Romelu Lukaku

[Stats 7,059]

1 minute ago, Jase said:

There is more than one way to skin a cat.

And do you think only Lukaku's goals will be enough to have us challenge for the league title? Because even when we have won the league with a #9, that #9 isn't the only goalscorer in the team. 

And what if Lukaku's goals only come against the smaller teams and not the big ones, thus maybe causing us to lose the head-to-head games and points? 

I generally think it will. We have already beaten Arsenal, Spurs away from home convincingly. Liverpool got a point away and all the other 'smaller' teams we have beaten by a good margin also. Villa are a good outfit and despite scoreline flattering us we beat them 3-0. Last season we would struggle in those games to finish teams off. In our next few fixtures coming up, we can generate a good advantage if we beat them and I would bank on Lukaku scoring in majority of them. I think the smaller games this season, may well be defining factor in us winning league this season. I still expect Liverpool to drop points against bigger teams. In United's case they have dropped points against smaller teams and have not played any of the so called 'top teams' so far.

[Jase 43,479]

Just now, Stats said:

I generally think it will. We have already beaten Arsenal, Spurs away from home convincingly. Liverpool got a point away and all the other 'smaller' teams we have beaten by a good margin also. Villa are a good outfit and despite scoreline flattering us we beat them 3-0. Last season we would struggle in those games to finish teams off. In our next few fixtures coming up, we can generate a good advantage if we beat them and I would bank on Lukaku scoring in majority of them. I think the smaller games this season, may well be defining factor in us winning league this season. I still expect Liverpool to drop points against bigger teams. In United's case they have dropped points against smaller teams and have not played any of the so called 'top teams' so far.

Yes, we have won those games but the issue is the nature of our attacking performances. Notice how the narrative has seemingly shifted from "we keep missing chances" to "we don't create enough chances"?

Against Villa, we won because of Lukaku's finishing and Kovacic pouncing on an error. Against Spurs, it took a corner and a shot from distance to break Spurs down. 

Lukaku or not, such dodgy attacking performances are gonna catch up with us - as seen against City and Juventus - if they don't improve. 

[Stats 7,059]

16 minutes ago, Jase said:

Yes, we have won those games but the issue is the nature of our attacking performances. Notice how the narrative has seemingly shifted from "we keep missing chances" to "we don't create enough chances"?

Against Villa, we won because of Lukaku's finishing and Kovacic pouncing on an error. Against Spurs, it took a corner and a shot from distance to break Spurs down. 

Lukaku or not, such dodgy attacking performances are gonna catch up with us - as seen against City and Juventus - if they don't improve. 

Either way though, we have a focal point and that for me makes a big difference.

You may see it as the attacking performances will catch up with us. I see it as hopefully soon, they will click into gear.

City we were just way too defensive. I mean, honestly despite his flaws would I be genuinely confident of a title challenge without Lukaku? No. Do I think now we have him, we have a genuine chance of winning the league? Yes. I do.

[Jase 43,479]

10 minutes ago, Stats said:

You may see it as the attacking performances will catch up with us. I see it as hopefully soon, they will click into gear.

Aren't we implying the same thing here?

And you said "hopefully", does that mean you're not 100% convinced it will happen soon? 👀

[Stats 7,059]

4 minutes ago, Jase said:

Aren't we implying the same thing here?

And you said "hopefully", does that mean you're not 100% convinced it will happen soon? 👀

I think it will. But nothing is guaranteed. We have had tough games and chopping and changing with line ups. I reckon goals will come flying in.

[NikkiCFC 8,060]

 

[ZAPHOD2319 4,525]

Romelu Lukaku has left the Belgium squad due to "muscle fatigue", says head coach Roberto Martinez.
 

 

[Jase 43,479]

57 minutes ago, ZAPHOD2319 said:

Romelu Lukaku has left the Belgium squad due to "muscle fatigue", says head coach Roberto Martinez.
 

I know people will say Lukaku is our talisman now etc but maybe Tuchel shouldn't try to shoehorn him into every game or play him in every minute of a game. I mean, wasn't there also an injury concern with Lukaku last month? Plus, there's another international break next month and still a long way to go in the season. 

[Tomo 21,733]

2 hours ago, Jase said:

I know people will say Lukaku is our talisman now etc but maybe Tuchel shouldn't try to shoehorn him into every game or play him in every minute of a game. I mean, wasn't there also an injury concern with Lukaku last month? Plus, there's another international break next month and still a long way to go in the season. 

Would be sods law if he misses a chunk of his bread and butter fixtures and returns for the United game.

[ZAPHOD2319 4,525]

[positivefootball 195]

£97.5 for a player who cant run and control a ball, maybe we will go cry again to the press

[Milan 17,861]

🤣 money wasted

[Beigl 1,387]

1 minute ago, Milan said:

🤣 money wasted

Was obvious from the start. 

[Milan 17,861]

8 minutes ago, Beigl said:

Was obvious from the start. 

The depressing part is we are stuck with him for years. Unless Conte takes him to his new club again which is not probable...

He has made us worse and we are stuck with him 😥

Edited October 16, 2021 by Milan

[MoroccanBlue 5,320]

Hindsight 20/20 but 170 million for both Chiesa and Hakimi would’ve been far better. 

[chelsea_4_eva 1,160]

Just hope he doesnt throw a fit when hes not starting.

[Jase 43,479]

Was surprised to see Tuchel took Lukaku off...

[OneMoSalah 8,788]

18 minutes ago, MoroccanBlue said:

Hindsight 20/20 but 170 million for both Chiesa and Hakimi would’ve been far better. 

Yet neither are CFs which this team needed so its a pointless comparison. Both would of been excellent signings, Hakimi especially, but still still leave us short uptop because if there is one thing we have seen from Timo and Kai is they still aren’t fully dependable as strikers at a big club.

10 minutes ago, Jase said:

Was surprised to see Tuchel took Lukaku off...

Thought he would of done it sooner, he didn't play well at all. Issues in attack with not releasing it quick enough is one thing, his play today was also not good at all. Obviously perhaps its not going to happen overnight but shoehorning him and Werner together in a front 2 doesn’t look exactly brilliant yet either.

Re subs RLC as well second half should have went, very concerning he still struggles after 60-65 minutes with the intensity of the PL. Did well first half too in phases bar not being progressive enough with distribution. Just like Kovacic but bit more physical.
 

Edited October 16, 2021 by OneMoSalah