Atholy

I'm starting to think there must be a spring inside that ball!!! SO many bad controls, touches & passes!

Another clean sheet for our big guy in the 0-0 draw against Getafe. Thibaut did really well! Certainly of you know the team ended the game with only 9 players!! Courtois now has 8 clean sheets in 2013 => the best GK in all 5 european top competitions. In total his counter now sets 16(!) clean sheets until this far this season. So now we 'officially' have both the best goalkeepers in Europe among our ranks!

Yes I've met him several times in the players home at the Anderlecht Stadium after the games. So i've seen him coming in the first team as a shy 16 year old (but a massive one ) and then slowly becoming Anderlecht's most popular and game winning player! I can tell you his attitude and personality has never changed. The way you see him in his youtube clip at the Stamford Bridge tour or in the interview an belgian television => that's exactly the way he is. He has got a real good head on his shoulders indeed. Very respectful for what he can do and grateful for the chances he get! On top of that he has the best working attitude you will ever see amongst young football players! Of pitch he's the most humble guy who loves to make fun and to have a good laugh! I really like him a lot!! Not only as a football player but also as a person! And exactly like MAF says... feel SO sorry for him now! He's doing everything to be an exemplary person (for his brother and many other young football players who take him as a role model!). So the fact that the tabloids will be on his neck now with that stupid story of his father being in jail will really hurt him! Especially if you know that family is the most important thing in Rom's life! Hope this story fades away quickly and that his father will be out of jail soon!

is this the club where Torres and Ba are playing you are talking about? Talking about finishing

Furthermore Marca is reporting that there is still no news about Thibauts Chelsea future (source) Courtois himself hoped to have an answer by this time.... but still has to wait for the club to reveal their plans are (probably due to the new manager situation). This rather concerns tbh! Courtois is getting sick of being asked what his future plans are (in madrid, in belgium, on twitter, his friends, ...) and he himself cannot even give an answer because he has no clue what the club wants! If there is one thing a 20 year old boy wants... it's an ambition and a goal on short term. He's clearly making the best of his loan period... but I'm afraid that if the club doesn't give him the feeling of being really wanted between our post at the bridge... unpleasant things might happen. You never know he gets attached to the spanish sun, way of life... or even get a spanish girlfriend. And if Barcelona comes knocking on the door... pfffff though call! So a message to the board: Please set things straight and give Courtois a clear message about his future!!! Don't lose him because of postponing a difficult choice!

Juko, could you try to raise your bar of intelligence when posting? In one week you already have half the post I have in 1,5 years! I really hope you had holidays the last two weeks That's the only reasonable explanation I could think of!

True! But if you defend on that... You get ass kicked => Rafael Style

I know this is rather off topic BUT I get no reaction on the Tickets & Travel threads. After a stadium tour in 2011... I think it's about time to truly witness the miracles at the bridge and to attend my first home game! I want to buy 4 tickets for this game against United! Is there anyone out there who can help me with a membership code? As I heard I will need someone's code to be able to buy tickets including the right amount of loyalty points. If not...what websites can I thrust to be such tickets? livefootballtickets.com for example? Many thanks in advance! (also to Alex for providing me the right information)

Good to see his shirt exposed in Atletico's museum. You gotta say... breaking the record of a club (110 years old) in your 2nd season on loan and being only 20 years old... not bad Thibaut, not bad!! But now get back to the bridge before you really get used of having a tanned skin there in Spain

So here's a nice stat: Lukaku scored 13 goals in 13 games and a total of 1713 minutes. Now listen to the stats of our complete attacking force: Torres (7), Ba (2) & Moses (1) score a total of 10 goals (together!!) and this in a total of 3144 minutes.

Thumbs up for Thibaut!!!

Love this picture! Says a lot about his attitude! Go KDB

IF they qualify (which I really think is very possible this time)... I think the Belgian team can get really far in this tournament! We have been saying that our national squad is soooo talented for many years now. Unfortunately the team played good football ... but the results were lacking. => we used to be the better team in almost any game... but in the end we would lose or draw (the friendly game against England is a good example). This time it seems that the players have matured a lot and are capable of playing attractive football AND reaching a result!! If we qualify... I predict great things to happen in Brazil. All of our players will have 2 extra years of experience under their belt + reaching the World Cup final stage will give this group such a confidence boost that they might bring some magic!

