Romelu Lukaku

[Styles 9,790]

What a signing for the Albion this lad has been. Massive part of whats been a cracking season. His attitude as well as his ability is so great to see, hes going to be a top top player when hes matured a little, hes allready improved massively as the season has progressed. Confident, powerful, great finisher, enthusiastic all ways id describe him.

This is the post match interview by our official site. comes accross as a top lad. If by a miracle we get him for another year i speak on behalf of every Albion fan as we'd be over the moon

Welcome! What do you make of his all round play? How good is he with his back towards goal? And his passing?

Have to give a lot of credit to Clarke for his work with Lukaku. I doubt Lukaku would be having the same level of success with most managers in this league.

[Jype 6,398]

What a game yesterday, this man is a beast. Why should we buy Falcao or Cavani in the summer when we have this gem on our hands and also Demba Ba who has one of the best goalscoring records in the league for the past two years? With an improved midfield both Lukaku and Ba would be very much capable of scoring 15-25 league goals a season and that's more than enough to compete in the PL. Also, I would be much happier watching a true blue like Lukaku banging them in than buy a £50m striker who's considered to be one of the best in the world already.

Regarding the discussion on whether the loan was a right move or not, just go watch this thread from July or August. Most of you were writing him off after the pre-season and now the board are cunts for loaning him out and letting him become the player he is now?

[Nic! 301]

Welcome! What do you make of his all round play? How good is he with his back towards goal? And his passing?

Have to give a lot of credit to Clarke for his work with Lukaku. I doubt Lukaku would be having the same level of success with most managers in this league.

Well, this was what SkySports said on their match report:

"Man of the Game - Is there a better forward with back to goal in the Premier League than Romelu Lukaku? The forward has strength, power and pace and was a cut above anything else at only 19 years of age"

[Mufassir08 2,400]

I think this loan has been brilliant for lukaku.If he had stayed over here this season i have no doubts that he would have been a shadow of his current self.I think we should just sign a cheap 3rd choice versatile striker like aspas/heung min with ba and lukaku.The thought of lukaku,ramires and hazard on the counter attacks is so frightening.

[Miracle 249]

Understatement of the year from Gary Lineker: "He (Lukaku) is putting Torres in the shade at the moment".

I'd love to see him back at the Bridge next season, but I have a bad feeling that the club has infinite patience where Torres is concerned.

[English Freak 456]

Well dear freak,

May I ask what does Rafa has to do with Lukaku not being able to play well ?

Lukaku needs regular game time to gain confidence and play well..which he wouldn't get under Rafa..cause Torres is locked in as the #1 striker regardless of his pathetic finishing.

I bet if Chelsea brought back Lukaku in January..Rafa would just keep using his pet Torres for 80 minutes in most games...and then he'd bring on Lukaku for the last 10 minutes...which would seriously impact his development.

[Mufassir08 2,400]

Understatement of the year from Gary Lineker: "He (Lukaku) is putting Torres in the shade at the moment".

I'd love to see him back at the Bridge next season, but I have a bad feeling that the club has infinite patience where Torres is concerned.

LOL!!!!Last year's lukaku is better then this torres.The current lukaku is in a completely different league.

[bushman 2,043]

Lukaku needs regular game time to gain confidence and play well..which he wouldn't get under Rafa..cause Torres is locked in as the #1 striker regardless of his pathetic finishing.

I bet if Chelsea brought back Lukaku in January..Rafa would just keep using his pet Torres for 80 minutes in most games...and then he'd bring on Lukaku for the last 10 minutes...which would seriously impact his development.

How do you know all that ? Amazing to me. Is BA playing for Rafa ?

[HillWBA 77]

Welcome! What do you make of his all round play? How good is he with his back towards goal? And his passing?

Have to give a lot of credit to Clarke for his work with Lukaku. I doubt Lukaku would be having the same level of success with most managers in this league.

He is still very young and can be quite raw at times. Yesterday his all round game was excellent though, although Sunderland have a really poor defence Lukaku REALLY took advantage of that. They didnt show his disallowed goal on motd where the ref pulled the play back and didnt allow and advantage for 1second and Lukaku stroked the ball home in the first half.

Steve Clarke hasnt rushed him in, we play a number of different systems. Him and Long havent played together much we normally go 1 up top and Lukakus starts to goals ratio is quite incredible. (9 goals in 12 starts, 12 goals in total) Still cant get over the fact the lad is 19!?!

The difficult part for him now is how he copes with peoples expectations, next season could be tough for him as people try and work him out.

[bushman 2,043]

Romelu has set his sights to become better & fulfill his ambition with West Brom, I read just about every day.

With Ferda struggling for goals it remains a mystery why Chelsea have not recalled Lukaku in January.

