Romelu Lukaku

[didierforever 7,349]

I'm not asking him to be sold. If you read again, I want him to be second choice and be used like Torres. But I do feel that he won't be able to improve his weaknesses enough and will only ever be good enough to be considered 2nd choice and so if someone comes in with a huge offer for a second choice striker, we should definitely consider it. Similar to Mata really, doesn't mean he's a bad player, just doesn't fit the requirements of what Chelsea need in a striker and is therefore expendable if and only if the right offer comes in.

And this "he won't improve" is based on what? His situation right now is nothing like mata. We were overloaded in AM position whereas we don't have a good striker, (etoo has just started to gel with the team but even he is barely a stop gap and would be at max useful for one more year). Selling lukaku would mean buying not only a world class striker but also a 2nd striker. Also mata actually got a chance to prove hinself to be apt to fit jose's system but he could not, hence he was sold. Lukaku has not been given that.

So he is anything but EXPENDABLE.

Now coming to his weaknesses. His hold up play is a lot better. Infact all u have to do is watch his goal last week to see how much his hold up play and his play back to the goal has improved.

His headers and defensive work in setpieces are definitely one to improve.

His first touch has definitely improved massively. Its weird u think that it has not.

As for poor offensive awareness, it will improve with time. But his movement is brilliant.again please watch his goal last week against swansea.

His finishing is brilliant. He is at the right pkace at the right time which is very important for a striker.

Nothing u have said is not impossible to improve specially when workibg with the best manager in the world.

[Bir_CFC 3,455]

And this "he won't improve" is based on what? His situation right now is nothing like mata. We were overloaded in AM position whereas we don't have a good striker, (etoo has just started to gel with the team but even he is barely a stop gap and would be at max useful for one more year). Selling lukaku would mean buying not only a world class striker but also a 2nd striker. Also mata actually got a chance to prove hinself to be apt to fit jose's system but he could not, hence he was sold. Lukaku has not been given that.

So he is anything but EXPENDABLE.

Now coming to his weaknesses. His hold up play is a lot better. Infact all u have to do is watch his goal last week to see how much his hold up play and his play back to the goal has improved.

His headers and defensive work in setpieces are definitely one to improve.

His first touch has definitely improved massively. Its weird u think that it has not.

As for poor offensive awareness, it will improve with time. But his movement is brilliant.again please watch his goal last week against swansea.

His finishing is brilliant. He is at the right pkace at the right time which is very important for a striker.

Nothing u have said is not impossible to improve specially when workibg with the best manager in the world.

I'm not asking him to be sold just to get rid of him. Of course a good enough offer has to be there to allow us to buy replacements. And by saying second choice at Chelsea I don't mean he would be second choice at the moment. I mean he would be an IDEAL second choice striker in a competent strikeforce. Of course if next season we are going into the season with Torres, Ba and Lukaku, there is no way in hell I'd say he's second choice among those players. But I would say, that's not the ideal strikerforce for Chelsea to be able to compete with the best in Europe.

I can understand the feeling that he could improve, but to believe that I would expected to see these improvements over the past 2 years. Since I didn't, hence why I reached the conclusions I did. If he had shown improvements here, I would be busting a nut waiting for him because then the potential would be scary. I mean can you imagine a biggest, stronger, faster Drogba.

We'll never agree because you clearly feel he's improved while I feel the opposite, but good discussion

[lionsden 4,689]

Just out of curiosity. without hindsight, who here would have kept Sturridge at the expense of Lukaku. Basically who rated the 11/12 AVB Sturridge as a better player and striker than Lukaku.

[didierforever 7,349]

I'm not asking him to be sold just to get rid of him. Of course a good enough offer has to be there to allow us to buy replacements. And by saying second choice at Chelsea I don't mean he would be second choice at the moment. I mean he would be an IDEAL second choice striker in a competent strikeforce. Of course if next season we are going into the season with Torres, Ba and Lukaku, there is no way in hell I'd say he's second choice among those players. But I would say, that's not the ideal strikerforce for Chelsea to be able to compete with the best in Europe.

I can understand the feeling that he could improve, but to believe that I would expected to see these improvements over the past 2 years. Since I didn't, hence why I reached the conclusions I did. If he had shown improvements here, I would be busting a nut waiting for him because then the potential would be scary. I mean can you imagine a biggest, stronger, faster Drogba.

We'll never agree because you clearly feel he's improved while I feel the opposite, but good discussion

There is definite improvement in one or two of his flaws. His first and his play back to the goal.

