MATCH THREAD: Group E - Belgium vs Italy - KO 20:00 (BBC)

[Billy Dean]

German pundit Mehmet Scholl on Lukaku: "the last time I saw him play he was 18, and nothing's changed since then. He had that physique when he was 18 that's it. Nothing's happened"

Ouch

 

[jcgefc]

Unless Lukaku comes out and issues an apology I have no reason to route for Belgium as I don't consider him an Everton player.

Italy on the other hand make boss food, boss wine and boss coffee so they're alright with me.

 

[toffeejack]

He's making it easy though Eggs, not using his physique and very predictable runs, not looking a £60 million plus player for sure.

He's definitely champions league class. For me, there's no better solid back 3 in world football than buffon, chiellini and bonucci, love them all.

As we've seen from the lack of goals in this tournament, there's a massive gaping hole in world class strikers around these days. Lukaku isn't worth that, no. But when you think of how little options there are around the world and given how young he is, he definitely is.

Definitely displaying the worst of lukaku tonight though.

 

[AndyC]

Rom is a raw talent, when it comes off for him eg vs Chelsea in the cup, he looks magnificent.
He is still far though from being the polished finished article aka Thierry Henry.

It doesn't appear from what we're seeing so far tonight that the Belgian manager works with him. He's there on the back of four in four, not necessarily because he's totally proven.

And how many times have we said test he doesn't seem to favour of enjoy being go lone striker unless he's got a Ross feeding balls for him to run onto?

How many through balks have Hazard and co even tried to thread through the Italian defence for him to run onto and at them with?

Like Ross, Rom is still a work in progress and one who has let himself get ahead of himself in terms of thinking he's better than Everton at this stage in his career.

 

[Groucho]

I know he's got his faults but I still like Lukaku a lot.

 

[JonS]

Watching Belgium's impotence reminds me of watching Everton under Martinez

 

[Joey66]

At the moment he is getting no service - Belgium look unbalanced as a unit!

 

[ijjysmith]

Fellaini has been Belgium's best player by absolutely miles.

 

[Eggs]

He's making it easy though Eggs, not using his physique and very predictable runs, not looking a £60 million plus player for sure.

.....absolutely, he seems to have accepted the defenders have won the contest and has stopped competing. I thought it would be a real test of his worth and he's lacking at this stage.

 

[nsno-chris]

Getting a masterclass in fluid quick attacking by the Iti's

Never underestimate the Italian's at the tournaments

 

[Jamiednm]

Lukaku has got the worst first touch I've seen in a long time. Dire, even.

 

[ToffeeDoug]

Agree but what a player he could be - he scores we know that, he has an amazing physique, he's supposedly ambitious but he's forgetting all the talent in the world means nothing unless you apply it.

Agree on all points, nothing has been more frustrating that watching a 6ft 3 15.5 stone athlete being out-muscled and out-jumped by relatively titchy fullbacks.

 

[toffeejack]

I know he's got his faults but I still like Lukaku a lot.

kind of torn between him playing really well so we can sell for a stupidly massive fee and him having a mare of a tournament so he may accept our new manager telling him to pipe down he has a lot to learn at us ... also due to lack of interest

 

[Groucho]

Belgium are Evertoning this; boss players, top striker, yet nothing.

 

[nsno-chris]

Oh rom