Hmmm is typical that just when your write something about him... seconds later you get more info! Lol! Newsflash: he will we be in the 1st squad selection for tomorrow's game against Genk (former club of KDB & Courtois). The fact that he wasn't selected more often for Anderlecht's first team this year was apparently due to the fact that he refused a loan deal => the manager was really upset about this! If he get's on the pitch and brings something extra to the game.... I will keep you guys informed (and otherwise Hamilton, Stingray, Weckerz, Mediator or anyone else of the Belgian team will ).

It would surprise me if AC Milan would take him over, even before he really got his chance at Anderlecht's 1st team... although you never know! Jordan played 5 games in Anderlecht's first team last season when both LB's were injured (Safari & Deschacht). But this year haven't been in the first squad a single time. Rather strange if you know that the current coach favorises young talents in his squad => giving Praet & Bruno serious game time (they're even starters regularly). This made me think Jordan hasn't reached the level of being a 1st team player. He seemed to have played an amazing tournament in Viareggio last week however. Beating Ac Milan 0-3 in the finals... => Ac Milan is now interested. We will see how this goes. Anyways it's true... Romelu has been an all time Chelsea fan. His younger brother was/is an Arsenal fan. Unless we need a LB, LM (or we want to reunite the Lukaku brothers) ... I think (for the moment) we should leave the idea of transferring Jordan.

17 year old Bakkali has his first selection for PSV's 1st team this season. For the competition game against VVV, Advocaat cannot count on Lens, Matavs & Narsingh. Also Ola Toivonen has just recovered from a serious injury. Advocaat let Bakkali train with the 1st team regularly the last few weeks (although he plays his games with the PSV reserves). With all these injuries we might even see Zakaria make his debut tomorrow! Best of luck to him! I hope our scouting cell is watching!

Haha cheers! I felt more like a translator (without the tons of cash they earn for every sentence they write ). But I thought it's a good thing to share these moments on Belgian Television with the 4 non belgian friends ( :eyebrows: ) in this topic who didn't watch 'De Kruitfabriek' yesterday.

All of you are very welcome! And indeed... Romelu has been the most humble and amazingly mature person for his age (even when he was 16 at Anderlecht)! He shows great promise and I'm very happy I don't have to right all these messages anymore to try and convince the others from the fact he's really good! I share your hopes that he will, one day, become a true Chelsea legend! Important remark: Anderlechts assistant manager was on national television last monday. He also talked about Romelu saying: there really was NO OTHER CLUB Lukaku wanted to go to => This boy has a chelsea heart, just like all of us!!

