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I still remember the Burnley GK (Heaton). The guy was unbeatable. I do remember keeping an eye on him to see if he repeated the feat the following week. Alas, the following week I believe he conceded 3-4 goals.
Hernandez's movement is the best I've seen. Outstanding. He could finish as well. His problem was the rest of his game was lacking and that's the similarity with Lukaku.
I agree with you, but my point was that a guy like Hernandez would struggle in this system. Lukaku's appearance fools people a bit but he is more that type of striker rather than a target man a la Drogba.
I agree with this, and also we don't have any attacking patterns....that's on the manager, however players are getting the ball, looking for movement and Lukaku isn't offering any. That's not good enough. This myth that he works hard is the most confusing for me.
This was my point about him from the start, there's so much more to being a top striker in the modern game than just goal stats, it's not the Lineker era.
I think he was acting defiant with those non celebrations, but the majority of the season he played with energy and drive and looked like he wanted to impose himself as a leader, now he looks beleaguered.
Agree with this completely. Will need to find the stats, but iirc Zlatan scored quite a high proportion of our goals that season. Where we fell down in the league was no one else in the squad being able to put away the chances created.
I seem to recall Mourinho highlighting the difference in Zlatan and Lukaku's style of play as a positive thing when Lukaku signed, suggesting that Lukaku's ability to attack behind the opposition defence rather than drop deeper as Zlatan did would help the team. Presumably he thought the rest of the team would step up and provide the creativity.
This video should be a given to anyone who thinks a manager who will want to play fast free fluid attacking football will be fine with this guy leading the line for him.
I think it's why Hazard sometimes ignores him when they play for Belgium
This. Our players regularly avoid ground passes to him. Just does not have the close control or technical ability to be at the top. Its the difference between being world class.
Nobody can be sure about Rashford and Martial. I very much doubt that they are comparable to Ronaldo and Rooney. Sanchez though...He seems finished. Tevez was 24 y.o. in 2008 and was full with energy.
Lukaku isn't going to succeed here because his game isn't refined enough. Such big flaws won't be covered up by goals only. When he played for Everton teams attacked so he lots of space to run into which is basically the only time he looks useful dribbling with the ball. At United teams defend against us so you need to have more to your game. You've got to be comfortable dropping deep, linking up with other players, 1-2 passes to break teams down the middle and finding space in behind .Lukaku can't do this. He wants to run with the ball but there's no space in behind. You've got to drag defenders away, drop deep if needs be, and be comfortable receiving the ball on either wing.
Martial and Rashford up top is the way to go. They showed us what they could do in LVG last season.
This. Weird. Had a bad spell after his initial flourish last year and worked his way out of it. All the warrior stuff was quite endearing, backed up as it was by real attitude on the pitch. Where's that all gone. Without the attitude, you're left with just the football to judge him on. And let's face it, that's pretty shit.
I also think that is way to go to improve our attack.
This is what I'm saying - they could easily score 14 goals each per season at the very least with also having the ability to bring others in to play more often than we already do.
We knew you guys did - you have spent the money well!
You signed on and got by the newbies to tell us that? Everton-fans were crying when he left and he would still be their most important player. What do they have up top these days... Cenk Tosun and Calvert-Lewin? Good luck getting top 10 with that.
We know but it's not like the decision was made on our vote. It's not even in our club tradition to have technically clumsy strikers but Jose needed his lump up top. You didn't exactly use the money wisely though
Ha spending last year was ironically somewhat hit n miss!
Ha Last post as I’m a newbie! Genuinely just interested in the general take on him, I get the sense he divides opinion as much as he did with us. I was more than happy to move him on the way we did.
For me I think he was good last season and I genuinely thought he was going to build on that and have an excellent season this year and start to become the world class player he could be. But in fact the opposite has happened and he has actually gone backwards. He looks lazy, unmotivated (his sprint stats are atrocious) and needs 3 or 4 chances to get 1 goal. I would say it's time to give Rashford or Martial a chance upfront (or even both) but I can see Lukaku taking that hard and it could have an even worse effect on him. The hope is he plays his way out of his current mood and form, but it is becoming a huge concern now.
I remember multiple people saying the first touch thing is a myth.
I remember people defending him at the time we signed him when a few pointed out that he has a really bad first touch.
Also reading that Morata vs Lukaku thread is pure gold - both competing for the worst transfer of the decade
