[Andersons Dietician]

I wouldn’t ever call Lukuku an elite player. He’s similar to Andy Cole (not at all in the way they play), but a player who will score goals, but will never be really too drawer/ elite/ World Class - whatever you want to call it.

Like you say, far too many limitations and flaws on his game. However, we would be completely buggered without him - which shows the level we are at currently.

Basically he’ll never be an Aguero but he is a good goal scorer.

I do agree with your general assessment but honestly I think a few tactical adjustments within the team and he’ll score a bucket load of goals. Just think the way we play doesn’t really suit him. He would excel in swift counter attacking movements where he is coming on to a ball instead of his back to goal.
I mean he can muddle through doing that but it’s not his strengths.

 

[Aloysius's Back 3]

Lukaku is interesting.

Currently our tactics revolves around him being the centre & the main goal scorer - most of the team are there to provide him a consistent supply.

If he continues to be our only attacking option - with handful of goals only coming from linga Rd, martial, Sanchez & rash Ford - lukaku by himself won't be good enough. He breaks attacks down in games where we may only have 4 or 5 attacks in 90 mins.

If he isn't played as a target man then you have to wonder how he will do with less direct supply to him - will he better or worse?

 

[James Peril]

No he's not. You're talking utter shit.

Heskey averaged 6.8 goals a year since his first full season in the EPL. Lukaku is currently on 16.8.
Heskey's best season ever in the EPL was 14 league goals for Liverpool. Rom banged in 25 for Everton and hasn't even entered his peak yet.

His stats are up there with Drogba's and Diego Costa's and a million miles from those of Heskey. Unless of course you're telling me to completely ignore his amazing numbers and only go by your own personal ranking of strikers based on probably never having fecking watched Heskey in the first place.

Arrogant to say the least. I don’t care one second about what Lukaku did at bloody Everton, he plays for United now. We will never give him space to run into ever game over 38 games - neither will he give us 25 league goals. Being a striker is about so much more than just goals, something Firmino, Drogba and Costa has shown us over the years - even Kevin Phillips and Jamie Vardy have scored 20+ in the league. I’d gladly take 15-18 league goals if he made the team much better, but I even beg to differ. Due to his lack of touch, understanding and link-up play, he makes it harder for our attacking players to thrive. Remember all those balls from Pogs to Lukaku that lead to easy chances? Both a combination of great vision and perfectly timed runs, we don’t see them anymore - and it’s not because of Pogba, he’s the same player he was two years ago. Peak? What do you know about his peak? He is 200 pounds and built like an NFL-player, he is not automatically going to age like strikers with a more normal build - guess we’ll just have to wait and see.

 

[Acole9]

I'd have thought so. He was shambolic and missed a sitter at 0-0 but you've said the ONLY criticism was he came back too much. Poor old Romelu. Tries too hard for the team.

Really.

Yeah he did miss a sitter but all strikers miss, it was only one chance. Bit harsh to say he was shambolic. He did come back too much, should've stayed in the box, he's our biggest threat in there. Most our other players can't score goals for toffee.

 

[MadMike]

Arrogant to say the least. I don’t care one second about what Lukaku did at bloody Everton, he plays for United now. We will never give him space to run into ever game over 38 games - neither will he give us 25 league goals. Being a striker is about so much more than just goals, something Firmino, Drogba and Costa has shown us over the years - even Kevin Phillips and Jamie Vardy have scored 20+ in the league. I’d gladly take 15-18 league goals if he made the team much better, but I even beg to differ. Due to his lack of touch, understanding and link-up play, he makes it harder for our attacking players to thrive. Remember all those balls from Pogs to Lukaku that lead to easy chances? Both a combination of great vision and perfectly timed runs, we don’t see them anymore - and it’s not because of Pogba, he’s the same player he was two years ago. Peak? What do you know about his peak? He is 200 pounds and built like an NFL-player, he is not automatically going to age like strikers with a more normal build - guess we’ll just have to wait and see.

I just have to laugh really. Aright pal.