I'm afraid not a lot of you will have seen the interview (let alone be able to understand a single word they say ). So here's the summary of the most important things that have been said: He's feeling really well and is in Belgium because his Brother (Jordan Lukaku) came back from the Viareggio Cup (Anderlecht's -21 won the tournament and Jordan played a hell of a tournament => AC Milan showed interest today). Romelu had a day off and wanted to see his brother.Funny fact is that if Rom's had stayed at Anderlecht he too could have joined the team in the Viareggio Cup => he's still only 19 years old!!His two goals against Sunderland (and Belgium goalie Simon Mignolet)Host laughs a little with the fact that the penalty wasn't given well => Romelu explains he was nervous because he trains a lot on PK with Simon in the national squad. "Simon knows perfectly which my corner is". The 2nd goal was a 'lucky' goal Lukaku admits. But also purely on power, character & perseverance.A brief moment to take a look at the statistics of youngest goalscorers in the EPL. Lukaku is currently in 4th place (behind Anelka, Owen & Fowler... BUT in front of Ronaldo, Rooney & Keane)The interviewer asks Lukaku if he realizes how good he actually is:Romelu says he doesn't really care about statistics. He says that because he started so early... it's easier for him to brake such records. Interviewer: "Romelu you are amongs the best young players to have ever shined in the EPL... that is amazing"Lukaku: "Yes ok, that's not too bad. But I want to achieve more." He wants to be on top of that list... and he also wants to be more important for his team in order to end the season on the highest possible spot in the table.Funny fact: In the beginning of the season some games where he missed 4-5 chances. He tells when he got home, his father called him "DUDE, what's wrong with you" . Then back to last season: "You got a lot of critiscism in your first year at Chelsea. Was there a moment where you started to doubt yourself?"No. I you start to doubt yourself... it's better to just quit. The press can really brake you down if you're not mentally strong. He says he somehow expected things to happen this way because you cannot always be successful in your career (after two amazing seasons at Anderlecht). So mentally he was ready to deal with such a period. He also says that most of the greatest players have a bad time somewhere around their 20-21 years... Romelu hopes he had his lesser period last year... and from now on he will continue to be successfull. "Do you have a sort of 'sweet revenge' feeling towards Chelsea at the moment""Totally not! I'm very happy with the way things are going at the moment".Then the moment of the video where he visited Stamford Bridge for the very first time ('the moment I play here... will be the only moment my parents will see me cry')Interviewer: "One year later you played there. And when will you be playing there again" (=> when will you return to Chelsea?) Lukaku: "Very soon!"Interviewer: "Are you still in contact with Chelsea?"Lukaku: Yes, I hear them almost every day. Especially the last weeks they are following me from up close. The ask me how it goes, how I'm feeling. And then they say that they want to see me change/improve point X and Y in the next game I play.Interviewer: So they are really coaching you"Lukaku: "Yes they are giving me an individual coaching. Like I have to improve my game with my back towards to goal & also I have to improve my goalscoring abilities, although at the moments this topic is going really well (laughs)Interviewer: I heard you do this a lot yourself, watching video's of your games.Lukaku: My week looks rather boring to say so (laughs). Mon + Tue 2 trainings, wednesday off. Thursday & friday training. Saturday the game and every sunday I return home to Belgium to see my mother.He says he learned a lot at Chelsea after he made his debut. Most important lesson: "If you want to be successful you have to work harder than all the others. Having talent is also important of course... but when the talent is there... it's just simply the hard work that gets you even further.Interviewer: Are you nervous when you have to play against Manchester City or United?Lukaku: Totally not. Than I want to be the first guy on the pitch! When you are younger you dream about playing against Rooney, Van Persie or Vincent (Kompany). Although not really against Vincent because I know he always wants to tackle me hard (laughs). Also at the national squad he does this too me. And I'm big... but this guys is 1m94 of pure muscles... it's still intimidating. But either way... next time I will pay him back (laughs).Interesting topic now: Interviewer: Next year at Chelsea we maybe have 4 members of the national team playing (Hazard, Courtois, De Bruyne & Lukaku). And maybe there are even more to come? I've heard they want Fellaini?Lukaku: Yes that would be so much fun! Especially during pre-season. We already had a great time the 3 of us (KDB, Eden and himself) this year so the more the merrier!Interviewer: How big do you see your chances to return to Chelsea next year?Lukaku: I just hope I can finish this season in the best possible way. After that we will see. I also have to think about the Belgian National team & myself... so if I will be loaned out for another year... no problem at all. Of course returning to the Bridge is my only aim! But I want to be realistic. Although it bothers me that people are still saying: Romelu your only 20... you're still a child. I have almost 200 games under my belt at the highest level (Anderlecht, Chelsea & West Brom) so little by little... also the experience is growing!Interviewer: You also lost a lot of pounds the last two yearsLukaku: yes. first of all we train a lot more on muscles in the UK. But next to that I also have to admit I'm not such a fan of the english kitchen (laughs). When I first arrived at the club... I saw some guys having breakfast of beans in tomato sauce putting a slice of salami on top of that... ieeuwww (laughs out loud). Interviewer: Romelu, the UK is the country of the Tabloids. Yet you appear to be never in them. How would you explain that?Lukaku: Simply because I'm always at home (laughs). Really! I get up in the morning, do a little prayer. then I call my parents to see if everything is allright. Then I go to the training. When I come back at night I stay home and watch some tele or play videogames.Interviewer: So you never ever go out?Lukaku: No, not a lot. I have been living like this since I started my professional career at age 16. At our home the word Carré (a famous club in Belgium where a lot of Anderlecht's players go out to party) sounds like it comes from the demon. I remember when we became champions with Anderlecht. I had to go to school the next day but the whole team was going to celebrate in the Carré. So I asked my father if I could also go there. He gave me a look with his eyes and I knew...'nope' (laughs loudly).Interviewer: But now you live on your own in the UK. So you can do whatever you want?Lukaku: Yes I know. But I have a high sense of duty. I also read stories about other players going out, cheating on their wives etc. But I think we are role models... little children are looking up to us. So we have to give the right example. So I really don't want to keep myself busy with girls and going out. Furthermore I have a younger brother that looks up to his big brother. So I really see it as my duty to set a right example. I want to be a good football player but also a good person. And I want people to know me a such... and not as Romelu the guy who goes to the nightclub and empties bottles of champagne by spraying them over the other guests. Interviewer: What do you miss the most from Belgium?Lukaku: (clearly) my mother!end of the interview! ps: I have to stop writing so much

Do you speak dutch or did you just choose the wrong flag in the beginning ? But anyways... it's true! A very open hearted interview! I will give a brief summary in the next post!

