🇧🇪 Romelu Lukaku

[Superblue 6,372]

31 minutes ago, Magic Lamps said:

Was clearly eager to do well but completely crumbled under the pressure

poor finishing all game 

He snatched at a couple of chances that usually he'd be a bit calmer with but I think with everything that has happened this week it can be accepted.

The main thing I felt tonight whether it was more willingness or more freedom but he seemed far more free in his movements rather than being static. Whatever people think of him, defenders would not want to play against someone that strong and quick, especially when his back isn't always to the goal and he can turn defenders around the other way. I do also think his presence aided the likes of Havertz, Mount and Ziyech around him.

[Jase 43,479]

1 minute ago, Superblue_1986 said:

He snatched at a couple of chances that usually he'd be a bit calmer with but I think with everything that has happened this week it can be accepted.

But didn't you say you hoped it will fire him up for the game?

2 minutes ago, Superblue_1986 said:

The main thing I felt tonight whether it was more willingness or more freedom but he seemed far more free in his movements rather than being static. Whatever people think of him, defenders would not want to play against someone that strong and quick, especially when his back isn't always to the goal and he can turn defenders around the other way. I do also think his presence aided the likes of Havertz, Mount and Ziyech around him.

Thought he was poor in the first half. Don't know what's the stat at HT but he had only 4 touches after 30 minutes and thought he was pretty static compared to Havertz and co. Second half was better but it's partly down to Spurs having to come out and leave spaces behind. 

[Superblue 6,372]

2 minutes ago, Jase said:

But didn't you say you hoped it will fire him up for the game?

Thought he was poor in the first half. Don't know what's the stat at HT but he had only 4 touches after 30 minutes and thought he was pretty static compared to Havertz and co. Second half was better but it's partly down to Spurs having to come out and leave spaces behind. 

Yeah and I felt his work-rate and willingness was there. This was always going to be a big game to get under his belt with everything that has happened.

He didn't get many touches in the first half but I felt he wasn't anywhere near as static as he has been. There was much more movement to the flanks, especially the right hand side. I don't know if this is something that has been discussed with Tuchel or not, but it troubled Spurs. He was occupying Sanchez and Davies for a lot of the time, which allowed us to overload at times on the left hand side and isolate Tanganga.

There's still significant room for improvement, and a goal would have been nice but I'm happy with aspects of his game that I saw tonight.

[robsblubot 3,595]

It's really beyond me how anyone can watch him play and see an elite striker.

With that out of the way, Lukaku obviously has strengths as a footballer: most if not all around his physicality, which would make him a good option to have if we ignore the price tag.

Except! that he DOES see himself as an elite striker and on top of that comes a bad attitude when being benched for whatever reason. So, either Tuchel plays him VERY regularly or he will make noise again.

He does not like being in rotation... did not like at United and does not like it at Chelsea. He loved inter because there he always played whenever available.

[Atholy 1,293]

I wouldn't say he's an elite striker. But he's undoubtedly one of the best strikers in Europe at the moment. 

I really don't understand why people find it so hard to read or understand Lukaku. His professional carreer lifted up as a rocket at Anderlecht. Banging goals in at the age of 16 at Belgians elite club (then). When signing at Chelsea two years later, he really lived his boyhood dream. Because otherwise that have been shouted out the last few days on this forum, he really is a Chelsea fan from very young age! His steep way up was stopped at the bridge in his first 12 months at the club ... Which was normal seeing that the likes of Drogba, Anelka, Torres etc. were all fighting for the striker position. But Lukaku is a sensitive boy... he really needs confidence to shine. So when doing great at West Brom and later on also at Everton... confidence level went up again. Bare in mind that he left this league at only they age of 26(!) to go to Italy as the #20 on the ALL TIME EPL top goal scorer list. But ironically all that people could do was to moan about his donkey first touch and said he's a crappy striker for United. 

He moved to Italy and got surrounded by a lot of love and people that gave confidence to him again => no surprise that he deliverd again. Scoring 58 goals in 91 games a bringing in the title for Inter after 10 years of dominance by Juventus. In the mean time he also got his tally up at the Belgium National team... He became Belgian's ALL time TOP Scorer at the age of 25(!!) and now has netted 68 goals which sets him just behind Ronaldo, Messi, Pélé, Lewandoski, Klose => all legends of the game. But he gets banter and a lot of complains because he can be clumsy on the pitch sometimes.  

Inter got into financial troubles. I'm pretty sure that Lukaku didn't want to leave this warm bath he got into... + the italian lifestyle which is great! But he could help the club + got the option to go back to his former club AND the club of his heart, to prove everyone wrong. He surely started of well... but quickly discovers he surely couldn't be the managers choice. The system that is been played... Lukaku barely sees a ball. He literally runs his a** off all the time seeing the ball going from left to right but almost never diagonally towards him! It must be very frustrating! 