 

[Hugh Jass]

Arrogant to say the least. I don’t care one second about what Lukaku did at bloody Everton, he plays for United now. We will never give him space to run into ever game over 38 games - neither will he give us 25 league goals. Being a striker is about so much more than just goals, something Firmino, Drogba and Costa has shown us over the years - even Kevin Phillips and Jamie Vardy have scored 20+ in the league. I’d gladly take 15-18 league goals if he made the team much better, but I even beg to differ. Due to his lack of touch, understanding and link-up play, he makes it harder for our attacking players to thrive. Remember all those balls from Pogs to Lukaku that lead to easy chances? Both a combination of great vision and perfectly timed runs, we don’t see them anymore - and it’s not because of Pogba, he’s the same player he was two years ago. Peak? What do you know about his peak? He is 200 pounds and built like an NFL-player, he is not automatically going to age like strikers with a more normal build - guess we’ll just have to wait and see.

Jesus wept.

 

[Foxbatt]

Jesus wept.

Did he? I thought he celebrated after scoring yesterday?

 

[Canagel]

Lukaku is interesting.

Currently our tactics revolves around him being the centre & the main goal scorer - most of the team are there to provide him a consistent supply.

If he continues to be our only attacking option - with handful of goals only coming from linga Rd, martial, Sanchez & rash Ford - lukaku by himself won't be good enough. He breaks attacks down in games where we may only have 4 or 5 attacks in 90 mins.

If he isn't played as a target man then you have to wonder how he will do with less direct supply to him - will he better or worse?

I agree. I think we we better with Ibrahimovic leading the line in 2016/17 when it comes to creating chances and linking up with other players. Especially Pogba. Those two had a great understanding on the pitch. All in all we created much more chances with Ibra as the focal point. Lukaku will score goals but perhaps he shouldn't be that focal point because he relies even more on service than Ibra did. I think we should use Lukaku as just another attacker preferably on the RW and let someone else play as 9.

 

[singhters]

Misses far too many chances for me.

 

[Rozay]

Maintain that he was the best we could have done at the time when we needed a striker. We found ourselves in a position of needing a senior striker and having to chose between Lukaku and Morata - neither of whom are good enough or real top level. The difference between him and say Aguero is night and day, and from the day we signed him, I said he’s what we needed at the time, but will ultimately need to be improved if we want to go up a level.

Hurry up Mason.

 

[Andersons Dietician]

I agree. I think we we better with Ibrahimovic leading the line in 2016/17 when it comes to creating chances and linking up with other players. Especially Pogba. Those two had a great understanding on the pitch. All in all we created much more chances with Ibra as the focal point. Lukaku will score goals but perhaps he shouldn't be that focal point because he relies even more on service than Ibra did. I think we should use Lukaku as just another attacker preferably on the RW and let someone else play as 9.

I’m not up for this playing him on the RW at all. If anything put him in a 2 with Martial as when those two have played in that position they’ve looked quite good together with Martial being the unselfish one and looking for Lukaku. Both have a tendency to drift wide as well creating space.

As for the Zlatan thing that is true, Zlatan was great at being a target man, lump a ball to him and more often than not he’d get a flick or something on it, but that isn’t Lukakus game, put the ball in front of Lukaku and allow him to move on to play and he’ll score goals, he’s the perfect striker for a counter attacking team, we just aren’t. I dont know why Jose himself doesn’t see this but then there was a game against Wigan where he put Martial as the target man and the team continued to play like they had 6ft 5 Zlatan on the pitch and launching balls for him to try and fight for. Would have been better putting Fellaini up top.

 

[Foxbatt]

When you observe his game you will always see that a lot of times he is on the back foot. A good striker is someone who also anticipates well and is on the move but also on the right move. With Lukaku he does not seem to anticipate where the ball is going to go so he is on the back foot. He is certainly no Drogba and the problem with Jose is that he is trying to create a Drogba out of Lukaku but is more Heskey as someone else said.

