Lukaku

[Goat]

Can't stop laughing at Gibson moving into second gear and leaving Besic in his rear view mirror without even trying.

The boy Gibson is a talent.

 

[Arteta2391]

Best striker we have had since Yakubu.

 

[Tubey]

I don't care if he walks around doing a Monty Python silly walk. A striker who scores 15-20+ goals a season for Everton as a 21 year old is flawless in my book. Nothing flawed about it. You should be delighted. And don't say you are delighted or happy with him tonight because no one happy with him would mention any "flaws" on such a night like tonight. It stinks of someone stubbornly conserving an opinion they are known for. It's about your ego and not EFC and I'm not having that.

Oh really?

His best game of the season overall, even without the goal.

Worked his arse off tonight, not going to fault him for effort,

We played perfectly to his strengths in 2013 when we were getting used to the possession based stuff and needed the outball runner in the channels - and he dominated because of it. But we did not in 2014 when confidence oozed and teams began to fear us and sit back, and his performances suffered.

And is Martinez going to adopt his tactics for him? Maybe... can't see it though. I'd expect Martinez to pressure Lukaku to adapt his game before that happened.

I think he'll always be worth a punt by someone for around £15m just because for a lot of sides he will guarantee goals - mid- to upper-table sides from 10th onwards where he'd be deadly in a counter attacking system.

Who?

Bare in mind we're talking long term value here. I can't think of ANY other player valued around £20m with the potential he has and the resale/profit capability.

And I'm criticising him tonight!

As I say, massively rate Lukaku myself, outstanding potential, but he's not the finished article and we shouldn't be subservient to his talents until he consistently proves himself.

We should be doing that now really. Just buy him outright, it's obvious how good he is.

The words of an egotist stubbornly conserving his non-changing opinion everyone!

As mad as it seems, I can be delighted with a one-off performance, but not think he's Pele in the long term because of it.

 

[Nashtbs]

If you can name any young striker better in the world who would come to us, let me know. Hell, name me a better striker who would come here at the moment.

Do I think he's done enough in the league? No. Do I think the team has been set up to his strengths? No. Will he improve? 99% sure.

Look at the striker he was compared to a hell of a lot (not that I agree really) at Chelsea: Didier Drogba.

Drogba's record once he left Chelsea first time. 347 games. 157 goals.

To get on Lukaku's back at a time where going forward as a team we have been woeful at times this season is ridiculous. He's got someways to go yet, but he's the best we've got and the is doing well for a young man, who really, is in his third season in one of the elite leagues.

Also, stop quoting his price tag, we're not accountants, we're there to get the best players we possibly can. Let's not play football manager and say for the 28mil (it wasn't) we could of bought Perisic, Delofeu and El Goalio from Brazil for that money. We didn't. And imo, we got the best striker we could for the price he cost.

Edit: He was boss last night, just on a rant at nobody in particular.

 

[kenada_blue]

Hell get double figures in the league and 20+ in all comps.

Be good when he's in form like....

 

[EFC78]

Let's be honest here, those who have developed some sort of bizarre hatred for Lukaku this season don't really know much about football.

We've been desperate for a striker like him for 20+ years. Definitely room for improvement in his game but his scoring record speaks for itself. He's the type of player who could get this club back to where we belong, at the top of the league. This season has just been a nightmare for loads of reasons that we didn't expect.

 

[Lukaku'sLeftTesticle]

Let's be honest here, those who have developed some sort of bizarre hatred for Lukaku this season don't really know much about football.

^^ Been saying it all year. People don't understand that if you leave him on his own with his back to goal under pressure of 6 defenders he is going to struggle to be effective. Get him on the end of things in the box or get him in behind and enjoy the talents. 100 career goals now at 21 years of age, INCREDIBLE

 

[Timak]

I said it when we signed him, there isn't another striker of his age I'd have instead of him.

As for the fee this is what players cost now.

It is less than Manchester United paid for Shaw and Herrera.

It is about what Liverpool spent on Lallana or Spurs on Soldado.

 

[catcherintherye]

His record stands up.

We haven't had someone score 15 league goals since Yakubu. Only 1 player before Lukaku managed it in 15 years. With 12 games to go I wouldn't rule him out getting to 15 again league goals again in the form he's in.

Lets say he's scored 13 league goals, he would be the first player we've had since the 1980's (Tony Cottee) to consecutively score 13 league goals in a season.

If he scores 22 goals in all competitions (again looking a good bet) he would be the first since 1990 to do that. if he gets 25 goals then he'd be the first since Lineker in the mid 80's.

His goal scoring record is outstanding particularly when you consider his age. We had a spell of not playing to his strengths. We are now playing to his strengths and creating chances for him, and the lad is a class act.

 

[maccavennie]

Is that the most goals scored by a striker over 2 legs for Everton? So nearly got a hatrick as well. I watched the match when I got home from the match last night and it said we've only ever had 2 quarter finals played at Goodison Park before so there's a great chance for the players to take that step as well.

 

[catcherintherye]

I said it when we signed him, there isn't another striker of his age I'd have instead of him.

As for the fee this is what players cost now.

It is less than Manchester United paid for Shaw and Herrera.

It is about what Liverpool spent on Lallana or Spurs on Soldado.

I think this is spot on. I think he is the victim of the fee. 25 million rising to 28. Of course we'd have liked to have got him for 5-8 million pounds cheaper than that. If you forget the fee though you'd see he was doing brilliantly.

Of course it's a lot of money. I know a lot of people want us to "cash in". But we'd be back to where we were under Moyes, a good side but lacking a top striker to finish things off. if we were going to "break the bank" to get someone then a young top striker would have been who we should have done it for.

We could go and get 3-4 decent players for the money. But I think I would like to see us pad the squad out with loans, youth players and bosmans and where possible focus on adding a quality player in a critical area every so often (when we can). His value is only going to go up. People will pay more than we paid for him, on the basis of him scoring 20+ goals this season. Daniel Sturrdge and Balotelli are on 3 and 4 goals respectively and are 4 years older.

 

[catcherintherye]

I said it when we signed him, there isn't another striker of his age I'd have instead of him.

As for the fee this is what players cost now.

It is less than Manchester United paid for Shaw and Herrera.

It is about what Liverpool spent on Lallana or Spurs on Soldado.

I think this is spot on. I think he is the victim of the fee. 25 million rising to 28. Of course we'd have liked to have got him for 5-8 million pounds cheaper than that. If you forget the fee though you'd see he was doing brilliantly.

Of course it's a lot of money. I know a lot of people want us to "cash in". But we'd be back to where we were under Moyes, a good side but lacking a top striker to finish things off. if we were going to "break the bank" to get someone then a young top striker would have been who we should have done it for.

We could go and get 3-4 decent players for the money. But I think I would like to see us pad the squad out with loans, youth players and bosmans and where possible focus on adding a quality player in a critical area every so often (when we can). His value is only going to go up. People will pay more than we paid for him, on the basis of him scoring 20+ goals this season. Daniel Sturrdge and Balotelli are on 3 and 4 goals respectively and are 4 years older.

 

[Little Ralphy]

Surely there aren't still Evertonians who don't like him. He's the best player we've had for a long time.

 

[kithnou]

Surely there aren't still Evertonians who don't like him. He's the best player we've had for a long time.

One would think. But we are Evertonians...so don't hold your breath.

 

[Eric Djemba-Djemba]

Surely there aren't still Evertonians who don't like him. He's the best player we've had for a long time.

I think that some people may have an issue with him being black.

Very sad really.