This, Ronaldo is a beast, but he has more lean muscle it seems and has a smaller frame. Lukaku is too heavy and its detrimental to his game
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You are offside. I was disputing the insinuation us bulking up a player was at fault for his current state. I wasn't comparing Lukaku's mass explosion to others nor giving reasons for it
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Ah I see - in that case I agree. I strongly suspect he has a sweetie tin at home that helps numb the pain of bad performances.
its like he has gone all James Beattie on us
Oh whoops. I was being tongue-in-cheek with my comment.
I had a soft spot for him last season. I always felt like he was trying really hard and atleast got a few goals. Goals or not though, I've given up. He's shocking. The worst starting striker at United I've ever seen by a country mile, and in teams gone by he'd probably be third choice realistically.
He's just not made for a JM style game plan. Look at how effective he is for Belgium and how effective he was for Everton. Surely there lies the root of the problem.
IMO he'd be much better in team that breaks fast and has lots of movement. He has to play on instincts, and not over think things (or really not think at all if possible).
IMO he'd be much better in team that breaks fast and has lots of movement. He has to play on instincts, and not over think things (or really not think at all if possible).
2nd season syndrome?
He looks like an amateur weightlifter these days with his chunky frame and protruding gut that could probably fit an entire Mata. Wouldn't be surprised if he's the heaviest player in the league at this point. Unfortunately that's not what we're paying him 200K+ every week for and he needs to get a lot of those pounds off.
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I kind of wonder if players re-watch their games, and see how they performed? I mean, as professional, I would be embarrassed watching that kind of performance and get paid 200+k/wk.
This is what the stats don't show you. His hold up play and touch is genuinely poor.
Imagine if players re-watch their games and see how many times their contribution gets fecked up by Lukaku.
I'd be embarrassed with that kind of performance in a kick about with some mates
Rest him against Everton imo. Play Martial up front.
I'm sorry but no
Lukaku still has definition in his body, you're making it sound like he put on more fat than muscles when it's obviously not that. I do agree that he's pointlessly heavy now.I still can't understand how he's bulked up so much, and is a big guy anyway, yet still gets bullied at times by CBs. I'm left thinking he just doesn't have any grit or determination when he's on the pitch. Hell he got out fought and out paced by 30+ year old CBs all night on Tuesday.
It's all about quick turns, balance and mobility in football. In rugby you need brute strength, in football you need to move fast with your body.
Near post runs.
When was the last time Lukaku ran towards the near post to meet a across and head/tap it across goal? Whenever I see him play, he is always waiting at the far post or BEHIND the defender and is hoping/waiting for the defense to miss the cross. Or in case it is a cross along the ground, it's almost always never met by him. When the team defending against us sits deep and crowds the box with defensive players, it is no wonder the crosses don't even reach Lukaku.
This is the fundamental difference between the way someone like Chicharito scored goals for us and why Lukaku looks like he receives no service. I'm not absolving our wing-play, our crosses have at times been atrocious but surely he has to try something more than just stand/anchor himself at the far post when the cross is coming in!
When was the last time Lukaku ran towards the near post to meet a across and head/tap it across goal? Whenever I see him play, he is always waiting at the far post or BEHIND the defender and is hoping/waiting for the defense to miss the cross. Or in case it is a cross along the ground, it's almost always never met by him. When the team defending against us sits deep and crowds the box with defensive players, it is no wonder the crosses don't even reach Lukaku.
This is the fundamental difference between the way someone like Chicharito scored goals for us and why Lukaku looks like he receives no service. I'm not absolving our wing-play, our crosses have at times been atrocious but surely he has to try something more than just stand/anchor himself at the far post when the cross is coming in!
Yep he's so selective with the kind of service he requires. He doesn't attack certain types of crosses. It has to be a floater to the far post where he's camping
Anticipation, when you are a yard slower the defender's momentum will almost always mean you end up losing that battle. It's the same reason why he fails to win many headers and knock ons.
Yes. I got tired of pointing this out last season, when you're at the stadium it's even more appalling to see him stand still in the box for the most part. Student of the game they say...
Spot on. Pretty hard to create anything for just a static striker unwilling to move.
The funny thing is, Everton fans used to say the same thing, that he was lazy and didn't contribute much outside of goals. I get that there were precious few alternatives available so Lukaku will have to do as a stop gap until we get someone of real quality.
Does Icardi contribute significantly outside of scoring goals?
EDIT: Apparently not.
Source
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There would be a never ending 'abuse' afterward.Agreed. As a focal point in attack, it just makes his performance, including 'mistakes', amplified few times. It's different with the likes of Lingard who could just hide behind others with his 'busy' passings, pretend to contribute something, and people would say he has good performance. Mou's ultra defensive system is heavily rely on Lukaku to spearhead not just the attack, but the team as a whole.
It was reported by Di Marzio in the summer that Mourinho wanted a back up striker like Arnautovic or Mandzukic. Both would have been superb signings and great for the squad.
Another Woodward blunder I'm afraid.
Another Woodward blunder I'm afraid.
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We can only hope that a match against his former club will light a fire under him.
Yeah sure Mandzukic would be back up signing
Is Sanchez still out then?
Yep.
Sanchez to miss Everton
Heh. In this moment he’s struggling because he’s injured and we come to the Chelsea match to try to help the team but his physical condition was not good and then he had to stop and was not available for Juventus and is not available for tomorrow again, so now is to be physically in the best conditions. Arrived January, in first period of the season for him the last, I don’t think is ever an easy situation for a player but this season he had a good start a good pre season he start well against Leicester, and then he was injured, then he came back and was injured again and he is the kind of player that needs to be really really sharp.
Mandzukic is miles ahead of Lukaku. Juve wouldn’t have sold him anyway, he’s too valuable to their team.
It's like baseball players who bulked up and found their bat speed and reflexes slowed down. Don't know who told him he needed more muscle, but whoever it is they are stupid.
They wouldn't have been cheap acquisitions though and do you really want to spend astronomical money on 29 or 32 year old back-ups, respectively? Please try using common sense next time.
He looks about 15 years older than he did when he signed for Everton. It could just be his body naturally filling out a bit as he's getting older rather than him lifting excessively.
He looks bigger than last season. So not sure about that. If he is filling out and getting older that quick, we have another Rooney on our hands, without the talent.
Its a combination of our playing style and his well documented limitations. together its a poor match. He can be effective under some circumstances. A cagey, unproductive, non creative side, with few runners, isn't one of them. There has been a lot of Jose bashing in this site recently but he wanted to swap Rooney and 74 million for this guy. I thought Jose was shrewed, analytical and had a keen eye for detail. his transfers at United suggest the opposite (cue everyone saying Ed is choosing the targets)
I don't think anybody told him that he needs to be heavier. It just happened (like it happens to most of those living in the West, who are over-weight and trying to lose weight, but can't). The problem for Romelu though, is that he his a highly paid professional. Paid to keep himself in shape.
Personally, I think he is just maturing into his natural body shape and getting beefier. The only way he can stop it is to exercise more (which is not ideal, given that he seems to be fatigued already) or starve himself (which again, is not ideal, as it may effect his performances in training and on the pitch, ie. he will feel weaker and lethargic).
Oh crap!
He was a very early developer so there's every chance his body is older than his age. That said, a big part of Rooney's game was energy and pace whereas Lukaku has always been much more conservative with his energy levels (remember that stat that said he'd only made 1 interception in his whole PL career when he signed for us)
He'll get a weeks rest this week thanks to the performance against Derby
So he'll keep playing until he scores regardless of his form?
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