Romelu Lukaku

[joseph]

Rom knows we won't get Champion's League. Not even close. Maybe those statements appeal to the more gullible among us. He's off like a shot in the summer.

 

[streeky]

if you want to see the real Lukaku week in week out, put someone right along side him, have the bottle to play 2 up and watch them rampage through teams. Problem is not many prem managers brave enough to go 2 up.

 

[Armel]

He did not play a good match in the derby (as did most); I heard he was tired after the whole Russia experience but don't think that explains the whole thing.

His best big game performance for me was the 2013 Croatia-Belgium. The Croatian side of that time was very good and the pressure was very high since the Belgian national team had failed to qualify for an international tournament since 2002. He single-handedly made sure they went through with two goals. Ironically he destroyed Lovren that day.

 

[Lanolin]

In games where Rom is not performing or is isolated, we need to have a Plan B....and we just don't seem to have one. In the derby on Saturday, he could have been a £100 million striker or a 50p one, you couldn't have told the difference. We simply cannot afford to be over reliant on one player.

And that is not a criticism of Lukaku. We just cannot place all our hopes in him every single game, because we will end up being deeply disappointed when he doesn't perform. Whatever the reason.

This is it in a nutshell.

All the talk about the very best players do this and that misses out the very important fact that virtually all of these players are surrounded by real quality. Yes Costa makes life more difficult for defenders than Lukaku, but he's got Hazard, Pedro, Fabregas etc to play off and create space for him. It's therefore much easier for him to isolate defenders and link up play.

We basically went into the game on Saturday with only Lukaku and Barkley capable of threatening the opposition to any notable extent. It's not a coincidence that he can be easily shackled in those circumstances, and the same applies to Ross. Teams can double up on them in the knowledge that DCL isn't going to pick the ball up on the half way line and score a solo goal, and Holgate isn't going to carry the ball 60 yards and put one on a plate for a marauding Gana.

 

[JLW]

if you want to see the real Lukaku week in week out, put someone right along side him, have the bottle to play 2 up and watch them rampage through teams. Problem is not many prem managers brave enough to go 2 up.

I have a feeling that might happen tonight

 

[Deulofeumygod]

In games where Rom is not performing or is isolated, we need to have a Plan B....and we just don't seem to have one. In the derby on Saturday, he could have been a £100 million striker or a 50p one, you couldn't have told the difference. We simply cannot afford to be over reliant on one player.

And that is not a criticism of Lukaku. We just cannot place all our hopes in him every single game, because we will end up being deeply disappointed when he doesn't perform. Whatever the reason.

That is why this summer is so important in terms of having quality back ups.

 

[maccavennie]

come on Rom, get back into beast slot mode tonight please

 

[Khalekan]

This is it in a nutshell.

All the talk about the very best players do this and that misses out the very important fact that virtually all of these players are surrounded by real quality. Yes Costa makes life more difficult for defenders than Lukaku, but he's got Hazard, Pedro, Fabregas etc to play off and create space for him. It's therefore much easier for him to isolate defenders and link up play.

We basically went into the game on Saturday with only Lukaku and Barkley capable of threatening the opposition to any notable extent. It's not a coincidence that he can be easily shackled in those circumstances, and the same applies to Ross. Teams can double up on them in the knowledge that DCL isn't going to pick the ball up on the half way line and score a solo goal, and Holgate isn't going to carry the ball 60 yards and put one on a plate for a marauding Gana.

Indeed.

And we have two men capable of being that guy.

One was sat on the bench for 80 minutes and the other is out on loan

 

[Bilko]

does he just like wrecking our heads or what, strange.

 

[ToffeeTim]

He's more interested in getting pictures next to the mancs and his best mate Pogba than putting a shift in

 

[Ring master]

Well with what hes said,i bet you still wont get the papers/tv running with it looks like hes staying with us etc,i still think as said all the time that hes staying

 

[samsonthedog1]

The problem is who is going to come and sit on the bench knowing they're only guna get 10-15 mins every game? If we need a plan b

 

[toffeejack]

Rom knows we won't get Champion's League. Not even close. Maybe those statements appeal to the more gullible among us. He's off like a shot in the summer.

He's not, it's our decision whether to sell him. Not up to him, so he won't be off in a shot. We'd probably wait out for a fee we deem worthy as well. He's never said he wants to leave. He just didn't sign a new contract, there's a difference.

 

[toffeejack]

The problem is who is going to come and sit on the bench knowing they're only guna get 10-15 mins every game? If we need a plan b

Vincent Janssen was highly rated, spurs bought him and he would have been under no illusions that would have been his role. Not all players are as willing to be the best as Rom is, some are happy for a pay rise and playing for a better team.

 

[VentureBrosEFC]

Vincent Janssen was highly rated, spurs bought him and he would have been under no illusions that would have been his role. Not all players are as willing to be the best as Rom is, some are happy for a pay rise and playing for a better team.

I want to go after those that feel they are as good / better than Rom but haven't been given a platform to show it. I know that mentality will unlikely turn into a reality just given probabilities sake but that's the type of mentality I'd be after. Desperate in the best possible sense.