Does he feel bitter towards Chelsea for not getting a proper chance last year ?

Of course he wants to get better & claims he has the people around him to help him improve.

I would not be too surprise if he tells Chelsea to get lost in the summer & stay with WB.

What a stupid management do Chelsea have is my question.

[Gorando 184]

Romelu has set his sights to become better & fulfill his ambition with West Brom, I read just about every day.

With Ferda struggling for goals it remains a mystery why Chelsea have not recalled Lukaku in January.

Does he feel bitter towards Chelsea for not getting a proper chance last year ?

Of course he wants to get better & claims he has the people around him to help him improve.

I would not be too surprise if he tells Chelsea to get lost in the summer & stay with WB.

What a stupid management do Chelsea have is my question.

Just read a quote from him saying his relationship with Chelsea is excellent

[bushman 2,043]

Just read a quote from him saying his relationship with Chelsea is excellent

What did you expect him to say ?

Personally, I do not feel he was too pleased the way Chelsea dealt with him.

[Jack Uzzi 54]

Thing is, I believe Lukaku will always be part of successful teams. So Chelsea better gives him a chance.

There is just something about him, besides his agility, pace, strong finishing ... he exerts so much positivism and dynamism both off and on the pitch. Very important player to make important for the whole group. Top lad in that sense indeed.

[Peace. 4,352]

In my honest opinion, I think that he should be loaned out again next season. I'll explain why.

Let's be honest here. Even if we take him back in the summer, we will still have to buy another striker. Yes we play with only one striker so two should suffice and blablabla... Romelu seems to be doing more than alright at West Bromwich. Although, realistically speaking, it will be a whole another melody to perform well at a club which is aiming the title. I am not saying that he won't ; I am just saying that it won't happen overnight and it will probably take him more than one year to impose himself as the n°1 and as a very good striker. And, on a second hand, we have Ba. Let's not be afraid of saying this : he is good but not very good. I mean, it's not the striker you'd have in your starting team if you were aiming for the summits of European football. Furthermore, if I am not mistaken, he has serious concerns with his knee(s) ; he cannot play more than once per week. In other words, that's not a striker on which you can count to drag you towards the top.

I strongly believe that having only Ba and Lukaku as strikers next year will be one more step toward the mediocrity...

So, after having said that, it appears clear — at least to my mind — that we need to buy another striker in the summer, regardless of the situation of Lukaku. But what kind of striker ? A stop-gap in order to make the transition between Ba and Lukaku ? Or a world-class striker who will be undoubtly our starter for the two/three next years ? I'd take the later, without the shadow of an hesitation. First off, we should rule out Ba for the mid-term / long-term. Considering his knee(s), it's the wisest thing to do — we have build in castles into the air for too long. No no no, we have to buy someone of Cavini caliber.

Therefore, Lukaku might find his way to the first team restraint. Which could stale his development. That's not what we want, for his own sake — and for ours too. Cavani (for the sake of the debate) would be de facto be the n°1 striker ; and Ba could have the benefit of the age over Romelu.

That's why I think he should be loaned out again next season. He should make slowly his way into West Bromwich starting eleven (granted he stays there) and then he will be apt to take a big part into Chelsea. It seems that even him wants to be loaned one more year. So if he feels that's the better for his development, why not grant him that ? On a long term perspective, that'll also be the best thing for Chelsea. It's better to let him blossom away from the poisonous atmosphere of this club.

At least, that's how I fashion the upcoming year.

[Eggman 118]

Thing is, I believe Lukaku will always be part of successful teams. So Chelsea better gives him a chance.

There is just something about him, besides his agility, pace, strong finishing ... he exerts so much positivism and dynamism both off and on the pitch. Very important player to make important for the whole group. Top lad in that sense indeed.

He has a lot of determination and will-power doesn't he? (something his little brother might well be lacking)

[zolayes 14,489]

You raise many relevant points there . Perhaps the one that gives most pain is that he would blossom better away from the poisonous atmosphere of the

Bridge. Sadly I tend to agree with that and it might a;so be true for Courtois. KDB ,, Josh . Nat and the other 18 currently out on loan

[Eggman 118]

In my honest opinion, I think that he should be loaned out again next season. I'll explain why.

Let's be honest here. Even if we take him back in the summer, we will still have to buy another striker. Yes we play with only one striker so two should suffice and blablabla... Romelu seems to be doing more than alright at West Bromwich. Although, realistically speaking, it will be a whole another melody to perform well at a club which is aiming the title. I am not saying that he won't ; I am just saying that it won't happen overnight and it will probably take him more than one year to impose himself as the n°1 and as a very good striker. And, on a second hand, we have Ba. Let's not be afraid of saying this : he is good but not very good. I mean, it's not the striker you'd have in your starting team if you were aiming for the summits of European football. Furthermore, if I am not mistaken, he has serious concerns with his knee(s) ; he cannot play more than once per week. In other words, that's not a striker on which you can count to drag you towards the top.

