Romelu Lukaku

[Hutcho 8,443]

Arsenal is probably worse case scenario. However, with FFP, we won't have the upper hand when it comes to throwing millions of euros like its pocket change anymore... So, you won't really know what Roman plan is for the future...

Also, your comment concerning Arsenal departures...LOL. Arsenal probably has the best talent out of any team (EPL) in the past decade.

Huh? Best talent in the last decade?

Also with FFP. We are In a great situation. We have a great young squad already. That gives us 3 things:

1. Quality players

2. Players who can be here a long time.

3. Resale value

Mata is already considered the leader of our attack and the "wise head" and he is only 24... Hazard is showing signs of greatness and he is only 22. Lukaku 19. Oscar 21. KDB 21. Chalobah 18. Azpi 23. Courtois 20.

That's 8 of some of the highest rated young talent under 24... All of whom could potentially play on the same team, and could be here for a long time.

Because of that we don't need to break the bank every single transfer window.

[Korea 734]

Huh? Best talent in the last decade?

Also with FFP. We are In a great situation. We have a great young squad already. That gives us 3 things:

1. Quality players

2. Players who can be here a long time.

3. Resale value

Mata is already considered the leader of our attack and the "wise head" and he is only 24... Hazard is showing signs of greatness and he is only 22. Lukaku 19. Oscar 21. KDB 21. Chalobah 18. Azpi 23. Courtois 20.

That's 8 of some of the highest rated young talent under 24... All of whom could potentially play on the same team, and could be here for a long time.

Because of that we don't need to break the bank every single transfer window.

Hopefully, but a big reason why players go to Chelsea is due to high wages. Also, ideally, it be great if Roman didn't go crazy in the transfer market, but everyone knows other teams sell their.players high when it comes to dealing with Chelsea.

i agree with that wewe have a good young setup going on, however, how many will succeed at Chelsea realistically.

[Flemishblue 61]

If Lukaku had played against West Ham instead of Ba, he had scored 2 goals minimum..

He is a true blue and he's ready .. give the fridge a chance !

[different level 1,056]

Yup, Lukaku has definitely done more than enough to earn his chance in the squad next season especially with the goalscoring rate of our strikers. His age should not be a problem as the really talented young players like Romelu don't need that many chances to show their ability. That was the case this year with him in West Brom as he became the live wire of their attack and the center of almost anything dangerous they do in front of goal. Yes, there is a lot of pressure when you play in a top team and there is even extra pressure when you are a Chelsea striker, but I think he'll deal with that well.

[The Skipper 20,609]

Can anyone actually give me a qualifiable argument on why Lukaku won't be able to handle the pressure because of his age? Age does NOT define maturity in football. You can't write Lukaku off based on conditional, superficial statements that haven't even happened before.

[Santiago. 1,500]

All the more to have Lukaku as our first choice with Mourinho guiding him. He has a hunger for ambition which will strive under jose.

[Leif 6,006]

I agree with every comment regarding the notion of him 'not being ready' being a crap statement to make with such conviction.

Lukaku has more senior appearances at club level than some players 5 years older have!

He has 19 Senior National Team caps - That's more than Luiz, Oscar, Moses, Marin, Azpi & Ba have for their countries. It's also only 2 short of what Mata has for Spain. Between Anderlecht and West Brom, he's been knocking in goals at just under 1 goal a game - (around 100 league appearances for both teams combined with just 4 short of 50 goals.) Impressive for a nineteen year old, no?

At West Brom, he currently averages exactly 1 goal every 2 games if you look at stats - but a closer look reveals that he scores on just about every start he gets for the team (where-as he rarely scores coming off the bench.)

Maybe that is what should be commented on regarding his mental more than anything - his inability (it would seem) to come in and change a game. It seems he has to grow into the games and takes typically 25-30mins before starting to boss things.

At the age of 16 I believe he was the top scorer in the Belgium league. "It's just the Belgium league" you may say - but name one other league anywhere in the world where a 16 year old has been the top scorer. (Obscure leagues such as Sardinia or Chile don't count!!!)

Outside of football, he holds himself well in interviews both before/after games and on proper TV shows back in Belgium. He's incredibly humble despite clearly being aware that despite only making 8 league appearances for Chelsea, he's actually the club's best striker!

People develop at different rates. Some are early bloomers, some are late. There isn't some magical switch which just turns on/off depending on your age though. You don't suddenly wake up 'ready' one day. It's all about what you put into it.

Lukaku was a regular first-teamer at 16 years of age. Most players in the Premier League are lucky to be regular first teamers at 22. That's 6 years difference. Which in theory, if we were to follow the original idea that a player's age dictates his readiness to play for a big team - would mean that he's basically playing as a 25 year old given the fact he's currently 19 yet had all those extra years playing as a 1st-teamer.

