Didn't know that..
9
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Why did he gain so much muscle? He looks like he's playing the wrong football.
Beautifully put
Nothing frustrates me more than the way he puts his arms out ahead of him after a team mate takes a shot. Like he wouldnt miss it anyway and like he is in a good position. He was literally stood still outside the box when Pogba got the ball he literally ran infront of him rather than creating space wide. Then when Pogba took the shot he had the nerve to point ahead of him.
Still believe in the big guy. He's going through his worst drought in like forever. He's very demanding of himself and knows he's not the business at the moment.
He was decent enough when he first came on. Looked like being dropped had lit a fire and he was up for it. His touch seemed better, he had some nice passes and interplays with others, and he just generally looked better.
Unfortunately it only lasted about 10 minutes, then he dropped back to how he's been playing for the rest of this season.
Unfortunately it only lasted about 10 minutes, then he dropped back to how he's been playing for the rest of this season.
What you saw after 10 minutes, was the big guy getting tired.
When you are so heavy, it is quite normal to feel tired (after some running) and as a result stop running and get sloppy.
Perhaps he should only be allowed to play in the last 10 minutes of a match?
While I do agree that he is too big (although I also believe some people are over-stating it), I think it was more confidence related.
I completely agree and I am stunned that others can't see this.
Rashford wasn't great, but by him moving around constantly, defenders were being pulled out of position, allowing other attackers to create chances and shoot.
Once the big guy came on, after 10 minutes, he was tired and stopped moving.
What concerns me more than his physique and form is his timing of jumps. He missed 2 free headers, failing to even touch the ball in 1 (off Mata corner and 2nd instance a Pogba cross (Edit: the one GifLord posted above)). I mean, players jumping a few milli-seconds early and hence faiing to score is one thing, but he is missing the jumps by a couple of seconds at the very least.
Well put
It's like playing with 10 men when he's on the field, he's not enough of a nuisance for the opposition. He had 75 minutes worth of energy on their defense and he still couldn't cause them problems.
Confidence does not stop you from moving.
Like Rashford/Lingard, if you are not good at creating and scoring, then just keep moving. Pull defenders out of position, to help the likes of Martial, Mata, Pogba to create/score.
After 10 minutes, Lukaku was no longer capable of running or constantly moving.
Here's a question: Is there a heavier striker in the EPL, right now?
Would you be having the gif of the Mata corner as well, the one where he mistimed the jump? Think it happened around 5-10 mins before this?
Very good observations. Similar situation as last season with RvN vs. Saha, scoring ability against overall movements. Atm Rashford seems like a better option.
Why wasn't he closing down the defenders? You're fresh, you just came on but he's still jogging around.
I believe in Lukaku still and like I said his heart is firmly in the right place, but boy where have his intelligent runs gone? Last season, even when he wasn't scoring, he'd still make quality runs just to create space for the other attackers to run into. Now watching him play is like watching an out of form Bas Dost without the aerial prowess.
He's much better than this.
He's much better than this.
The chance that rashford missed where he took the ball out a little too wider but still smashed it on target - that would not have happened with Lukaku, due to the poor runs, due to the poor first touch, due to the poor striking of the ball.
Rashford will get in to some form quicker than Lukaku and as @Hoof The Ball said- even if he doesnt; the football gets the best out of the team more.
Rashford will get in to some form quicker than Lukaku and as @Hoof The Ball said- even if he doesnt; the football gets the best out of the team more.
This was his chance to get a little injectiuon of confidence, but his timing on the jump was awful.
Like others have said, out attacking fluidity appeared to completely disappear when he came on. It was a return to long balls and quick turnovers in possession. Big Rom also seemed to be making very little movement and I wonder if that is one of the main causes for the above?
Does not deserve to start at the moment and we look better off without him in that central role. I don't want to write the guy off yet, but wonder if it is worth trying him on the right? He seems to be better (this season) when out there and I wonder if the change will kick start some movement in him
Does not deserve to start at the moment and we look better off without him in that central role. I don't want to write the guy off yet, but wonder if it is worth trying him on the right? He seems to be better (this season) when out there and I wonder if the change will kick start some movement in him
It's a matter of timing. He needs to work on it with the coaches. Why this isn't being looked at I don't know.
