🇧🇪 Romelu Lukaku

[Bosnian Blue 2,471]

But i think Lukaku will be fine, working with the team isn't the hardest thing to learn, and his first touch, as long as he can keep the ball with it and pass back to the team first time he will be fine.

I'm worried. These things player learn at the age of 12-16. After that it's very difficult to change something. Not saying it cannot be done, just needs a lot of hard work.

[Kojo 4,676]

I'm worried. These things player learn at the age of 12-16. After that it's very difficult to change something. Not saying it cannot be done, just needs a lot of hard work.

No, this is top league football we are talking about, his touch isn't that bad, otherwise he would've been struggling at his old club and in the reserves. It's top league football and he will learn.

[KonohasOrangeFlash 2,607]

No, this is top league football we are talking about, his touch isn't that bad, otherwise he would've been struggling at his old club and in the reserves. It's top league football and he will learn.

His touch is horrendous...

[TrippingStep 336]

No, this is top league football we are talking about, his touch isn't that bad, otherwise he would've been struggling at his old club and in the reserves. It's top league football and he will learn.

I disagree.

Look at all the goal he scored. 90% of them were like the one he scored against Seattle. The opponent out of position after losing the ball, lots of space between the line of defence and goal and he outruns his opponent.

He's awful in linking up with other players, doesn't make runs to open space for others and stretch the defense, and his turn ability is bad.

When he was 16, you could be excited about him but his game hasn't evolved since then.

Him and Kakuta have not the same style of play but they seem to lack a lot of football intelligence as their game is as raw as it was when they started.

[TrippingStep 336]

I'm wondering if he should do specific work with athletic coach or Rugby coach to teach him agility.

He seems to me to have very heavy foot, his change of direction is so slow.

[Naked Mole Rat 437]

I fail to see why people are concerned about him. His only two noticeable flaws are lack of experience and heavy touch. He will eventually learn how to get underneath the ball and when to hold the defender off and when to make a run. And his first touch may be awful now, but players often see a significant improvement in certain aspects of their game through focused training. I remember Sturridge couldn't use his right foot at all a couple seasons ago, but he's now pretty comfortable with it. Rooney also expressed in 2010 that he had improved greatly on his aerial ability through continuous, focused training.

[Nic! 301]

I also disagree that 'all hope is lost' with Lukaku. A loan might be the best option, but he needs 30 games or more at an EPL club to make huge valuable steps. Don't know which club is going to give him that.

And then I think, if the situation might be the same at another EPL club, he can also stay at Chelsea (if they don't buy striker) to compete for second striker position with Sturridge. He is in fact very limited in certain areas, but I also feel that Lukaku would score more goals than Sturridge if given equal time up front. Just a feeling.

[Jack Uzzi 54]

He's still exceptional for his age, but the technical aspect of his play is indeed a problem. Another weak point that hasn't really been given attention is that he's no good with the head.

When at anderlecht he had however become too good for the Belgian league, and although you can say, that's no standard, it still says something when you are only 17. At full confidence, he was a scoring machine but also able to keep a ball when outnumbered or take on a player at the edge of the box.

Chelsea now needs to find the right team for him to go on loan and get playing time. He really wants to improve, has a positive attitude, will fit in in every squad and will anyhow maximise his potential. Wait and see.

[cujo101 75]

I also disagree that 'all hope is lost' with Lukaku. A loan might be the best option, but he needs 30 games or more at an EPL club to make huge valuable steps. Don't know which club is going to give him that.

And then I think, if the situation might be the same at another EPL club, he can also stay at Chelsea (if they don't buy striker) to compete for second striker position with Sturridge. He is in fact very limited in certain areas, but I also feel that Lukaku would score more goals than Sturridge if given equal time up front. Just a feeling.

Sorry but Sturridge would outscore Lukaku with ease. If Chelsea don't buy another striker before the deadline, it would not surprise me if Sturridge scored more than Torres. He needs a real run as the club's lone forward.

[Hutcho 8,443]

Sorry but Sturridge would outscore Lukaku with ease. If Chelsea don't buy another striker before the deadline, it would not surprise me if Sturridge scored more than Torres. He needs a real run as the club's lone forward.

