johnnythefirst

Scores again, gets bashed again. There's a pattern here somewhere.

A few games plus an entire season after he was first bought. I bet they promised him playing time then as well. ;-)

Although there are easier clubs to play as a striker, it's not that he's not getting any assists. I've seen him straight up murdering various clear scoring opportunities offered to him by for example Hazard. He just lost it, no excuse.

Well he might get a chance to prove that claim next season. We'll see. ;-) Also, he was already better than Ba en Torres last season and this preseason, yet didn't get any real chances during the first month. Then Eto'o was bought. Every half-intelligent player would have left if there was a good opportunity.

The lack of respect from some posters, for a kid that was deemed "not good enough" by practically everyone 3 years ago and since has done nothing else than working hard to overcome that label, is actually stunning to me. Also, of the top strikers named above, only Costa might be available if Courtois is brought to the table. Why would Bayern, PSG, Monaco, Real, et cetera sell one of their top players to a competitor for the CL? They sure as hell don't need the money and all of them are playing regularly. Who else is of that level? Where are you going to buy this "top" striker? This is the first season Costa scored more than 10 goals in a national league. Lukaku scored more than ten (fifteen) goals every year since he was 16 (except for the one he spent at the Chelsea reserves). Martinez is not a world class striker either. Every decent striker can score more than 20 goals in Portugal when playing at Porto or Benfica. As I said, they'd better get somebody much better first before thinking of selling him. But it's not like there's ten of them available right now. You guys just have a tendency to look at every striker not playing for you as if he was Pele...

Better in some cases. Both have their merits. I used to put Lukaku on a higher level than Benteke, but he really proved himself this last year. Too bad for him..

Not very good news for Belgium. Gives us a lot less options..

They scored almost double the goals in games he played....

They were allowed to sign players last summer as well. Who came? The board better be damn sure they've already got a world class striker fixed before even considering talks about Lukaku. If they sell him now and Costa or Cavani are not coming, shit's gonna hit the van if he keeps banging them in next season.

Doesn't seem so far fetched...

The most baffling thing in that whole sad story (and it is sad), is that Liverpool took your money, and then proceeded to spend nearly all of it to buy - out of all possible options - Andy fucking Carroll. I guess there is such a thing as bad karma.

Yes, that's why I never called him that. Messi is the GOAT. But Ronaldinho was more exciting. ;-)

Messi is the most consistent superstar player ever, but I think Eden is more exciting in a way, just as Ronaldinho was more exciting. Messi wants to be efficient, give assists and score goals, and occasionally will use his magic to get there. Ronaldinho and to a (much) lesser extent Eden, live to give the crowd something they never saw before. Ronaldinho invented moves, and did some crazy shit in his prime. Messi is a better player to have in your team, but Ronaldinho (and Maradona, to name another one) was a true artist of the game. Don't know which one I'd prefer Eden to become. Btw, not saying Messi isn't a beautiful player of course, but you know where I'm getting at here. There's no signature Messi move, except scoring 90 goals in 12 months...

He's on his way winning the primera divison though... One point above Barca and three above Madrid (just lost twice in a row).

World Cup year is the magic word in this whole discussion.

Cole is 33 years old and in decline. None of the midfielders except Lampard were old. Hazard, Oscar and Mata were superior players, Willian was bought for 30 ml, Schurrle is a least equally good and probably better than KDB. So tell me? Whose place should he have taken? The kid was smart leaving.

Concerning Lukaku. At the beginning of the season (and after a productive pre-season) he was passed for players who were clearly inferior to him (Torres and Ba). It's more not getting a well deserved shot than not fighting for his place.

Maybe, just maybe, the players that were in the team were just better than KDB? I don't know what mentality has to do with it. I always saw him as a hard working kid.

How did he not fight for his place? Did he skip training sessions to play fifa? Did he gain 20 pounds eating burgers? There were an awful lot of players for his position and he was José's least favorite one so he got practically no chances. You can't spend a whole year in the stands during a world cup year if you're an essential player for an outsider team.

I don't think anyone can question his mentality or work ethic. Did anyone ever spot a single gossip article about him partying or getting drunk in one of the tabloids? It's because he doesn't. He takes his job very seriously. That's why he left the club he loved for another year because he (correctly) thought more playing time would make him a better player.

I also laugh at the "but he'll get less space and scoring opportunities at Chelsea" argument popping up occasionally. It makes absolutely no sense. You think every team plays defensively only at the Bridge? As I said before, there's a much better midfield behind him here. Also, with a beast like Lukaku up front keeping defenders busy, there's less of them to look at for example Hazard. As I also said before, even Torres gets his share of scoring opportunities here, and when he's on the pitch, you're playing with 10.

I feel that a lot of people on here are overstating his weaknesses and underrating his strengths. Obviously his first touch isn't perfect, but it isn't horrendous. It's more hit than miss. None of his qualities are world class separately, but combined he presents a very specific set of skills. He's a giant with amazing speed and power and a more than decent technique for his size. He makes clever and decisive runs and defenders have to keep a constant eye on him because giving him a tiny bit of space could be deadly. He's at the right spot at the right moment several times each match, and for a striker "who doesn't create chances for others" six assists in half a season is not that bad. Could he play in the current Chelsea system is another matter. I think he could. I mean, the team is still winning and creating chances with Torres upfront. Think of all the perfect Hazard passes he wasted. Lukaku would have scored at least half of those, and would probably be in a better position most of the time as well.

I think he fought for a spot and lost. Can't blame someone for wanting to play. Who exactly was he going to replace in the squad?

In my opinion Ronaldo (Brazil) was the most complete striker of his generation. Before his first major knee injury in 1998 he was practically unstoppable: Killer speed and acceleration, fast, effective dribbling, great runs and deadly finishing. Then, after four years of injury after injury, he scored eight goals at the WC 2002 with practically no match rhythm at all. He also had to completely alter his style to still be efficient, since he had trouble playing the energetic way he did in his teens and early twenties. Still became multiple top scorer at Real and still scored three goals as a fat half-injured bastard on the 2006 World Cup. I wonder what his stats would have been if he didn't suffer those constant knee injuries...

Well, God bless his kind soul. ;-)