There will be a lot of matches this season where we can only create a small number of chances like today. If lukaku can break the deadlock in half of those games it will make the difference
9
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 51
- Goals
- 27
- Assists
- 10
- Yellow cards
- 3
- Status
His general play was pretty average for the most part, but he made the difference in key moments which is great.
Excellent start to his United career.
Excellent start to his United career.
Missed chances last season shouldn't result in us getting giddy about a striker putting away simple chances today.
I think he's a striker we can get back to the top with but for a United No.9 goals like that should be a formality.
I think folk overplayed the goals Ibra scored last year, not something we should repeat with Lukaku.
He was bought to put the ball in the net. He's done that four times in three games. We have other footballers paid to do the pretty stuff. Brilliant start to his United career from the big man.
Last edited:
Don't quite know what to make of him. Obviously the goals are great and he's clinical as feck. I'm not criticizing him really, but I think there will come a point during the season where we'll be looking for a bit more from him. Hopefully he can deliver it when that time comes.
In general, I think his link-up play has been good so far(though it was erratic today). Certainly more than I expected.
I have confidence he can do deliver that bit more.
I love how he's stolen Lacazette's celebration and made it his own. Will be his because he scores more.
Absolute beast of a player, moves well and makes space for everyone. Gets one real chance and buries it. He worked his balls off all game and wasn't getting the greatest of ball all game but he still kept fighting and kept his head in the game to net and then be pivotal in holding up the ball to let other players in to be devastating on the counter to kill off the scoreline.
Love his work rate, his attitude and his confidence and he never give in. He'll be great for us going forward.
Love his work rate, his attitude and his confidence and he never give in. He'll be great for us going forward.
Occupies defenders, but I think in that sense he's better without the ball than with it.
He needs to improve a lot; too passive most of the time. Drogba gradually added goals to his immense hold up play, while Lukaku has to add the build up to his goals.
His formality finishes aren't enough to sustain a career at a top club.
He needs to improve a lot; too passive most of the time. Drogba gradually added goals to his immense hold up play, while Lukaku has to add the build up to his goals.
His formality finishes aren't enough to sustain a career at a top club.
4 goals already.
He's going to be a monster for us as long as he stays fit.
He's going to be a monster for us as long as he stays fit.
He's absolutely fantastic. Bought to score goals and that's exactly what he's doing.
Nah Ibra misses that one given its the first clear cut chance he gets. Needs at least 3 more
I think he has played well from the 2 league games he is creating us more space around the box for others, opportunities for himself by running into space, hold up play has been good and is scoring yet people moan about him. If you sign a goalie priority is too stop goals and handle crosses not being able to play football from the back e.g. bravo for city. So a striker surely we want goals mainly and to assist the team in creating chances the rest is just a bonus that I believe will improve even more
He definitely needs to improve his general play but I am excited with the different types of goals he's already scored for us. Can't help but feel that our team needs a De Bruyne type of player to really make Rashford, Martial and Lukaku a whole lot more effective up front.
Yes he struggled until we went ahead and then they switched to a more open system.
What I meant was that his hold up play helped us exploit the extra space when they started to expand out after 60 mins. There were numerous chest downs and short passes that were positive after that point.
My point was that he helped us kill the game, even if he didn't contribute too much to breaking the deadlock.
This!
But considering a large section of our support was also questioning Zlatan last season, I'm not surprised. Lukaku has been fecking awesome, more than anyone surely could've hoped so far.
Exactly. We moaned last season that we weren't clinical vs chances created. Now, we have a striker can finish and doing his job as expected. People still moan.
He's young, he'll improve. As of now, I am satisfied on what he has done for the team.
The guy could improve his link-up play which isn't great (but better than advertised), but his clinical finishing and space he creates due to his speed is really opening up the middle of the pitch for our 3 am's and Pogba. Lukaku's ability to scare the defence with his speed on the counter, the safety provided by Matic's cover in front on the back-4 and well-timed interception has really changed the dynamic for our attackers.