 

[Rozay]

I think he’s literally the best that he can be, in his defence. He’s not a naturally gifted footballer per se, but he has great physical gifts, and has developed his tool box to be a consistently good striker. He obviously lacks the class to be even one bit better than he is though, I think. He’s used every bit he has, has a great attitude, determination and is clearly studious of the game. But I watched a Sky Sports production yesterday morning of all of Aguero’s goals for City and he is two levels above. The range of finishing, the ease of finishing, the variety of finishing. Lukaku is who he is, and more importantly, he isn’t who he isn’t.

 

[Jeppers7]

Yeah he did miss a sitter but all strikers miss, it was only one chance. Bit harsh to say he was shambolic. He did come back too much, should've stayed in the box, he's our biggest threat in there. Most our other players can't score goals for toffee.

His control was poor. There were moments that defied belief for a professional footballer.

There was a ball that bounced around three times while he tried in vain to control it. His poor movement and lazy attempts to close down defenders. Woeful defensive contributions. There was that back heel. That miss.

To say the only thing he got wrong was to get back too much.

Really ?

 

[GledTheRed]

I can't really take to Rom, i want my number one striker to be fecking amazing and take the piss. Big Rom can barely control a ball.

 

[Inter Yer Nan]

He barely had a pre-season to be fair. A week in training and 20 minutes against Leicester and he's been written off based on a poor performance where he at least scored.

He'll be fine and he's the least of our problems. I'd like to see us play 4-3-1-2 with Lingard behind and Lukaku partnering Sanchez. I think that has potential.

 

[ClaytonBlackmoorLeftPeg]

Maintain that he was the best we could have done at the time when we needed a striker. We found ourselves in a position of needing a senior striker and having to chose between Lukaku and Morata - neither of whom are good enough or real top level. The difference between him and say Aguero is night and day, and from the day we signed him, I said he’s what we needed at the time, but will ultimately need to be improved if we want to go up a level.

Hurry up Mason.

I agree with this / he’s the best we could have got at the time, and we would be stuffed without him. But we will need a top level striker to get back to where we should be. Lukuku doesn’t make things happen on his own anywhere near enough.

 

[Bobski]

Andy Cole had much better feet than Lukaku. An erratic touch perhaps, especially at first, and nowhere near as bad as Lukaku can be, but as he settled he really showed an outstanding all round strikers game, movement was leagues above Rom, greater ability to play in tight space and incredibly agile and quick on the turn. Extremely underrated player, Lukaku is probably the more consistent finisher but I would take Cole from 97-01 ahead of him without too much debate.

Cole's assist rate was also extremely impressive, something that was not really tracked assiduously at the time or discussed much, stats did not drive narratives to the degree they do now, he was a highly capable player who could play with anyone and was team first. Some of the goals he scored were absolutely sensational strikers goals.

 

[MyOnlySolskjaer]

Yeah, not so concerned. He had no pre-season but he’s dependable. Issues in our team are the attackers supporting him and the clowns we have at CB.

 

[Bubz27]

No he's not. You're talking utter shit.

Heskey averaged 6.8 goals a year since his first full season in the EPL. Lukaku is currently on 16.8.
Heskey's best season ever in the EPL was 14 league goals for Liverpool. Rom banged in 25 for Everton and hasn't even entered his peak yet.

His stats are up there with Drogba's and Diego Costa's and a million miles from those of Heskey. Unless of course you're telling me to completely ignore his amazing numbers and only go by your own personal ranking of strikers based on probably never having fecking watched Heskey in the first place.

Drogba actually had a fairly poor goalscoring record. He added a lot more to that team.

 

[Foxbatt]

I do not think he needed a preseason as he was at the World Cup so he would be match fit anyway. All he needed was a rest.

 

[MetoTTT]

How many chances have we created?

Sell him! It seems that's the norm now on this forum.

The guy did not have pre-season, it's his first game, did not have good passes in the area to exploit.

Come on guys, support our players a bit! Yes, it's hard. It is in these circumstances that they most need us.

