Romelu Lukaku | Mourinho Part III | Roma watch

roonster09

Hercule Poirot of the scouting world
Scout
Joined
May 10, 2009
Messages
36,515
In a thread about an ex player that doesn't even plays for us anymore?
What? We have a thread dedicated for his performance, not to just praise him when he scores few goals. Maybe you can start "Lukaku appreciation thread" and start praising him.

Also bit rich you commenting on people talk about ex, considering your posts on Jose.
 

Sky1981

Fending off the urge
Joined
Apr 12, 2006
Messages
30,002
Location
Under the bright neon lights of sincity
What? We have a thread dedicated for his performance, not to just praise him when he scores few goals. Maybe you can start "Lukaku appreciation thread" and start praising him.

Also bit rich you commenting on people talk about ex, considering your posts on Jose.
Your obsession about Jose is bordering unhealthy mate. Let it go mate, he's sacked.
 

roonster09

Hercule Poirot of the scouting world
Scout
Joined
May 10, 2009
Messages
36,515
Your obsession about Jose is bordering unhealthy mate. Let it go mate, he's sacked.
How many post you have here? Probably shitting on how shit he is and how shit jose is for having him.

EDIT: pop quiz, who's the top poster in this thread with 81 post?
As usual, bring Jose first and then moan about people talking about Jose. No wonder you are in love with him.
 

el3mel

Full Member
Joined
Oct 23, 2016
Messages
43,735
Location
Egypt
He didn't score....
He's right though. That's what has been happening in this thread. He scores and its because of weak opposition, he doesn't and he got slaughtered for Inter's result. It's fine to think he wasn't good enough as a starter for us, I myself criticized him many times while he was here but this thread has been ridiculous and over the top.
 

Suedesi

Full Member
Joined
Aug 3, 2001
Messages
23,866
Location
New York City
Selling him that late wasn't the right decision IMHO.
IMO, people make an error by equating our lack of scoring with selling Lukaku. It's a bit more complicated than that, it's the fact the we don't create enough, don't have patterns of play upfront, don't have enough creative midfielders who can spot a pass, don't have an adequate #10, don't have a RW, don't have a LB etc. You can get prime Ronaldo on this team and he will suck, let alone Lukaku who needs excellent service to score.

Lukaku wanted to go, he can go. It's a mistake to keep a sulking player, who's being a distraction, a man child, a pain in the arse, unprofessional by tweeting out internal physical data etc. He had to go, and at that price it was the right decision.

The club knew Lukaku wanted out since April, which was enough time to scout and find a replacement. They didn't get a replacement, for whatever reason. That's the mistake.
 

kouroux

45k posts to finally achieve this tagline
Joined
Apr 25, 2007
Messages
95,709
Location
Djibouti (La terre des braves)
IMO, people make an error by equating our lack of scoring with selling Lukaku. It's a bit more complicated than that, it's the fact the we don't create enough, don't have patterns of play upfront, don't have enough creative midfielders who can spot a pass, don't have an adequate #10, don't have a RW, don't have a LB etc. You can get prime Ronaldo on this team and he will suck, let alone Lukaku who needs excellent service to score.

Lukaku wanted to go, he can go. It's a mistake to keep a sulking player, who's being a distraction, a man child, a pain in the arse, unprofessional by tweeting out internal physical data etc. He had to go, and at that price it was the right decision.

The club knew Lukaku wanted out since April, which was enough time to scout and find a replacement. They didn't get a replacement, for whatever reason. That's the mistake.
I couldn't agree more with that. I'd even say the first rumors of Lukaku and Italy appeared back in October 2018. My gripe isn't necessarily with him being gone (even if I think we could do with him) but the fact we didn't bring another attacking player (striker or AM)
 

Champ

Refuses to acknowledge existence of Ukraine
Joined
Jun 17, 2017
Messages
9,888
Exactly this. He's scoring goals like he did for us in the beginning but his overall contribution is very poor.
Van Nistlerooys overall contribution was generally average, but he scored goals so no one really cared.
Lukaku has a similar goalscoring ratio to RVN, despite playing in an inherently weaker team, yet people use his 'footballing contribution' as a stick to beat him with.
You could also through Chicarito into the mix, similar story.
 

roonster09

Hercule Poirot of the scouting world
Scout
Joined
May 10, 2009
Messages
36,515
Van Nistlerooys overall contribution was generally average, but he scored goals so no one really cared.
Lukaku has a similar goalscoring ratio to RVN, despite playing in an inherently weaker team, yet people use his 'footballing contribution' as a stick to beat him with.
You could also through Chicarito into the mix, similar story.
Van Nistelrooy's goals per game was 0.58. Lukaku's is 0.46.

