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2017-18 Performances


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6.1 Season Average Rating
Appearances
51
Goals
27
Assists
10
Yellow cards
3
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Can never fault his effort. I am pleased with him, ran his socks off, won the header for our second goal and he will only get better.
 
He needs to marry up his undoubted strength with just a bit more cuteness in certain situations. Ploughed a lone furrow up there though and not an easy job.

I agree with both parts of this and I think the cuteness point will come with more experience and as he develops a bit more arrogance and belief. There was one instance when we were 2-1 up and he went for the shot and could have played in Jesse which he maybe could have done better with but I don’t think you could blame him for taking the shot on.

As you say, not an easy job today against 2 very good defenders but occupied them well and certainly held his own.
 
He's a solid team player who works hard and never goes missing in matches. I don't understand the obsession with league goals, as if we have no ambitions in other competitions and thus those goals are meaningless. He could quite possibly get to 30 goals for the season and that's an excellent return. His hold up and link up play have improved as the season's gone on and he's shown fighting mentality when the chips are down.

His first touch still needs improvement, and he's not the type of player who will create out of nowhere. What he will do is offer a very reliable outlet, get into good goal scoring positions, and finish consistently. Lukaku is very good at keeping the ball in the box even under pressure from multiple defenders, and feinting to force a defender or keeper to commit themselves, and then finishing in the space left behind. He doesn't have the fantasy or magic of a Martial, but what he provides is a higher bottom level that the manager can depend on game in, game out.
 
Precisely.

It’s weird because sometimes, the ‘criticism’ I may have in my head is ‘why doesn’t he just turn that defender in and out and score?’, or something to that effect. Football logics will say that is an unfair expectation, but for a £75m United forward, is it really? This is the fear we would have if an Mbappé or Aguero isolated one of our defenders near the goal, but with Lukaku, expecting anything out of the ordinary appears to be asking too much, simply as the ability isn’t there to deliver it. The shot he got on target in the second half, following a through-ball from Pogba is an example. He had one defender between him and the goal with a bit of space. Some will credit him because he’s a ‘tryer’, and ‘still managed to get a shot on target’ although it was never going to trouble the keeper from there. But I saw that as a perfect opportunity for him to work a better angle for himself and score. This is why he is still in the teens for PL goals this season and the more special forwards are well over 20. ‘Service’ is very subjective for a top-class forward. It’s something I’ve been thinking of making a thread on for a while, think I might just do so later.
Just do it. would be good to analyse. When Martial scored that Burnley goal, someone said it was a great assist by Lukaku, yet another poster said, "give that pass to Rom and its just a good pass" due to doubts over the same outcome. I give Rom 7-7.5/10 for this season though as he has definitely done much good. It isn't a crime to notice his limitations though as they have always been there in his 7 season career so far.
 
Just do it. would be good to analyse. When Martial scored that Burnley goal, someone said it was a great assist by Lukaku, yet another poster said, "give that pass to Rom and its just a good pass" due to doubts over the same outcome. I give Rom 7-7.5/10 for this season though as he has definitely done much good. It isn't a crime to notice his limitations though as they have always been there in his 7 season career so far.

Done it, in the Football Forum.
 
Over the course of the season there’s been an evolution in his style of play. Mourinho is turning him into his type of striker. His work rate looks to have improved but more importantly he’s working smarter as well.
 

Wow. I've only seen a few 9/10 seasons from united players.

Keane 99-2001. Becks 99. Ronaldo 08. RVP 12/13. Eric 96. Schmeichel 96. DeGea a few.

To bracket Lukaku up there for this season ? I'd have to question your judgement seriously.
 
Precisely.