I was on this forum for many years without registering, I support the club since 93. I've been to Old Trafford a dozen times. I have known as many of you this great time for the club. I registered this season because it became very hard for the club and I wanted to participate more and support even more without being too negative.

Yes, I am disappointed, like all of you. But I'm really behind the team to support them ... for the best and the worst. Come on, United!

 

[ThaReaper01]

Don’t understand the criticism. His control was fine. In the first half, he had no support so he was always having to lay the ball off backwards and obviously bagged the goal. Second half; again, his control was fine. Laid the ball off a bunch but nobody did anything with it after he controlled it.

He does deserve some criticism for scuffing that chance (like against Leicester), and while that was a huge moment in the game, that’s all he can be criticized for. This witch hunt is ridiculous.

 

[AR87]

Arrogant to say the least. I don’t care one second about what Lukaku did at bloody Everton, he plays for United now. We will never give him space to run into ever game over 38 games - neither will he give us 25 league goals. Being a striker is about so much more than just goals, something Firmino, Drogba and Costa has shown us over the years - even Kevin Phillips and Jamie Vardy have scored 20+ in the league. I’d gladly take 15-18 league goals if he made the team much better, but I even beg to differ. Due to his lack of touch, understanding and link-up play, he makes it harder for our attacking players to thrive. Remember all those balls from Pogs to Lukaku that lead to easy chances? Both a combination of great vision and perfectly timed runs, we don’t see them anymore - and it’s not because of Pogba, he’s the same player he was two years ago. Peak? What do you know about his peak? He is 200 pounds and built like an NFL-player, he is not automatically going to age like strikers with a more normal build - guess we’ll just have to wait and see.

What?

 

[Sayros]

I have very little doubts he will come good, this is so early especially for him and his preparation. The team as a whole is in shambles right now but I'm backing him for another 20+ goals this season.

 

[Rash Decision]

When you're in a team that creates so few chances per match, every mistake made, every chance missed is amplified because: (1) that was the one chance that might have changed the game; and (2) you barely get another chance to make up for it. Lukaku has generally been clinical for us, don't think it's fair to criticise him too much for missing chances now and then.

 

[Acole9]

His control was poor. There were moments that defied belief for a professional footballer.

There was a ball that bounced around three times while he tried in vain to control it. His poor movement and lazy attempts to close down defenders. Woeful defensive contributions. There was that back heel. That miss.

To say the only thing he got wrong was to get back too much.

Really ?

To be honest no one played well clearly but to say he was poor compared to some is just laughable, with more chances created he would've got us back into it.

 

[Godfather]

To be honest no one played well clearly but to say he was poor compared to some is just laughable, with more chances created he would've got us back into it.

He was incredibly poor. Some of his touches were those of a pub footballer.
And I like the guy. But his performance was just ridiculous.

 

[Godfather]

When you're in a team that creates so few chances per match, every mistake made, every chance missed is amplified because: (1) that was the one chance that might have changed the game; and (2) you barely get another chance to make up for it. Lukaku has generally been clinical for us, don't think it's fair to criticise him too much for missing chances now and then.

He missed two sitters in two games already this season tbf.

 

[11101]

It seems like he's going to be another square peg in a round hole.

Mourinho wants a target man to cause a nuisance and hold the ball up for others to join the attack. Lukaku is not that player. He needs to be running at defences or getting on the end of passes and crosses.

 

[ErranMorad]

It seems like he's going to be another square peg in a round hole.

Mourinho wants a target man to cause a nuisance and hold the ball up for others to join the attack. Lukaku is not that player. He needs to be running at defences or getting on the end of passes and crosses.

He is not bad at it, but he is not top class like Van Persie, Diego Costa or Lewandowski with their excellent hold-up play. His touch fails him more often than not and he doesn't know how to use his size to advantage at all times.

 

[Jeppers7]

To be honest no one played well clearly but to say he was poor compared to some is just laughable, with more chances created he would've got us back into it.

Who's compared him to others ?

