Lukaku to Spurs

[cjuk87]

But does that explain his terrible first touch pretty much all season long and a seeming inability to play with his back to goal?

I agree completely with giving young players time, and the same reasoning can apply to Barkley lately for example, but... I'm concerned that he doesn't have the right tools to be a top, top player, and for what will be our transfer record fee you've got to be sure about what you're getting surely? And after a season of watching him I still don't know if he's the next Drogba or the next Heskey, or something in between.

It's a gamble either way. For £15m, yes, any more than that though and... well, who knows.

The lad at 19 scored about 15 and at 20 nearly the same.

Once he develops he could be a top talent, he's not a heskey.

I agree with his first touch, it's a problem, but then players learn, look how far coleman progressed this season.

 

[Tchnique]

Is this a fact?

Obviously if you completely remove him and we play with ten men, yes, but who's to say Naismith wouldn't have scored more than him if he started every game instead of Lukaku?

The bit about taking away Lukaku?

Mate that can't be a fact, it's an opinion. You have your opinion as well. I like Naismith, I do. I was disappointed we he was getting the stick for not playing well when he first signed on. He works hard and I can appreciate that.

In my honest opinion I don't think Naismith would've gotten us the 13 that Lukaku has. That's all.

 

[Azzurri]

Naismith holds it up much better. Looks like Lukaku is scared or just doesn't want to take a touch away from goal.

 

[LinekersLegs]

It was less than 3 weeks ago he was bossing the show in an unfamiliar RW role against Arsenal.

Strikers are notoriously inconsistent, 20 year old ones even more so, and he has played lots of games this season without being subbed. Even if he can physically handle it, it has to be hard mentally. He is probably also missing Mirallas who can read his game very well.

He fluffed a couple of good chances but at least he was in the correct position to miss them vs Jela who by the end was usually offside or on the floor.

The only thing that really worries me is his first touch but even with that he is the best natural striker we have had at the club in years.

 

[Azzurri]

The bit about taking away Lukaku?

Mate that can't be a fact, it's an opinion. You have your opinion as well. I like Naismith, I do. I was disappointed we he was getting the stick for not playing well when he first signed on. He works hard and I can appreciate that.

In my honest opinion I don't think Naismith would've gotten us the 13 that Lukaku has. That's all.

Neither do I, but to speculate where we'd be in the league without him is pointless. Maybe we'd have got Javier Hernandez on loan instead who buries them two headers today and is in Deulofeu's position but stays onside and scores, winning us the game. Who knows?

 

[Tchnique]

I'd imagine we'd be quite a bit lower in the table if we're starting with 10 men in every game.

Solid point

 

[Tchnique]

Neither do I, but to speculate where we'd be in the league without him is pointless. Maybe we'd have got Javier Hernandez on loan instead who buries them two headers today and is in Deulofeu's position but stays onside and scores, winning us the game. Who knows?

That's always a possibility too. I just don't subscribe to this belief that Lukaku is as poor as some are making him out to be.

 

[Tubey]

It was less than 3 weeks ago he was bossing the show in an unfamiliar RW role against Arsenal.

Strikers are notoriously inconsistent, 20 year old ones even more so, and he has played lots of games this season without being subbed. Even if he can physically handle it, it has to be hard mentally. He is probably also missing Mirallas who can read his game very well.

He fluffed a couple of good chances but at least he was in the correct position to miss them vs Jela who by the end was usually offside or on the floor.

The only thing that really worries me is his skill on the ball but even with that he is the best natural striker we have had at the club in years.

Think that's a bit of a myth. They played like strangers against Crystal Palace and both of them were torrid from November onwards bar a brief two or three week spell from Kev early in the year.

Will agree that Gerard "bloody hell what was that lad?" Deulofeu didn't help matters today like. McGeady when he came on put a ball right on his head and perhaps Lukaku needs more of that and less terrible selfish wingplay.

 

[FTY]

I think he loves it here tbh, he's just one of those players that goes missing, if he was on a perm here and playing like this then no one would bat an eyelid or come up with all these conspiracies.
Oh, and no passion for EFC?

 

[Del]

Since Christmas he's scored 6 in 20

 

[al.exe]

It'd be nice if we could take corners. Big lad like him would probably rack up a few more goals from set pieces if he had the chance to attack a decent ball in.

 

[LinekersLegs]

Think that's a bit of a myth. They played like strangers against Crystal Palace and both of them were torrid from November onwards bar a brief two or three week spell from Kev early in the year.

Will agree that Gerard "bloody hell what was that lad?" Deulofeu didn't help matters today like. McGeady when he came on put a ball right on his head and perhaps Lukaku needs more of that and less terrible selfish wingplay.

Oh agree the Palace game they were dreadful together. They can both be frustratingly flaky but when they are in synch wonderful to watch.

 

[Goat]

Rom getting a roasting here.

 

[bluestevon]

That's very possible, but in that case the price tag should reflect that struggle. I'm finding it hard to think of what he's done to justify a £20m price tag that is always touted around. If he did kick on and develop, then that's a bargain, but it's a massive gamble for a club with our finances and when you see his utterly inept performance today then you begin to wonder.

Thats the thing though mate, to get a striker in who can slot at a 1 in 2 rate like he's done his first two seasons, will either take a total gamble or paying a large slice of wedge, and neither of those is guaranteed to get a player who fits the team, adapts to the league, or keeps his prior form up from whichever team we get him from

The major problem with strikers for a club with our finances are you can do one of two things, go for jobbers - if they don't work out its not a disaster financially, but the downside is your not gonna get anything more than you pay - the long/ naismith type etc

Or you have to spend big money on someone - and a lot of those turn pear shape - to have one here right now we could buy -even though it would cost a lot of money - that we know will chip in with the 15+ goals mark next year i think means we have to try get him in

So do we play it safe and go for the safe option or take a risk on a big money signing that we hope will be the next big thing or hit the ground running, or do we go for the high cost flawed but ultimately safe option in lukaku?

For what it's worth 20m is too much for him, then again on this season what would Barkley be evaluated at and in actuality if we sold what would he go for?

 

[BobbyBlues]

Drogba only bettered Lukaku's record this season twice in his 8 years in this country. I didn't realise he had such a poor record domestically. One amazing season (29 goals), one very good season (20) and the rest no more than 12. Three seasons not even reaching double figures. Incredible.