I agree... Sturridge as things stand will have a big role this season as torres won't play 60 games this season and Sturridge will have a big part to play as an impact sub, and starting some games when resting torres.... Really hope he doesn't outscore Torres as that would be very bad for the club, as we wouldn't have scored many goals, though we should buy a backup striker as we surely can't just have 2, as that is ludicrous, especially in a potentially long season... Lukaku, has a lot to work on and perhaps hasn't improved as much as we would want him to over the last 2/3 years, though he desperately needs game time, and last year he was not helped at all by never really playing, a full season should be great for him and next year or in a couple of years time we may see his improvement.

[Peace. 4,352]

From the "Top five young players" thread :

Lukaku was the most wanted youngster in Europe when Andre Villas Boas paid Anderlecht a potential £18 million pounds for the ‘next Didier Drogba’.

The comparisons are clear to see; fast; strong; good in the air and a deadly finisher but Chelsea fans have not yet been treated to these traits as much as they would have hoped. He has had a good pre-season so far scoring a double against Seattle Sounders but is adamant he wants to play regular first team football next season. A loan deal is likely but wherever he plays his talent could shine again next year.

It would be time to put an end to the myth "Lukaku is the next Drogba". No, he is not. This affirmation comes out of ignorance and delusion toward the physical resemblance shared, at some extend, by both players. The only things the belgian and the Frenchman share are : the colour of their skin ; more or less their body building. And that's about that.

On top of things, they don't play the same football. Drogba is a target man, he plays back to the goal, has a big presence in the box, he will receive long balls from his defender team mates, and, with those balls, he will either create something out of nothing or hold on till his team moves to an attacking position. While Lukaku's game is more similar to Torres', in the sense that he is more suited to through balls, and to play with the ball on the ground.

Another big differene of style is that Drogba has a great header game. Lukaku header game is pratically non-existant (which is really surprising from a guy of his height). Furthermore, Drogba has a very good technic, while Lukaku seems to let his strength speak. And finally, The Ivorian captain is extremely agile considering his body. Lukaku isn't at all, and seems to make heavy steps.

All in all, even if he improves his technic, headers and agility (which I really hope he does), he won't be the next Drogba (unless he changes his game style).

[Spike 12,049]

From the "Top five young players" thread :

It would be time to put an end to the myth "Lukaku is the next Drogba". No, he is not. This affirmation comes out of ignorance and delusion toward the physical resemblance shared, at some extend, by both players. The only things the belgian and the Frenchman share are : the colour of their skin ; more or less their body building. And that's about that.

Whom is this Frenchmen you speak of? Well, I would rather Lukaku over a Target Man like Gignac. Large, fat, muscular, fat, scores with his left, limited technical techniques, fat, one dimensional; are all perfect superlatives to describe Lukaku Gignac, though the two (Andre-Pierre and Romulu) do share disgustingly similar parallels in my mind. Though what Gignac has to do with this particular conversation I do not know and the only reasonable explanation I can sum up is that the possibility that my fragile perception of reality has snapped is quite real.

[Peace. 4,352]

Whom is this Frenchmen you speak of? Well, I would rather Lukaku over a Target Man like Gignac. Large, fat, muscular, fat, scores with his left, limited technical techniques, fat, one dimensional; are all perfect superlatives to describe Lukaku Gignac, though the two (Andre-Pierre and Romulu) do share disgustingly similar parallels in my mind. Though what Gignac has to do with this particular conversation I do not know and the only reasonable explanation I can sum up is that the possibility that my fragile perception of reality has snapped is quite real.

The Frecnhman whom I am speaking is Didier and nobody else. I love to use a large range of adjectives. So instead of using perpetually "the african", "the ivorian", etc.. I thought it would make a change.

P.S. I believe you forgot to mention that Gignac was fat.

[Spike 12,049]

The Frecnhman whom I am speaking is Didier and nobody else. I love to use a large range of adjectives. So instead of using perpetually "the african", "the ivorian", etc.. I thought it would make a change.

