Is better than Rooney's
Lukaku's first touch
- Thread starter goldenballs
- Start date
Tbh I am hoping most of the time he is making runs in behind and creating the space for the players that should have the slick touches to have more room, Pogba, Mata, Mkhi, Martial etc.
For me his main job should be scoring goals, getting on the end of crosses..what he is proven at. I really didn't like it last season when Zlatan kept dropping deep, it felt like he was just getting in the way, yes his touch was great but let other players express themselves in that area of the pitch.
I know sometimes we are going to need to go more direct to him but I've always felt he is capable of holding the ball up and hopefully he can improve that under Jose. I'm just hoping to see a forward play on the shoulder and bully centre backs not drifting around the pitch looking for touches all the time..
For me his main job should be scoring goals, getting on the end of crosses..what he is proven at. I really didn't like it last season when Zlatan kept dropping deep, it felt like he was just getting in the way, yes his touch was great but let other players express themselves in that area of the pitch.
I know sometimes we are going to need to go more direct to him but I've always felt he is capable of holding the ball up and hopefully he can improve that under Jose. I'm just hoping to see a forward play on the shoulder and bully centre backs not drifting around the pitch looking for touches all the time..
The video looks very old IMO.
According to his shooting & goal stats, Lukaku 2016/2017 is more clinical than his previous seasons. I wonder if he also improve his first touch and passing.
Lukaku's strength is more on his physical strength, ability to run behind defenders with great pace, power to shoot in any distance with both feet and score with header with good movement in the box and the most clinical finisher alongside Kane in PL and even Europe last season. His main weakness is that he's unable to play in tight defense which is big problem if he's being man mark. There are many ways to utilise his strength and avoid his weakness, and if Jose can do these then Lukaku will deliver him 20+ league goals like what he did with Everton last season.
If we're going to have as crap wing play as last season then yeah, it's going to matter a lot. In case Lukaku really possesses such profound weakness we'll be obliged to compensate for it or else we will fail.
And that is a problem. You live a sheltered life.
There's always the option of not clicking on the thread. This.
Lukaku's Touch - to the tune of 'Last Christmas'
Laaast season, I gave you the benefit,
But the very next game, you gave it away.
Thiiiis year, to save me from tears,
Just give it to Paul Labile Pogba.
Laaast season, I gave you the benefit,
But the very next game, you gave it away.
Thiiiis year, to save me from tears,
Just give it to Paul Labile Pogba.
Are we just going to ignore the fact that half of that "First touch video" were misplaced passes not on the first touch? I'm pretty sure I could make a 2 minute video of Kroos' misplaced passes last season. If he can score 20+ goals in the prem, we're laughing!
Bang 26 goals in the league and I don't care.
While that is true, I don't think the majority are concerned about a video. We've all seen enough of Lukaku in real time.
It's a valid topic for a thread, because you know as soon as he's not banging in a goal a game next season the waaaahmbulance types will start to fixate on every bad touch as evidence that we've signed a dud and should immediately spend £90m on [any striker at any other club] because they're class and we're an embarrassment. Etc.
But Lukaku isn't Rooney. He's not a player whose value hangs too heavily on all the things he does as well as scoring goals. He's a goalscorer, and that's mostly what matters. With the likes of Pogba, Miki, Mata, Rashford, Herrera et al providing the assists, we can hope that lots of his first touches are going to be shots. And he seems to be pretty good at those - statistically a lot better than Ibrahimovic last season, anyway.
But Lukaku isn't Rooney. He's not a player whose value hangs too heavily on all the things he does as well as scoring goals. He's a goalscorer, and that's mostly what matters. With the likes of Pogba, Miki, Mata, Rashford, Herrera et al providing the assists, we can hope that lots of his first touches are going to be shots. And he seems to be pretty good at those - statistically a lot better than Ibrahimovic last season, anyway.
Yeah, he does have a shit first touch, but I don't think I'll care if he's banging the ball in the net.
I was about to post the exact same thing.
He literally hasn't kicked a ball yet and there are question marks like this about him.
He will be judged on his goal scoring. This thread is like signing a defender and questioning his finishing ability (through a highly selective video sequence).
Man that video was frustrating to watch. And that was him for Everton and Not Utd. Frustration will be 100 times that when he's playing for us. Do think he will be successful signing thought. Bang in goals like RVN and I won't be long forgetting about he's bad first touch
His footballing abbillities are bang average. Descision making, first touch, creativity, the abbility to combine with teammates are all below average. Imo he is a good player for a bad team, but a bad player for a good team.
