Longest Thread For Drivel (or the Romelu Lukaku thread)

[MC11]

I don't think he's as poor as you are saying - he has attributes that just need activating, he can finish and when he is up for it he can be formidable. He is like Fellaini was for us, looks unplayable one game and then has 3-4 where he is anonymous and doesnt seem to care.

 

I just think people over state his ability.

Fellaini is a much better player than Lukaku.

[Lowensda]

Agree with all of the above. I can't believe how quiet this thread has gone following the game. Maybe everybody's finally woken up and are now thinking like others have on here for a long, long time. The guy can't play at prem standard for shit. He was great last seaon in the Europa when he was essentially playing against championship and league 1 level teams. Fell over to be less than adequate against good opposition.

C'mon where are all the Rom lovers now?

 

He was awful against Watford, no question. Was he helped? No. But should he have done better when he was finally presented with opportunities? Absolutely.

 

I'm not sticking up for him because he was poop but that was one game. Many players that started that game have been the best part of awful and some of them managed nearly a full season without reprieve.

 

I still love him. There you go.

Edited August 10, 2015 by tenaciousj

[nogs]

Agree with all of the above. I can't believe how quiet this thread has gone following the game. Maybe everybody's finally woken up and are now thinking like others have on here for a long, long time. The guy can't play at prem standard for shit. He was great last seaon in the Europa when he was essentially playing against championship and league 1 level teams. Fell over to be less than adequate against good opposition.

C'mon where are all the Rom lovers now?

Comparing Europa League opposition to league 1 is nonsense and suggests you know very, very little about European football. We beat the team who finished second in the Bundesliga ffs.

[Lowensda]

Comparing Europa League opposition to league 1 is nonsense and suggests you know very, very little about European football. We beat the team who finished second in the Bundesliga ffs.

 

Convincingly.

[MC11]

Not sure if you two above are joking? The two games against Wolfsburg proved that football at times is a game of luck. Wolfsburg were the better side in both those games.

[Hafnia]

Lets get a bit of honesty here chaps - if he was on loan last year would you have been happy for us to spend £28m on him?

 

Personally I would have hit the roof. The question would be Charlie Austin for £12-15m or Rom for £28m........ absolute no brainer. I'm sorry but his europa perfromances just can't paper over the cracks of some truly abject displays.

 

The league is what pays the bills - the league is where a striker will face defenders of the highest calibre and he did not put in one good performance vs a top 5 defender (mangala aside - but really he is poor) all season.

 

I just hope he can really pick himself up. Every poor display attracts more and more defelction of him using his team mates as an excuse.

 

Please Rom - sort your head out. You aren't doing us a favour by playing for us - the top clubs are not looking at you, you are no where near as good as what your arrogance suggests you believe yourself to be. Everton fans are not stupid and you are not far off having used up the patience of your staunchest supporters.

[London Blue]

I would not be surprised if he was carrying an injury in the Watford game.

[Bill]

Lets get a bit of honesty here chaps - if he was on loan last year would you have been happy for us to spend £28m on him?

 

Personally I would have hit the roof. The question would be Charlie Austin for £12-15m or Rom for £28m........ absolute no brainer. I'm sorry but his europa perfromances just can't paper over the cracks of some truly abject displays.

 

The league is what pays the bills - the league is where a striker will face defenders of the highest calibre and he did not put in one good performance vs a top 5 defender (mangala aside - but really he is poor) all season.

 

I just hope he can really pick himself up. Every poor display attracts more and more defelction of him using his team mates as an excuse.

 

Please Rom - sort your head out. You aren't doing us a favour by playing for us - the top clubs are not looking at you, you are no where near as good as what your arrogance suggests you believe yourself to be. Everton fans are not stupid and you are not far off having used up the patience of your staunchest supporters.

 

Or Edin Dzeko for £15m.

[Paddock]

Here we go lets start blaming players for the fact we have the same side and not strengthened at all while all the other clubs move forward.

