Lukaku

[hafnia]

Rom will get stronger. He might lose speed, like Rooney, but I bet Rooney is stronger now than when he was 20... He's certainly bigger.

Bale was a left back when he was 20, and Gerrard had made 8 apps for Liverpool at the same age. To suggest players can't or don't improve barely out of their teens is bizarre, and totally wrong.

You just aren't getting it, these players were technically competent. Physically they weren't mature, Gerrard was a late bloomer and thats why he had early back injury problems due to an excessive growth spurt.

Gareth Bale attended a training centre in 2007 for future stars with Micah Richards, the physically superior Ricahrds made Bale look like a child depsite him having all the tricks and skills, it took Bale to 2010 to get physically up to speed.

Lukaku was physically ready at 15, I spoke to Sharpie about him, his lad played against him for TNS and the TNS lads would not have it that he was 17 at the time, they were told he was that big a couple of years before then. A freak basically.

 

[Zatara]

Does anyone have the breakdown of bonys goals last season -- how many were pens for example and how many from open play?

I was under the assumption that alot ofbhis goals were penalties and also scored most of the others outside of the prem against low level teams?

 

[Tubey]

You just aren't getting it, these players were technically competent. Physically they weren't mature, Gerrard was a late bloomer and thats why he had early back injury problems due to an excessive growth spurt.

Gareth Bale attended a training centre in 2007 for future stars with Micah Richards, the physically superior Ricahrds made Bale look like a child depsite him having all the tricks and skills, it took Bale to 2010 to get physically up to speed.

Lukaku was physically ready at 15, I spoke to Sharpie about him, his lad played against him for TNS and the TNS lads would not have it that he was 17 at the time, they were told he was that big a couple of years before then. A freak basically.

And therein is my concern with Lukaku's technical ability. The concern is he's peaked already as he was impressive before that due to comparative physical dominance.

So the question is is he going to develop his all round game and become a world beater, or become a somewhat better version of Heskey.

For a club like Everton, spending £20m ish to find out is a big gamble. The only saving grace is his knack of scoring goals in bursts.

 

[Zatara]

He destroyed the jupiter league as a kid. He came on mainly as a sub for west brom and scored 17 goals. He was our only recognised striker all season and must have been knackered yet still scored goals.

And hes only the same age as barkley.

You just aren't getting it, these players were technically competent. Physically they weren't mature, Gerrard was a late bloomer and thats why he had early back injury problems due to an excessive growth spurt.

Gareth Bale attended a training centre in 2007 for future stars with Micah Richards, the physically superior Ricahrds made Bale look like a child depsite him having all the tricks and skills, it took Bale to 2010 to get physically up to speed.

Lukaku was physically ready at 15, I spoke to Sharpie about him, his lad played against him for TNS and the TNS lads would not have it that he was 17 at the time, they were told he was that big a couple of years before then. A freak basically.

 

[Zatara]

In that case is it worth paying 25mil for a 15 goals a year forward? The thing is it seems that he has the right attitude and desire to want to improve.

And therein is my concern with Lukaku's technical ability. The concern is he's peaked already as he was impressive before that due to comparative physical dominance.

So the question is is he going to develop his all round game and become a world beater, or become a somewhat better version of Heskey.

For a club like Everton, spending £20m ish to find out is a big gamble. The only saving grace is his knack of scoring goals in bursts.

 

[mythbuster]

You just aren't getting it, these players were technically competent. Physically they weren't mature, Gerrard was a late bloomer and thats why he had early back injury problems due to an excessive growth spurt.

Gareth Bale attended a training centre in 2007 for future stars with Micah Richards, the physically superior Ricahrds made Bale look like a child depsite him having all the tricks and skills, it took Bale to 2010 to get physically up to speed.

Lukaku was physically ready at 15, I spoke to Sharpie about him, his lad played against him for TNS and the TNS lads would not have it that he was 17 at the time, they were told he was that big a couple of years before then. A freak basically.

Nope, it's you who isn't getting it. Romelu. Lukaku. Is. The Best. 20-year-old striker. In the country. By a country mile.

I'm not sure why you're going on about size etc. All I said was that he'll get stronger.

What about Drogba mate? Do you have his growth marked in pencil on your back door?

Name me one 20-year-old striker who you think will go on to be better than Rom......

