Romelu Lukaku | Match Discussion thread 2017/18

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Had an indifferent game today. Didn't look too fit tbh. But still got his customary goal.
 
Would be nice if Belgium give him a rest over the internationals as I believe they've already qualified.
 
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World Cup 2018 Qualifier: Belgium 4-0 Greece - 10th October 2017

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Premier League: Huddersfield 2-1 Manchester United - 21st October 2017

Brilliant cross for Rashford's goal.
 
Great cross. Hasn't looked right since the injury mind, give him the night off on Tuesday.
 
Only saw highlights but looked the only guy worthy of some credit yesterday.
 
Premier League: Manchester United 1-0 Tottenham Hotspur - 28th October 2017

Don’t get me wrong I’ve never been man marked by a back 3, let alone a premier league back 3 of international experience. So I get it must be hard to do anything really well. But Lukaku’s movement or lack of it in truth, is really starting to bother me. Does it bother any one else?

At Everton he’d peel of onto the right and run at people to get on that left foot, where’s that side of his game gone? I’d also add that I thought he lost a lot of headers at Anfield the other week, and he did again today. I know before anyone says it, that he won the one that mattered, but he was no way dominant like I was expecting him to be. That whole flat track bully tag hasn’t gone anywhere yet for me.

Maybe I’m being harsh, but the whole pacey powerful striker running at you thing was what I was hoping he’d be and he just isn’t doing that at the minute for me.
 
I think jumping and challenging for terrible long balls that you have no chance of controlling takes up a lot of energy, the one time he had the space and was facing goal he destroyed their defence but they were clever and never let him have the chance.

He’s an old style striker he needs others to create his chances like RVN he doesn’t really create for himself and right now we’ve got wide players not putting in many crosses, a midfield that lacks creativity and a number 10 in Mhiki who’s totally lost his mojo, as a result he’s really struggling.

I don’t think he’s not trying but he clearly isn’t a guy who will fly around the pitch like Rooney or Tevez it takes a lot of energy to move a body that big so he has to pick his moments and be explosive.
 
I agree that his not getting great service. 100%. I felt for him at Anfield because he just sat up on his own and just got ball after ball lobbed at him with no one around him. So therefore was easily marked. There was nothing he could do.

But yesterday was different. He had Rashford with him up top. He had someone who would do that donkey work and run the channels. But Rom just couldn’t link up with him. They needed to be closer together. And Roms lack of movement at times meant they werent.

We know his hold up play is lacking. Balls in to Zlatan stick and we build off him. But if Rom doesn’t move more what’s he offering other then just being a static target man? His not giving defenders and midfielders any outlet or any angles to play balls into.

People will analyse the bones out of every goal that’s scored and yesterday alderweireld not wining that header and Dier not covering is what cost spurs. But there must have been a part of Dier that just assumed Toby was going to win that header because he’d won everything else against Lukaku yesterday in the air.

I really wanted Lukaku in the summer and I stand by that. But big players in big games find ways to influence games despite their opponents strengths. His won 1 header in the big matches this season and yeah it was a great one, but he needs to be doing more. Not just scoring, but moving and being a handful. Has to do that at Chelsea next week or it’s another game that will pass him by.
 
Just going to ignore the header he won that hit the post, the one moment of quality a player produced to make a chance for him.

I feel in the last few weeks we’ve played to our strikers weaknesses rather than his strengths.
 
I’m not ignoring it no. It was a great header. He stood his ground and used his strength well. So stationary again :DI would just like to see him in games regardless of tactics, formations and opponents try to get on the ball abit more and move about more. I don’t think that’s being too harsh. Him running full stream at a defender has to be a nightmare to stop. The power in his left foot is amazing. Let’s see them qualities more.
 
Premier League: Chelsea 1-0 Manchester United - 5th November 2017

There has been a lack of service in recent weeks, however he needs to do more and his movement should be better.
 
I’ve been saying this the last few weeks. I know strikers go through periods where the goals dry up which he clearly is, but his not getting himself in the right places to score goals in my eyes.

There’s a big problem in our side where we haven’t got a right sided player. There’s wasted space over there. And until today we hadn’t seen Rom, Martial and Rashford all on the pitch together. I’m not saying play Rom there, that’s not where I’m going with this. But all 3 could play. All 3 could rotate positions. When Rom isn’t getting the service, which he isn’t, he could peel onto that right hand side and into that space. He’d be a better outlet. He’d be able to build a head of steam up coming in from that side and onto his left foot. Martial and Rashford could occupy the spaces that leaves behind. A centre back will have to go with Rom in that situation and that causes problems.