P.S. I believe you forgot to mention that Gignac was fat.

I recomend using the adjective "the almighty, beautiful and most serene". Don't be fooled by the spaces throughout the word, it is precisly one word and may only be used to describe the almighty, beautiful and most serene Didier Drogba.

Gignac is fat. And I have no hope for Lukaku.

[Peace. 4,352]

I recomend using the adjective "the almighty, beautiful and most serene". Don't be fooled by the spaces throughout the word, it is precisly one word and may only be used to describe the almighty, beautiful and most serene Didier Drogba.

Gignac is fat. And I have no hope for Lukaku.

Well well well, actually I used it : "French" is the synonym for "the almighty, beatiful and most serene"

And, could you explain me why I have no hope for Lukaku ? I am being curious, I think we might share the same view...

[ZanSnake 1,211]

No Kalou to hate on, and now Lulu is the victim.

[Peace. 4,352]

No Kalou to hate on, and now Lulu is the victim.

Yeah. You are totally on point here. To not rate a player, as high as the vast majority of people do, only can be out of hatred toward this player. To question a footballer's abilities, it can only be due to the fact one holds an agenda against him. Hatred is an obnoxious and ugly sin, which deceives the perception of people, which makes them denial toward the truth, and thus they are unconsciously led to unfairly criticize that or this player. Hatred can even taint the heart of the bravest. And, with a tainted heart, you are bound to live a despicable life, and the hatred will make you draw biased judgments.

I am entirely agree with you. All those fools who came across with a good argumentation (and what seemed to be valid agruments), and dared to say Lukaku wasn't that good yet, that he still wasn't ready, that he was not the next Drogba, etc.. They are a bunch of haters. And I bet they are all undergoing a nervous breakdown ever since the day Kalou left the club, because that day symbolizes the loss of the most perfect scapegoat the Earth has ever seen. And now, they are lost souls. They are falling down a bottomless pit of despair. They are desperatly searching to find a scapegoat, in order to dump all the venom they have in them. Poor souls... What they are gonna do once Lukaku proves them wrong ? Who will be their next victim ? Will they follow Jim Jones' path and commit a mass suicide, if they cannot find a scapegoat good enough to their eyes ?

... Or would I be ingenious to think that they could be saved, if ever someone was to bring them God's light, by explaining them why they are wrong, instead of throwing them the stone ? Or the Deity of Intolerance won't let this happen, in order to satiate his desire of ostracism and bullying toward people thinking in a different way from masses' opinion ?

[Spike 12,049]

Well well well, actually I used it : "French" is the synonym for "the almighty, beatiful and most serene"

And, could you explain me why I have no hope for Lukaku ? I am being curious, I think we might share the same view...

Bullet points!

• Because he has no positional awareness. He just kind of drifts around waiting for the attack to get near him.
  
• His first touch is just awful. The ball often goes too far away from him after his first touch allowing easy interception.
  
• He is lacking in agility. He seem to have trouble taking multiple touches and turning with the ball.
  
• His passing is very rough, he often just lumps the ball into the general direction of a team mate.
  
• He doesn't seemed very composed on the ball and looks like he makes snap judgements (he could just be nervous).
  

On the other hand he is:

• Very, very strong possibly even stronger than Drogba.
  
• He seems rather quick when he gets moving.
  
• His finishing seems natural and comfortable.
  
• He seems rather brave.
  

Unless his technical abilities grow and mature he will amount to nothing but the battering ram he already is. He is great when he running full steam at the back four with the ball at his feet, but he struggles in almost every other instance.

[Kojo 4,676]

Can't believe people are now comparing him to Heskey...

Lukaku will be good one day I think. He's not a Drogba player, Lukaku is more goal scorer than team player. I wouldn't compare him to Heskey, he's more like Akinfenwa, a goal machine who is a tank.

[Kajo 176]

Jesus ppl he's only 19!!! When Drogba was 19 he played for Le Mans youth team and no one even heard of him. He got time to improve so start supporting him instead of criticize him. Some of you are even worse than rival fans...