In PL, it's 0.63 goals per game for RVN.
For Lukaku it's, 0 goals in 10 games for Chelsea
0.48 for WBA
0.48 for Everton
0.42 for ManUtd.

Apart from this, RVN's first touch was brilliant, among the best in the squad and his hold up play was lot better.
 

Champ

Refuses to acknowledge existence of Ukraine
Joined
Jun 17, 2017
Messages
9,888
Van Nistelrooy's goals per game was 0.58. Lukaku's is 0.46.

In PL, it's 0.63 goals per game for RVN.
For Lukaku it's, 0 goals in 10 games for Chelsea
0.48 for WBA
0.48 for Everton
0.42 for ManUtd.

Apart from this, RVN's first touch was brilliant, among the best in the squad and his hold up play was lot better.
I Reiterate my point, RVN was playing with world class players, Lukaku isn't. It's a very close ratio,
I think it's subjective to say RVNs hold up play was better, I'll agree with the first touch.
My point is RVN didn't drop deep like Lukaku to help defence, nor did he run the channels as Lukaku does, nor did he score from outside the box, but no one cares as he was a goalscorer.
Yet Lukaku does all these things, and score goals, yet gets beaten up regarding his poor first touch. It's double standards really.
 

roonster09

Hercule Poirot of the scouting world
Scout
Joined
May 10, 2009
Messages
36,515
I Reiterate my point, RVN was playing with world class players, Lukaku isn't. It's a very close ratio,
I think it's subjective to say RVNs hold up play was better, I'll agree with the first touch.
My point is RVN didn't drop deep like Lukaku to help defence, nor did he run the channels as Lukaku does, nor did he score from outside the box, but no one cares as he was a goalscorer.
Yet Lukaku does all these things, and score goals, yet gets beaten up regarding his poor first touch. It's double standards really.
I think you are taking couple of goals and exaggerating it. He scored from outside the box once for Inter and maybe 1 or 2 times for ManUtd. He doesn't help the defense, he drops deep but doesn't help. He is better at carrying the ball than RVN though, there is no doubt about it.

It's not really subjective that RVN's hold up play was better, Lukaku's hold up play is very poor. In general he is poor with the back to the goal.

Lukaku scored 16 and 12 league goals for ManUtd in 2 seasons.
RVN scored 23, 25, 20, 6, 21 league goals for ManUtd. So it's not really surprising that RVN is praised a lot while Lukaku isn't. It's very simple, Lukaku is limited player (or player who is clumsy) and he doesn't score (or didn't score) shit loads of goals to carry his limitations. RVN scored plenty of goals.
 

Djorkaef

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Mar 13, 2018
Messages
12
Lukaku has a record of scoring over .5 goals per 90' played in the PL. This did not change for Manchester United. He did what he has always done and he played like he always played. Ask Anderlecht and Belgium fans.

Similar to Fellaini (who also just did what he has always been good at), he got loads of critics from Man Utd supporters that only accept Rooneys and RVP's.

Combine that with fans calling him fat, while most of it was due to muscle growth and bad training, he started gently leaking of moving away yes, in October 2018 already.

I think that behavior was more of a bluff response to get the fans quiet, which didn't really work. They just kept calling him a donkey while simultaneously being anti-racist.

When Ole benched him and made it clear he would not be 1st choice, he wanted to leave. I agree that the only valid reason he had to be sold was because of the unprofessional behavior that was no longer possible to hold. He wanted to leave and made that clear. This was the best for everybody.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Champ

Refuses to acknowledge existence of Ukraine
Joined
Jun 17, 2017
Messages
9,888
I think you are taking couple of goals and exaggerating it. He scored from outside the box once for Inter and maybe 1 or 2 times for ManUtd. He doesn't help the defense, he drops deep but doesn't help. He is better at carrying the ball than RVN though, there is no doubt about it.

It's not really subjective that RVN's hold up play was better, Lukaku's hold up play is very poor. In general he is poor with the back to the goal.

Lukaku scored 16 and 12 league goals for ManUtd in 2 seasons.
RVN scored 23, 25, 20, 6, 21 league goals for ManUtd. So it's not really surprising that RVN is praised a lot while Lukaku isn't. It's very simple, Lukaku is limited player (or player who is clumsy) and he doesn't score (or didn't score) shit loads of goals to carry his limitations. RVN scored plenty of goals.
9 goals in 11 for Inter so far this season. Near enough one in two for every other team he has played for, I'd say he's scored a bucket load of goals, bizarre (or blinkered) to think otherwise!!
 

