Romelu Lukaku

[EFC78]

Some of our fans are too quick to write off certain players. In my opinion, Lukaku's performances for the majority of this season have been unacceptable. I rate the lad a lot but he's been lazy, sulked a lot, not put himself about, and in the Swansea game, his main strength of scoring let him down. Having said all of that, we all know how important he can be when he is on his game.

He's got a lot of work to do, but his goals are vital.

I think Martinez needs to have a word in his ear and make it clear that he needs to put in more effort in general.

His contribution last night was excellent though in terms of being the match winner so can't complain after seeing that.

 

[Eggs]

I think Barkley should be taking a lot more of our fee kicks to be fair. His technique is fantastic and he strikes the ball brilliantly. I think Barkley should be having more shots full stop mind.

.....I agree about Barkley's shooting power. On that point, I'd like to see him master the Ronaldo 'upright' free kick kicking style, he did try it a few times last season but needs to persist. I like Lukaku taking them on the edge of the box, though, particularly if they are right sided like last night.

 

[Raino85]

It went in though and they all count. We wouldn't have won without it and to score it, regardless of control meant that he was in the right place.

I was being sarcastic pal

 

[neil999]

brilliant, but i just dont understand why is first touch is so rubbish?! sometimes its so bad he comes back into his own half! surely its just a skill he can work on...its not like its finishing, or seeing a pass that you cant really teach...weird

look at deulofeus first touch for example...fantastic

 

[Raino85]

brilliant, but i just dont understand why is first touch is so rubbish?! sometimes its so bad he comes back into his own half! surely its just a skill he can work on...its not like its finishing, or seeing a pass that you cant really teach...weird

look at deulofeus first touch for example...fantastic

Roms shape and build probably don't help "he's got a good touch for a big guy" quote tend to be because most big fella's don't have a great touch due to their size and weight.

 

[Saint Domingo]

The better the service, the more he will score, simple as that. Never a truer chant than 'feed the *insert strikers name* and he will score. Lukaku isolated upfront ahead of two defensive mids a striker on the wing, one winger who can't get the ball and Barkley marked by two men is not going to score many if at all. Lukaku playing alongside Kone ahead of a midfielder in Gibson who can find his runs early, knowing he is going to get service from a winger who is now in the game is a 30 goal a season striker.

 

[bicycleheader]

There will always be games when the tempo is slower mate. Pulis quite clearly sent his team out last night to "bore us out". You're right, we are at our best when we play quickly, but how do you play quickly when all the space in the final third is squeezed by a defensive side. I think it's a bit of an art to be honest, and Pulis is definitely underrated.

Lukaku - Against teams like that we need the ball to stick when its played into him. He needs to pin centre backs and bring others into play.

The second half wasn't much quicker than the first, the change was Rom realising that he has to take responsibility for this team. Perhaps its unfair on a player still very young, but he knew full well what he was signing up for last year.

He's missing that maturity imo in understanding his role.

I actually don´t think WBA were that impressive in regards to applying the Pulis style, although they were cursed with injuries. There was a good bit of space for us.

I think our problem was just too many players being slightly off, it seemed the passing throughout the game was poor. We invariably found the man but we continually passed it behind the receiver, which is something that makes a huge difference when trying to attack or counter attack such a team. Frustrating, but as I´ve said in another thread, we will be up and down with such a young bunch of players.

 

[Saaby]

When he wants to play , he is freighting

 

[Groucho]

I was being sarcastic pal

Ha. Such is the criticism we read on him, excuse me for missing the point lol

 

[davids]

His 1st goal yesterday was not an effort on goal, it was a miscontrol

All the great strikers just concentrate on getting something on the ball in those positions (see Barkleys early total miss) If you look at the replay of his second he thought he'd got enough on it to put it away,but reacted brilliantly to follow up.Just hope Sunday we don't see a continuation of his good game ordinary game run this season.

 

[davids]

I am a fan of him. I appreciate he has no first touch to speak of, but I like him.

Obviously no player is beyond criticism, but I feel that last year people were complaining that after getting 20 during a bad season, "Lukaku is crap, all he does is score goals"

If he ever develops a reliable first touch,we should get ready to wave goodbye.

 

[Gil]

brilliant, but i just dont understand why is first touch is so rubbish?! sometimes its so bad he comes back into his own half! surely its just a skill he can work on...its not like its finishing, or seeing a pass that you cant really teach...weird

look at deulofeus first touch for example...fantastic

How many players of that build and height have the first touch of a World Class winger? The only ones I can truly think of are Drogba and Ibrahimovic. He just doesn't have the technique, balance & body control to play that way, those two are anomalies.

I think as long as he can consistently hold the ball up extremely well like he did against both Chelsea & Southampton he can be bordering on World Class providing he continues to improve his scoring rate. Those two disguised passes he played to McCarthy and Kone are more of what I'd like to see of him. I've seen him produce those quality of passes on several occasions in the past, needs to trust his own ability a bit more.

 

[Ihaters]

We don't have many players so lazy they can have a lie down mid air during a goal celebration.

 

[toffeejack]

I think Barkley should be taking a lot more of our fee kicks to be fair. His technique is fantastic and he strikes the ball brilliantly. I think Barkley should be having more shots full stop mind.

to be fair, i think the swansea goal was a one-off. he never practices them and just hit it in on instinct. don't think he's even come close since. you are right though, he does have the technique - i think if he puts practice in, same with rom, they could be specialists. baines is still king though, and garbutt more down the line.

 

[GrandOldTeam]

Via Everton FC: 14 Away goals for Lukaku so far in 2015 in all competitions - bettered in the Club's history, for a calendar year, only by Dixie Dean (22 in 1928, 21 in 1927 and 20 in 1931) and Bob Latchford (15 in 1977)