 

[Tubey]

In that case is it worth paying 25mil for a 15 goals a year forward? The thing is it seems that he has the right attitude and desire to want to improve.

Honestly think that is up in the air too. He doesn't come across well at times - I'd be able to forgive that if it was a sign he was a winner, but sometimes he just comes across a bit dense.

I think on balance he's worth the gamble but £20m for him isn't the no brainer some may believe it to be IMO.

 

[hafnia]

He destroyed the jupiter league as a kid. He came on mainly as a sub for west brom and scored 17 goals. He was our only recognised striker all season and must have been knackered yet still scored goals.

And hes only the same age as barkley.

Does that mean Barkleys touch is going to improve? He scored goals as a sub as he had fresh legs and had the run on defenders - that would be the ideal role for him.

 

[mythbuster]

Honestly think that is up in the air too. He doesn't come across well at times - I'd be able to forgive that if it was a sign he was a winner, but sometimes he just comes across a bit dense.

I think on balance he's worth the gamble but £20m for him isn't the no brainer some may believe it to be IMO.

Gamble. LOL. He's just played up front for us, on his own, in our best ever prem season. The lad is a year out of his teens......

And did you just call a 20-year-old who speaks six languages "a bit dense"?

 

[Tubey]

Name me one 20-year-old striker who you think will go on to be better than Rom......

The thing is there's no way of knowing. Players can develop drastically and late. Look at Luis Suarez - at 19/20, he wasn't regarded as a potential world class talent at Groningen.

The problem is there's not many 20 year old strikers who'd command a £20m fee when there's quite a few holes in his game that could or could not be ironed out.

 

[mythbuster]

The thing is there's no way of knowing. Players can develop drastically and late. Look at Luis Suarez - at 19/20, he wasn't regarded as a potential world class talent at Groningen.

The problem is there's not many 20 year old strikers who'd command a £20m fee when there's quite a few holes in his game that could or could not be ironed out.

His goals alone are worth at least £10 million. Just ask Michael Owen, Jermaine Defoe, or Javier Hernandez. It's his potential to be so much more than those players that drives his price up.

 

[Foot Long Hot Dog]

The thing is there's no way of knowing. Players can develop drastically and late. Look at Luis Suarez - at 19/20, he wasn't regarded as a potential world class talent at Groningen.

The problem is there's not many 20 year old strikers who'd command a £20m fee when there's quite a few holes in his game that could or could not be ironed out.

Go' way. Lukaku was a 1 in 2 striker at 16 in Holland and has improved his game every season since.

The lad is going to be a top level striker for the next decade plus, as long as he doesn't lose his desire - but you can say that about any player.

 

[Zatara]

It really wouldnt you know. Players like lukaku arent made for the subs bench unless they are teenagers (which he was at west brom). I wouldnt say its easy to score 17 goals in the league for west brom as a teenager tired legs or not -- otherwise anyone could do it.

Does that mean Barkleys touch is going to improve? He scored goals as a sub as he had fresh legs and had the run on defenders - that would be the ideal role for him.

 

[Tubey]

His goals alone are worth at least £10 million. Just ask Michael Owen, Jermaine Defoe, or Javier Hernandez. It's his potential to be so much more than those players that drives his price up.

I agree he's worth around £15m based on what he can do now, but I disagree with you about potential.

That's the big discussion point - because has he really shown much development to his first touch or hold up play since he broke onto the scene? Not for me... in my view he's just been really, really good from the off in terms of power and movement off the shoulder of his marker, so much so that areas of his game that are weak doesn't come into play as much.

But there were signs last year that his potential to improve isn't there, as he often didn't turn up for games at all. In fact, barring his initial run in the side before Christmas and a late spurt at the end, he was downright awful for a good four months.

I'd be all for buying him for around £15m, but I wouldn't expect anything other than what we've already seen for him, and he isn't a world class talent right now. For that reason, £20m feels excessive to me.

 

[hafnia]

Nope, it's you who isn't getting it. Romelu. Lukaku. Is. The Best. 20-year-old striker. In the country. By a country mile.

I'm not sure why you're going on about size etc. All I said was that he'll get stronger.

What about Drogba mate? Do you have his growth marked in pencil on your back door?

Name me one 20-year-old striker who you think will go on to be better than Rom......

Name me a physically mature 20 year old striker and then we have a realistic base for comparison.