It's not 'knee-jerkism' though, unless you're going to be selective about comments regarding him for a very long time now. Pogba was based on emotion for most of those who I believe just went along with what the manager of the time was pumping them with. There's been no such 'campaign' against Lukaku, and he has, actually, been given a very easy time of it in the press and even in the threads on here because he isn't an incendiary character nor an easy target, like Pogba, for emotional vitriol.
Ole's asking far more of our forwards than being available for the final ball, isn't he? He wants them to run the lines, over and over giving other team-mates openings and confusing the hell out of defenses with consistent positional switches - he doesn't even want a focal point of the attack or a go-to striker, which kills a lot of Lukaku's assets straight out of the gate (which is why I said sometimes it's unfair on him because we don't, and won't, play to his strengths) and that kind of metronomic running is just not Lukaku's cup of tea. In all the teams he has played for, he is the man the team worked to get chances for, he could make the runs he wanted, when he wanted and the team functioned well in the meantime, or certainly accommodated his style of play (short-burst, breather, repeat) but it's very different now under Ole and he'll not be afforded the same liberty here.
Lukaku is absolutely not willing to sit on the bench - it's why he left Chelsea, and why I think he will leave here come the summer. Being usurped by Rashford has got to be a blow in itself, but then only getting to play in his main position when Rashford is out of the team is even worse. Besides that, he's an expensive striker on high wages, which is not substitute territory.
You say what's the rush in moving him on, well his wages, his value in the market and our own needs to have players who fit with what the manager wants and needs his forward line to be able to do. Two seasons at this level for Lukaku and he's not going to be worth much in an open market
I had an open mind when Lukaku came, to be honest. I would say that I just think he's a bad fit more than anything else as goals is not the only currency forwards are judged on these days - you can't be poor on the field and pop up with a goal and keep your place in the team these days. Anyway, saying all this, it would actually be great if he can prove his worth and get some starts on merit between now and May, we do need him to deliver and I understand him being a bit put out of joint having his place stripped from him like this.