 

I even feel sorry for Martinez.

[Blue 250]

C'mon where are all the Rom lovers now?

 

There are no 'Rom lovers' on here, other than people who can see he's far from the finished item, but on his day and with the right service, he could well turn out to be a very good striker, the price ! well Martinez paid that, Lukaku never said he was worth it.

 

No, I've never seen a 'Rom lover' on here...........seen a Rom 'hater'.

 

The price tag and the fact Everton create jack shit when it comes to decent chances, MMMmmm, I'd say go back over the forum and have a look for some 'Martinez lovers'......you might be surprised by what you find.

 

There were players against Watford who were worse that an Average Lukaku.

 

As for the manager, not wanting to spit hate at him at every chance, I'll say, let's give him a bit more time.

[nogs]

On the Europa games... it wasn't luck that we hammered Wolfsburg at Goodison, we outplayed them and at a canter. Tbh I couldn't believe how the seasons of the two clubs panned out, they looked very average and we looked like a team.

 

On Lukaku... I just think it is unfair to single him out, the whole side has been abysmal for 9-10 months now, and as far as I'm concerned it all started at the back. Stones is young and makes big mistakes (like Saturday), you can kind of forgive that, but what about Jags? You can slag Lukaku off all you like for perceived bad attitude etc, but I dont care how much of a 'model pro, good guy' Jagielka is meant to be, last season he was dogshit, yet he NEVER seems to cop it. You have to be fair, singling out individuals is pointless, its a team game and at the moment very few in our squad look like they're firing on all cylinders.

[MC11]

On the Europa games... it wasn't luck that we hammered Wolfsburg at Goodison, we outplayed them and at a canter. Tbh I couldn't believe how the seasons of the two clubs panned out, they looked very average and we looked like a team.

On Lukaku... I just think it is unfair to single him out, the whole side has been abysmal for 9-10 months now, and as far as I'm concerned it all started at the back. Stones is young and makes big mistakes (like Saturday), you can kind of forgive that, but what about Jags? You can slag Lukaku off all you like for perceived bad attitude etc, but I dont care how much of a 'model pro, good guy' Jagielka is meant to be, last season he was dogshit, yet he NEVER seems to cop it. You have to be fair, singling out individuals is pointless, its a team game and at the moment very few in our squad look like they're firing on all cylinders.

And this proves how much you "watch" football. Go and look at the stats in both those games... Wolfsburg battered us.

[Matt]

On the Europa games... it wasn't luck that we hammered Wolfsburg at Goodison, we outplayed them and at a canter. Tbh I couldn't believe how the seasons of the two clubs panned out, they looked very average and we looked like a team.

 

On Lukaku... I just think it is unfair to single him out, the whole side has been abysmal for 9-10 months now, and as far as I'm concerned it all started at the back. Stones is young and makes big mistakes (like Saturday), you can kind of forgive that, but what about Jags? You can slag Lukaku off all you like for perceived bad attitude etc, but I dont care how much of a 'model pro, good guy' Jagielka is meant to be, last season he was dogshit, yet he NEVER seems to cop it. You have to be fair, singling out individuals is pointless, its a team game and at the moment very few in our squad look like they're firing on all cylinders.

bingo!

[Lowensda]

Only one stat that matters.

 

4-1.

[Paddock]

Wolfsburg were unlucky to lose both games and outplayed us for large parts of both games tbf.

 

We won though that's how the record books will see it.

[MikeO]

Wolfsburg were unlucky to lose both games and outplayed us for large parts of both games tbf.

 

 

Sixty-six shots over the two games according to the BBC stats (against our twenty-three).

 

But 4-1 and 2-0 are the only numbers that matter.

[Paddock]

 

Sixty-six shots over the two games according to the BBC stats (against our twenty-three).

 

But 4-1 and 2-0 are the only numbers that matter.

That's why I added the record books will only show the score.