But like I said before, his headers are poor and his header winning ability from gks is horrendous.

Anyways, I think u r missing my main point. Suppose we get an offer of 30mil for lukaku, and we sell him, but the market at this moment even for a second striker is so expensive. And who would that be? Another BA-ish signing of a player who has reached his peak and has no ceiling. Lukaku on the other hand does have that potential and ceiling. With him it would be worth while to take a risk of making him our 2nd striker for a couoke of seasons and see how his development woukd be. Cos even after 2 years, lukaku's price would barely go down and there is a chance that he might simply go on to be tge next big thing.

Anyway lets agree to disagree

[Weckerz 3,781]

He's 20, ofcourse he will improve... He will never be a silky player but that doesn't mean he can't perfect his finishing or learn how to use his body and become a goal machine.

It's all speculation as of now. The question is will he settle in being 2nd choice for us for a few seasons or will we see him reach his peak elsewhere.

[calculatingInfinity 1,443]

The thought of selling him itself is making me annoyed enough, let alone to fucking Spurs.

[JDY 1,290]

Few Everton fans I know have been saying he hasn't really improved since the start of the season. To quickly summarise what they've said:

- Frustrating in most games but will look good on MOTD because he's scored

- Doesn't really fit into their system unless they play direct

- Always trying to play for himself. ie not making clever runs or positioning himself that will create space for his teammates.

- Often not involved in their build up, and is inconsistent on the ball when he gets it

However they can't stress enough that he's only 20, can improve and be really good in the RIGHT system. Is our system the right system for Romelu though? That and his flaws make me a bit worried about his future here. You can say he's only young and will improve, but how often do you see a young player develop dramatically in terms of footballing intelligence and technical ability?

[Special Juan 27,424]

Scored tonight.

[Stingray 9,441]

Scored tonight.

Yeah well, he sucks.

[Jusek 2,031]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbIAcwlUEWY

He's a predator inside the box.

[Las7 951]

Just out of curiosity. without hindsight, who here would have kept Sturridge at the expense of Lukaku. Basically who rated the 11/12 AVB Sturridge as a better player and striker than Lukaku.

I rated him better than Lukaku - it's fairly obvious that from early age Sturridge had a better first touch; technique; faster; better passing technique etc - Lukaku has the capability of physically mauling defenders and he is very quick; obviously his heading is better than Sturridge but other than that he needs to work a lot to reach the same level. I don't even think Lukaku is better at holding up the ball than Sturridge at this point due to his bad first touch but he will win a hell lot more aerial duels than Sturridge.

The problem for CFC is that we don't really need someone to win aerial duels since keeping it on the ground is where our strength lays at the moment.

Regardless of that Lukaku is a bright young man and should be given a run in the squad, fact is that I thought and still think it was a mistake to loan him out. Having Lukaku and Eto'o would have been infinitely better than Torres/Ba being Eto'o's alternatives.

[didierforever 7,349]

Scored again. Does not matter. Sell him.

[johnnythefirst 1,076]

I feel that a lot of people on here are overstating his weaknesses and underrating his strengths. Obviously his first touch isn't perfect, but it isn't horrendous. It's more hit than miss. None of his qualities are world class separately, but combined he presents a very specific set of skills.

He's a giant with amazing speed and power and a more than decent technique for his size. He makes clever and decisive runs and defenders have to keep a constant eye on him because giving him a tiny bit of space could be deadly. He's at the right spot at the right moment several times each match, and for a striker "who doesn't create chances for others" six assists in half a season is not that bad.

Could he play in the current Chelsea system is another matter. I think he could. I mean, the team is still winning and creating chances with Torres upfront. Think of all the perfect Hazard passes he wasted. Lukaku would have scored at least half of those, and would probably be in a better position most of the time as well.

[Las7 951]

Scored again. Does not matter. Sell him.

Also provided the assist for Everton's third - sell him

[didierforever 7,349]

Also provided the assist for Everton's third - sell him

did he?? How dare he. Forget selling him, simply release him.

[duo11bluecl 207]

did he?? How dare he. Forget selling him, simply release him.

He can score 20 goals every season for all he does, we will still sign a Cavani/Costa and he will be benched

[CHOULO19 24,332]

I think if we are to see Romelu here next season, Torres has to go.

[didierforever 7,349]

He can score 20 goals every season for all he does, we will still sign a Cavani/Costa and he will be benched

ofcourse he will be our 2nd striker. Jose wants to make chelsea a top european team and for that we will sign a world class striker. But that still does not mean lukaku who has more goals than any of our current crop of strikers will be sold.