 

[Stacks]

I agree. I think we we better with Ibrahimovic leading the line in 2016/17 when it comes to creating chances and linking up with other players. Especially Pogba. Those two had a great understanding on the pitch. All in all we created much more chances with Ibra as the focal point. Lukaku will score goals but perhaps he shouldn't be that focal point because he relies even more on service than Ibra did. I think we should use Lukaku as just another attacker preferably on the RW and let someone else play as 9.

I said this but others argued that Lukaku creates more space for our other attackers and out attacking play has improved under him due to his selflessness, leading to more goals from other sources. I didn't agree with this assessment. I felt Zlatan was much better link man and creator of chances

 

[Acole9]

Who's compared him to others ?

No one has, I'm saying he wasn't as poor compared to many. It's easy to find fault in every player when we played badly.

I think we're going to have to agree to disagree on this. There's a lot of folk on here who thought he was poor, some thought he did ok.

 

[tomaldinho1]

He was incredibly poor. Some of his touches were those of a pub footballer.
And I like the guy. But his performance was just ridiculous.

Everyone had an off day to be fair, although I do agree with the geenral consensus on here that he's a good not great player.

Despite people focusing on our defense post Brighton, our general lack of mobility up top, and this is across the whole team, was shocking. I'd say the PL is the one league where you must have pace to compete and we just don't have it, Martial is fast but hates Jose and Rashford doesn't play. Our front three is Sanchez, Lukaku and Mata - two of whom are pretty average in terms of speed and Mata, who is like an extra from the walking dead.

Salah - Firminho - Mane aren't exactly MSN reborn but both the wide guys are rapid. Is Mane better than Mata technically? Defintely not but as an RW you pick Mane every day. Salah hadn't exactly set the world alight until last season and then he came into a team where they had pace everywhere and Firminho who works his ass off for the team, has a good touch and scores a similar amount of PL goals to Lukaku (15 as opposed to 16). Modern football is about creating and exploiting space and to do that you need some guile, which I think we have in our team, and the speed to take advantage of it... which we don't

 

[Rozay]

When you're in a team that creates so few chances per match, every mistake made, every chance missed is amplified because: (1) that was the one chance that might have changed the game; and (2) you barely get another chance to make up for it. Lukaku has generally been clinical for us, don't think it's fair to criticise him too much for missing chances now and then.

‘Chances’ are subjective. I wouldn’t back him to have scored a goal from the same situation Aguero scored his first on Sunday, for example. The same will be said again for many more Aguero goals this season in comparison to Lukaku, and it all points to the main point of our striker not being of the same class of player, not about service. Lukaku cannot expect to score the goal he scored against Brighton 30 times this season. He’ll get 6 or 7 or so. He needs to earn them and work harder.

 

[Jeppers7]

No one has, I'm saying he wasn't as poor compared to many. It's easy to find fault in every player when we played badly.

I think we're going to have to agree to disagree on this. There's a lot of folk on here who thought he was poor, some thought he did ok.

No problem. Everyone was poor. Some more than others. I think I just take exception with posters because Romelu seems to, in my opinion, get this undeserved reputation of always putting in a shift.

I thought he was really bad on Sunday, like most. I also thought he was half assed in his attempts to close down defenders and in his movements.


But it's his first game of the season, so hopefully he massively improves.

 

[Backrow Singer]

In the old days of 4-4-2 where you'd have him with Martial or Rashford running in behind, with wingers, central midfield players and full backs picking them out, maybe you'd see the best out of all of them. He just looks isolated for me, he isn't quick, he's never really going to go in behind you, his movement in front of the back four isn't particularly great. We just look really static. He has to put that first half chance away though.

 

[simplyared]

Still think he's nowhere near the player he was at Everton. He's quick for a big fella when he gets the ball on his own and goes on a run, but overall he looks like he's carrying too much weight imo. Looks far too restricted in his movement. Probably more suited for the 100 metres than a top striker.

 

[Dec9003]

Its difficult to judge him really when we've had less touches in the box than any other team in the league or whatever that stat was.
I like Lukaku, like Martial though he's very reliant on creativity, which happens to be something we sorely lack.