[zolayes 14,489]

Babayaro was Belgium Player of Year aged 16

[semiller1313 23]

Babayaro was Belgium Player of Year aged 16

He was the Belgian Young Player of the Year. Don't want to be pedantic, but there is a significant difference between the best young player and the best overall player.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belgian_professional_football_awards

[The Skipper 20,609]

And Babayaro was never really 16 back then, lets be honest.

[Korea 734]

Ronnie I think was close to top scorer for Brazil at that age (might of been second or third), however, he went on to be number 1 goal scorer for PSV and Barca before the age of 20.

Anyways, now that I think about it, why are we even discussing this? We all know if Torres does stay, its going to be him and Ba as the number 1 forwards. If we sell/cut Torres, Roman will buy another forward to be the number 1 with Ba.

So, hypothetically, Lukaku will be the 3rd forward on the team and how many appearances do you think he will get??? Not that many I would assume...

[BlueLyon 9,359]

Look at Benteke. If Lukaku can be our main forward, so can be Benteke, dont you think?

Besides handling the pressure doesnt come with age, but with experience. Neither Lukaku or Benteke have any bg european match experience.

I would love to have Lukaku next year as main forward, but guys be ready to see average season for him. He wont come and bang goals every match. He wont do a 'whoa' moments. He wont score winner vs barca or Real. But he will help the team. He wont be more effective than Torres realy. But next year he will gain experience and get used to play here. A season after, he could be very good, but nothing close to Ibra, Falcao or Rvp. When he will be aged 24 or sth, he will be able to lead the club attack and bang with ease.

Again next year dont expect anything big from him. His potential is big, lets say he is on 70/100 developed, so what he is doing at this age is unbelievable. But he is still very unexperinced. He never realy played regulary for us, neither played in CL regulary.

I might be completely wrong, but as far I know history of our strikers and young strikers in general, this is most possible to happen. That doesnt mean that I dont support him or whatever, but dont expect from this lad to be some goalscorer next year. Because as I see expectations are very high (like he is 10x better than Torres or Ba, that he will score a lot,...) but when he will dissapoint a bit (look at Ba thread), peopl will run at him and blame him etc. He has superb potential, but as player in general, he is just above average. Yp he scored 13 goals, but so did Benteke or Lambert. The good thing about Lukaku is that he is young and can develop in great st.

Another thing is if he fits this team. He is more of counter attacking striker (long ball to him, he needs plenty of space). Sure he could be target man, but to work up to max with Mata and Hazard, he will need to upgrade his passing and first touch massively. Apart from that he already has all for a big guy. But with a team of technical players, he will need to do much more than just score goals from close range, or he could slow our attack down. His techniqe isnt bad (improved from last year), but he will need to imporve it even further.

P.S. Yesterday was exactly one year since joining this forum and I must say that its been a very nice year and I happy to join such comunity that supports my fav club.

Cheers!

[Santiago. 1,500]

Lukakoooooooooo!!!!!!

[LukakutoStamford 779]

It has nothing to do with being ready. That's not is what is at question here. I've merely been suggesting that I think Lukaku can and will be a superstar, but I'm concerned because if there is a way of screwing him up it's thrusting him into the spotlight at Chelsea as the main striker next year. Does that mean I think he'll fail in that role? No. It just means there's no point in rushing him when he can have a second year at WBA get more time, continue to improve, and then be ready for moving into the starting role at 21.

Think about that for a second someone of you want to rely on a 20 year old striker. That really begs the question as to what in the hell is the board doing. There should be a main striker in his mid twenties to handle the top flight duties and easing Lukaku into the spotlight at 21-23 years of age. Clearly Torres is rubbish, but it means Chelsea needs a #1 guy for the immediate future and then have Lukaku as the successor.

[The only place to be 11,313]

Look at Benteke. If Lukaku can be our main forward, so can be Benteke, dont you think?

Besides handling the pressure doesnt come with age, but with experience.

I disagree. Handling pressure is about character and this guy seems to have that in spades. I can name guys in different sports who stepped up when they were thrown into high pressure situations, and I can name guys who had tons of experience but none of the intangibles that you need to succeed.

It has nothing to do with being ready. That's not is what is at question here. I've merely been suggesting that I think Lukaku can and will be a superstar, but I'm concerned because if there is a way of screwing him up it's thrusting him into the spotlight at Chelsea as the main striker next year. Does that mean I think he'll fail in that role? No. It just means there's no point in rushing him when he can have a second year at WBA get more time, continue to improve, and then be ready for moving into the starting role at 21.

So another year at West Brom prepares him for a starting role at Chelsea Football Club?

If people are saying he should spend another year on loan to get ready for Chelsea, then WHY IN FUCK ARE THEY SUGGESTING WEST BROM? Seriously? What more can he learn at West Bromwich Albion?

This guy loves this club - there is not a moment in the next decade when he won't be under pressure at this club. That's because he's a professional footballer. He didn't win a competition, he's not a YTS kid, it's not 'take your son to work day'. He's a man who is paid money to play football and he appears to be pretty good at it. At some point you've got to take the plunge with him and I don't see what else he can learn at West Brom.