[MikeO]

That's why I added the record books will only show the score.

 

Actually the don't otherwise I wouldn't have been able to find the shot stats .

 

But I take your point. Results are all that matters, you could take our possession stats for last year and say we battered virtually every team we played but it means nothing.

[markjazzbassist]

 

Actually the don't otherwise I wouldn't have been able to find the shot stats .

 

But I take your point. Results are all that matters, you could take our possession stats for last year and say we battered virtually every team we played but it means nothing.

 

exactly and more to your point mike, a shot 40 feet over the crossbar is considered a shot, i'm sorry but that is laughable.

[Shukes]

And this proves how much you "watch" football. Go and look at the stats in both those games... Wolfsburg battered us.

Sorry I have to agree with MC here.

Wolfsburg just couldn't finish. We just had a few matches where everything went in and everything they hit went wide.

 

Another day it could have been a very different result.

[nogs]

And this proves how much you "watch" football. Go and look at the stats in both those games... Wolfsburg battered us.

Sod stats, I was there, we were clinical, they weren't, we won with something to spare.

[Hafnia]

We got played off the park. There is no argument.

[nogs]

http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/29240782

 

Not how the match reporter or me remember it, but hey, each to their own, if it suits the current mood to revise history so be it. And before anyone pipes up about shots on target stats, yes I know, but as I remember it they were mostly rubbish. We had 7 on target, scored 4, if that's not a dominant performance, I don't know what is. Christ, who on here wouldn't kill for that now???

 

Anyway, back to topic...

Edited August 10, 2015 by nogs

[MikeO]

We got played off the park. There is no argument.

 

Wolfsburg manager disagreed.

 

Wolfsburg boss Dieter Hecking: "It's obviously not the start we'd hoped for. We were lacking in certain areas, both in terms of finishing and defensive work.

"We should have gone into half-time a goal down and we got hit with a second just before the break. Straight after the restart, 3-0 down and the game is lost.

"We really weren't smart enough and showed a certain naivety."

[Finn balor]

Not sure if you two above are joking? The two games against Wolfsburg proved that football at times is a game of luck. Wolfsburg were the better side in both those games.

Im sure mouriniho agrees with you. Better how? they had more shots? they had more possession? I bring Mouriniho up because wherever he goes he sets a team up to win who cares who had more shots? or who looked more dangerous. We did a proffesional job for once especially away from home against a top top team.

[Oztoffee]

Back on Topic......

I never mentioned team performance, I was purely spitting at the fact that we have a 26mill player who can't trap a ball, has a worse first touch than me, doesn't score anywhere enough goals to be considered as anything but a part-time forward and has the belief that he's God's gift to whichever team has paid his wages this week.

Ball control is innate, can't be taught....if you don't have it, you can't learn it. Rom doesn't have it. I'm sure Dunc is working hard on him, but I fear he's fighting a losing battle because if you have no first touch with the number of games Roms has under his belt (Chelsea, W. Brom and Everton let alone his European stints) you will never have it.

Not scoring enough? Tough one this......should we have to change the way a team plays to accommodate a player? Or should a 26mill player be able to play well enough in any team plan? I remember the 'Feed the Yak and he will score' mantra that was essentially correct, but the team rarely played to his strength. Yak (and also Rom) are passengers at best in games where they are not an integral part of the goal-scoring plan especially when it seems like the days of the goal-poacher are over. Jimmy Greaves /Gary Linekar wouldn't get a game now as the out-and-out 'goal-hanger' has to be a proper team player and be much more involved than just scoring goals.

 

As to Roms self-belief, unmatched in my opinion. He has such a high opinion of himself, I firmly believe he thinks he's at Goodison to do us a favour. High opinions have to be earned, they are not bestowed for nothing and he's doing himself no favours in that department.

 

Oh, and by the way, I wasn't comparing League 1 with Europa League. But some of the teams that make it to the draw proper are not in any way comparable to the Prem. Rom scored a lot of goals in EL that dried up when the opposition got better....that was the point I was trying to make before the thread got hijacked (maybe because a few didn't agree with what was being said).

