Something about Lukaku is still very likeable. His attitude wins me over, he works hard and you can tell he wants it so bad. Not sure if that is going to be enough in the long term, but I for one hope he manages to take that quantum leap and elevates his game (i.e. becomes more two-footed, clinical in front of goal).
9
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 51
- Goals
- 27
- Assists
- 10
- Yellow cards
- 3
- Status
Yes Lukaku is shaky at times but i think he's contributing a lot to the teams these days. He plays the ball forward, works very hard for the team and of course runs down the center backs at will. He might not yet be in form but i think he's not backing down. i could see that he tried very hard against Watford. His movement in the first half was good, he let go off many balls for Lingard to capitalize on but didn't happen. He had a couple of chances against Brighton and Watford but couldn't convert but it doesn't bother me as long as we win and he keeps playing to our advantage. No worries, he's going to do just fine.
We'v overplayed him and he badly needs a rest. We'v seen what he's capable of early part of the season. He's still contributing and causing the oppisition issues so that's good to see.
Lukaku has scored 93 PL goals, 47 with his left foot, 26 with his right foot and 19 headers. He isn't one footed player like many said yesterday, if he was he wouldn't have shot such a good shot from distance with his weaker foot.
He's going through a bit of a bad patch and his confidence seems low. I have no doubts he'll bounce back. He'll start firing them in soon enough.
What I do doubt is that he'll ever be able to provide the level of link up and hold up play that Morata offers at Chelsea.
What I do doubt is that he'll ever be able to provide the level of link up and hold up play that Morata offers at Chelsea.
Lukaku 32 assists in 200 apps
Kane 13 assists in 129 apps
Aguero 32 assists 190 apps
This season and the 3 before it.
This season:
Lukaku 4
Kane 1
Aguero 3
2016-17
Lukaku 6
Kane 7
Aguero 3
2015-16
Lukaku 6
Kane 1
Aguero 2
2014-15
Lukaku 5
Kane 4
Aguero 8
Kane 13 assists in 129 apps
Aguero 32 assists 190 apps
This season and the 3 before it.
This season:
Lukaku 4
Kane 1
Aguero 3
2016-17
Lukaku 6
Kane 7
Aguero 3
2015-16
Lukaku 6
Kane 1
Aguero 2
2014-15
Lukaku 5
Kane 4
Aguero 8
Nobody should be surpised, Lukaku goes off the boil every season for a bit, IDK why but it happened at Everton i think it happened at West Brom too. Maybe it's due to his size? But then he's always firing at the end of the season. Maybe its mental? I can't find the data to analyse to figure it out.
He'll improve again and get amongst the goals, but we need to have options to replace him. His previous clubs didn't have that.
He'll improve again and get amongst the goals, but we need to have options to replace him. His previous clubs didn't have that.
Morata is getting highly overrated on here. He's had his struggles with physicality and would struggle even more on this team where he would have to hold up the ball with limited support, limited supply and less talent surrounding him. Lukaku isn't the best targetman but he won't get bullied by low level defenders
Keep playing him! He’s a powerhouse and takes 2 defenders wherever he goes!
His current drought doesnt matter too much when others are scoring!
The worst thing to do would be to drop him and play Ibrahimovic who looks very rusty.
His current drought doesnt matter too much when others are scoring!
The worst thing to do would be to drop him and play Ibrahimovic who looks very rusty.
In the last 2 seasons, Lukaku has scored in 42% of the games he played in, Kane 48%, Aguero 49%. Both of them are primary penalty takers too.
So there isn't a big difference.
Thanks for the stats. I have no clue why some of our fans/supporters views are so biased towards our players. Thank goodness that the team is not selected based on opinions expressed on forums. Listen, we all know he should have buried that chance he had. I think the guy is trying too hard - he must be under so much pressure to deliver. He will guarantee us goals - no doubt about it. He’ll give lots of assists. He loves the club and what we aspire to and is putting in the passion and effort required.
I think all players tend to go off the boil sometimes, to an extent. Even Kane, who's undoubtedly excellent, has sometimes started the season poorly and taken a while to get going.
The way he moves with the ball is very one-footed, compare it to someone like Aguero, Suarez, Lewa or Kane.. even though they're all right footed, they keep top level defenders guessing for the most part as they can go either way with ease when running and there isn't any hesitancy. You can bring up stats all you like but there is a hesitancy there with Lukaku.
Its not like he's got a weak right foot, or he can't use it.. its that he is not willing to use it at will, he is reluctant to do so. That split second hesitation makes him more predictable.
So at least he moves with the ball, there is a progress.
Most players dribble with their strongest feet, only to pass or shoot they use weaker feet. I'm not bringing to random stats, it's his goals using his weaker foot.
Agree with both these points. I don't mean it as a criticism - look how many Rooney scored for us (ignore is crap years towards the end), it was generally in batches of form. Very few strikers score continiously each season game after game. I do think having some like for like competition will improve him though and having someone to replace him might take the pressure off too dring the droughts. He can then switch focus to getting his place back rather than how long he's gone without a goal.
Not playing well but I am not overly worried as I think he will regain his form. Hopefully he scores in our next 2 games.
He won't ever have Morata's touch around the box but he has a physicality that Morata lacks. Morata is a good player but far from perfect.
Tiredness is an overused excuse in my opinion, as a decent level cyclist (at 44 years old) I laugh at summer people saying he is knackered.
6-7 games per month. Easy, especially at that age
6-7 games per month. Easy, especially at that age
Even RVP had a goal drought in 12/13. It happens.