I think in the league we will be fine, I worry about him in the ucl. That being said he could had two goals against Madrid in the super cup
Agree with both of you. What I see is that he not imposed himself enough outside final third. In tough games, when the opposition match our quality in other positions, he would be required to step in. This is where players like Drogba despite not scoring as many overall is considered top player. He battled it out and made life hard for defenders which, open up game for his teammates. Even small margin would do a hell of good in tight tough games.Similar thing can be said about Morata in big game. Lukaku has the tools, attributes, but I see Lukaku relies more on his instinct as goal scorer more than maximizing his full potential. His physicality is natural top tier gifted, which I believe he can do much more with it.
For the league, him scoring enough against smaller sides to rake up points should be enough for us to mount a title challenge.
Once he becomes more of a cnut he'll be more of a handful.
Not neccesarily for thing need to go that way. Saha, Andy Cole were handful for CB to mark, yet they're in the nicer group of central forwards. They just know how to impose themselves more despite their physique is inferior to Lukaku.
Last edited:
He makes clever runs in on goal but needs to appreciate runs to help the team out as well. He is a monster of a player though and right now he has been brilliant and help add new dimensions to our attack.
They were more slight. He's a monster physically so being more intimidating would work in his favour. Whereas they would have got kicked off the park if they tried to play the big man and sick note Saha definitely needed to be nice.
The Saha part is funny.I am not arguing about how they look, but more about how they get involved in physical battles that may only result in something like a little breather for their teammates. I see Lukaku as less lively when it's not for the final third job. Hard to explain by mere word, so Andy Cole & Saha are the example I chose to explain what I meant with them not being total cnut to be handful.
Fans are never satisfied. What happened to the first touch debate? Flat track bully anyone? Now its his all round game? WHAT.....Rom score 30 goals a season and hold the ball up for others to run off you and it's job done. I'm not expecting you to be the black 'Roy of the Rovers' just a clinical goal scoring machine. Yes Ibra scored 28 last season but that doesn't tell the full picture. It's the misses in key moments that cost us games too. Yesterday chance looked easy but typically we would have missed them last year, and they'd have gone up the other end and got the draw.
I'm chuffed to bits we got Lukaku but I just thought he was a little lethargic today. On set pieces, with his physical attributes, he should be really demanding & going for it. I know it was hard with them giving no space whatsoever near the box & us trying to play intricately through the middle most of the time.
Anyone else notice that he gassed out a bit in the end, don't think he could match up with Pogba or Martial's energy levels. How are his fitness & stamina levels been at Everton? Could someone shed some light on that.
Anyone else notice that he gassed out a bit in the end, don't think he could match up with Pogba or Martial's energy levels. How are his fitness & stamina levels been at Everton? Could someone shed some light on that.
What are you on about? Lukaku pretty much does what we expected from him. I am one of the people who maintained that pure goal scorer instinct, Lukaku is better than Zlatan, even prime Zlatan. If it's a contest between who score more in same situation, I still pick Lukaku. My point and few other people were regarding when we can't create for him, when his hold up play wouldn't free up any of his teammates, that's when there is more use to physical gift than just keep the ball. It's about the central defender himself, in this case Lukaku, to bring a battle to opposition defenders to unsettle their defensive shape. This is vital in tough games
Because of the big man, It's the first time in years I actually think we'll score when we get a set piece.
He'll only improve once he gets a regular partnership and understanding going with either Rashford or Martial too.
Didn't understand a word of that....and I'm not even sure what you are arguing about? Take a breath and read my post properly.
For all the talk of his poor build up play his assist record is fairly decent for a number 9.
He has 28 assists in 188 apps ie a rate of 0.149 per game
Aguero has 29 assists in 182 apps ie a rate of 0.159 per game
Kane has 12 assists in 117 apps ie a rate of 0.103 per game
D. Costa has 16 assists in 89 apps ie a rate of 0.179 per game.
Alexis has 22 assists in 103 apps ie a rate of 0.214 per game.
