Hafnia

With mirallas and Barkley injured you can at least look forward to the potential of McGeady or McCarthy having a bad game so you can say "I told you they were crap"

That's all you needed to do!!! You've cost the lad goals!

I'd quite like him to score 1-2 goals most games, retain the ball and pass it then I will LOL at myself.

so he needs more chances than other strikers who are scoring more than him who have the similar number of shots?

I've seen enough of his "exhausted the defences" nonsense - he actually doesn't! Against Algeria in the world cup he failed to register one touch in the area. Against South Korea he was anonymous. Origi was getting on at around 60 minutes against supposed tired defenders. Lukaku got on at 94 minutes against a USA team that had ran an average of 12km per man - bit of a difference Matt. This hard work fallacy - which is what it is, is just the bog standard minimum a striker is expected to do. This final third workrate? I've played the lone sriker role myself and from a comparison perspective it is no where near as demanding as central midfield, full back, or winger - no where near. OK if not take my word for it, then Graeme Sharp has a clouded judgement - "does not do enough, he does not make enough runs"

I would play Besic and McCarthy together - Barry seems leggy.

When we say "chances" - has Naismith had it laid on a plate for him? He is using his guile, tenacity and desire to get in the positions - he is working for the team, getting in defenders faces and is doing so with a real desire in the way Cahill used to. Lukaku is doing is best Louis "Can't really be bothered" Saha impression - things aren't going for me and boo hoo. I seen this at the world cup and it culminated with a strop in being brought off. Origi went on and showed him what it was all about. As i've said, he has been a "top boy" for too long - far too used to getting his own way and owning the pitch. He's playing against fully grown, international class defenders now, not some journey man belgian league defender who looks at a 6ft 4 frame and decides "its not my day today before the ball is kicked". I could almost tolerate some of his bad touches but he just really doesn't want to know. Mate was in the away end and many of the blue fans were disgusted with him yesterday, not from a technical stand point but the fact that a 19 year old novice had him in his pocket and he accepted it. Whether the price tag has nothing to do with him or not, he is getting paid £75k+ a week to at least show some willing.

Not at £28m - it's not on. If it's about goalscoring alone then why is Naismith outscoring him? I don't buy it. Neville on motd trying to make out its because he's being played wide. I don't think it is, it's because the other points he highlighted are true - that he can't control a ball. Sinclair had it right, he needs to earn the right to play.

He's been carrying a knock since the start of the season by all accounts, regardless. If you failed to appreciate his quality last season then you are best just as well focussing your binoculars on mirallas and Barkley. Funny, you manage to find a defence for Lukaku, someone who could do with taking a note out of McCarthys book in terms of working a full shift, running hard, actually putting in a challenge and not going through the motions.

Do feel free to posts in any of the other threads Robles lad.

Yeah I think we need to purify the shooting stats to remove all "that was Fuckin stupid shooting from there" shots.

Is Lukaku 21?

I said he will prove to be a good signing, is the fact that he's a new hate figure make that wrong?. Do you need my posts to be all "ah yeah mirallas and Barkley are the team, without them we have nothing. I'd play mirallas instead of McCarthy in midfield cos McCarthy is crap"

I don't like the fact that they've gained weight, cos for me it's £28 million pounds we've spent on someone who needs to be played like djibrill cisse. Sure put the ball in the box for him and he will find the net, so could jelavic. If it's ahead of him he can run onto it. That's great if you want to score 25 goals in the championship. Defences are smart in the premier league. I watched Dave Watson play a nice deep line against Michael Owen which allowed martyn to sweep up through balls, Owen couldn't do anything else. His good games are the exception rather than the rule, we seen this in the world cup. I fear Divock Origi will arrive for that lot next year and take his place as the best Belgian striker.

I like an anology but is that one saying Lukaku is the equivalent to a set of crayons? I'd probably agree, thick, cumbersome, overpriced, and can be found in an 8 year olds back pocket.

The defence for Lukaku is getting very "but, but, but". I'm sorry I'm not having it and I apportion the blame at Martinez if I'm honest. I seen what the lad was all about after 8 games and the world cup confirmed it. His natural stamina and aggression is shite. His control and ability to pass the ball with authority is poor. His aerial ability is awful for a 6ft 4 striker. It all points to a lad who has had it way too easy in his development years. Growing up and being 8 inches taller and 3 stone of muscle bigger than your peers makes the game very easy. The playing field has been levelled now. At WBA in a poor team he was used as a last 40 minutes player due to his stamina. At the world cup it was evident that he is best used as an impact sub. I'm extremely disappointed that Martinez spent so heavily on the lad. I'm hearing his touch was ok here, he made a few runs there. Nothing is done with authority! It's all very Victor anichebe. If it was Vic who put in the last two performances that Lukaku has done against two big rivals a fair few would be up in arms and you know it.

Never seen game but listened to the end and sharpie was pissed off with him. How can a 21 year old be unfit? He hasn't had a big world cup, he had an extra week or so off. It's not Luke he detrained that much. He needs to improve and fast, its all and well me being onto him. I've had his number for a while. It's the poor fans who are giving him a chance who are running out of patience. As a lone man up front you expect a lot more. Personally I think sharpies getting to the pointvthar he's lazy, does not make runs at all, static is the word he used.

Essential part of forward play.

You don't miss him cos you don't see what he does

Yeah let's just throw all the attackers we have on eh, we getting slaughtered down the right? Guess what McCarthy does? Covers right back. We haven't missed McCarthy? Explain? if mirallas or Barkley aren't playing you lose interest in anything else.

Pienaar can play it.

A little jinxed!

Couldn't believe the interview with button, talking about crash and severity of conditions.... Then "hey let's talk about your position" Button showed class by not even talking about it. Race organisers were asked twice to start it earlier and refused. She's now doing her job asking Ricardo about the race performance, ffs, it's not important. They should be asking them "was it safe". For me it clearly wasn't.

Feel a little sick hear waiting on news of bianchi. He went off into the site of sutils crash, I think he may have hit the tractor, he's unconscious. The weather is too bad for helicopter to take him to the hospital. Prayers for him.

Oh well at least we ain't signed him.