Thor

Given the paragraphs Leif has written, he'll still be eating those words well after Lukaku has retired as a Chelsea legend.

I don't see how he fails here... he is coming to our team where he will have 10 times better service than that of Everton. Costa manages to get 20 a season and he isn't as clinical as Lukaku. As for attitude somehow separating Lukaku and Costa... I don't see it. Costa wasn't anything special in big matches. In fact I think Lukaku has put in more against top opponents this season... with Everton players feeding him the ball. He is better in the air by a country mile as well as being a more clinical finisher. The whole not a hard worker and attitude points are moot until we see him play here. Going by facts though, he is more clinical and multi faceted than Costa. The rest is conjecture as of now. Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

Fixed that for you. Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

He isn't raw though. He is quite skilled. Lack of awareness makes sense, but more so in the lack of understanding in the step up in competition. That quickly goes away after playing a few games in decent comp. You play more within yourself. Clearly that Man United team was the best team he has played against.

Anyone know what is going on with Charly? Everyone is saying to upgrade the winger position coming into next season, but how about giving Charly a run to possibly give Pedro and Willian some competition? Might just be me, but the kid has pace, technique, is a two footed player and is quite direct in his play. Deserves a shot IMO. He is quite weak, but something that can be worked on.

I have no idea how you left with that impression after the United game. He has a very good all around game. Extremely composed, and an incredible physical force. Not to mention caught Lingard and Rashford in a full out sprint. How many CB's are there that can do that? Would welcome him here for sure. He would bring a different dynamic to the team and allow us to play a more appealing and more dominant brand of football. Being able to hold the ball in the back between him, Azpi and Luiz. Possession is important in the big games. Being able to have more of the ball and set up more attacks is always beneficial. He would be a good step towards that.

Eh, I agree with the wes above. The thing that separates a lot of the best footballers these days is physical traits on top of skills. Silva just doesn't have it, nor do I think he will have it. He isn't fast, strong, or hard to push off the ball. Hazard had all of this coming to Chelsea, and it simply took him a little bit of time to put it together. With someone like Mbappe for example. He has the physical tools as well as the skills to go on top. I don't think if we miss out on him it will be the end of the world.

Griezmann isn't really worth anywhere near the amount that is being talked about. Call me crazy, but I don't think he comes in here and changes anything as far as the dynamic of the team, or makes us significantly stronger. I just don't see how he can bring anything more than what Pedro brought this season. Think he is very much the big fish in the small pond type. Much like how some raved about Mata here, but when he finally had to be apart of the big team, he really did look... average.

Him and Kante next to each other? So much for a physical presence in the middle who can deal with being pressed on the ball.

Hope this means we'll get to see him play the last two. Every time I've watched him, I've liked the dynamic style of play he brings, but we never get to see him long enough on the field. He is quick, strong, agile, and seems good on the ball. I want to see him play two full games out there.

Should I pull up all the videos of Costa going off on teammates? I won't bother posting about this stuff anymore, since most people on here are set in their ways when it comes to Lukaku. I've never seen such a polarising figure potentially joining the team. Hope he comes here and bangs in 30 a season though.

In what way does he feel entitled? He left Chelsea, proved he could be a top goalscorer in the league, and worked his behind off to get to that point. That seems like the exact opposite to me. Morata on the other hand seems to be the one complaining about minutes... Am I missing something? He knows he won't be at the club next season, so him wrapping it up a little is to be expected. He needs to stay fit and healthy so he can get to where he wants to. What exactly is the big deal? I get some of you don't like him for absolutely no reason whatsoever, probably more due to the fact he was here and left, and apparently didn't want to prove himself (when in fact he ended up doing just that by leaving), but some of the psychological reading into this stance, swagger, walk, work ethic needs to stop. He is 23 and the best scorer in England. All you need to know.

3-5-2 would be interesting. Does it work with Morata and Lukaku playing side by side? Morata the one building up the play, decent hold up play, etc. Lukaku the pacey, clinical, strong striker feasting on through balls? I don't know why people don't like Lukaku. He is absolutely clinical in front of goal, and can shake defenders off on the counter like nothing. And I don't know if the rest of the board has been watching, but we've been doing a lot of counter attacking recently. We're already good at it, but we'd be great with Lukaku.

He is great to have in the squad. Definitely not a nailed on starter, but a fantastic option to have in your squad to break down smaller teams, or change the dynamic in the midfield. He has been brilliant again this season. I think less game time, less fatigue and less stress on the body has definitely helped him. He looks fresh and a lot quicker on the field these days.