Good point, I hadn’t considered this before. The timings do match up with the start of his goal drought. He’s definitely a confidence player so all of the negative attention could’ve knocked him.
Shite song too and then not respecting his request to stop singing it was even more awkward!
Best excuse for loss of form ever
If only Mikhitaryan had an excuse.Well, you know maybe him being a Man Utd player and this being a Man Utd fan forum might have something to do with it. You can't make a claim and then question anyone who challenges it by calling them "defensive" if they've brought up genuine points.
And I have no problem in you saying that he lost his aerial duels in the game against Watford because, well, he did. But generalizing it as though he's been crap for the entire season or even in recent games, is extremely harsh.
Come on. Everybody knew that his first touch was his weak spot, but with just 24 years old we are hoping for it to improve. I think if he can solve this issue, he will be a terrific striker.
If he can't solve that, he will mainly be a poacher most of his time.
If he can't solve that, he will mainly be a poacher most of his time.
Where the hell did you get that?!
Maybe you're a bit strange.
Signed match going red of 44 years
There was a one-two Pogba attempted to play with him near the half way line in the 2nd half. In acres of space Pogba plays it in into him n his attempt of a return was comical. Heavy touch as usual to a defender. Even his mate Pogba had a defeated look of thinking how could you screw that up.
This man is 24 and has been playing first team football for 7yrs, how much more can his basic technique improve. Even if it does will it be to the required level because its shocking for a striker at the top level.
This man is 24 and has been playing first team football for 7yrs, how much more can his basic technique improve. Even if it does will it be to the required level because its shocking for a striker at the top level.
I'd be slightly worried if he was unproven but we know for sure that in front of goal he's better than his current form. The goalscoring will come back no problem.
Confidence has taken a knock, partly induced by feeding on scraps for a couple of months and likely him getting used to playing for a big club.
Confidence has taken a knock, partly induced by feeding on scraps for a couple of months and likely him getting used to playing for a big club.
Would love for him to be given a rest and Martial feature up top with Rashford on the left, but that won't happen.
People seem to make out that we are the best team around at giving strikers service, we aren't, and it's certainly not the reason Alvaro is looking better. Funny thing is when we have had strikers underperforming (Torres, Falcao, even Costa on occasions) our fans used the same service excuse for them.
Morata's benefited from a few Azpilicueta crosses, but Cesar has always produced quality crosses yet it's only now we are starting to see goals come from them. Service works both way's.
Lukaku should hang his head in shame at that missed chance yesterday. No two ways about it. Regardless of whether he has bad first touch or not, that should have gone in.
That was almost Welbeck levels of confusion in the box yesterday...
That was almost Welbeck levels of confusion in the box yesterday...
Yeah I've been saying it for a while actually, when it comes to the heavier than normal size/frame the balance has to be perfect otherwise it affects aspects of his game such as his touch, movement and agility. It's called physics.
Missed chance was horrendous but I actually thought he played quite well yesterday. Great play for the 1st and 3rd goals as well as the shot that created the Lingard chance at the end of the first half. He is very low on confidence finishing-wise though and his composure has been pretty unacceptable. Really needs a big performance to kick him back into gear. Not getting dropped for Arsenal so hopefully this weekend he bangs one in
Yet his assist came from an instant decision to play a beautifully weighted, first time volleyed pass... with his right foot. He also set Jesse through with another perfectly weighted pass in the second half. Guess which foot he played that pass with? I think you're overstating his one-footedness because of that chance he missed. The last goal he scored featured a similar hesitation, which was 100% deliberate and resulted in him sitting the keeper on his arse so he could blast it into the roof of the net.
What he was most guilty of wasn't favouring one foot or the other, it was being unaware of the Watford player steaming in behind him and thinking he had more time than he had. Also worth mentioning that he still managed to get round the keeper and get a shot on target, which a defender had to block. The amount of stick he's getting for that one missed chance you'd think he Ronnie Rosenthal'd a tap-in miles over the bar!
Stats which speak volumes when you compare and contrast the quality of player they've been trying to create chances for in all those previous seasons. There's every chance Lukaku will hit double figures for assists by the time this season is over and you'll still getting people coming out with shite like "he offers nothing other than scoring goals"
I think i mentioned this somewhere else, but his overall game is actually good. That's why he's a bit of a strange one at the moment. Clearly not everything is rosy, but he's not been catastrophic.
Can be a little frustrating at time though.
Can be a little frustrating at time though.
Where do people come up with this stuff?
He should have scored, but it really isn’t the end of the world.
Hang his head in shame does not mean, giving up on football or retiring.
As an experienced guy, one is not expected to make basic errors.
I'm not saying he is Valencia .. not that he can't use his right foot. Nor am I saying he needs to dribble with his right foot.
It's just the way you run at players, if you're not that agile then you need to have some element of surprise in the way you carry the ball.. most of the top strikers they can go either way when they're dribbling at a player and in a central position that is really important especially at European level. The way he runs at players is predominantly drop right shoulder and go left. Not saying he always does this, but most of the time he does and whilst Messi can get away with that as he is a god and also plays deeper.. someone like Lukaku doesn't quite get away with that.
Pretty much most top strikers are very multidirectional and that is inspite of whether they favour a particular foot to dribble with the ball (which nearly every player does for that matter unless you're Nedved). It is more easier to adapt your body position when facing a Lukaku than facing a Suarez or Lewa. You shift too much one way and they have zero hesitation going then other.
No idea why he has to power hit all his shots. Martial's goal yesterday was a prime example that you don't need to shoot with 5 bars of power, but tugging it away from the keeper is the key. He needs to simplify his shooting and start going for placement over power.
- Status