Romelu Lukaku

[Superblue 6,372]

Give it time.

He isn't being helped at present that the other attacking players so far this season have been inconsistent at best, and our midfielders like Kova and Jorginho just seem reluctant currently to play in a more direct manner straight into him.

One thing I've noticed on a fair few occasions is he's been in a good position and not been picked out. There were a couple of times again yesterday. 

I think we'll benefit longer term having someone spearheading the front line, whether in a front 2 or 3. Winning games whilst still adjusting should be a positive.

[OhForAGreavsie 6,060]

On 02/10/2021 at 20:36, NikkiCFC said:

There is a curse with Chelsea and our strikers.

Or perhaps the curse is on the person who chooses the strikers. That curse being that they are not brilliant at spotting the difference between a striker with qualities and a striker of quality.

Anyway, more positively, it is definitely too soon to regard ROM as a bust so hope survives.

[Blue Armour 4,436]

2 hours ago, Superblue_1986 said:

 

One thing I've noticed on a fair few occasions is he's been in a good position and not been picked out. There were a couple of times again yesterday. 

This. The team had been pretty poor at this in the last 3 games., but a bit better in the last game. 

Ironically the best pass he got, came from Rudiger who went on that mazy run. Shame Lukaku was offside.

Lukaku is not like Drogba or Kane who will either drop deep or play wide if they're not getting the ball. Lukaku needs more direct passes.

And it's a bit weird because it looks like Tuchel actually wants him to just stay up front for the most part (unlike how he played for Inter). You'd think the midfield would do a bit more work to get the ball up to him.

[Jase 43,479]

22 hours ago, Superblue_1986 said:

Give it time.

He isn't being helped at present that the other attacking players so far this season have been inconsistent at best, and our midfielders like Kova and Jorginho just seem reluctant currently to play in a more direct manner straight into him.

One thing I've noticed on a fair few occasions is he's been in a good position and not been picked out. There were a couple of times again yesterday. 

I think we'll benefit longer term having someone spearheading the front line, whether in a front 2 or 3. Winning games whilst still adjusting should be a positive.

You have changed your tune, huh?

[Superblue 6,372]

17 hours ago, Jase said:

You have changed your tune, huh?

About Lukaku?

I don't think I was ever dead set against signing him. He offered something we don't have which is a significant goal threat.

When we were linked with him I was mainly concerned about his first touch and ability to play a target man like role for others to play off of him. He's never going to be perfect technically and will always have some balls mis-controlled, etc but when he's had the ball in such situations I've been pretty pleased so far and am a little perplexed the team as a whole don't make more of this chance. Players such as Werner and Mount who are particularly busy players should thrive from playing off Lukaku but it's not quite there yet. The move that saw Lukaku back heel the ball to Werner who took it on and had a shot saved was the sort of link play that I'm expecting to see more regularly because at the moment it has been extremely inconsistent.

 

[Jase 43,479]

7 hours ago, Superblue_1986 said:

About Lukaku?

I don't think I was ever dead set against signing him. He offered something we don't have which is a significant goal threat.

When we were linked with him I was mainly concerned about his first touch and ability to play a target man like role for others to play off of him. He's never going to be perfect technically and will always have some balls mis-controlled, etc but when he's had the ball in such situations I've been pretty pleased so far and am a little perplexed the team as a whole don't make more of this chance. Players such as Werner and Mount who are particularly busy players should thrive from playing off Lukaku but it's not quite there yet. The move that saw Lukaku back heel the ball to Werner who took it on and had a shot saved was the sort of link play that I'm expecting to see more regularly because at the moment it has been extremely inconsistent.

We needed a goalscorer but it's debatable whether Lukaku is actually the right fit for this team.

Last season we had a system that worked for the team and it was never just about one player. This season with Lukaku, if you listen to Tuchel, he is trying to make everything revolve around Lukaku in the system and hence, despite sitting top of the table right now, we have seen unconvincing attacking performances this past month. We'll see what happens in the coming weeks but based on what we have seen overall, the concerns people had about signing Lukaku are proving true. Also, the United fans over on Redcafe doesn't seem too surprised by what they have seen from Lukaku. They are like "yeah, he will score goals and probably bully small teams along the way but he'll get found out against better teams". We should know better than most about having a system that relies on an individual is not the most ideal of situations. 