But I think he does have a chance to succeed. If Mourinho will play a park the bus kinda system I think he will flourish in that.
But I think he does have a chance to succeed. If Mourinho will play a park the bus kinda system I think he will flourish in that.
It's the size of his fecking feet. He should chop his toes off.
It's a myth now. And an exaggerated one at that.
Haven't heard of any of this rubbish until he signed for United. When he was going to Chelsea, it was "United's missing out on the next Drogba"... can't stand the media and rival fans sometimes. Talk about deluded. Here you have a 24 year old who's close to 100 PL goals already but apparently it's a bad signing and a waste of money
Feck me.
Haven't heard of any of this rubbish until he signed for United. When he was going to Chelsea, it was "United's missing out on the next Drogba"... can't stand the media and rival fans sometimes. Talk about deluded. Here you have a 24 year old who's close to 100 PL goals already but apparently it's a bad signing and a waste of money
Feck me.It's a problem we will look to address I'm sure. Most of the balls he receives in dangerous situations should hopefully be into his stride and therefore his touch when holding the ball up is of less worry.
I've got concerns about this and his link up play, but f he doesn't improve under Mourinho, it's very unlikely he'll improve anywhere else. I hope they work on it.
Can't be worse than the last 4 years of Rooney.
^^^ Agree'd. It can be no worse than Rooney and Rom has plenty of goals on top of that so you can kinda forgive it. He had Rojo on black toast last season at OT.
Andy Cole improved virtually every aspect of his game in his time with us, and came here at roughly the same age, as just as raw a 'goalscorer'
I've no idea how Lukaku will turn out, but any notion that his weaknesses can't be corrected is silly business.
I've no idea how Lukaku will turn out, but any notion that his weaknesses can't be corrected is silly business.
As I said, not a problem as long as his first touch is a shot, he's very good at those.
That video shows it's his second touch that's the problem rather than the first. Also, some of the clips go back to three years ago, I bet you can make a compilation of Ronaldo missing sitters during that time that's just as long.That's why we only paid 75m for him. If his first touch was better we'd be lòoking at 90m+
We need someone to put the ball into the net which our other skilled players are not doing, and Lukaku does that at a good rate. We did fine with Rooney's first touch for many years.
Inzaghi also had a bad first touch. Who cares if he is scoring 30 a season? If the most important thing was a first touch then we would be playing Blind up front.
When Chelsea were going to sign him, he was the next Drogba. Now that it is us, he is an average striker. People are just scared, that's all. He is 24 and close to 100 PL goals. He will kill it for us, and be our 9 for many years to come.
When Chelsea were going to sign him, he was the next Drogba. Now that it is us, he is an average striker. People are just scared, that's all. He is 24 and close to 100 PL goals. He will kill it for us, and be our 9 for many years to come.
Blessing in disguise.
All the first time passes that were meant to be him trapping the ball
All the first time passes that were meant to be him trapping the ball
Exactly. You can make same compilation for any player and it looks worse. In short a nothing video
Maybe not berbatov, but yes, the video was made to prove a point. Glad some fans are fully buying into it, as obviously Uniteds scouts know nothing & nor does Jose.
I live a sheltered life? That doesn't even make sense. besides you're the one making threads on something that's largely become a thing because some people found it offensive we were buying Lukaku for £75milAnd that is a problem. You live a sheltered life.
Like wise you know you had the option of ignoring my comment?
Exactly.
Someone should make a comp of Messi miss controlling the ball, just to prove this point (though they might have to pull content from a lot more games/seasons).
Shall we judge properly after actually seeing his first touch in games?
About 4/5 days to go.
If it's that bad, Mourinho won't not know about this, so there's a plan.
About 4/5 days to go.
If it's that bad, Mourinho won't not know about this, so there's a plan.
I wish him all the success with us good first touch, poor first touch, no first touch, just score lots of goals!
good first touch, poor first touch, no first touch, just score lots of goals!The breakdown of the possible addons to the transfer fee:
Wins Ballon d'Or: £3m
Improves first touch: £12m
Wins Ballon d'Or: £3m
Improves first touch: £12m
Are you kidding me? People have been saying this about Lukaku for years, go through any old thread about him on here and you'll see the same.It's a myth now. And an exaggerated one at that.
Haven't heard of any of this rubbish until he signed for United. When he was going to Chelsea, it was "United's missing out on the next Drogba"... can't stand the media and rival fans sometimes. Talk about deluded. Here you have a 24 year old who's close to 100 PL goals already but apparently it's a bad signing and a waste of money
The peak would probably be around Belgium performances in the World Cup and last Euros.