He has 28 assists in 188 apps ie a rate of 0.149 per game
Aguero has 29 assists in 182 apps ie a rate of 0.159 per game
Kane has 12 assists in 117 apps ie a rate of 0.103 per game
D. Costa has 16 assists in 89 apps ie a rate of 0.179 per game.
Alexis has 22 assists in 103 apps ie a rate of 0.214 per game.
Last edited:
K. To summarize, you basically sad, being clinical in front of goal should be all it take given how wasteful we were. Me: agree for the league campaign. Disagree if we're to eventually aim higher. In tough game, every player &a little contribution count, which having Lukaku to realize his full potential and offer more in overall play is necessary.
I guess I'm saying scoring goals is the hardest thing in football and that's partially why forwards cost more than any other player on the pitch. I guess I'm saying, if that's all he's about in his career then he's reached his potential. Not saying that he can't improve other aspects of his game, just there is always a caveat on our expectations of players and sometimes we take for granted what they are actually good at.
Excellent, one chance all game, and one goal scored. Deserves credit for that.
However if this is going to be happening plenty times over the course of a season, there can be two problems.
Or our service would still be quite poor (unless they create a lot for the wingers/attacking midfielders).
Or his movement/creating of own chances would greatly need to improve. That's the difference between Ibrahimovic in his prime, Suarez, Aguero, Lewandowski, van Persie, Rooney and the Kanes, Cavani and I think current Cavani. Even when the supply isnt as great as you'd want to be, that great movement or that crazy long-shot etc.
As for now it's way too early to conclude on that, but his clinical finishing ia great. Very good record so far!
However if this is going to be happening plenty times over the course of a season, there can be two problems.
Or our service would still be quite poor (unless they create a lot for the wingers/attacking midfielders).
Or his movement/creating of own chances would greatly need to improve. That's the difference between Ibrahimovic in his prime, Suarez, Aguero, Lewandowski, van Persie, Rooney and the Kanes, Cavani and I think current Cavani. Even when the supply isnt as great as you'd want to be, that great movement or that crazy long-shot etc.
As for now it's way too early to conclude on that, but his clinical finishing ia great. Very good record so far!
The kind of game we all knew he would have from time to time when we signed him - contributes little but still scores. Fine by me, goals win games, not touches and passes. Our service in to him was poor though, and his large periods of isolation weren't entirely his own fault, but I would have liked to have seen more runs and better movement from him at times.
I've been surprised by his work rate tbh. I never watched him at Everton, but I've been reading about how "lazy and arrogant" he was there. Doesn't look like it!
He'll have some frustrating hold up/link play moments, like Chicharito did, but I'm not sure it'll be a massive problem since Lukaku can probably be counted on to score at a good rate against weaker teams to get us the wins against mostly weaker sides in the group stage and in tougher games, he'll be a proper threat on the counter, where he did most of his damage for Everton (and West Brom).
I could see Rashford getting the occasional start up top instead of Lukaku in a couple of seasons, though, in certain tricker games, if both Martial and Rashford develop as they hopefully will, and Lukaku coming on against tired defences.
At Everton, there would always be those big games where Lukaku would be left on his own up front to basically hold the ball, dribble from half way line and score while rest of his team sat behind the ball. I don't think he understands how to play that role. He's always worked hard when his team actually has the ball. He was an arrogant prick at times though. But that was mostly off the field when he would openly admit that he wants to play for a bigger club.
Lukaku is not a Zlatan type striker in the sense that he won't come short and try to let other players run beyond him and be a play maker. He needs a number 10 near him. In games where we leave him up on his own, he will still look average. But luckily we won't have too many games this season where we sit back behind the ball.
I think that defences will come to fear him a lot more than Zlatan because of his pace and power. They cannot relax like they can around Zlatan because Rom has the ability to turn and blitz past them, or has that insane acceleration through the channels like he showed for the first goal against Hammers.
- Status