Romelu Lukaku

[Blue Armour 4,280]

33 minutes ago, Tomo said:

Unfortunately we don't play defenders as shit as Pablo Mari every week.

The signs were there even against Villa, we created little and were kept in the game by Mendy (in no small part thanks to Villa utilising the holes created by Lukaku not pressing), that game Lukaku actually took his chances, but it was never sustainable as it gas since proved.

True, but Pizy does have a point about his fitness.

After his one month on sidelines he has come back as a far less agile player. Haven't really seen him bully defenders like he did against Arsenal, or Tyrone Mings. All that talk about making amends and he doesn't seem to be maintaining whatever standard he had.

Edited February 20, 2022 by Blue Armour

[lucio 5,418]

1 hour ago, Fulham Broadway said:

So Ian Wright, Shearer, and Lineker all said the same thing - its a training fault. They showed numerous videos of when Lukaku is not getting first time balls in, and the opportunity is lost. 

I reckon this will be rectified in training now.

If he didn’t have a touch like a brick wall people would give him first time balls more 

[Pizy 18,368]

42 minutes ago, Blue Armour said:

True, but Pizy does have a point about his fitness.

After his one month on sidelines he has come back as a far less agile player. Haven't really seen him bully defenders like he did against Arsenal, or Tyrone Mings. All that talk about making amends and he doesn't seem to be maintaining whatever standard he had.

You can really see it especially in his face. He had the chiseled jaw line and thin looking face. His torso was also lean looking.

Now he looks like he packed on quite a few pounds. 

[Vytis33 1,143]

I mentioned it before but there's no way TT is looking at these games and seeing a nailed on starter here right?   I mean he strikes me as a pretty intelligent guy.  Surely something more is at play.

[cosmicway 1,323]

We absolved Lukaku for that interview but there is an explanation now.
He knew he could n't handle the premier, he is preparing excuses over the "environment at Chelsea" and so forth so he can go back to Italy where he thinks it will be easy for him.
Sub now.

 

[Fulham Broadway 16,846]

6 hours ago, Tomo said:

If Lukaku needs specific conditions to achieve even basic competence then he's a fundamentally shit footballer.

Shearer, Wrighty and Lineker the ultimate scorers seemed quite emphatic in their assessment, and  to know what they were talking about in terms of his poor service. They were also quite critical of his movement, and that both these facets had not been addressed in training.

For the club to have spunked out 97m they must have studied, watched, read numerous scouts reports just to acquire a 'shit footballer' This means there are several highly paid club officials that are stealing a living. Doesn't bode well.

 

[Jase 43,479]

6 hours ago, Blue Armour said:

True, but Pizy does have a point about his fitness.

After his one month on sidelines he has come back as a far less agile player. Haven't really seen him bully defenders like he did against Arsenal, or Tyrone Mings. All that talk about making amends and he doesn't seem to be maintaining whatever standard he had.

 

6 hours ago, Pizy said:

You can really see it especially in his face. He had the chiseled jaw line and thin looking face. His torso was also lean looking.

Now he looks like he packed on quite a few pounds. 

Gary Neville made the same remark late last year/earlier this year. So much for his all talk about being on strict diet, having a nutritionist etc at Inter. Seems like Conte was the one who kept a leash on him (and others perhaps). 

[Jase 43,479]

7 hours ago, Tomo said:

If Lukaku needs specific conditions to achieve even basic competence then he's a fundamentally shit footballer.

Do you not understand the memo, Tomo? Everything has to be done perfectly for a top 3 striker in the world to thrive. EVERYTHING. Anything else is others' fault. 

[Jase 43,479]

1 hour ago, Fulham Broadway said:

Shearer, Wrighty and Lineker the ultimate scorers seemed quite emphatic in their assessment, and  to know what they were talking about in terms of his poor service.

We have not been great at servicing our strikers or attackers for years but to have only 7 touches in the game and all the ineffective games that he's had is not good to say the least, especially when he cost us 100 million. I'm sure Tuchel hasn't told him not to move and just stay up there. If he's not getting involved in games, does he not have the brain to maybe at least come deep, get the ball, link up with others a bit and then go the other way or run the channels etc? You know, to try and get involved more? Last season, we spent ages moaning about Werner and whoever else for not taking the chances but now, the complaint is that the striker is not getting the service, which again something we have not been good at doing for years. Why? Our attacking system under Tuchel hasn't been great but at the same time, there's also the problem with this 100 million player and one that Tuchel seems hellbent on playing week in week out to the detriment of the team. It was mostly forced by the injuries but Tuchel has even used many different systems to help Lukaku but the end result has all been the same so far. 

[Jase 43,479]

5 hours ago, Vytis33 said:

I mentioned it before but there's no way TT is looking at these games and seeing a nailed on starter here right?   I mean he strikes me as a pretty intelligent guy.  Surely something more is at play.

Managers always having a blind spot or two. 

[Fulham Broadway 16,846]

3 hours ago, Jase said:

We have not been great at servicing our strikers or attackers for years but to have only 7 touches in the game and all the ineffective games that he's had is not good to say the least, especially when he cost us 100 million. I'm sure Tuchel hasn't told him not to move and just stay up there. If he's not getting involved in games, does he not have the brain to maybe at least come deep, get the ball, link up with others a bit and then go the other way or run the channels etc? You know, to try and get involved more? Last season, we spent ages moaning about Werner and whoever else for not taking the chances but now, the complaint is that the striker is not getting the service, which again something we have not been good at doing for years. Why? Our attacking system under Tuchel hasn't been great but at the same time, there's also the problem with this 100 million player and one that Tuchel seems hellbent on playing week in week out to the detriment of the team. It was mostly forced by the injuries but Tuchel has even used many different systems to help Lukaku but the end result has all been the same so far. 

Shearer, Wrighty and Lineker the ultimate scorers seemed quite emphatic in their assessment, and  to know what they were talking about in terms of his poor service. They were also quite critical of his movement, and that both these facets had not been addressed in training.

They were adamant his lack of movement and lack of first time balls in were not being sorted in training. These two facets need to be immediately addressed if anything near his fee is to be attained.

[Pizy 18,368]

If by some miracle we’re able to move on from him this summer we need to take a page out of Liverpool’s book in the search for a new striker. We need to stop shopping at the very highest price bracket and get creative. Scout around at medium sized or smaller clubs and find try to find the über talent that we can develop into a star. Mané, Salah, Jota, Diaz. All sub-£50m and developed into £100m caliber players eventually.

There’s gotta be more of these sorts of players in Spain or Portugal or Germany. Dudes that are at midtable clubs but are ready for a step up.

Either that or just get rid of Pulisic and Werner and sign some super creative AM’s and go the City striker-less route. We already have a system where we dominate 70% of the ball. So get tricky player who can actually do something with it.

[Tomo 21,733]

7 hours ago, Fulham Broadway said:

Shearer, Wrighty and Lineker the ultimate scorers seemed quite emphatic in their assessment, and  to know what they were talking about in terms of his poor service. They were also quite critical of his movement, and that both these facets had not been addressed in training.

For the club to have spunked out 97m they must have studied, watched, read numerous scouts reports just to acquire a 'shit footballer' This means there are several highly paid club officials that are stealing a living. Doesn't bode well.

 

Ex footballers doesn't mean they're the Oracle, Tim Sherwood pinned Maguire's struggles on Varane. A 4x relegated player struggling so it must mean the World Cup and 4x UCL winner is holding him back.

Furthermore system tax can only be remotely plausible if a player does their bit. Lukaku is lazy, hides (hence 7 touches) and can't control a football. And that's before we mention he rates himself on par with Benzema, Suarez, Lewandowski and Kane, the latter of whom fed on scraps himself yesterday yet still managed 2 goals and a defense splitting through ball.

When Gabby Agbonlahor had 8 touches in one half playing for bottom of the table Villa away to Spurs he was mocked on national TV yet when Lukaku does less over 90 in a team that dominates the ball it's excuse after excuse after excuse by so called experts, it's ridiculous.

Furthermore Shearer should have known better, he's a player that still delievered with Souness as his manager and Jermaine Jenas as his "service", great striker do it under any manager, any system, any circumstances.

Edited February 20, 2022 by Tomo

[Vytis33 1,143]

 

 

[Laylabelle 9,351]

2 hours ago, Pizy said:

If by some miracle we’re able to move on from him this summer we need to take a page out of Liverpool’s book in the search for a new striker. We need to stop shopping at the very highest price bracket and get creative. Scout around at medium sized or smaller clubs and find try to find the über talent that we can develop into a star. Mané, Salah, Jota, Diaz. All sub-£50m and developed into £100m caliber players eventually.

There’s gotta be more of these sorts of players in Spain or Portugal or Germany. Dudes that are at midtable clubs but are ready for a step up.

Either that or just get rid of Pulisic and Werner and sign some super creative AM’s and go the City striker-less route. We already have a system where we dominate 70% of the ball. So get tricky player who can actually do something with it.

Defintly! Klopp manages to find gold...guess also his management style too.Their new bloke has hit the ground running so far. High fees doesn't mean it'll amount to a high quality player and mostly for us it hasn't. So hopefully like you say we can be wise and fix our problems..

[Blues Forever 1,232]

11 minutes ago, Laylabelle said:

Defintly! Klopp manages to find gold...guess also his management style too.Their new bloke has hit the ground running so far. High fees doesn't mean it'll amount to a high quality player and mostly for us it hasn't. So hopefully like you say we can be wise and fix our problems..

Liverpool having a great DoF like Edwards also helped too. Klopp was once wanted Brandt but Edwards pushed for Salah instead, the rest is history.

Edited February 20, 2022 by Blues Forever

[chelsea_4_eva 1,157]

His first touch is criminal, no wonder he doesnt get first time balls. Chances of losing possession is too high.

[Fulham Broadway 16,846]

2 hours ago, Tomo said:

Ex footballers doesn't mean they're the Oracle, T

True but I'd tend to go with three top strikers judgement over some others. I think they are spot on with their assessment of his poor movement as well.