L_O_S_T

Full Member
Joined
Sep 4, 2014
Messages
89
Its simple really. Lukaku is a decent striker and well known flat track bully. Yes, he is going to get goals using his physical advantage and getting in correct positions (now and then). But no, he is not going to be the game changer in the match nor the one that is going to take a game by the scruff of the neck.

Would he have been useful to have in our squad? - Yes, strictly based on his attributes and talents, he would probably help force goals against lower opposition by providing a more physical and aerial threat.

Should he have been sold? - Yes, most definitely. He was unfit, overweight and did not give a 100% to the club. His attitude was also beginning to stink and the twitter episode exposed what a man child he was. There is no place in our club for a player that does not give his all and disrespects the club or his teammates.

I am extremely happy to see the back of him leaving the club. We should only accept players who are willing to put their 100% on the line whenever they put on the badge.

Btw RVN vs Lukaku is not even a contest, who would you rather have in your first eleven? For me, its RVN, by a long long long mile.
 

Djorkaef

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Mar 13, 2018
Messages
12
If not replacing him is the real issue of today's team being even worse then last year, then why did Ole bench him last year. Ole clearly had a vision far before the transfer window, that playing without Lukaku is better then playing with Lukaku, even without a replacement.

That vision was clearly wrong.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

roonster09

Hercule Poirot of the scouting world
Scout
Joined
May 10, 2009
Messages
36,515
9 goals in 11 for Inter so far this season. Near enough one in two for every other team he has played for, I'd say he's scored a bucket load of goals, bizarre (or blinkered) to think otherwise!!
Well he can be loved by Inter fans then, For ManUtd he didn't show that.

His career record is less than a goal every 2 games, that's not brilliant record or goal machine record. Obviously he has scored bucket loads of goals as he is playing since he was 16, so he has played for 10 years. Would have been weird had he not scored many goals considering he played 400 plus games.
 

11101

Full Member
Joined
Aug 26, 2014
Messages
21,203
Van Nistlerooys overall contribution was generally average, but he scored goals so no one really cared.
Lukaku has a similar goalscoring ratio to RVN, despite playing in an inherently weaker team, yet people use his 'footballing contribution' as a stick to beat him with.
You could also through Chicarito into the mix, similar story.
The difference is RVN did not make the rest of the team worse with his poor overall footballing ability. His goals simply added to the team. Lukaku adds goals but subtracts a lot too.
 

roonster09

Hercule Poirot of the scouting world
Scout
Joined
May 10, 2009
Messages
36,515
Its simple really. Lukaku is a decent striker and well known flat track bully. Yes, he is going to get goals using his physical advantage and getting in correct positions (now and then). But no, he is not going to be the game changer in the match nor the one that is going to take a game by the scruff of the neck.

Would he have been useful to have in our squad? - Yes, strictly based on his attributes and talents, he would probably help force goals against lower opposition by providing a more physical and aerial threat.

Should he have been sold? - Yes, most definitely. He was unfit, overweight and did not give a 100% to the club. His attitude was also beginning to stink and the twitter episode exposed what a man child he was. There is no place in our club for a player that does not give his all and disrespects the club or his teammates.

I am extremely happy to see the back of him leaving the club. We should only accept players who are willing to put their 100% on the line whenever they put on the badge.

Btw RVN vs Lukaku is not even a contest, who would you rather have in your first eleven? For me, its RVN, by a long long long mile.

Very good post.
 
Joined
May 22, 2017
Messages
13,122
Can’t believe people are comparing RVN and Lukuku. It’s difficult to compare players across generations in any case - one is one of the best strikers ever seen at the club, a goal scoring legend, the other will be very quickly forgotten and will never be remembered fondly, and who could not be relied to score when it mattered.

RVNs goals made a difference, and for 3 years he was without doubt world class. He also went and did well at Real Madrid.

There’s not a single person who has ever thought Lukuku was anywhere near being a world class striker.

The only comparison could be that they both fell out with the club at the end, but RVN had an incredible amount of good will in the bank. Lukuku has zero.
 

JPRouve

can't stop thinking about balls - NOT deflategate
Scout
Joined
Jan 31, 2014
Messages
65,353
Location
France
The difference is RVN did not make the rest of the team worse with his poor overall footballing ability. His goals simply added to the team. Lukaku adds goals but subtracts a lot too.
This is true and it's not limited to Lukaku, the reason why the biggest clubs don't like these type of players is that they need to be spoon-fed and if you do it they will score but the issue with that is that it reduces the team capacity to spread goals around and be a threat from different sources which is very important at the highest level. The exception being when you have a genuinely great goaslcorer, the perennial +40 type(prime Ronaldo, Messi, Falcao and Suarez) these player basically score and assist as much as 2 or 3 very good players.
 

