[Suedesi]

Belgian Altidore

 

[Infra-red]

This guy is taking the place of thousands of people who play Sunday league who can actually control a ball. He needs to be dropped ASAP. He will never be good enough.

The only alternative is Ibrahimovic, and he's finished.

 

[Lowkey]

He was decent today. Just prefer to see a front 3 of Martial Rashford Sanchez.

 

[RonaldoVII]

Other than one difficult chance we didn't give him any service. Playing the big long ball up to him isn't his game either.

 

[Rhyme Animal]

I'm not a Rom basher - my post history will show that I've stated he's been my fave post-SAF signing earlier in the season...

But as the season's gone on, I'm starting to doubt whether he's really good enough to lead the line at an elite level.

A lot like Pogba, when the pressure's on, and in the biggest games, he's just a nothing player.

Again, like Pogba, I really like him as a character, but I think he's started to reveal that at the highest level he's just so tame.

 

[Classical Mechanic]

He was decent today. Just prefer to see a front 3 of Martial Rashford Sanchez.

I started a thread to that effect, just want to see what a more fluid front three would look like.

 

[FromTheBench]

I'd drop him and play Sanchez as a false 9 for a few games.

See how it goes.

 

[BringNaniBack]

The only alternative is Ibrahimovic, and he's finished.

I'd actually rather a finished Ibra at this stage even though he is also poor now. But really that isn't the only alternative. We have plenty of options, just not ones that Jose will use due to his instance on playing a big brute of a striker up front. We could easily play Martial, Rashford or Sanchez there and we'd be far better.

 

[BringNaniBack]

I'd drop him and play Sanchez as a false 9 for a few games.

See how it goes.

If only. Jose would never drop his precious Lukaku.

 

[Eddy_JukeZ]

Ibrahimovic last season was a better player than him.

Lukaku tries hard. Credit to him, but he lacks that quality you need.

 

[Infra-red]

I'd drop him and play Sanchez as a false 9 for a few games.

See how it goes.

I'd actually rather a finished Ibra at this stage even though he is also poor now. But really that isn't the only alternative. We have plenty of options, just not ones that Jose will use due to his instance on playing a big brute of a striker up front. We could easily play Martial, Rashford or Sanchez there and we'd be far better.

We need a big man to win the headers when we hoof it up field. We don't have the passing game to bring a false 9 in to play.

 

[Eddy_JukeZ]

I'd drop him and play Sanchez as a false 9 for a few games.

See how it goes.

This x100.

It gets Martial on the left and plays Sanchez in his best position.

Mourinho would never do this unfortunately.

 

[kidbob]

Other than one difficult chance we didn't give him any service. Playing the big long ball up to him isn't his game either.

Yep, another fault of Joses. He simply isn't the guy to win headers off long balls and even when he does there's no one there to support him. He's better when the balls played into feet or into channels yet we use him so badly. He's only good in the air when he's getting on the end of crosses.

 

[Van Piorsing]

Distribution from the wings for him was awful. Poor corner taking plus not very accurate crossing won't help him do what he does best.

Another attacking player is needed to sub him and make impact in situation like this one.

 

[BringNaniBack]

We need a big man to win the headers when we hoof it up field. We don't have the passing game to bring a false 9 in to play.

Lukaku barely wins anything anyway so we might as well try playing it on the floor.

 

[cyberman]

He was a bit isolated without a midfield runner or number 10 behind him but still worked his ass off.
I expect him to score against this lot when we push up higher at OT.

 

[drdoityourself]

We're an awfully defensive team at the moment. And Lukaku of course suffers for it.
I felt he ran the channels, was marked by two centre halves and had a decent game.
Give him some service and he delivers. This team is just not attacking as a unit and he's been hung out to dry.

 

[Devil81]

I've voiced my opinion, he can work as hard as he likes, he can score goals against the crap sides but in the big games he can't create himself a chance or have the basic control skills to trouble a team.

I'm not a fan at all.

 

[bosnian_red]

We need a big man to win the headers when we hoof it up field. We don't have the passing game to bring a false 9 in to play.

Even the odd time that Lukaku wins the headers, he just heads it to them anyway. Literally makes no difference. Just play proper football and put quality players in the attack. Lukaku does feck all in every single big game, he just isn't good enough.

 

[Silas]

We need a big man to win the headers when we hoof it up field. We don't have the passing game to bring a false 9 in to play.

Lukaku doesn't exactly win that many anyway. When he does, it almost always goes back to the opposition.

 

[goin4glory]

He's dogshit. If Mourinho doesn't address it quickly it'll be another Rooney situation.

 

[Jaae]

His touch is so inconsistent because he has poor technique. He's clumsy, and the opposite of 'nimble'... whatever that is.

He's a good goal-poacher, but you need more than that at the highest level. He isn't even a good target man as he doesn't use his size to his advantage.

 

[redNATION]

Didnt want him in the summer, and I'm now seeing all my concerns come to fruition. Can't dribble, loose first touch, erratic finishing, cant head the ball (despite his size) - pretty much the opposite of what a top level striker should be. Overpaying for average players seems to be a curse on us, whereas the likes of Liverpool and Spurs seem to do well enough spending less and getting more from their players.

 

[Silas]

Just heard on BT that he had 38 touches and lost possession 18 times.

 

[Devil may care]

He's not getting the service, he was the bomb vs Huddersfield, he has less shots than Kane thus he's better according to Fulltimedevils etc...........I'm not his biggest fan but he had a soul destroying task tonight, I find much bigger fault with the manager than him.

 

[BluesJr]

38 touches, gave it away 18 times.