[dimmas 131]

‘I hate it’: Chelsea striker Lukaku says playing as target man only limits his goal productivity

https://www.thechelseachronicle.com/club-news/i-hate-it-Chelsea-striker-lukaku-says-playing-as-target-man-only-limits-his-goal-productivity/

I really wonder, why tuchel always seem play lukaku as a target man. 

Let him being isolated for too long, the space between lukaku and the other attacker is too wide. And when he keep seeing on the match, the other team mate around him just pass the ball very slow, cannot link up with him, incapable enough too see lukaku's run timing.

Tuchel basicly not playing to lukaku's strength at all. To see most oft the time just make lukaku as target man and poacher to stay in the box/very high up on the pitch. Is something really weird and need to change from tuchel

Edited October 6, 2021 by dimmas

[Magic Lamps 11,692]

8 hours ago, dimmas said:

‘I hate it’: Chelsea striker Lukaku says playing as target man only limits his goal productivity

https://www.thechelseachronicle.com/club-news/i-hate-it-Chelsea-striker-lukaku-says-playing-as-target-man-only-limits-his-goal-productivity/

I really wonder, why tuchel always seem play lukaku as a target man. 

Let him being isolated for too long, the space between lukaku and the other attacker is too wide. And when he keep seeing on the match, the other team mate around him just pass the ball very slow, cannot link up with him, incapable enough too see lukaku's run timing.

Tuchel basicly not playing to lukaku's strength at all. To see most oft the time just make lukaku as target man and poacher to stay in the box/very high up on the pitch. Is something really weird and need to change from tuchel

tbh, i have always seen Lukaku as more of a counter attacking striker cos he needs acres of space of space due to his poor technique. This is where he is his most effective with his power and pace breaking free. He is also quite good shooter from the mid-distance. Still, Lukaku had time enought to develop a more complete skillset and he always knew that ppl wanted him to be more of a target man simply bc that is what you need from your big striker esp when playing against buses. here in the PL his counter attackign ability means jack shit in most games. Very few games, like the one vs Southampton are made for a counter attacking striker and he shat the bed there, so not exactly making a strong point here.

TT will be aware of how Lukaku thinks and consider it in his decisions.

[Sir Mikel OBE 4,920]

What a FINISH!

 

 

[killer1257 3,282]

14 hours ago, Sir Mikel OBE said:

What a FINISH!

 

 

Shows how many goals he could score if we had any creative players at all. 

[NikkiCFC 8,292]

1 hour ago, killer1257 said:

Shows how many goals he could score if we had any creative players at all. 

He had 2 amazing chances against Juve and Southampton and missed them both. Barkley and Mount gave him great passes. 

[killer1257 3,282]

1 hour ago, NikkiCFC said:

He had 2 amazing chances against Juve and Southampton and missed them both. Barkley and Mount gave him great passes. 

You can't have a chance conversation rate of 100%. 

[MoroccanBlue 5,378]

I'm very confused. 

If Lukaku isn't a target man, then what is he exactly? He is so limited on the ball he can't possibly be anything else? Unless he is specifically a system player, to which I will ask all of you, why did we spend 100 million on a system player that doesn't fit in our current set up that won us the European cup?

[Magic Lamps 11,692]

22 minutes ago, MoroccanBlue said:

I'm very confused. 

If Lukaku isn't a target man, then what is he exactly? He is so limited on the ball he can't possibly be anything else? Unless he is specifically a system player, to which I will ask all of you, why did we spend 100 million on a system player that doesn't fit in our current set up that won us the European cup?

IMO, He is a counter attacking striker. He is at his best when he moves at pace into the Space towards goal, using his strength to brush aside defenders. That is where he was most effective for inter and is for Belgium. He also is usually a decent finisher when he has this little bit of extra time on the ball. 
he does have some target man qualities such as shielding the ball and turning it but his link up play and timing in the air are not good enough for that role. 
i would not say he is specific for a system but is clearly better in a counter attacking system than in a possession based one. His limitedness is exactly why I did not want him for the given price . 

[Tomo 21,751]

I always worry when the service excuse starts to be made.