In the interview with Sky Italia he was on boiling level with his frustrations and emotions took over. Really stupid thing to do as a professional! But VERY understandable from a human point of view. He was again on the bench and not being used at his full strength. If he had stayed in the EPL and he banged those 47 serie a goals in the EPL he would be the current #8 place all time EPL Top scorers (hypothetically, I know... but not unrealistic). And still he doesn't get credit for it in the UK (not an elite striker, donkey first touch, awful clumsy player, ...) . While the guys in front of him Kane, Henry, Lampard, Aguëro, Cole, Rooney & Shearer are all seen as football heroes! Take a minute to think about and reflect in on yourself. How frustrated and especially unfair would it get you :)? 

Scoring goals is still the essence of the game... there is no price for beauty! So this guy is an excellent goal scorer! He needs to be given some credit, love and you surely can expect it will boost his confidence and he will deliver a s***load of goals in the future!! 

[NikkiCFC 8,323]

13 minutes ago, Atholy said:

I wouldn't say he's an elite striker. But he's undoubtedly one of the best strikers in Europe at the moment. 

I really don't understand why people find it so hard to read or understand Lukaku. His professional carreer lifted up as a rocket at Anderlecht. Banging goals in at the age of 16 at Belgians elite club (then). When signing at Chelsea two years later, he really lived his boyhood dream. Because otherwise that have been shouted out the last few days on this forum, he really is a Chelsea fan from very young age! His steep way up was stopped at the bridge in his first 12 months at the club ... Which was normal seeing that the likes of Drogba, Anelka, Torres etc. were all fighting for the striker position. But Lukaku is a sensitive boy... he really needs confidence to shine. So when doing great at West Brom and later on also at Everton... confidence level went up again. Bare in mind that he left this league at only they age of 26(!) to go to Italy as the #20 on the ALL TIME EPL top goal scorer list. But ironically all that people could do was to moan about his donkey first touch and said he's a crappy striker for United. 

He moved to Italy and got surrounded by a lot of love and people that gave confidence to him again => no surprise that he deliverd again. Scoring 58 goals in 91 games a bringing in the title for Inter after 10 years of dominance by Juventus. In the mean time he also got his tally up at the Belgium National team... He became Belgian's ALL time TOP Scorer at the age of 25(!!) and now has netted 68 goals which sets him just behind Ronaldo, Messi, Pélé, Lewandoski, Klose => all legends of the game. But he gets banter and a lot of complains because he can be clumsy on the pitch sometimes.  

Inter got into financial troubles. I'm pretty sure that Lukaku didn't want to leave this warm bath he got into... + the italian lifestyle which is great! But he could help the club + got the option to go back to his former club AND the club of his heart, to prove everyone wrong. He surely started of well... but quickly discovers he surely couldn't be the managers choice. The system that is been played... Lukaku barely sees a ball. He literally runs his a** off all the time seeing the ball going from left to right but almost never diagonally towards him! It must be very frustrating! 

In the interview with Sky Italia he was on boiling level with his frustrations and emotions took over. Really stupid thing to do as a professional! But VERY understandable from a human point of view. He was again on the bench and not being used at his full strength. If he had stayed in the EPL and he banged those 47 serie a goals in the EPL he would be the current #8 place all time EPL Top scorers (hypothetically, I know... but not unrealistic). And still he doesn't get credit for it in the UK (not an elite striker, donkey first touch, awful clumsy player, ...) . While the guys in front of him Kane, Henry, Lampard, Aguëro, Cole, Rooney & Shearer are all seen as football heroes! Take a minute to think about and reflect in on yourself. How frustrated and especially unfair would it get you :)? 

Scoring goals is still the essence of the game... there is no price for beauty! So this guy is an excellent goal scorer! He needs to be given some credit, love and you surely can expect it will boost his confidence and he will deliver a s***load of goals in the future!! 

But if he is not elite striker why pay 115m euros for him? How much elite striker costs?

I agree with most things you said but problem with Lukaku is he cannot be put in the same sentence with these guys you mentioned because they always delivered at highest level in big games.

Lukaku never did.

For United he played 24 games against big6 scoring 1 goal.

Belgium best goalscorer but look at his goals at WC 14, EURO 16, WC 18, EURO 20... Never delivered when needed in knockout stages against top teams.

Scored against Panama, Tunisia, Ireland, USA, Russia and Finland. That is it. Only pen last EURO against Italy but pen and missed sitter later.

Against Italy, Wales in QF, Denmark, Portugal, Italy again, Argentina, France, Brazil, England x2 all nothing.

