Romelu Lukaku | Chelsea

bosnian_red said:
The quality at the top in Italy isn't anywhere near the premier league top level. Lukaku had a good record against Milan in his 2 seasons, (4 goals 1 assist in 4 games), 3 goals in 4 games against Napoli, but then pretty poor against Juve (1 goal, no assists and 3 of them losses in 4 games against Juve), just 1 assist and no goals against Atalanta in 4 games.

In terms of Europe, Juve and Atalanta have been the 2 best Italian sides in the past few years. You look at him in the euros or world cup, as well, it's the same thing. He's a very good striker overall, but he has significant weaknesses that just annoy fans and that hasn't changed since he left United. It's about can those weaknesses be minimized, and can the team overcome his shortcomings in the few games it holds the team back. He's a huge plus to Chelsea for 75% of the league games, and not really much of a plus for the remaining 25% in which Tuchel did quite well in anyway.
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I think that's all reasonable and I don't necessarily disagree with your broader point - just wanted to point out that his record against top sides in Serie A was markedly better than it was in the PL. Of course this could be down to differences in team quality overall as you rightly stated, but for me at least it goes beyond just the G/A stats - he was far more influential in most of those matches even if he didn't necessarily get on the scoresheet (at least by my eye test).

For me he definitely has limitations (obviously he'll never be the most technical player) - but his all-around game in terms of finishing, passing, and movement is top class and fills a huge need for us. I think you're right to say that he has yet to prove it against the absolute highest level of opposition in England at least - but I do think he's better equipped to do so than he was a few years ago, if that makes sense.
 
TheMagicFoolBus said:
I think that's all reasonable and I don't necessarily disagree with your broader point - just wanted to point out that his record against top sides in Serie A was markedly better than it was in the PL. Of course this could be down to differences in team quality overall as you rightly stated, but for me at least it goes beyond just the G/A stats - he was far more influential in most of those matches even if he didn't necessarily get on the scoresheet (at least by my eye test).

For me he definitely has limitations (obviously he'll never be the most technical player) - but his all-around game in terms of finishing, passing, and movement is top class and fills a huge need for us. I think you're right to say that he has yet to prove it against the absolute highest level of opposition in England at least - but I do think he's better equipped to do so than he was a few years ago, if that makes sense.
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Oh for sure, and I think he suits this Chelsea team really well. I'm just glad that nobody else grabbed Haaland yet though, which would be my bigger worry for whoever it was to grab him. Can live with Lukaku going to Chelsea even if he'll be a big improvement overall (moreso in the league IMO).
 
TheMagicFoolBus said:
I think that's all reasonable and I don't necessarily disagree with your broader point - just wanted to point out that his record against top sides in Serie A was markedly better than it was in the PL. Of course this could be down to differences in team quality overall as you rightly stated, but for me at least it goes beyond just the G/A stats - he was far more influential in most of those matches even if he didn't necessarily get on the scoresheet (at least by my eye test).

For me he definitely has limitations (obviously he'll never be the most technical player) - but his all-around game in terms of finishing, passing, and movement is top class and fills a huge need for us. I think you're right to say that he has yet to prove it against the absolute highest level of opposition in England at least - but I do think he's better equipped to do so than he was a few years ago, if that makes sense.
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It's worth clarifying what a top side in Serie A is. It's really only Juventus that's comparable to a PL top 6 side, and even they have dropped off a bit recently. Lukaku's record against them is as good as his record against the top 6 was here. He scored one goal, a penalty that he had no hand in winning.

The other thing people say is about how he has improved in Italy. He has, a little, but not hugely so. His goalscoring record has stayed pretty consistent from day 1 at Inter. He's certainly not transformed into some other kind of player.
 
bosnian_red said:
Oh for sure, and I think he suits this Chelsea team really well. I'm just glad that nobody else grabbed Haaland yet though, which would be my bigger worry for whoever it was to grab him. Can live with Lukaku going to Chelsea even if he'll be a big improvement overall (moreso in the league IMO).
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Yeah Haaland is a massive domino to fall obviously - for me it's interesting at least that he and Lukaku are very similar in terms of advanced stats:



Overall Haaland is the more dangerous player but Lukaku contributes more to the team in terms of his passing. Obviously you'd rather have Haaland given his age profile, but I don't think it's ridiculous to think that Lukaku might be a more natural fit for Chelsea this season at least given his improved playmaking.
 
11101 said:
It's worth clarifying what a top side in Serie A is. It's really only Juventus that's comparable to a PL top 6 side, and even they have dropped off a bit recently. Lukaku's record against them is as good as his record against the top 6 was here. He scored one goal, a penalty that he had no hand in winning.

The other thing people say is about how he has improved in Italy. He has, a little, but not hugely so. His goalscoring record has stayed pretty consistent from day 1 at Inter. He's certainly not transformed into some other kind of player.
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Yeah I think that's fair - but personally for me irrespective of overall team quality the more important factor to keep in mind is the approach, if that makes sense. I'd argue that big matches are big matches even if there's less overall quality - it's more about how the teams approach the match for me. I don't think it's necessarily fair to solely look at matches vs Juve - there are too many variables to make direct comparisons to PL top teams even if as you say the quality might be better aligned (and there are clear sample size issues).
 
He was terrible for us, but this looks like a leaner, fitter, hungrier, more confident version of Lukaku in a well rounded team where his strengths (finishing) will outweigh his weaknesses (technique, first touch). Doubt his sensitive mentality will be exposed as much at Chelsea as it was with us.

