Lukaku's first touch

Great. Now Lukaku's first touch has become a thing and every time he has a poor first touch there's gonna be threads on it and the matchday thread will explode even though other players would have been doing the same.

It's just like how it's become a thing that Fellaini loses the ball. Everyone loses the ball but just because it's become some Caf obsession every time he does it we all lose our shit.
 
whatwha said:
True for Zlatan. As for Rooney you could make that video from a single game. And in fact someone did last season. It was hilarious.
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It wasn't hilarious because you could do that for almost any attacking player in a single game. It's the same way how an average striker can look like a world beater with a youtube compilation.
 
goldenballs said:
My mate an Everton fan raised the issue with me, saying his touch was frustrating for a fan to watch. As I said in the OP I have no experience in watching him, so couldn't make an informed opinion. The vid is all I have seen of him basically and was looking for opinions of others on here.
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As fans we have a grumble about almost every player. Pogba got a bunch of criticism in here all last season. I doubt that would put off Everton fans if by some weird turn of events they had the chance to sign him.

Anyway United are at their best playing a big, expansive game, the Old Trafford pitch lends itself to that style. We won't be asking Lukaku to get involved with much intricate backwards and forwards stuff in the final third.
 
shamans said:
Great. Now Lukaku's first touch has become a thing and every time he has a poor first touch there's gonna be threads on it and the matchday thread will explode even though other players would have been doing the same.

It's just like how it's become a thing that Fellaini loses the ball. Everyone loses the ball but just because it's become some Caf obsession every time he does it we all lose our shit.
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If he scores goals I don't care what else he does.
 
shamans said:
It wasn't hilarious because you could do that for almost any attacking player in a single game. It's the same way how an average striker can look like a world beater with a youtube compilation.
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Rooney didn't do anything right in that game. You couldn't make a vid like that for almost anyone. It was a really bad day for him.
 
I would note that Wenger once said that a players touch is something you cannot train or improve. They either "have it" or don't.
 
I had barely heard about Lukaku's poor first touch until we were linked to him, now it's accepted wisdom and a huge issue.
 
sugar_kane said:
I had barely heard about Lukaku's poor first touch until we were linked to him, now it's accepted wisdom and a huge issue.
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Yeah same here, it was seldom discussed and now its a meme. Can't wait until his first touch takes it into the back of the net.
 
That video isn't necessarily first touches only. Some are just misplaced passes which happens to 99% of footballers.
 
lem8sh said:
Anyone who has watched him knows it's nowhere near what you would expect from an elite striker.
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I've seen him plenty but can't say I've ever noticed, obviously now he plays for us it's probably all I'll ever notice.
 
4th page without any stats, eh? These are individual numbers per game from last season in PL.

Player: Dispossessed-UnstableTouch
Lukaku: 2.4 - 2.1
H.Kane: 1.6 - 2.8
Sanchez:3.4 - 2.5
Aguero: 3.0 - 3.0
D.Costa:3.4 - 3.1
Zlatan: 1.4 - 2.0
 
Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber said:
He has a better first touch than redcafe legend Chicharito. He'll be fine at OT
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I have to disagree on that. I've watched Chico since his breakthrough in Chivas, and when he got to United he had the same or a bit above first touch than Lukaku. The difference is that Chico didn't had the same big sized body so that makes Lukaku worst. And if you watch recent games of Chico he has a better first touch than Lukaku atm.

Anyway, I'm not against Lukaku but I think that the CAF won't hunt down him like it did with Chico.
 
You have to remember he's been training at Everton
 
The Idiot's Guide to Football Banter, Vol 1
Chapter III. First Touch.​

To get to the next level you will need to occasionally criticize the 'first touch' of a player. They can be a midfielder or forward, and usually on your own team. If they lose the ball, or it bounces off them, don't hesitate; some other armchair critic may be about to beat you to the punch. Not everyone may agree with you, of course. As others offer their views, you could elaborate; 'he's no target man', or 'Jeez, nothing is sticking with ____ today'. 'Never a United player, for me', can be good too. 'First touch' (contact with the feet to bring the ball under control, or pass it), is a vital football skill. If you can spot a player with a poor FT, let us know that you know! You can gain credibility by loudly shouting in the ground (or posting in Caf) that they are Sh...........e! 'Jeez, that's a shocking first touch'.
 
Meh this is the Caf, the same place where it was said that Pogba has the touch of an elephant.