I strongly believe that having only Ba and Lukaku as strikers next year will be one more step toward the mediocrity...

So, after having said that, it appears clear — at least to my mind — that we need to buy another striker in the summer, regardless of the situation of Lukaku. But what kind of striker ? A stop-gap in order to make the transition between Ba and Lukaku ? Or a world-class striker who will be undoubtly our starter for the two/three next years ? I'd take the later, without the shadow of an hesitation. First off, we should rule out Ba for the mid-term / long-term. Considering his knee(s), it's the wisest thing to do — we have build in castles into the air for too long. No no no, we have to buy someone of Cavini caliber.

Therefore, Lukaku might find his way to the first team restraint. Which could stale his development. That's not what we want, for his own sake — and for ours too. Cavani (for the sake of the debate) would be de facto be the n°1 striker ; and Ba could have the benefit of the age over Romelu.

That's why I think he should be loaned out again next season. He should make slowly his way into West Bromwich starting eleven (granted he stays there) and then he will be apt to take a big part into Chelsea. It seems that even him wants to be loaned one more year. So if he feels that's the better for his development, why not grant him that ? On a long term perspective, that'll also be the best thing for Chelsea. It's better to let him blossom away from the poisonous atmosphere of this club.

At least, that's how I fashion the upcoming year.

I agree. Although I'd love to see Lukaku in a Blues shirt, it is perhaps too early (that is, if you want to compete for the chamionship) for him to "carry" the attack as a 20 year old.

It comes down to 2 scenarios: (1) give him one more year on loan at a more dominantly playing club to further develop, and thus buy another top striker for next season to replace goldy locks. (2) keep Lukaku as a second striker and buy a striker with ability who can immediately be called upon (ideally then, a striker in his thirties who does not mind sitting on the bench occasionely, who has experience and who is a killer). I wonder though, who this should be.

[Changingman_2000 876]

Romelu Lukaku has been blinding this year, absolutely blinding. I said at the time that he is fucking miles better than Ba. I may be wrong but, as far as I am aware, these season long loan deals can be reviewed in the January transfer window. If thats the case then doing 7M on Ba, when we could have got Romelu back is just rank bad business. Lukaku is better then both of our options, and by some distance.

Surely he'll be wearing a Chelsea shirt next season. The next manager will hopefully sort that issue out pronto and punt Torres. Ba will become a kind of Kezman figure, lasting barely a season before being flogged at a loss.

[LukakutoStamford 779]

It's better to patient with him and a second loan year would be better in the long run. The team here needs to get quiet a few things sorted before they can move forward to be a legitimate contender for PL title. Coaching, midfield, playing system, defense all need to be sorted before Lukaku should move back to Chelsea. The last thing that needs to happen is rushing him back to Chelsea and having him falter because he hasn't developed into a consistent player and everyone is expecting 25+ PL goals from him.

He'd be better off returning to West Brom for another year and getting more time and starts.

He's doing well because he's being gradually brought along and he needs more time to develop. Tossing him in next year could work but you run the risk of ruining him because of the immense pressure of expectations of both him and Chelsea.

[TorontoChelsea 4,064]

It's better to patient with him and a second loan year would be better in the long run. The team here needs to get quiet a few things sorted before they can move forward to be a legitimate contender for PL title. Coaching, midfield, playing system, defense all need to be sorted before Lukaku should move back to Chelsea. The last thing that needs to happen is rushing him back to Chelsea and having him falter because he hasn't developed into a consistent player and everyone is expecting 25+ PL goals from him. He'd be better off returning to West Brom for another year and getting more time and starts. He's doing well because he's being gradually brought along and he needs more time to develop. Tossing him in next year could work but you run the risk of ruining him because of the immense pressure of expectations of both him and Chelsea.

Exactly. Lukaku has generally played very well this year, but Chelsea right now do not play a system where strikers can succeed. We are a team that's set-up around our attacking midfielders which leads to the best chances falling to our midfielders. (This is not to excuse Torres, he's been awful, but our system also doesn't help strikers). WBA plays a system that works around setting up the striker. WBA's top three scorers are all strikers. Chelsea's top three scorers are all midfielders. I'd rather Chelsea bring in a new manager next year, get a system in place that fits the team and is working and then bring back Lukaku. I'm less worried about KDB because he is versatile enough to play in any system, but one always has to be concerned if a young striker has a tough spell that they may lose confidence. I wouldn't be against bringing Lukaku back, but I don't think it's a given no matter how well he does. (First things first, Torres needs to go.)