It’s weird because sometimes, the ‘criticism’ I may have in my head is ‘why doesn’t he just turn that defender in and out and score?’, or something to that effect. Football logics will say that is an unfair expectation, but for a £75m United forward, is it really? This is the fear we would have if an Mbappé or Aguero isolated one of our defenders near the goal, but with Lukaku, expecting anything out of the ordinary appears to be asking too much, simply as the ability isn’t there to deliver it. The shot he got on target in the second half, following a through-ball from Pogba is an example. He had one defender between him and the goal with a bit of space. Some will credit him because he’s a ‘tryer’, and ‘still managed to get a shot on target’ although it was never going to trouble the keeper from there. But I saw that as a perfect opportunity for him to work a better angle for himself and score. This is why he is still in the teens for PL goals this season and the more special forwards are well over 20. ‘Service’ is very subjective for a top-class forward. It’s something I’ve been thinking of making a thread on for a while, think I might just do so later.
But that's on you. You can't criticise Lukaku for not playing in a style that he's never played before.
In my head he's more of a Firminho than a Kane. Someone who drifts wide or drops deep to allow Sanchez and Lingard to drift inside. Lukaku is the fulcrum of the fluid movement we're seeing across the front three.
It's strange to criticise him for his goal record as if its a by product of his limitations when he's been one of the most prolific strikers in England over the last 3/4 years.
Jose said since day one that its not about goals for Lukaku, its what he brings overall to the team and it's become more and more obvious what he meant as the season goes on.
Look at Aguero at City. Despite his goals Pep wants something more. Posters talk about Mourinho and progressive football but he's utilising Lukaku as well as any other flavour of the month manager that's about.
 
Wow. I've only seen a few 9/10 seasons from united players.

Keane 99-2001. Becks 99. Ronaldo 08. RVP 12/13. Eric 96. Schmeichel 96. DeGea a few.

To bracket Lukaku up there for this season ? I'd have to question your judgement seriously.
Did you never see Ruud or Scholes play?
 
Wow. I've only seen a few 9/10 seasons from united players.

Keane 99-2001. Becks 99. Ronaldo 08. RVP 12/13. Eric 96. Schmeichel 96. DeGea a few.

To bracket Lukaku up there for this season ? I'd have to question your judgement seriously.

You know that if he had kept on scoring in this dry spell he would have been near 40 goals already ? As he's currently on 27 and approaching 30 goals even though he went 3 months not scoring much.
 
But that's on you. You can't criticise Lukaku for not playing in a style that he's never played before.
In my head he's more of a Firminho than a Kane. Someone who drifts wide or drops deep to allow Sanchez and Lingard to drift inside. Lukaku is the fulcrum of the fluid movement we're seeing across the front three.
It's strange to criticise him for his goal record as if its a by product of his limitations when he's been one of the most prolific strikers in England over the last 3/4 years.
Jose said since day one that its not about goals for Lukaku, its what he brings overall to the team and it's become more and more obvious what he meant as the season goes on.
Look at Aguero at City. Despite his goals Pep wants something more. Posters talk about Mourinho and progressive football but he's utilising Lukaku as well as any other flavour of the month manager that's about.

I think that’s fair. Although I’m not convinced that is Lukaku’s natural game anyway. He’s not really a good enough footballer to be primarily someone who links and brings others into play. He’s a far cry from a Berbatov or Sheringham for instance, nor is he as good a footballer as Firmino. I would be surprised if Jose bought him to play like Cantona or something.
 
Did you never see Ruud or Scholes play?

Of course. Yeah Rudd perhaps in 02/03. Scholes is my all time favourite United player. I don't think he ever had a season though where he was that individually outstanding that I'd rate him a 9/10 for the season. All 8's. Some 8.5 perhaps. Absolute genius of a player for me.
 
You know that if he had kept on scoring in this dry spell he would have been near 40 goals already ? As he's currently on 27 and approaching 30 goals even though he went 3 months not scoring much.

There's no way his performances, even taking his dry spell aside have been even remotely close to the performances of the other players I mentioned. Not even close to the tier below, Scholes Rooney Stam etc
 
I think that’s fair. Although I’m not convinced that is Lukaku’s natural game anyway. He’s not really a good enough footballer to be primarily someone who links and brings others into play. He’s a far cry from a Berbatov or Sheringham for instance, nor is he as good a footballer as Firmino. I would be surprised if Jose bought him to play like Cantona or something.

No but what he does is create space for our wingers to exploit centrally because he's willing to drift outside. Considering the natural tendency of all of our wide players to cut in that's important.

I also don't know if I agree that he doesn't link or bring others into play as much when I believe his assist record, which is already extremely good for a striker, would be much better if we had put away some of the gilt edged chances he's created at times.
 
Of course. Yeah Rudd perhaps in 02/03. Scholes is my all time favourite United player. I don't think he ever had a season though where he was that individually outstanding that I'd rate him a 9/10 for the season. All 8's. Some 8.5 perhaps. Absolute genius of a player for me.
You are a tough marker....not a teacher by any chance?
 