Staying up top and being a static target isn’t enough. He can hold the ball. His not winning aerials. His just got to do more.
 
Can anybody tell me, does the date of Pogba's injury, the start of Lukaku's goal drought and the team in general playing rubbish all tie in?
 
I think Lukaku's goal drought started at the beginning of the last international break but the team has certainly started to stumble since Pogba limped off against Basel since then we beat Everton 4-0, Southampton 1-0, Palace 4-0, Liverpool 0-0, Huddersfield 1-2, Spurs 1-0, Chelsea 0-1.

In Europe we beat CSKA 4-1 Benfica 1-0 and 2-0.

Lukaku's last goal was in the 4-0 win vs Palace which was just before the last international break.
 
International Friendly: Belgium 3-3 Mexico - 10th November 2017

Involved in Belgium's three goals.

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International Friendly: Belgium v Japan - 14th November 2017

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Premier League: Manchester United 4-1 Newcastle United - 18th November 2017

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Wasn’t to involved in the game yesterday a couple of half chances in the 1st half but provided quality moments for 2 goals a great cross to Rashford for the Pogba goal and took the good chance that fell to him.

Good to see the big man smiling again after a tough few weeks.
 
Champions League: FC Basel 1-0 Manchester United - 22nd November 2017

His least impressive performance this season.
 
He needs to sort it out because only so long the big man will sit on the bench before demanding to take over.
 
His first touch is terrible, he can't keep the ball and he's not taking chances when we need them. He's gone from hero to zero is 4 weeks. I can't imagine what his confidence will be like if/when he gets dropped for Ibra
 
I don't think he was that bad but like almost everyone he fell apart second half.

The only thing I will say is at this level if you get one vs one on your strong foot it has to be a goal the keeper spread himself well but the top strikers aren't giving him a chance in that situation. They're either going around him and tapping in or dinking it over him.
 
Premier League: Watford 2-4 Manchester United - 28th November 2017

He was good in the first half, and instrumental two of the three goals. The level of his performance dropped off in the second half.
 
His hold up play even when into feet is becoming a problem as the ball has to stick better.

Should have scored tonight and you could see him sulking at times and frustrating his team mates by losing the ball, I think the lack of goals is really getting to him.

I’m sure the goals will come again but he’s got to tighten up his game when he does get the ball at the moment he’s a bit of a liability.
 
He was awful tonight. In all honestly I know he’s our £75m signing but I’d have him out of the squad. And not for Ibra.

Let’s go back to the back end of 2016.

Martial-Rashford-Mata
 
He needs dropping now for a game at least. He was so poor when it mattered last night, he was moaning at people a lot and throwing his arms up in the air. He looks a frustrated figure.

I honestly think having Ibra breathing down his neck is killing him off.

I cant believe he missed that last chance. He didn't need a touch, it should have been one flick on into the net but that shows his confidence is lacking taking that touch.

Can we risk having him in or out of the team against the Arse tho?
 
What was he doing with that half open goal chance in the second half? It was like he tried to fake like he did against Newcastle the other week, when but Gomes stayed up and he just panicked and got it all wrong. His got to have more composure. In the City and Arsenal games he might only get half chances so his got to do miles better.
 
Haha we are all thinking the same.

Why's Jose talking about his boots? Unless Adidas can design a boot with pillows in to soften that touch its not gonna help.
 
That chance where he took the touches just tells you all you need to know about his confidence a confident striker takes a touch then smashes it in I'm not sure it was a chance he could finish first time because of the way he was facing.

My only defence is I don't think the 3-5-2 suits him because it means there are less crosses coming into the box as the full backs don't really push on but he's having a stinker at the moment, it happens with strikers, it happened to Ibra last season but we need him to get his head right and get his confidence back.
 
That's a true point JSP. But what happens if Jose wants to play 3-5-2 in the big matches against City and Arsenal? Which I think he might. Lukaku is going to have to adapt. I've said it before when he plays as a lone striker he doesn't move enough and becomes a static target man. Easily marked. And the biggest problem with that is that his touch as a lone static target man isn't good enough. He doesn't either bring others into the game or hold the ball up to set a platform for further attacks.
 
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