Why? Is he supposed to pass the ball to himself? We did a good job stopping him, but the game wasn't very lively to begin with. He made our strongest defender Luiz look like a piece of paper at times when they were bodied up one against the other. He is a beast, and a hell of a player. Better player than Costa at this very moment, and that gap will only get bigger considering he is only 23. Only our fans could sit here and criticise the top scorer in the league, and act smug when he doesn't score a goal every single game. 5 more goals than Costa, on only 5 more shots, while playing on a significantly worse team with no where near the amount of service he'd get on a team like Chelsea. Aside from Kane, has the highest shot on goal percentage in the league for forwards, and is a clinical finisher. Not to mention, he wants to play here more than any where else, which is something we are very unsure of for Costa. Anyway, great game. That Willian goal was beautiful. Cesc is such a fantastic option off the bench, even in big games. This formation suits him so well. Makes him far more capable defensively, since our formation seems to funnel teams into his zone more instead of him chasing, which he isn't great at considering he is quite slow.

There is no Luiz of old. That whole shtick needs to fade away. He had a bad game. That is it. No glimpse of the past or anything. After so many good, consistent performances, he had a bad one. Why? Because he is human. Aside from that, he is undoubtably the best CB in the league.

So DDG makes it over Courtois for team of the season? Wow...

LOL. How is this a fair comparison? Griezmann, Mbappe and Aubamayang are all better? Sure, maybe. Not definitely. Easy to compare players already playing for big teams, who when they go up against other big teams, have an equal share of the ball, are matched equally and are competitive. Not the same playing for Everton, going into big games knowing you will have 30% possession and could get beat 3, 4 or 5 to nothing. Lukaku has to take all his chances in the big games. These other guys have the benefit of having lots of chances created. Lukaku has technique. Also has a terrific IQ. Where is this notion that he isn't a smart player coming from? What is it based on? You don't lead the league in scoring if you don't have good skill or smarts on the pitch.

You have to go a while back to find a golden boot winner who wasn't on a top club. Lukaku is doing that. I think he only gets better from here on as well. Not to mention I feel he is already better than Costa currently, and one is on the up and the other is at the age where he is more than likely beginning some kind of decline. He does everything Costa does but at a better level. He is bigger, faster, stronger and he is better at holding the ball up, and that is something I keep seeing improve with him. He makes us more dynamic, not less. Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

Terrific was maybe a stretch, but he certainly didn't stumble and fall every time pressure came from behind him. Torres became very good at holding the ball up and distributing it. It was once he was fed the ball and asked to put it in the net when he struggled. He was terrible for us, but he still had decent skills in certain departments. Not saying he is close to the player Diego is now, because he isn't, but he was far and away better at holding the play up and linking up with the midfield.

You clearly think a little too much of yourself if you think it impacts me in any way. You have over 7000 posts. A lot of them are negative. I don't even read the username most of the time with a lot of these comments though over your thousands of posts, I run into a lot of them and they're almost always negative. Just an observation. What expectation is there on Lukaku if he comes back? To score goals. Of course. He is a striker. If he can't, then we move on and find someone else. He has proven he can lead the line for a good team and put the ball in the back of the net better than our current striker. Lukaku isn't Pogba so the comparison is null and void. And I don't have to have an absurd opinion just to stand out on here and be "unique". I post what I think. I just don't come off as a sour puss. Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

Thought we played well. You'd think we were 2 goals down reading this thread during the game. RLC was a runaway best on ground for me. His physicality in the middle changed the game for us. Really nice hold up play as well as a few great link ups. I think he can grow with the team. Not ready for constant minutes but he can serve a purpose. Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

Yeah. I guess everyone coming in as a teenager and never being given a shot at one club means they'd be a failure. Pogba example is another great one. Him failing under 1 coach means he'd fail at that club every time simply because it is that club. Fantastic logic. Do you do anything other than be pessimistic on this forum? Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

I think Costa is terrific, but he contributes very little lately when not scoring. Prior to the big fiasco with the media, he was contributing on the pitch even when not scoring. Recently he has become a poacher. The fact is, he is a terrible hold up player. He is almost the anti Torres at the end of his Chelsea stint at this point. Torres actually became a terrific target and hold up player, despite being terrible in front of goal. Diego on the other hand has been the exact opposite.

What attitude? He was hungry to succeed and prove himself so he left for another club to do that. No point sitting on the bench when youre as good as the guy who is starting. He can say that now at the very least. Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk