Romelu Lukaku

[Blue Cheese]

I'll play Devil's advocate and look at it from Lukaku's point of view.

He says he's ready for the "next level".

He's not. His showing against a "next level" defence in the Italy game showed that.

If he wants to compete at the highest level of football, he needs to improve the following attributes:

1. His touch, specifically first touch but he can lose the ball with subsequent touches.

2. His heading. For a lad of his size, he doesn't win enough headers and even when he does head the ball, he rarely does it with intent and conviction.

3. Long range shooting. He doesn't hit the target often enough when he shoots from outside the box.

4. His reading of the game. The best players always have a picture in their mind of the scene and know what is going to happen next. He is too reactive still. his runs are always where HE wants the ball to be played regardless of whether his tam mate can play the ball. What he should be doing is running to where the ball can be played. How many opportunities passed him by when Del played the ball across the goal with no-one to finish them off because he was stood on the penalty spot expecting the ball to be played where HE was rather than looking to see where the ball could be played to?
Many of his goals came when the two things combined - his team mate was able to play it where he wanted. When this happens, he is deadly.

If he had the above attributes, he could easily have scored 35+ goals last season and have been worthy of the "next level" but he didn't.

If anyone thinks I'm being over-critical of the lad, let's compare him with his idol, Didier Drogba who was a world class talent. He had all of the above and more so until he pays to those standards then he is better off learning his trade here and taking himself and his team to that level.

In fact none of our players showed they are capable or deserve top level football yet.

Now, perhaps a major contribution could have been fitness and RM had a part to play in that. Tiredness affects everything about performance, especially touch and game reading so superior fitness might help fix a few issues quite quickly.

However, a top level Champions League player has to play at a very high standard (7/10 minimum per game) twice a week for at least 40 out of 50 games each season against the best performers in world football and he is nowhere near that yet.

Not to say that he won't be because I think he will become a top player as he has the desire and work ethic to do so.

I also think we have a manager that is capable of bringing out the best in Rom and he would be best served to stay, become the player he wants to be and hopefully win the accolades he always dreamed of.

If, on the other hand, what he meant by "next level" was not a mid-table team then perhaps Koeman should offer to sell him to Southampton.

Me? I hope he stays and wins every trophy available to a PL club.

Every. Single. One.

Don't think Drogba was as good as Lukaku at his age, think he was about 24 when he burst through at marseille, could be wrong like.

 

[Toffeelover]

I see Lukaku has been speaking out again referencing PSG.

So let us be clear, Everton are not a big enough club, we are not a big enough project, we are not in Europe let alone CL. I d not think I have missed anything out.

Okay he can score goals but does have some shortcomings. I am in the mindset now if some club comes in with the right offer - release him. It is clear he does not want to be at Everton, I only want players who have a want and a desire to play in our Royal Blue.

 

[orly]

Don't think Drogba was as good as Lukaku at his age, think he was about 24 when he burst through at marseille, could be wrong like.

Wasn't he appalling for his first few months in the premier league as well? Remember Ken Dodd Lawrenson describing him not entirely presciently as a "clown" . Think the penny dropped when he went back with Chelsea to Marseille in the CL and scored a hattrick

 

[TheFinnFan]

I see Lukaku has been speaking out again referencing PSG.

So let us be clear, Everton are not a big enough club, we are not a big enough project, we are not in Europe let alone CL. I d not think I have missed anything out.

Okay he can score goals but does have some shortcomings. I am in the mindset now if some club comes in with the right offer - release him. It is clear he does not want to be at Everton, I only want players who have a want and a desire to play in our Royal Blue.

What has that knob head said now?

 

[Blue Cheese]

Wasn't he appalling for his first few months in the premier league as well? Remember Ken Dodd Lawrenson describing him not entirely presciently as a "clown" . Think the penny dropped when he went back with Chelsea to Marseille in the CL and scored a hattrick

Yeah, think it took him a while to get going. I'd buzz If Lukaku becomes anywhere near as what Drogba did eventually but let's be honest, Lukaku's record at his age is up with the very best, yet people want rid.

 

[royalblue66]

I see Lukaku has been speaking out again referencing PSG.

So let us be clear, Everton are not a big enough club, we are not a big enough project, we are not in Europe let alone CL. I d not think I have missed anything out.

Okay he can score goals but does have some shortcomings. I am in the mindset now if some club comes in with the right offer - release him. It is clear he does not want to be at Everton, I only want players who have a want and a desire to play in our Royal Blue.

But perhaps he may change his mind, after he speaks with Ron.

 

[orly]

Yeah, think it took him a while to get going. I'd buzz If Lukaku becomes anywhere near as what Drogba did eventually but let's be honest, Lukaku's record at his age is up with the very best, yet people want rid.

People don't really want rid. A few people are a bit hurt that Rom is out talking smack and have gone defensive. If he scores first game of the season and kisses the badge the same people abusing him on social media will be saying "love you Rom" "never leave x" etc etc, weird but inevitable.

 

[Blue Cheese]

People don't really want rid. A few people are a bit hurt that Rom is out talking smack and have gone defensive. If he scores first game of the season and kisses the badge the same people abusing him on social media will be saying "love you Rom" "never leave x" etc etc, weird but inevitable.

Fans eh haha, we are a fickle bunch. We have a manager now who was a world class player and knows what it takes to make it at the very elite level, I'm hoping Lukaku is willing to give him at least one more season.

 

[BlueToff]

He had a shocker against Italy, played well against Ireland.

As bad as Ireland were, in that form Lukaku could have done it against a better defence as well, and Belgium as a team were playing much, much better on the whole.

Still think he'll be gone. Can see Juve coming in for him if Morata and Pogba go. If not probably PSG or perhaps (but I don't think Wenger will spend what we value him at) Arsenal.

 

[orly]

Fans eh haha, we are a fickle bunch. We have a manager now who was a world class player and knows what it takes to make it at the very elite level, I'm hoping Lukaku is willing to give him at least one more season.

The thing is, if we keep Stones and Lukaku and add some of the names suggested we may have four or five top tier players in the squad. He gets Baines and Barkley back up to form and fitness and that's another two.

Think we will see a big signing before the end of the month and July will be really busy.

 

[scotchbutterpin]

It will be a pity if he leaves. Hard to replace players of his quality these days.

 

[BlueToff]

I see Lukaku has been speaking out again referencing PSG.

So let us be clear, Everton are not a big enough club, we are not a big enough project, we are not in Europe let alone CL. I d not think I have missed anything out.

Okay he can score goals but does have some shortcomings. I am in the mindset now if some club comes in with the right offer - release him. It is clear he does not want to be at Everton, I only want players who have a want and a desire to play in our Royal Blue.

Agree mate, but ultimately (and I'm not saying you are, btw) as a fanbase it's wrong to just blame the player.

He's 23, and relatively speaking has a short career. I'm sure a lot of this talk has to do with Raiola as well.

If he stays, sound, as long as he gives his all (which he will have to do under RK to stay in the side). If not, then he leaves and we get a lot of money for him. The main difficulty will be replacing his goals. Whatever his shortcomings, he's already a very prolific scorer - and he's just turned 23.

 

[Blue Cheese]

The thing is, if we keep Stones and Lukaku and add some of the names suggested we may have four or five top tier players in the squad. He gets Baines and Barkley back up to form and fitness and that's another two.

Think we will see a big signing before the end of the month and July will be really busy.

Yeah, could be a really exciting summer, who'd have thought it, plucky little Everton with some moolah at last.

 

[KevMirallas]

It's win-win.

He stays, great. He's boss most of the time.

He goes, great. We get stupid amounts of money to whack on other boss players.

S'all good.

 

[Taff]

Wasn't he appalling for his first few months in the premier league as well? Remember Ken Dodd Lawrenson describing him not entirely presciently as a "clown" . Think the penny dropped when he went back with Chelsea to Marseille in the CL and scored a hattrick

From memory, Drogba was tripe for his season.