Lukaku

[Tubey]

Obviously he didn't have zero service but the service to him was crap for most of the season, he scored 20 whilst feeding off scraps.

His touch and hold up play might not be all that but he's the best goalscorer we've had in a long time.

By that logic, if he scored 50 he could have been feeding on scraps too. As part of the attacking unit, he's involved in making his own service too - if the attacking unit breaks down, he shares the blame.

It is what it is - in Europe, he played against defences where they set up to suit him, and he dominated. Domestically, he failed to perform against defences wise to him and he suffered, because the ball broke down pretty much whenever it went near him.

Yes, we're not setting up to his strengths, and that's a Martinez issue more than a Lukaku one, but ultimately he should recognise he hasn't done enough to improve his play and perform in the league to a standard required.

 

[Tubey]

You've made that assumption because you're an Evertonian.

He will leave soon, we all know that. He said as much on his press conference when signing. We wouldn't have paid the money without resale opportunity.

I'm the quickest to jump on a player for any discontent, but can't here. All he has said is it's time to win something (shock, horror!) and had a moan about playing out wide - which he did do earlier in the season!

I thought he'd leave next summer; not mouth off after one year. Wanting to win trophies is fine; the way you justify that stance is by proving you are good enough for the big clubs.

Even rats like Suarez gave three seasons at Ajax and Liverpool, despite being obviously too good for them, before moving on. Has Lukaku performed to that standard and beyond to justify mouthing off after being just 12 months into a four year plus contract? Not for me.

 

[ianefc]

Apart from scoring 16 in 33, and then 20 in 48.

Isn't he our record goalscorer in Europe too?

A player saying he wants to win trophies is met with discontent from the fan base - that speaks volumes.

Unbelievable really, we don't deserve success with that attitude.

He's also had a dig at tactics - which we all have. He was widely applauded for speaking up when we was on our lowest points tally a while back - He has played out wide, to no avail.

What's the issue?

I am starting to see a trend towards the manager though...

Luke Garbutt;



Romelu Lukaku



Leighton Baines



Kevin Mirallas



Sylvain Distin

Exactly, the guy in charge is nowhere near good enough for Everton. A mess a total mess

 

[AaronTheBlue]

He's telling the truth and fair enough to him. I think i'm more concerned about Martinez behind the scenes due to how many comments are coming out regarding him, doesn't seem to be the super-mega coach he'd lead you to believe.

Regarding Lukaku, i find it so, so funny people say he isn't good enough for everton, somehow? a 22 year old who in two seasons, in all comps has scored 36 goals, and has shown major signs of improvement in his all round game.

If Lukaku isn't good enough i can't wait to see how people react to our strikers getting like 10-11 goals in all competitions again.

 

[Dario Terracotta]

You know what sickens me though.
Rom stating he wants to win trophies but EVERY Evertonian thinks that means he's leaving the Club. This attitude has plagued our Club for far too long. Rom can win trophies here, Rom SHOULD be winning trophies here.

The fans proceed to have a dig at the lad for showing the slighest bit of ambition. Ha.

It would be more encouraging if he himself actually stated he wanted to win trophies with US though.

 

[TheHumbleEgg]

What's the issue? He's said he wants to win trophies ergo he has ambition, and what? He hasn't said he wants to off, and we hold the cards here anyway, so there's little need to panic. Ultimately if he wants to go then let him so long as we get the coin back. I certainly don't want that 'cos he's class (or has the ability to be so) and as for the comments RE the manager (which will be, within a day or so, deemed as 'lost in translation') he's saying what a LOT of fans think. Is that a good thing? Probably not, airing it publicly. But I'd sooner have that than all the 'yes we're a tight ship' and 'fantastic team spirit' palaver when CLEARLY there are issues with the manager, at least it's honest. And these issues are coming to the fore now and will become more apparent as time passes.....CLEVERLY anyone ?!?!?!? If you think it's coincidence that there seems to be so many gripes RE contracts/'promises'/issues with playing style then, simply, you're wrong....

 

[Khalekan]

He's telling the truth really. And I'm glad he speaks out, in fact it was probably bloody important that he did last season!

The only weird bit is about winning trophies at 22. That's no age FFS!

22 year olds don't realise that, though

 

[AaronTheBlue]

also, if we start winning trophies and maybe getting into champions league these comments don't happen, and our big players are happy to stay.

No pro footballer with a ounce of ambition wants to be at a club who are just the 'nearly' men they want to be at clubs that want to win things.

Our board, our manager and some of our other players could do with a bit more ambition like that and we might actually go places.

 

[Khalekan]

It would be more encouraging if he himself actually stated he wanted to win trophies with US though.

