Romelu Lukaku

[zolayes 14,489]

We don't need to make a big money, big name striker for next season. Ba and Lukaku will do fine and are just what we need imo. Although I reckon we'll need a third striker but it doesn't have to be a big name.

Feruz as third

[Miracle 249]

We won't get the best out of Torres until we sell Lukaku.

[Leif 6,006]

The thing is - he's now used to playing with another striker alongside him, isn't he? It remains to be seen how he'd work in our system, which he failed in with the limited amount of shots we gave him. He seems to play at his best when the opposition are focusing on the other striker and forget about him. Playing as a lone striker here though means he'll constantly be tightly marked. This could work in our favour though, especially against young & inexperienced defenders, as he could flick the ball into the path of a player like Hazard, ultimately (and hopefully) leading to a goal. (I believe Hazard - Lukaku could be quite a nice partnership like Hazard - Sow was at Lille.)

He should either be brought back next season, thrown into the deep end, and we all just hope for the best - or he should be loaned to a new team next season, maybe even just until January - but a team which primarily uses a system utilising a lone striker.

He'll also offer us a new option assuming Torres leaves - which is Ba & Lukaku up-top - which could perhaps get the best out of Ba like we saw when he was partnered with Cisse (who I don't even believe is as good as Lukaku. He only has better finishing really.)

That would possibly be a good idea against teams like West Ham United, Newcastle United or any physical teams really. Either Mata can go out on the left side of midfield (we saw last season he can hold his own there) with Hazard on the right, both on their strong feet meaning they can get in some lovely crosses - or keep Hazard there on the left and put Moses on the right with Mata being rested in those games, maybe even with an Oscar + Mikel partnership in midfield (if Oscar stays back a bit) meaning through-balls galore.

Lukaku offers options, something Torres does not.

[zolayes 14,489]

We won't get the best out of Torres until we sell Lukaku.

love a lady with a sense of humour

[SinineUltra 1,170]

Lukaku has been great and is definitely one for the near future, but I can't really picture us going against a top opposition in a CL game with Ba/Lukaku/Feruz. No doubt every man on that list is a great footballer and an asset but hoping that strikers with practically no experience in an European competition can be our saviors seems to be a bit of a wishful thinking. Not to mention that despite all the creativity in our side, the lone striker gets little to no chance to score unless he is very good and adapted. (Like Drogba was.)

[robdog 2,084]

The thing is - he's now used to playing with another striker alongside him, isn't he? It remains to be seen how he'd work in our system, which he failed in with the limited amount of shots we gave him. He seems to play at his best when the opposition are focusing on the other striker and forget about him. Playing as a lone striker here though means he'll constantly be tightly marked. This could work in our favour though, especially against young & inexperienced defenders, as he could flick the ball into the path of a player like Hazard, ultimately (and hopefully) leading to a goal. (I believe Hazard - Lukaku could be quite a nice partnership like Hazard - Sow was at Lille.)

He should either be brought back next season, thrown into the deep end, and we all just hope for the best - or he should be loaned to a new team next season, maybe even just until January - but a team which primarily uses a system utilising a lone striker.

He'll also offer us a new option assuming Torres leaves - which is Ba & Lukaku up-top - which could perhaps get the best out of Ba like we saw when he was partnered with Cisse (who I don't even believe is as good as Lukaku. He only has better finishing really.)

That would possibly be a good idea against teams like West Ham United, Newcastle United or any physical teams really. Either Mata can go out on the left side of midfield (we saw last season he can hold his own there) with Hazard on the right, both on their strong feet meaning they can get in some lovely crosses - or keep Hazard there on the left and put Moses on the right with Mata being rested in those games, maybe even with an Oscar + Mikel partnership in midfield (if Oscar stays back a bit) meaning through-balls galore.

Lukaku offers options, something Torres does not.

So eloquently put Diddy..errr Leif...What's up w/ the HipHop avatars? Go back to B.I.G.

[The only place to be 11,313]

Someone really fucking clever.

There were people writing him off in the summer, and now he's banging them in so it actually was a pretty fucking clever move wasn't it?

Jesus. The board gets all the stick and none of the credit. Some people here are saying we should go into the new season with Ba, Lukaku and Feruz (which I would be happy with). That's one striker who cost the same as Bebe, one who is perhaps worth double what we paid for him at the age of 19 and another who has something special about him and could be great for us.

That to me is the work of a football club who has a bit of nous about them.

[zolayes 14,489]

Lukaku has been great and is definitely one for the near future, but I can't really picture us going against a top opposition in a CL game with Ba/Lukaku/Feruz. No doubt every man on that list is a great footballer and an asset but hoping that strikers with practically no experience in an European competition can be our saviors seems to be a bit of a wishful thinking. Not to mention that despite all the creativity in our side, the lone striker gets little to no chance to score unless he is very good and adapted. (Like Drogba was.)

Torres has plenty of experience ...would you prefer him??? and Benitez as our coach??

[Santiago. 1,500]

Holy Christ

[bushman 2,043]

There were people writing him off in the summer, and now he's banging them in so it actually was a pretty fucking clever move wasn't it?

Jesus. The board gets all the stick and none of the credit. Some people here are saying we should go into the new season with Ba, Lukaku and Feruz (which I would be happy with). That's one striker who cost the same as Bebe, one who is perhaps worth double what we paid for him at the age of 19 and another who has something special about him and could be great for us.

That to me is the work of a football club who has a bit of nous about them.

How could it be clever when Lukaku is scoring elsewhere & Chelsea had to buy BA so someone can play up front & score some fucking goals ?