But that's on you. You can't criticise Lukaku for not playing in a style that he's never played before.
In my head he's more of a Firminho than a Kane. Someone who drifts wide or drops deep to allow Sanchez and Lingard to drift inside. Lukaku is the fulcrum of the fluid movement we're seeing across the front three.
It's strange to criticise him for his goal record as if its a by product of his limitations when he's been one of the most prolific strikers in England over the last 3/4 years.
Jose said since day one that its not about goals for Lukaku, its what he brings overall to the team and it's become more and more obvious what he meant as the season goes on.
Look at Aguero at City. Despite his goals Pep wants something more. Posters talk about Mourinho and progressive football but he's utilising Lukaku as well as any other flavour of the month manager that's about.

I think that’s fair. Although I’m not convinced that is Lukaku’s natural game anyway. He’s not really a good enough footballer to be primarily someone who links and brings others into play. He’s a far cry from a Berbatov or Sheringham for instance, nor is he as good a footballer as Firmino. I would be surprised if Jose bought him to play like Cantona or something.

Both fair arguments however like Rozay said, he isn't as good a baller as those sorts of players, Firmino being formally an attacking midfielder.
My Guyanese friend calls him Yakubu in our watsapp group for a joke and I would say Rom is more like Yakubu than anyone else (ability and play style). Their goalscoring and shooting ratios are very similar on the EPL site. Lukaku has a ratio of 0.46 goals per match with Yakubu at 0.38. I actually always thought Yakubu was a very good striker, good for teams 6th and below but not for a title winning team as he lacked that "Je ne sais quoi", translation; the ability to be a top level striker a la Kane or a Van Nistelrooy. It may seem harsh but time will tell.
 
Lumbering. Thought he held the ball up very well tonight, but clumsy in his technique as always. Once he gets running forward though, few can stop him. Overall, I'd say he's much improved on his build-up, and is a good striker. But at 24-going-25 years of age, you'd have to wonder if he'd ever develop his technique enough to get to the next level.

I think he'd be better off learning to use his strength and size better. He's big lad but I hardly ever see him dominate defenders. If he uses his physical prowess better and improves his ability in the air I could see him developing into an outstanding target man.
 
He has a great attitude, and full of good intentions on the football pitch , but he’s not a top class forward player in my opinion. Doesn’t have nearly enough ability.

Tbh I can’t really criticize Lukaku. He’s one of the few players week in, week out that even during poor performances, contributes something or at least gives it his all. I’ve never felt he doesn’t put 100% in, and that’s why Jose loves him.

Agree with these.

I like him, I think he's good enough to be at United, but first choice striker in a side that wants to win PLs and CLs...? Not so sure.
 
Watching Girouds goal, I cant see Lukaku ever pulling something like that off. He doesnt have the touch and ball control, I agree with the comments above, he’s good enough to be at Utd, but good enough to lead the line for a team competing for Epl/CL? No.
 
Speaks a lot about this forum that we have had threads moaning about proven players like Zlatan, Lukaku, Sanchez whilst at the same time have threads moaning constantly that Martial isn't playing. Heck we have two threads on Martial right now for some reason straight after our semi-final.

The fanbase is too obsessed with snowboating rather than efficiency.
 
That’s just one isolated example. He can’t consistently bring the ball under control, yesterday was a prime example. Defenders aren’t worried one on one against him, with top strikers you expect them to do something special

I can probably find more. Not his strongest point, but he can do it. That said, he's a striker who likes to run in behind. At the moment, we dont find him enough when he does so.
 
There's no way his performances, even taking his dry spell aside have been even remotely close to the performances of the other players I mentioned. Not even close to the tier below, Scholes Rooney Stam etc

So how do you want to rate a player who is approaching his 30 goals in his debut season ? Anything less than 7 will be unjustifiable.
 
Speaks a lot about this forum that we have had threads moaning about proven players like Zlatan, Lukaku, Sanchez whilst at the same time have threads moaning constantly that Martial isn't playing. Heck we have two threads on Martial right now for some reason straight after our semi-final.

The fanbase is too obsessed with snowboating rather than efficiency.

Indeed. Lukaku apparently isn’t a good enough footballer to be leading the line for us despite scoring 30 goals for us for us in a very impressive first season, and he’s not finished. Ridiculous.
 
Indeed. Lukaku apparently isn’t a good enough footballer to be leading the line for us despite scoring 30 goals for us for us in a very impressive first season, and he’s not finished. Ridiculous.

