football though.
I’d genuinely, genuinely surprised if Lukaku could juggle the ball 30 times. If he signed for Real or Barca, his presentation would be a shambles.
I’d genuinely, genuinely surprised if Lukaku could juggle the ball 30 times. If he signed for Real or Barca, his presentation would be a shambles.
I don’t disagree with you, but O. Dembele has all the skills and he still messed it up. Means nothing.
- Status