Eric's Seagull

Full Member
Joined
Sep 23, 2018
Messages
3,707
Location
4-4-2: The Flat One
Can’t believe people are comparing RVN and Lukuku. It’s difficult to compare players across generations in any case - one is one of the best strikers ever seen at the club, a goal scoring legend, the other will be very quickly forgotten and will never be remembered fondly, and who could not be relied to score when it mattered.

RVNs goals made a difference, and for 3 years he was without doubt world class. He also went and did well at Real Madrid.

There’s not a single person who has ever thought Lukuku was anywhere near being a world class striker.

The only comparison could be that they both fell out with the club at the end, but RVN had an incredible amount of good will in the bank. Lukuku has zero.
Fair play to the amount of goals that Lukaku he has scored for Inter but I would take RVN over him any day. Thought RVN was amazing us. Especially liked his goal vs Fulham in 2003.
 

Sky1981

Fending off the urge
Joined
Apr 12, 2006
Messages
30,002
Location
Under the bright neon lights of sincity
Lukaku has a record of scoring over .5 goals per 90' played in the PL. This did not change for Manchester United. He did what he has always done and he played like he always played. Ask Anderlecht and Belgium fans.

Similar to Fellaini (who also just did what he has always been good at), he got loads of critics from Man Utd supporters that only accept Rooneys and RVP's.

Combine that with fans calling him fat, while most of it was due to muscle growth and bad training, he started gently leaking of moving away yes, in October 2018 already.

I think that behavior was more of a bluff response to get the fans quiet, which didn't really work. They just kept calling him a donkey while simultaneously being anti-racist.

When Ole benched him and made it clear he would not be 1st choice, he wanted to leave. I agree that the only valid reason he had to be sold was because of the unprofessional behavior that was no longer possible to hold. He wanted to leave and made that clear. This was the best for everybody.
Ole made it perfectly clear he's not on his plan. So i really dont blame him for wanting to move. Ole isnt even hinting he needs to try things out, he simply refuse to even entertain lukaku as an option.
 

rotherham_red

Full Member
Joined
Mar 12, 2005
Messages
7,407
Van Nistlerooys overall contribution was generally average, but he scored goals so no one really cared.
Lukaku has a similar goalscoring ratio to RVN, despite playing in an inherently weaker team, yet people use his 'footballing contribution' as a stick to beat him with.
You could also through Chicarito into the mix, similar story.
You obviously never saw Ruud play. He wasn't an Henry, but he contributed plenty to us outside of his goals. His hold-up, and link play was second to none. Lukaku's meanwhile, is non-existent.
 

JPRouve

can't stop thinking about balls - NOT deflategate
Scout
Joined
Jan 31, 2014
Messages
65,353
Location
France
Ole made it perfectly clear he's not on his plan. So i really dont blame him for wanting to move. Ole isnt even hinting he needs to try things out, he simply refuse to even entertain lukaku as an option.
Lukaku wanted to move before Ole even got to United. In October 2018, he was talking about his hope to join the Serie A.
 

Revaulx

Full Member
Joined
Mar 17, 2014
Messages
6,031
Location
Saddleworth
Van Nistlerooys overall contribution was generally average, but he scored goals so no one really cared.
Lukaku has a similar goalscoring ratio to RVN, despite playing in an inherently weaker team, yet people use his 'footballing contribution' as a stick to beat him with.
You could also through Chicarito into the mix, similar story.
Lukaku’s general play turned to shit as a result of “bulking up” and doesn’t seem to have improved since he’s slimmed down a bit.

In his first season at United it wasn’t terrible though. Even during his dry spells he was having decent games, particularly when he was playing on the right of a front three.

RvN wasn’t a great “team” player, but his skill on the ball was such that comparisons with Lukaku are absurd.
 

Sky1981

Fending off the urge
Joined
Apr 12, 2006
Messages
30,002
Location
Under the bright neon lights of sincity
You obviously never saw Ruud play. He wasn't an Henry, but he contributed plenty to us outside of his goals. His hold-up, and link play was second to none. Lukaku's meanwhile, is non-existent.
Lukaku isnt a patch on rvn. He's not fit to even lace his boots. Rvn was very very effective and good at what he does saf built the whole attack according to his strenght.

The point of a striker is to score goals. If you can slalom your way to score like henry it's a bonus. But for every fancy goal henry scores rvn just scores 2 more for fun.
 