He's scored 30 goals ?
 
So how do you want to rate a player who is approaching his 30 goals in his debut season ? Anything less than 7 will be unjustifiable.

In many ways. He's scored 26 goals so far.
15 league goals. Very few of them have been crucial goals in crucial games.
He hasn't really been the big man consistently through the season when we needed someone to do that. So I wouldn't really go overboard in my praise. He's got ten in cup games so maybe he's more of a cup player but again yesterday he didn't score, fashioned a laughable assist though.

He's the only striker for a club the size of Manchester United and he plays every game. 16 league goals is below expectations and his figures are padded by cup goals and padded further by people pulling 30 and 40 figures from nowhere. Also at times we've played better without him in the team. His overall game will end up holding us back as it is if we want to be a great side.

So for me a solid 6.5. Overall decent but lots of room to improve
 
In many ways. He's scored 26 goals so far.
15 league goals. Very few of them have been crucial goals in crucial games.
He hasn't really been the big man consistently through the season when we needed someone to do that. So I wouldn't really go overboard in my praise. He's got ten in cup games so maybe he's more of a cup player but again yesterday he didn't score, fashioned a laughable assist though.

He's the only striker for a club the size of Manchester United and he plays every game. 16 league goals is below expectations and his figures are padded by cup goals and padded further by people pulling 30 and 40 figures from nowhere. Also at times we've played better without him in the team. His overall game will end up holding us back as it is if we want to be a great side.

So for me a solid 6.5. Overall decent but lots of room to improve

Hmm really ? Let's revise most of his goals and assists this season, in league, CL and Fa Cup :

1- First 2 goals vs WHU to open the game.
2- Second goal that killed the game vs Swansea away.
3- Winning goal vs South away
4- Assisted the second goal that killed the game vs Everton, also scored the third.
5 - The opening goal vs Cska away in CL, went on to score the third later in same game.
6 - The equalizer goal vs Cska at home.
7 - The winning goal vs Bournemouth at home.
8 - The first goal vs WBA away.
9 - Assisted the winning goal vs Spurs at home
10 - Assisted the winning goal vs Burnley away.
11 - The 2 goals we won the game with against Huddersfield at Fa Cup.
12- The equalizer then assisted the winning goal vs Chelsea.
13 - Scored the equalizer goal vs Palace away in 3-2 comeback.
14- Assisted the first goal against Liverpool at home, also played a big part in the second goal.
15- Scored the opening goal vs Brighton in Fa Cup.
16- Scored the opening goal vs Swansea at home in the league.
17- Scored the goal that killed the game vs Bournemouth away.
18- Assisted second goal vs Spurs in Fa Cup.

Too many crucial goals in both league and Fa Cup, got us past most rounds in Fa Cup and ensured us loads of points against teams we were drawing non stop against last season.

And in case of big games, he wasn't atrocious in all of them. He assisted the winner vs Spurs at Old Trafford, played a big part in our second and third goal against Arsenal away, scored and assisted against Chelsea at Old Trafford and assisted the opening goal vs Liverpool at home, so he still had his fair share of good games against big guns as well.

Actually I don't know where we would have been without him this season.
 


Mino Raiola's impact on United is steadily diminishing. Pogba's the only client he has left at United now, right? I doubt Jose will be dissapointed.


Romero?
 
I think he'd be better off learning to use his strength and size better. He's big lad but I hardly ever see him dominate defenders. If he uses his physical prowess better and improves his ability in the air I could see him developing into an outstanding target man.

Agree with this. But to do that, he needs to develop his touch and technique. Slate Fellaini for being limited, but what makes him so effective as a target man is that he has the necessary touch and close control to bring balls down. Something that Lukaku doesn't. Ping the ball to him, and he can hold the defender off, but the ball bounces off him and he needs a couple of touches to get it under control. IF he can consistently develop this side of his game, then yes, he'll become a great target man.
 
It’d be lovely if he got to 30 goals - needs another three in five games, so I think it’s touch and go.

It would also be nice to see him bag against Arsenal and Chelsea, because his goal record in big games up to now hasn’t been great. (Yeah, yeah, I know he has played pretty well in a number of these fixtures and made assists).
 
He is lacking in some areas of his game. Still relatively young though, it’s plausible to think he’ll get more rounded all around, with better team chemistry he might go up a level, and he might not. If he doesn’t I think we might try to replace him in a couple of years. I’m satisfied with him for now. First season in a new club etc. Will be very interesting to see where he goes from here.
 