Nothing surprises me anymore in here, even when we just start creating random myths or make big deal out of nothing.

Like someone above said, Lukaku first touch was hardly something ever mentioned when he was playing elsewhere or being linked to Chelsea and the likes yet he comes to us and this nipick has turned into a thing where we're now making threads, memes and videos about.

Again, only on the Caf.
 
Gerardo Islas said:
Like the CAF did with Chico???
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I love Chico. Both for his personality and his finishing. I had a problem with Welbz because for all his touches around the box he couldn't put the ball in the back of the net.

We had a major problem with converting chances last season. If Lukaku comes in and converts more of those chances I will be more than happy.


I can't talk for other people here on the CAF though, especially in the Match Day thread.
 
Kinda relevant so has anyone seen that compilation of all the open goal misses from Cavani? You'd imagine the kind of striker who can't even score in a brothel.



Yeah, the same guy who scored 49 goals last season.

Edit: Wrong video
 
If he's got his back to goal like this for us all season we've more problems as a team than his first touch.
 
Vashu said:
4th page without any stats, eh? These are individual numbers per game from last season in PL.

Player: Dispossessed-UnstableTouch
Lukaku: 2.4 - 2.1
H.Kane: 1.6 - 2.8
Sanchez:3.4 - 2.5
Aguero: 3.0 - 3.0
D.Costa:3.4 - 3.1
Zlatan: 1.4 - 2.0
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The stats don't tell us much without context to be fair. I'd have said Ibrahimovic and Aguero (when fit and sharp) are masters at trapping passes, the others middling with Costa and Lukaku behind. Also haven't watched anyone there as much as Ibrahimovic.
 
Steven7290 said:
Kinda relevant so has anyone seen that compilation of all the open goal misses from Cavani? You'd imagine the kind of striker who can't even score in a brothel.



Yeah, the same guy who scored 49 goals last season.

Edit: Wrong video
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Cavani's movement and work ethic/stamina to make those runs is ridiculous though. Probably even shades Cristiano Ronaldo in that regard. I don't think Lukaku has the lungs to reach that sort of level, but he can compensate by being more clinical with the chances he gets. Something that happened for the first time at a very good level last season, and may continue improving.
 
Vashu said:
4th page without any stats, eh? These are individual numbers per game from last season in PL.

Player: Dispossessed-UnstableTouch
Lukaku: 2.4 - 2.1
H.Kane: 1.6 - 2.8
Sanchez:3.4 - 2.5
Aguero: 3.0 - 3.0
D.Costa:3.4 - 3.1
Zlatan: 1.4 - 2.0
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The stats don't say under what conditions they received the ball.
A good first touch can only be judged through observation and anyone with eyes would say Lukaku's the worst of that bunch with regards to their touch.
 
Theres absolutely no doubt that Lukaku is technically and first touch wise inferior to the likes of Kane Aguero or Sanchez. Whoever says otherwise clearly hasnt watched him play. Lukaku himself in a recent interview said that if he had Pogabs skill level with the ball he would score 10 goals more per season.

Stating this doesnt imply that lukakus first touch is terrible or the worst in world football or that hes not going to be a success at United because his first touch is not excellent. I dont know why people are talking in extremes.

If one says that his first touch is a weaknesses which he needs to address, its just a fact not damning assessment of lukaku's ability as a football player. He's scored 68 goals in the last 4 seasons and hes only 24, theres no doubt in my mind that hes going to score goals for us But there will be days where his technical abilities will frustrate us.
 
hes got the same first touch as welbecks from the looks of it

at least his second touch is a shot on goal most of the time, whereas welbeck is usually going in for a tackle :rolleyes:
 
I am in no doubt he'll be a huge success but lets not make it that his touch is great or anything like that. He makes up for it in other areas.
 
Eventually people will shut up when he starts banging them in. It's unsurprising people outside United are trying to label him like that.
 
The irony is that if his first touch was silk, and he had the exact same scoring ability, he'd be at Real or Barca, and he'd cost 150m.

Lukaku with a first class first touch would arguably be the best CF on Earth.

His first touch isn't bad, it's inconsistent...

His movement and goal-scoring instinct are first class, his power is first class.

He's one of the PL's top 3 CFs over the last 4 years - the other 2 in that club are Kane and Aguero.

Just be fecking glad we've got him. Because if he'd gone to Chelsea, I guarantee you this thread wouldn't exist, and most posters would be saying how it's now Chelsea or City for the title.
 
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