Would be surprised if he didn't cross 25 goals across all competitions. With Lukaku, you always get the end product.
 
Good goal that! Maybe I really was wrong on Lukaku and he has suddenly improved him build up play! Deffo helps that he’s lost 10kg since Utd.
 
Let's not get into the habit of bumping his thread every time he scores a goal.
 
Textbook Lukaku goal. Hes a goals scoring machine.
Werner would have hit the bar or smacked the ball of his nut
 
2 man midfield said:
I mean even he’d struggle to miss that
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He’ll get a few today. It Sod’s law. People on here went in on him way too hard over the last few years. He’s miles better than someone like Martial as a striker in this league. You need that aggression to regularly get into scoring opportunities and not always just be walking around on the edge of the area.
 
Nero said:
Let's not get into the habit of bumping his thread every time he scores a goal.
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Yeah, instead let's bump it whenever he has a shit game to make fun of him. Makes sense, doesn't it ?
 
Andycoleno9 said:
But but but can he score in big games?
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Arsenal have finished 8th the past two seasons and aren't even in Europe this season, shall we revisit this when he does it against an actually good team?
 
What’s the point of this thread even? This forum is full of bitter men who behave like children. This thread will be bumped for two reasons:
  1. He scores a goal and sad little bitter old men have to come in here to explain how it was an easy goal their dead granny can score and/or it is not against the top 6 and therefore obviously doesn’t count.
  2. He, unlike other players of course, has an occasional bad game and people with sad empty lives rush in here to act like they knew it all along
 
Alex99 said:
Arsenal have finished 8th the past two seasons and aren't even in Europe this season, shall we revisit this when he does it against an actually good team?
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How many "big games" then are in Pl season for big 4? Only vs each other? So there are 32 games where he will bully defence and score goals. Well, i would take that kind of striker then.
I know, i know...his bad touch and shit. Who needs goals from striker?
 
Andycoleno9 said:
How many "big games" then are in Pl season for big 4? Only vs each other? So there are 32 games where he will bully defence and score goals. Well, i would take that kind of striker then.
I know, i know...his bad touch and shit. Who needs goals from striker?
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I'm with you on that. I'd much rather we still had Lukaku than Martial, but when you're painting Arsenal as a top side to try and dispel the "big games" narrative, it doesn't really add up.

He'll bang some in against the big sides soon enough anyway, but I don't think he'll ever be a "big game player" in the same way Drogba was for Chelsea.
 
@TrustInJanuzaj Yeah mate? Still think he has not improved his first touch and playing with his back to goal?
Also, Arsenal had the third best defense last season if I'm not wrong.
 
Bleu said:
@TrustInJanuzaj Yeah mate? Still think he has not improved his first touch and playing with his back to goal?
Also, Arsenal had the third best defense last season if I'm not wrong.
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Been impressed today but equally unimpressed by Arsenals defending! Stats don’t need to tell you how poor Arsenal are defensively, just look at who they have back there…If Lukaku keeps this up then fair play I’ll certainly give him credit for his improvement but I still have my doubts about his consistency particularly in tighter games. I would say it’s abit weird that you’d come in here to gloat about one of our rivals players scoring, almost as if this matters more than your own club?
 
TrustInJanuzaj said:
Been impressed today but equally unimpressed by Arsenals defending! Stats don’t need to tell you how poor Arsenal are defensively, just look at who they have back there…If Lukaku keeps this up then fair play I’ll certainly give him credit for his improvement but I still have my doubts about his consistency particularly in tighter games. I would say it’s abit weird that you’d come in here to gloat about one of our rivals players scoring, almost as if this matters more than your own club?
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Youre calling him a donkey and I wanted him back because he has improved massively. Damn right I’m proven correct.
 
I was one among the one who was sad when he was sold. I was one among who wanted us to sign him again last year. Those whe trolled me, here is the answer.

He would be a brilliant brilliant signing for a Chelsea and I expect him to get better returns than Kane .
 
mu4c_20le said:
Or let's not bump it at all. This obsession with ex's is getting a little weird.
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Well,this is specific case. Our coach decided to sell him (bench him) because "he doesn't fit his style". Another great decision by our master tactician
 
He will play against better defenders. Im interested in those battles.
 
Andycoleno9 said:
Well,this is specific case. Our coach decided to sell him (bench him) because "he doesn't fit his style". Another great decision by our master tactician
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Ehh, he got a really good offer and took it. Maybe Lukaku needed a fresh start and kick up the arse.
 
He was crap for us. We are used to RVP and Rooney. He is nowhere near that level. Good riddance. That doesn’t mean we don’t have to shift more dead wood. I’d start with Dan James, Martial and even Rashford. They’ve had their chance time to move them on. Rashford isn’t as good as people think.
 
He will get the numbers but I don't like his style of play as a striker and for that reason I'm really not too fussed that he left. I wish him all the best personally but not his team.
 
Off course he scored he is a proper number 9 unlike our useless effort
 
Martialfc said:
He was crap for us. We are used to RVP and Rooney. He is nowhere near that level. Good riddance. That doesn’t mean we don’t have to shift more dead wood. I’d start with Dan James, Martial and even Rashford. They’ve had their chance time to move them on. Rashford isn’t as good as people think.
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Rashford is Pele in comparison to Martial.
 
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