JPRouve

can't stop thinking about balls - NOT deflategate
Scout
Joined
Jan 31, 2014
Messages
65,353
Location
France
Oh come on. Players got asked alot of things. I wish i can play there someday.

He wasn't going anywhere under jose. It's not until ole took over his fate is sealed.
The only thing I know is that he flirted with Serie A before Ole came to the club and took an italian agent around that time too. You may think that it's a coincidence but I don't.
 

roonster09

Hercule Poirot of the scouting world
Scout
Joined
May 10, 2009
Messages
36,515
The only thing I know is that he flirted with Serie A before Ole came to the club and took an italian agent around that time too. You may think that it's a coincidence but I don't.
His agent also said about his Serie A move and that was in April. Lukaku was a regular starter from Feb and played in almost all games.

It was a planned move, maybe if Jose was the manager he would have delayed it but as his agent said, his dream is to play in different leagues.
 

JPRouve

can't stop thinking about balls - NOT deflategate
Scout
Joined
Jan 31, 2014
Messages
65,353
Location
France
His agent also said about his Serie A move and that was in April. Lukaku was a regular starter from Feb and played in almost all games.

It was a planned move, maybe if Jose was the manager he would have delayed it but as his agent said, his dream is to play in different leagues.
I know but I wanted to point out that it started before April, in April they just went full tilt. And for what its worth I don't mind it, he wanted to play in Serie A it was a good move to do it at 26 and he owes United nothing. But lets not pretend that he was pushed out and wanted to be at United.
 
Joined
May 22, 2017
Messages
13,122
His agent also said about his Serie A move and that was in April. Lukaku was a regular starter from Feb and played in almost all games.

It was a planned move, maybe if Jose was the manager he would have delayed it but as his agent said, his dream is to play in different leagues.
It’s not his dream. That’s spin. He wanted out, and let’s be honest Italy is the only pace he could have gone. No top foreign club would buy him, the likes of Bayern, PSG, Madrid, Barca etc wouldn’t go near him.

No top club in England would want him. Someone like Everton or West Ham, but no top clubs.

Italy was his only route out - that’s why it was ‘his dream’!
 

roonster09

Hercule Poirot of the scouting world
Scout
Joined
May 10, 2009
Messages
36,515
I know but I wanted to point out that it started before April, in April they just went full tilt. And for what its worth I don't mind it, he wanted to play in Serie A it was a good move to do it at 26 and he owes United nothing. But lets not pretend that he was pushed out and wanted to be at United.
Yeah, that was my argument from long back. When CL draw was made, he was asked about Serie A move and he said he would love to play in Serie A.
 

roonster09

Hercule Poirot of the scouting world
Scout
Joined
May 10, 2009
Messages
36,515
It’s not his dream. That’s spin. He wanted out, and let’s be honest Italy is the only pace he could have gone. No top foreign club would buy him, the likes of Bayern, PSG, Madrid, Barca etc wouldn’t go near him.

No top club in England would want him. Someone like Everton or West Ham, but no top clubs.

Italy was his only route out - that’s why it was ‘his dream’!
Maybe he knew Conte would be Inter's manager and started to plan for the move back in April. But he said he would love to play in Serie A in October when Jose was manager too.

Anyways he got what he wanted.
 

flappyjay

Full Member
Joined
Feb 12, 2016
Messages
5,931
That was from the weekend, since last night the replies mirror what a lot of people are saying. Will score goals against the fodder and doesn't contribute enough with his overall play.
 

LilyWhiteSpur

New Member
Joined
Feb 10, 2017
Messages
12,370
Location
Northern Ireland
Supports
Tottenham
Some very salty comments in here, he is on 9 goals from 13 starts in Italy and 6 goals from 4 starts for Belguim, the guy is clearly not "shit".
 

GifLord

Better at GIFs than posts
Joined
Jun 7, 2013
Messages
22,898
Location
LALALAND
Some very salty comments in here, he is on 9 goals from 13 starts in Italy and 6 goals from 4 starts for Belguim, the guy is clearly not "shit".
Do you watch him play or are you just another one of those who looks at stats and sees an amazing player? There's a fair few of them stats men around here
 

Raw

Full Member
Joined
Oct 31, 2013
Messages
25,399
Location
Manchester, UK
Some very salty comments in here, he is on 9 goals from 13 starts in Italy and 6 goals from 4 starts for Belguim, the guy is clearly not "shit".
I believe the general consensus is that he's obviously a good player, but not a great player. He's not going to propel a team to win trophies but he can score plenty of goals in the easier games if you give him good service.

It was right of us to sell him (especially considering the circumstances), but wrong of us to not replace him.