It would be even more encouraging if he held his hands up and admitted he has plenty of faults in his own game and needs to work to eradicate them

 

[ianefc]

He's telling the truth and fair enough to him. I think i'm more concerned about Martinez behind the scenes due to how many comments are coming out regarding him, doesn't seem to be the super-mega coach he'd lead you to believe.

Regarding Lukaku, i find it so, so funny people say he isn't good enough for everton, somehow? a 22 year old who in two seasons, in all comps has scored 36 goals, and has shown major signs of improvement in his all round game.

If Lukaku isn't good enough i can't wait to see how people react to our strikers getting like 10-11 goals in all competitions again.

Good job you put in all comps there he scored 8 league goals from open play (worse than 1 in 4) an broke down numerous attacks with bad first touches

 

[Tubey]

What's the issue? He's said he wants to win trophies ergo he has ambition, and what? He hasn't said he wants to off, and we hold the cards here anyway, so there's little need to panic. Ultimately if he wants to go then let him so long as we get the coin back. I certainly don't want that 'cos he's class (or has the ability to be so) and as for the comments RE the manager (which will be, within a day or so, deemed as 'lost in translation') he's saying what a LOT of fans think. Is that a good thing? Probably not, airing it publicly. But I'd sooner have that than all the 'yes we're a tight ship' and 'fantastic team spirit' palaver when CLEARLY there are issues with the manager, at least it's honest. And these issues are coming to the fore now and will become more apparent as time passes.....CLEVERLY anyone ?!?!?!? If you think it's coincidence that there seems to be so many gripes RE contracts/'promises'/issues with playing style then, simply, you're wrong....

He's specified his age and wants to win trophies now. So he's set out his cards for a move I think.

I'm gobsmacked as I thought he'd have more sense than that, as any move now would be to a club below the top tier as he is very unproven, but we are where we are.

Who's going to plump £30m+ on him based on his obvious limitations beyond the Tottenhams of this world?

I just find the comments stupid - not about the manager, but more about his desire to win trophies and the timing of such comments. Good luck getting a starting berth at Man City, Barcelona or Real Madrid lad.

 

[GrandOldTeam]

I thought he'd leave next summer; not mouth off after one year. Wanting to win trophies is fine; the way you justify that stance is by proving you are good enough for the big clubs.

Even rats like Suarez gave three seasons at Ajax and Liverpool, despite being obviously too good for them, before moving on. Has Lukaku performed to that standard and beyond to justify mouthing off after being just 12 months into a four year plus contract? Not for me.

Still can't take issue with any of his comments.

If he didn't show ambition, I'd be livid.
If he was a passenger/willing to play out wide, I'd be livid.

All the quotes do for me is raise more questions towards the manager. Invests big in a player, then plays him where the player himself isn't happy - not to mention the fans.

Barkley, Baines, Garbutt, Eto'o... How many players have had the same problem this season?!

 

[AaronTheBlue]

It would be even more encouraging if he held his hands up and admitted he has plenty of faults in his own game and needs to work to eradicate them

But he clearly has been working on the things that he's bad at, he's worked on his hold up play and worked on his positioning, both of which have improved over this season.

 

[AaronTheBlue]

Good job you put in all comps there he scored 8 league goals from open play (worse than 1 in 4) an broke down numerous attacks with bad first touches

He scored ten goals mate, penalties do count.

He also scored twenty goals, because europa league games ALSO count.

People like you were probably buzzing when andy johnson got like 11 league goals or something but not much else, lukaku hasn't had the greatest season for us but with our extreme lack of service he's still managed to outscore our 'better' strikers over the past ten years.

 

[TomDixie]

He's telling the truth and fair enough to him. I think i'm more concerned about Martinez behind the scenes due to how many comments are coming out regarding him, doesn't seem to be the super-mega coach he'd lead you to believe.

Regarding Lukaku, i find it so, so funny people say he isn't good enough for everton, somehow? a 22 year old who in two seasons, in all comps has scored 36 goals, and has shown major signs of improvement in his all round game.

If Lukaku isn't good enough i can't wait to see how people react to our strikers getting like 10-11 goals in all competitions again.

I disagree here. He has shown some improvement in terms of his hold up play and spreading it wide, but it was too inconsistent to be described as major.

He didn't do the business for us in the Premier League last season. One can bang on about service, but he had enough chances to score more than 10 goals (including 2 penalties). The goals he scored for us against Young Boys were fantastic, but it shouldn't skew our perspective when looking at his performance over the whole season.

I do however think he has improved enough that, with a good rest and refocusing over the summer, he has a good chance of scoring another 20 goals next season, but this time in the Premier League.

I also believe that he would benefit immensely from some proper competition.