[robdog 2,084]

Torres has plenty of experience ...would you prefer him??? and Benitez as our coach??

it's because we are led to believe that rafadyce would bring out the best in torrid

[themightyblue 443]

The thing is - he's now used to playing with another striker alongside him, isn't he? It remains to be seen how he'd work in our system, which he failed in with the limited amount of shots we gave him. He seems to play at his best when the opposition are focusing on the other striker and forget about him. Playing as a lone striker here though means he'll constantly be tightly marked. This could work in our favour though, especially against young & inexperienced defenders, as he could flick the ball into the path of a player like Hazard, ultimately (and hopefully) leading to a goal. (I believe Hazard - Lukaku could be quite a nice partnership like Hazard - Sow was at Lille.)

He should either be brought back next season, thrown into the deep end, and we all just hope for the best - or he should be loaned to a new team next season, maybe even just until January - but a team which primarily uses a system utilising a lone striker.

He'll also offer us a new option assuming Torres leaves - which is Ba & Lukaku up-top - which could perhaps get the best out of Ba like we saw when he was partnered with Cisse (who I don't even believe is as good as Lukaku. He only has better finishing really.)

That would possibly be a good idea against teams like West Ham United, Newcastle United or any physical teams really. Either Mata can go out on the left side of midfield (we saw last season he can hold his own there) with Hazard on the right, both on their strong feet meaning they can get in some lovely crosses - or keep Hazard there on the left and put Moses on the right with Mata being rested in those games, maybe even with an Oscar + Mikel partnership in midfield (if Oscar stays back a bit) meaning through-balls galore.

Lukaku offers options, something Torres does not.

Most of his goals have come playing in a 4231. The 442 played at WBA has only been a recent thing. In fact his 2nd goal came about with Long off the pitch and Lukaku as the lone striker

[Santiago. 1,500]

Really clever from our board to have Torres the only option for Europe. Not to mention we let two better forwards go to make way for our 50mill man. Brilliant

[zolayes 14,489]

Really clever from our board to have Torres the only option for Europe. Not to mention we let two better forwards go to make way for our 50mill man. Brilliant

there are some who still believe in Torres .....................................and the tooth fairy

[bushman 2,043]

Those who believe in Ferda are clueless. Those who think that to loan Lukaku out was beneficial are out of it too.

[Stats 7,142]

Look it is clear that most of (including me), would prefer Lukaku over Torres, and during the summer I wanted him to stay with us however the loan works for both us and the player. Had he been here, he would have stalled due to not being a prominent fixture in the team, like last season. But he got his loan to West Brom with a good manager who has helped him develop. Lukaku is getting regular football with lower expectations and he has proved himself. While it is annoying to think he is outperforming our strikers, he is going to come back a much better player. Imagine we had kept him here, like last season, would have been awful. He did not manage a league goal last season and going out loan was a good choice.

If you asked me who would I prefer as our no.1 striker right now I would want Lukaku, but would I want to abort the loan? No way, he is improving down there and will benefit him to return in the summer, providing we have our long term manager and transfer plans sorted out.

[The only place to be 11,313]

I have a huge feeling he will put in a few dissapointing performances then get dropped for the rest of the season and sit on the bench.

Is he ready for Premier League?, i think he will be our number one forward one day i really do, but he's not ready for Premier League yet, he's 19 he has plenty of time to adjust, this move could kill him, or at least effect him in a major way.

Championship Club would've been suitable. Well anyway we will see, he seems to play well for Belgium and looks a different player there, he might shock us all and play well for West Brom. Best of luck to him, really hope he does well.

Completely agree. I have no idea why we don't loan to the championship more often. The level is much higher than reserves or youth but the players have a much better chance to succeed than in the PL.

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.

But Lukakau is not Drogba nor does he play like him.

Those who believe in Ferda are clueless. Those who think that to loan Lukaku out was beneficial are out of it too.

So now you understand what some people thought before the season started. He needed this loan and he will be a better player for it. I've tried to explain to you before why Chelsea have loaned the players out, but you're baffled by all of them. What you need to understand is that you're wrong. You're wrong about Lukaku's loan and you're wrong about most of the other loans.

It's why you can't formulate a response that backs-up your assertion.

[Kinol 337]

Really clever from our board to have Torres the only option for Europe. Not to mention we let two better forwards go to make way for our 50mill man. Brilliant

Weve given up more than just 2 strikers for Torres - Drogba, Sturridge, Anelka, Ancelotti, Di Mateo. Yeah, the list goes on.

[bushman 2,043]

So now you understand what some people thought before the season started. He needed this loan and he will be a better player for it. I've tried to explain to you before why Chelsea have loaned the players out, but you're baffled by all of them. What you need to understand is that you're wrong. You're wrong about Lukaku's loan and you're wrong about most of the other loans.

It's why you can't formulate a response that backs-up your assertion.

Most of us can see Chelsea´s mistake on loaning Lukaku. Somehow, you don´t. Should I be surprised ? I guess not.

When Chelsea saw how pathetic Ferda was, mind you it was obvious after 2 months, they could have brought Lukaku home. Even could have saved money on BA, even though I am happy to see him at Chelsea now, & Lukaku could be playing in just about every game now. The end result, the kid is too good & should play ahead of Ferda, just maybe even BA ?

[Hutcho 8,443]

One thing though...

It wasn't incredibly stupid it was incredibly clever to send him out on loan, because he needed regular first team football. Which he has got and has improved incredibly in one season which is a great thing. It was incredibly stupid though to keep torres, and go into the season with 2 strikers 1 of which is crap the other never had a chance. Now if we don't utilise him next season then we are incredibly stupid or if we don't get rid of torres then we are. But he would probably not have got close to the game time or development without a loan spell.

But having said that i would love to have him back right now and play some form of 2 up front with ba and lukaku...