On a more lighthearted note (I laughed quite hard while writing this), so not to be taken too seriously:
I assure you, he has increased in size significantly.
They do say that the camera adds 10 pounds - perhaps there were many cameras on him at the time?
I'm not quite sure what is going on here, but if a bodybuilder took large quantities of drugs, this is the kind of size increase I'd expect (over a 6 month period).
I guess he has genetics for holding onto a lot of mass and he can't stop the weight gain.
The first 2 photos demonstrate my point.
At our club we have people employed to monitor the fitness (and metrics, including weight) of our players. Why have they not flagged this weight gain before it has become such an issue?
Pep kicked out Nasri for being over-weight. If he saw Lukaku, he'd pull his hair out!
I assure you, he has increased in size significantly.
They do say that the camera adds 10 pounds - perhaps there were many cameras on him at the time?
I'm not quite sure what is going on here, but if a bodybuilder took large quantities of drugs, this is the kind of size increase I'd expect (over a 6 month period).
I guess he has genetics for holding onto a lot of mass and he can't stop the weight gain.
The first 2 photos demonstrate my point.
At our club we have people employed to monitor the fitness (and metrics, including weight) of our players. Why have they not flagged this weight gain before it has become such an issue?
Pep kicked out Nasri for being over-weight. If he saw Lukaku, he'd pull his hair out!
Facial hair, surely?
It's not cause of him we started defending. Don't blame him for that.
I'd sell him when the new man arrives though.
I'd sell him when the new man arrives though.
There was one other players in our team, for whom this was said.
Play as a 9....err, okay play him as a 10.....err, okay play him as a midfielder.
Sorry buddy, but Lukaku is a striker and that is the position that he must train for. If he is not able to score goals, then he should be benched and eventually sold (if he doesn't improve). I know it's harsh, but this is elite level football. There simply isn't room for passengers - no matter how light or heavy they are.
I heard boos when he came on.
Hopefully being dropped for this game gives him a bit of motivation for the first since he signed for us. Thought we where much more dynamic without him, but don’t think Rashford played particularly well
that was the Everton fans
That's Everton boos
The OT crowd responded fairly quickly to the Everton boos by cheering him on loudly.
That's not much of a defence for Lukaku is it? Rashford hasn't been starting as a striker the past 9 games and played every minute.
His problem isn't motivation. Lukaku will never be a striker that runs around. His game is to amble around and beat the last defender in a one on one,for pace or power. He will never be a striker for a team that looks to press from the front.
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Very well written, completely agree. And a goal every now and again won’t fool me into thinking otherwise. When Lukaku plays, the central defenders have complete control the entire game.. they don’t break chain and let the full-backs do their job on the flanks. With modern, rapid players like Rashford, you do the oppsite and defenders have to swap positions all the time.. inviting other player to exploit room. Lukaku can and will score goals because we are better than most teams, but you see how it goes when we play the best teams... he literally never, ever scores against them because the defenders always are in control.
For a big guy, he's not really good with the long ball cause his hold up play is shocking.
He can't press cause of his size. His movement is poor.
He's not a bad player but I think it's a scandal he cost £75m.
You don't spend that kind of money. A player with his flaws. You just don't.
He can't press cause of his size. His movement is poor.
He's not a bad player but I think it's a scandal he cost £75m.
You don't spend that kind of money. A player with his flaws. You just don't.
Relieved to hear that.That's Everton boos
The OT crowd responded fairly quickly to the Everton boos by cheering him on loudly.
Where was this narrative that we play better with Rashford up front for the games where we looked worse without Lukaku? I cant believe some of the things being said off the back of this game. Rashford is not better than Lukaku as the striker.
He doesn't look fat, he looks bulked, he looks beefy and huge.
Look at his shoulders, that's shows you the significant muscle gains which highlights that it's not fat gain, purely muscle.
Not that I'm defending him or his performances, if he was using this bulk to good effect then good but he's not.
I'm just merely saying that he's not fat, just bulked to the max.
Please sell him back to Everton and find a center forward who can add more to the attacking play. The fluidity in attack without him is no coincidence.
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