It took the opposition's sides 3 games before even noticing he was on the pitch! The small bloke he is

Interesting interview with his former coach in Belgian media: Ariel Jacobs (currently coaching FC Copenhagen) was the guy who gave Lukaku a chance in Anderlecht's first team at the age 16! Romelu had a really good contact with his coach... he was often seen as his 2nd father (the two even participated in one of Belgium's most popular television quizzes together). The two still have weekly contact. This is what the interview says: You brought Romelu in Anderlechts first team at age 16. After a slow start at chelsea, he seems to be off for a great season at West Brom. Did you expect this? "Romelu had me involved in his choice for Chelsea, I can imagine how difficult it must have been at the age of eighteen to make a choice like that. For me it was even difficult to assess the situation. So the only advice I could give him was that it was possible best for him, not to give any advice. Romelu had one big problem... Chelsea is the club of his heart. So he actually had only one final destination in his mind.... eventhough he knew very well it would be very difficult to get some playing time in the 1st team. His heart has made it on his speech.” "He did well to choose a league table, where he can play and develop. It will have been difficult for him to, although temporarily, say goodbye to Chelsea. Two weeks ago he told me, we are sending messages frequently, that he hoped that Chelsea would loan him out another year at West Brom. He notices himself how good this is for his development. It is also very important that he has a very good contact with the West Brom coach." He also had a good contact with Di Matteo when he trained him in the reserves of Chelsea. When Di Matteo took over the 1st team, Lukaku was hoping for more opportunities, but that did not happen. "To be fair, I must admit that I had warned him for this. Lukaku knew that Villas-Boas had the short term strategy, so he knew he shouldn’t get his hopes too high to get playing time. He did told me he had a great connection with Di Matteo. I warned him that it is a completely different story to work with the players as an assistant than as a head coach. A coach should give priority to results, an assistant should give priority to the developpement of younger players at the reserves. Of course an assistant encourages the players a lot more that the head coach. But as soon as he becomes the head coach, he needs to make a lot more decisions for a lot more players. It turned out to be so. " Have you already discovered a new Lukaku in Copenhagen? "I have a player under my care who, like Lukaku in his time, was not a part of the squad in the beginning of the season. It is Andreas Cornelius. I've seen him play during one of the first exhibition games. The technical director told me that it was one of three young players who could occasionally agree train with the first team. I liked him immediately and I gave him a chance. Now he is the top scorer in the Super League. "

Great news from our big guy!! He states that the press has written a lot of bullsh*t about other clubs and a possible transfer. Most important conclusion from this interview is that Thibaut himself has never thought of playing for another team than us. "Chelsea have never expected I would make so much progress in such a short time. Cech is a world class goalkeeper and I'm still a young talent who has to prove he can even think of playing for Chelsea. In two years it would be the idea to become the 1st GK at the Bridge"! http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/12040/8510120/Thibaut-Courtois-says-he-should-be-Chelsea-goalkeeper-within-two-years Conclusion: Thibaut is patient and has no urge to force things whatsoeverCech has another 2 years as the 1st GK without the stress of Thibaut breathing down his neck.We don't need to worry if we will be able to keep a talent like Courtois => actually there has never been a Cech/Courtois issue GREET SUCCESS!!

It's WIGAN for christ sake... I expect nothing else but a 8-0 slaughtering! Oh wait... that's right it's 2013 now and the last two seasons... there are no more certainties at the Bridge Anyways.. as long as we win (1-0 if needed) and I don't see Mr. Gaylord (below) I will be more than happy! GET IN THERE EDEN HAZARD!! WELCOME BACK :blue scalf:

Hmmm I don't really agree with you on this one. I know he's 25... but that doesn't mean he's already over his top. He was a prosperous talent when he was playing at Lille at age 17-21. His nickname there was "Ronaldo of the poor" . His style of playing reminded people of Ronaldo... the people in Lille are known to be 'the poor'. After a short, not so successful passage at St Etienne, He really did amazingly well in the Greek competition 2 seasons back to back! The big test for me was his signing for Everton. Unfortunately he has been injured too many games to have a bulletproof opinion. But still you feel he brings something extra to the team every single minute he's on the pitch. The fact that he's already a fan favorite at Goodison Park in such a short time surely shows their is still potential in the lad! I agree with you on the fact he didn't bring a lot to our National Squad until this far. But I wouldn't write him off already. I think Mirallas may still surprise many critics in the upcoming seasons!