[Hafnia]

Back on Topic......

I never mentioned team performance, I was purely spitting at the fact that we have a 26mill player who can't trap a ball, has a worse first touch than me, doesn't score anywhere enough goals to be considered as anything but a part-time forward and has the belief that he's God's gift to whichever team has paid his wages this week.

Ball control is innate, can't be taught....if you don't have it, you can't learn it. Rom doesn't have it. I'm sure Dunc is working hard on him, but I fear he's fighting a losing battle because if you have no first touch with the number of games Roms has under his belt (Chelsea, W. Brom and Everton let alone his European stints) you will never have it.

Not scoring enough? Tough one this......should we have to change the way a team plays to accommodate a player? Or should a 26mill player be able to play well enough in any team plan? I remember the 'Feed the Yak and he will score' mantra that was essentially correct, but the team rarely played to his strength. Yak (and also Rom) are passengers at best in games where they are not an integral part of the goal-scoring plan especially when it seems like the days of the goal-poacher are over. Jimmy Greaves /Gary Linekar wouldn't get a game now as the out-and-out 'goal-hanger' has to be a proper team player and be much more involved than just scoring goals.

 

As to Roms self-belief, unmatched in my opinion. He has such a high opinion of himself, I firmly believe he thinks he's at Goodison to do us a favour. High opinions have to be earned, they are not bestowed for nothing and he's doing himself no favours in that department.

 

Oh, and by the way, I wasn't comparing League 1 with Europa League. But some of the teams that make it to the draw proper are not in any way comparable to the Prem. Rom scored a lot of goals in EL that dried up when the opposition got better....that was the point I was trying to make before the thread got hijacked (maybe because a few didn't agree with what was being said).

I'd agree with that.

 

Playing to Roms strengths at the expense of acceptable footballing tactics is more a case of avoiding his inadequacies.

[Romey 1878]

I'd agree with that.

 

Playing to Roms strengths at the expense of acceptable footballing tactics is more a case of avoiding his inadequacies.

 

Because passing it slowly backwards and sideways, going nowhere, creating nothing is acceptable?!

 

If the ball never reaches the top of the pitch it's hard for any striker to score no matter what they're strengths or weaknesses are.

 

Yes Rom is/was a problem but our problems are so much bigger than Lukaku.

[Hafnia]

 

Because passing it slowly backwards and sideways, going nowhere, creating nothing is acceptable?!

 

If the ball never reaches the top of the pitch it's hard for any striker to score no matter what they're strengths or weaknesses are.

 

Yes Rom is/was a problem but our problems are so much bigger than Lukaku.

 

we have a few problems I agree, but with ball retention being a necessity - having our front man miscontrol the ball or generally just not compete for it is unacceptable. Going sideways or whatever isn't an issue for Lukaku - its when the ball is played to him and is travelling at knee height, chest height, head height or hit with pace, it doesn't stick.

 

I really do not think the game accomodates players who can't control a football. We can say play to his strengths - which means:-

 

• wait till he is onside before passing (he really has to sort this out, its an absolute crime how often he is offside, I have looked to see if it is down to the other players, it isn't - it really is poor and the stats prove it)

• play every pass to him on the deck at a moderate pace

 

The tell tale game for me was against Algeria in the world cup. He was awful. People said he was isolated... he wasnt. He made himself isolated. He had a tremendously talented support line and really just didnt do anything. Was taken off, origi showed him the way and then he was a different beast vs USA - because he made himself less isolated and the tired legs gave him more space.

[Hoof_It_Nev]

I seem to remember him slotting home a few tap-ins from Gerry crossing in low behind the back line when they were both here on loan - or am I just imagining that? Hopefully having someone who is able to get the ball to Lukaku's feet when he's actually facing goal will get him firing them in again.