So we expect 20 goals in a season from him but general feeling would still be bad because he will not deliver in big games.

And this season he did not against Juve, City, Liverpool... This is the same Lukaku we all know. Did not changed a bit.

 

[Atholy 1,293]

17 minutes ago, NikkiCFC said:

But if he is not elite striker why pay 115m euros for him? How much elite striker costs?

I agree with most things you said but problem with Lukaku is he cannot be put in the same sentence with these guys you mentioned because they always delivered at highest level in big games.

Lukaku never did.

For United he played 24 games against big6 scoring 1 goal.

Belgium best goalscorer but look at his goals at WC 14, EURO 16, WC 18, EURO 20... Never delivered when needed in knockout stages against top teams.

Scored against Panama, Tunisia, Ireland, USA, Russia and Finland. That is it. Only pen last EURO against Italy but pen and missed sitter later.

Against Italy, Wales in QF, Denmark, Portugal, Italy again, Argentina, France, Brazil, England x2 all nothing.

So we expect 20 goals in a season from him but general feeling would still be bad because he will not deliver in big games.

And this season he did not against Juve, City, Liverpool... This is the same Lukaku we all know. Did not changed a bit.

 

I totally understand what you are saying. It's frustrating to see how we misses out on these big occasions. 

Is he really unable to do this? Or has it to do with confidence? I reckon at Inter with Conte (that was like a father too him) + also at Anderlecht at very early age with Jacobs (who was also a father figure) he felt at his best => he DID score against these big teams: Milan, Juventus, Napoli, Roma, ... In Belgium Bruges, Genk, Standard + more importantly scored in the very decisive European Games (ask Ajax fans... they will remember) at age 16 or 17. 

Anderlecht at very early age, Inter last two seasons... I'm sure he can do it! He just needs love and confidence. If you don't want, or cannot give him this... You shouldn't spend €115m euros on him unless you're foolish or have a s***load of money and simply don't care. 

So we should give him all the confidence... or just let him go. But then probably exactly the same will happen as what United suffered... He goes to another team (that understand his needs) and he delivers! 

 

[Warning_Hazard 156]

Lukaku is shite.

That's all folks!

[Nero 1,874]

Lukaku vibes...

[DDA 9,940]

Once a donkey, always a donkey.

[Tomo 21,751]

If he last the 90 on Saturday I hold Tuchel fully responsible for any dropped points.

[robsblubot 3,595]

4 minutes ago, Tomo said:

If he last the 90 on Saturday I hold Tuchel fully responsible for any dropped points.

Fair enough, but it's a tough time at the club: Chelsea apparently just recalled Kennedy! of all people.... 😕 

Played like shit on loan at flamengo - 17 games and one goal

[Clockwork 1,794]

5 hours ago, robsblubot said:

Fair enough, but it's a tough time at the club: Chelsea apparently just recalled Kennedy! of all people.... 😕 

Played like shit on loan at flamengo - 17 games and one goal

I think I read Kennedy will go out on loan again, he won’t be part of the squad. 

[Beigl 1,387]

The less said about his game last night the better. Second half he was absolutely atrocious. Not good enough for a supposed star signing. 

[OneMoSalah 8,886]

Don’t think we will see him start v City if Havertz, Mount and Pulisic are fit or dare I say it, Timo, are all available. Just think the way we will look to capitalise on City’s weaknesses, it would be a better set up.

Seriously have all but gave up on Timo though, his attitude and work rate is good,  can’t knock him for that but just doesn’t strike me as having the minerals or quality to be a success here. Its been 18 months now, its been very start stop and ultimately he’s been very very mediocre.

Rom has to seriously start doing something also because barring the good start, the Villa game and then that first leg v Spurs, again, he’s not offering very much. The interview also whilst its dealt with so to speak just piles the pressure on him if he doesn’t do the business. 

[Magic Lamps 11,692]

100m for this

shot ourselves in the knee once more here 

 

[dimmas 131]

Lukaku is fucking terrible, we already know that. 

But how tuchel still seems very clueless  how to utilize lukaku is somehow more concerning.

Tuchel doesn't know how to use lukaku at all. And all of our forward players just consistently so fecking shit in too many games

 

 i'm not sure who's to blame.

Edited January 15, 2022 by dimmas

[Tomo 21,751]

Not even Torres held the team back this much.

[Tomo 21,751]

If Tuchel is going to insist on playing him unconditonally then he needs to get on the phone to Rafa and asked him how he set up the compact Liverpool team that geared up everything towards Torres.

The thought of making such a change for his sake makes me want to throw up but something has to give and fast.

[chelsea_4_eva 1,182]

100M.. 100M... how the hell are we supposed to move him on...