 

[Javi]

He's certainely been poor but I'm not even seeing the most rudimentary indication of a concept playing to his strength.

 

[Seveneric]

His knack for coming through in important matches and big games is amazing.

 

[Infra-red]

Lukaku barely wins anything anyway so we might as well try playing it on the floor.

Even the odd time that Lukaku wins the headers, he just heads it to them anyway. Literally makes no difference. Just play proper football and put quality players in the attack. Lukaku does feck all in every single big game, he just isn't good enough.

Lukaku doesn't exactly win that many anyway. When he does, it almost always goes back to the opposition.

I think it's worth giving it a go, probably, but in most big games we're going to concede possession and spend most of the time chasing the ball - hard to see Mourinho opting for anything other than a big man in that situation - our defence needs that outball to relieve pressure.

 

[Utdstar01]

38 touches, gave it away 18 times.

If that's including the headers he made when the ball was punted upto him continuously then it's not exactly a fair stat. His build up play certainly wasn't anywhere near as good as it has been recently but he was far from being the biggest problem tonight.

 

[Isotope]

Just heard on BT that he had 38 touches and lost possession 18 times.

But.. but.. he's not getting the service?

 

[NinjaFletch]

I don't think the expectations were off, as 30 plus goals is entirely realistic for Lukaku. Everyone has simply underperformed this year, including Pogba. These players are being utilized in ways that don't bring the best of out of them, which is in turn making them look like they may not be as good as previously thought.

Yeah exactly, 30. That's a great return if he gets there, but its a long way from 40.

I have issues with Lukaku, but to score as many he has with the service he's got, whether you're going to blame Mourinho for holding players back or the players behind him for not being at the required level yet, is an incredibly good effort. Dismissing that because you created ludicrously high expectations for him in the first place is unfair.

I really, really fail to see who these available world class strikers are who could come in and do better than what he has done this season. Maybe Morata would have last year, but I very highly doubt that, but there seems to be a dearth in quality in strikers available.

Certainly Lukaku deserves criticism this season (for performances like tonights) but I do think he deserves more credit for what he's done well then he's getting and an acknowledgment that there are some signs he can go up to the next level.

 

[BluesJr]

If that's including the headers he made when the ball was punted upto him continuously then it's not exactly a fair stat. His build up play certainly wasn't anywhere near as good as it has been recently but he was far from being the biggest problem tonight.

I’d argue he was one of our biggest problems because he wasted a good chance and spoiled several counter attacks with his lack of ability on the ball.

I like him and I do think he can succeed but he needs to improve massively.

 

[Bwuk]

Said it the other week and got ridiculed but won’t change my opinion.

An expensive mistake. We should cut our losses and get someone else in the summer, or play Martial/Sanchez through the middle.

He’s not the answer and he won’t be.

Chelsea seem to have realised this with Morata, and Arsenal wasted no time getting someone instead of Lacazette.

 

[An Irish Red]

The striker is supposed to be the focal point of the attack but can anyone really say that they are happy with a player with his attributes being that man for us?

He'll have his moments because he's a good striker but he's not the sort of player that the best sides have and that's a problem. He's too limited.

 

[bosnian_red]

I think it's worth giving it a go, probably, but in most big games we're going to concede possession and spend most of the time chasing the ball - hard to see Mourinho opting for anything other than a big man in that situation - our defence needs that outball to relieve pressure.

Obviously Mourinho won't do it, but it's what we should do. If he wanted that, he should've bought a target man that can actually hold the ball up, compete physically with defenders and dominate them in the air. He bought Lukaku because he is big. But ignore his size. Would make no difference to us in terms of successful hoofing if we played Rashford, Martial or Sanchez there compared to Lukaku, that's how useless he is in the air with long balls. He's purely a poacher, and can be a good player for that, but that's not suited to our current side at all and not suited to the majority of big teams.

 

[Raoul]

Yeah exactly, 30. That's a great return if he gets there, but its a long way from 40.

I have issues with Lukaku, but to score as many he has with the service he's got, whether you're going to blame Mourinho for holding players back or the players behind him for not being at the required level yet, is an incredibly good effort. Dismissing that because you created ludicrously high expectations for him in the first place is unfair.

I really, really fail to see who these available world class strikers are who could come in and do better than what he has done this season. Maybe Morata would have last year, but I very highly doubt that, but there seems to be a dearth in quality in strikers available.

Certainly Lukaku deserves criticism this season (for performances like tonights) but I do think he deserves more credit for what he's done well then he's getting and an acknowledgment that there are some signs he can go up to the next level.

I didn't say 40.

 

[el3mel]

His movement is quite poor tbh. Think that's one of the reasons he doesn't get enough service. He doesn't seem to make clever runs behind defenders or position himself well in the box to get the ball. Thought this was better against Hudders but back to square one now. He needs to improve his movement and positioning if he wants his teammates to find him easier. Zlatan was getting (and missing) loads of chances with nearly similar players because of his movement and positioning.

 

[Walters_19_MuFc]

Said it the other week and got ridiculed but won’t change my opinion.

An expensive mistake. We should cut our losses and get someone else in the summer, or play Martial/Sanchez through the middle.

He’s not the answer and he won’t be.

Chelsea seem to have realised this with Morata, and Arsenal wasted no time getting someone instead of Lacazette.

The way Jose plays, Martial/Sanchez won't be the answer either. He likes himself a target man.

 

[Mailo]

Hold-up and aerial play nonexistent. For such a big guy, it really is shocking to see his level at these. Never gets the ball under complete control, and very slow reactions.

Disappointing, especially as we play hoof ball.