Agree with this. But to do that, he needs to develop his touch and technique. Slate Fellaini for being limited, but what makes him so effective as a target man is that he has the necessary touch and close control to bring balls down. Something that Lukaku doesn't. Ping the ball to him, and he can hold the defender off, but the ball bounces off him and he needs a couple of touches to get it under control. IF he can consistently develop this side of his game, then yes, he'll become a great target man.

Yeah, Lukaku definitely needs to improve his ball control as well. I think he could probably get to Fellaini's level in that aspect. I just hope Lukaku doesn't insist on trying to become an RVN or Drogba style complete striker, because his technique is too far off. He needs to keep it simple and focus on creating space for our other players like Rashford and Martial. If he can better use his strength to occupy the defenders, then our more skillful players will have more space to wreck havoc.

Also, I think Fellaini's a fantastic player, but he's not a midfielder. His best position is target man.
 
Hmm really ? Let's revise most of his goals and assists this season, in league, CL and Fa Cup :

1- First 2 goals vs WHU to open the game.
2- Second goal that killed the game vs Swansea away.
3- Winning goal vs South away
4- Assisted the second goal that killed the game vs Everton, also scored the third.
5 - The opening goal vs Cska away in CL, went on to score the third later in same game.
6 - The equalizer goal vs Cska at home.
7 - The winning goal vs Bournemouth at home.
8 - The first goal vs WBA away.
9 - Assisted the winning goal vs Spurs at home
10 - Assisted the winning goal vs Burnley away.
11 - The 2 goals we won the game with against Huddersfield at Fa Cup.
12- The equalizer then assisted the winning goal vs Chelsea.
13 - Scored the equalizer goal vs Palace away in 3-2 comeback.
14- Assisted the first goal against Liverpool at home, also played a big part in the second goal.
15- Scored the opening goal vs Brighton in Fa Cup.
16- Scored the opening goal vs Swansea at home in the league.
17- Scored the goal that killed the game vs Bournemouth away.
18- Assisted second goal vs Spurs in Fa Cup.

Too many crucial goals in both league and Fa Cup, got us past most rounds in Fa Cup and ensured us loads of points against teams we were drawing non stop against last season.

And in case of big games, he wasn't atrocious in all of them. He assisted the winner vs Spurs at Old Trafford, played a big part in our second and third goal against Arsenal away, scored and assisted against Chelsea at Old Trafford and assisted the opening goal vs Liverpool at home, so he still had his fair share of good games against big guns as well.

Actually I don't know where we would have been without him this season.

Wow he's scored the Second goal and assisted the second goal in some games. You know you've not had a 9/10 season when the 18 point criteria includes your 18 points
 
Hmm really ? Let's revise most of his goals and assists this season, in league, CL and Fa Cup :

1- First 2 goals vs WHU to open the game.
2- Second goal that killed the game vs Swansea away.
3- Winning goal vs South away
4- Assisted the second goal that killed the game vs Everton, also scored the third.
5 - The opening goal vs Cska away in CL, went on to score the third later in same game.
6 - The equalizer goal vs Cska at home.
7 - The winning goal vs Bournemouth at home.
8 - The first goal vs WBA away.
9 - Assisted the winning goal vs Spurs at home
10 - Assisted the winning goal vs Burnley away.
11 - The 2 goals we won the game with against Huddersfield at Fa Cup.
12- The equalizer then assisted the winning goal vs Chelsea.
13 - Scored the equalizer goal vs Palace away in 3-2 comeback.
14- Assisted the first goal against Liverpool at home, also played a big part in the second goal.
15- Scored the opening goal vs Brighton in Fa Cup.
16- Scored the opening goal vs Swansea at home in the league.
17- Scored the goal that killed the game vs Bournemouth away.
18- Assisted second goal vs Spurs in Fa Cup.

Too many crucial goals in both league and Fa Cup, got us past most rounds in Fa Cup and ensured us loads of points against teams we were drawing non stop against last season.

And in case of big games, he wasn't atrocious in all of them. He assisted the winner vs Spurs at Old Trafford, played a big part in our second and third goal against Arsenal away, scored and assisted against Chelsea at Old Trafford and assisted the opening goal vs Liverpool at home, so he still had his fair share of good games against big guns as well.

Actually I don't know where we would have been without him this season.


:lol::lol::lol:
 
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