Longest Thread For Drivel (or the Romelu Lukaku thread)

[Paddock]

he needs a Cahill more than Felli I think, someone who can stick close, work hard and win balls for him

Felliani holds the ball up really well though and he's got a decent brain in him. I think they'd pair beautifully.

[Romey 1878]

30+ assists for him in his time with us suggests he's not too much of a hindrance on our attacking play like, or that he's only a goalscorer who adds nothing else.

[Matt]

Felliani holds the ball up really well though and he's got a decent brain in him. I think they'd pair beautifully.

i was a big fan of him too, got a lot of unjust stick. But if I was going to choose an ex-player of recent times, it'd be TC.

[Paddock]

Anyone who thinks we would be better off without them needs locking up in an asylum. You can twist his stats slate him for silly things like his price but top and bottom of it is he's a 20 a season striker.

 

Get some REAL quality in around him and watch us move massive strides towards top 6

[Cornish Steve]

i was a big fan of him too, got a lot of unjust stick. But if I was going to choose an ex-player of recent times, it'd be TC.

 

Tom Cleverley?

[Aidan]

 

Tom Cleverley?

 

Tony Cibbert

[Matt]

 

Tom Cleverley?

Tim Cahill

[Shukes]

It's easy to see what Haf is saying even if you don't agree with him.

 

No point being Keenan's Newcastle.

Lukaku could score 100 goals a game, but if he gives the ball away too much and we lose the match......it doesnt matter.

 

He is alluding to the fact that to date, the goals haven't helped us.

 

I see it a little differently. Lukaku is weak in some areas but his strengths outweigh them for me.

Like A few have said.... put the right players around him and we may see him improve.

 

Look at the difference when we reverted to 442 and Barkley came on against Leicester. Rom should have had an assist from a lovely ball after Barkley played to Roma strength. Then he scored a very good goal.

[Matt]

It's easy to see what Haf is saying even if you don't agree with him.

 

No point being Keenan's Newcastle.

Lukaku could score 100 goals a game, but if he gives the ball away too much and we lose the match......it doesnt matter.

 

He is alluding to the fact that to date, the goals haven't helped us.

 

I see it a little differently. Lukaku is weak in some areas but his strengths outweigh them for me.

Like A few have said.... put the right players around him and we may see him improve.

 

Look at the difference when we reverted to 442 and Barkley came on against Leicester. Rom should have had an assist from a lovely ball after Barkley played to Roma strength. Then he scored a very good goal.

if goals haven't helped (crazy thing to say in my opinion) then the issue is with conceding and that's nothing to do with Rom. Equally ridiculous to imply that loses are linked with him losing the ball. Even if he loses possession around te half way line, there are usually 8-10 players between the ball and our goal. Therefore, surely the issue isn't with Rom at all, and more the DCMs, defence and goalkeeper who aren't doing their job.

[Hafnia]

It's easy to see what Haf is saying even if you don't agree with him.

 

No point being Keenan's Newcastle.

Lukaku could score 100 goals a game, but if he gives the ball away too much and we lose the match......it doesnt matter.

 

He is alluding to the fact that to date, the goals haven't helped us.

 

I see it a little differently. Lukaku is weak in some areas but his strengths outweigh them for me.

Like A few have said.... put the right players around him and we may see him improve.

 

Look at the difference when we reverted to 442 and Barkley came on against Leicester. Rom should have had an assist from a lovely ball after Barkley played to Roma strength. Then he scored a very good goal.

It's very easy to see what I'm saying.... the same people go off their Tits when other players give the ball away cheaply.

 

He doesn't give the ball away because he's isolated - his average passing length is one of the shortest in the team.

 

The fact is that he can't play football in close quarters, he can't control the ball under close inspection and he struggles to do one touch play.

 

There is no point to in trying to makes excuses for this... we watch the game. It happens. Sideliner spent half the match thread the other week noting every time it happened.... and it happens alot.

 

Listen I'd have him playing for us ahead of alot of strikers.... all I'm saying is that:-

 

He's a poor footballer

He doesn't work for the team

He isn't as good as he or many thinks he is

We need to find a way of including

him in the team without exposing his weaknesses... difficult and requires us to sacrifice a position

 

But he can finish better than most.... and that's enough for most on here.

 

The fact that I call him out as being nothing special irritates people. He isn't anything special. Possibly one of the most technically flawed players I've seen at his level. But he is one of the best finishers we have had in a while.

 

All in all where does he rank as an Everton player for me? Nowhere really. I've never seen him play a game of football like I did with Rooney against Bolton, kanchelskis Sheffield Wednesday, big dunc against newcastle, arteta on several occasions, Beardsley on many occasions, he is a bit of a Tony cottee... Someone who gets his name on the sheet and leaves you with no real memories.

 

That's probably the way it will be till he leaves.

Edited December 28, 2016 by Hafnia

[Matt]

[Shukes]

if goals haven't helped (crazy thing to say in my opinion) then the issue is with conceding and that's nothing to do with Rom. Equally ridiculous to imply that loses are linked with him losing the ball. Even if he loses possession around te half way line, there are usually 8-10 players between the ball and our goal. Therefore, surely the issue isn't with Rom at all, and more the DCMs, defence and goalkeeper who aren't doing their job.

I don't think argument is it's directly his fault, but rather the lack of possession puts more pressure on the team, resulting in more goals against. Or that's the way I read it.

Let's look at it logically....best striker in 20 years many say....so are the last few years our best for 20 years?

 

Again I am not saying I agree, just that I can see the point and the strength behind it.

 

Personally I think it's the general team set up. MC has argued for months now that we don't need two sitting mids and I believe this is our biggest problem.

It leaves a huge space behind Rom and this only accentuates his weakness at holding the ball up. Not his fault, it's the set up.

 

I would argue though Haf, that his passing is much better than you credit. When he does get the ball under, he generally pings a decent ball to his team mates.

He also has a decent cross on him, the type that he would thrive off!

[Cornish Steve]

I don't think argument is it's directly his fault, but rather the lack of possession puts more pressure on the team, resulting in more goals against. Or that's the way I read it.

Let's look at it logically....best striker in 20 years many say....so are the last few years our best for 20 years?

 

Again I am not saying I agree, just that I can see the point and the strength behind it.

 

Personally I think it's the general team set up. MC has argued for months now that we don't need two sitting mids and I believe this is our biggest problem.

It leaves a huge space behind Rom and this only accentuates his weakness at holding the ball up. Not his fault, it's the set up.

 

I would argue though Haf, that his passing is much better than you credit. When he does get the ball under, he generally pings a decent ball to his team mates.

He also has a decent cross on him, the type that he would thrive off!

 

I think we established earlier today that his pass completion percentage is better than many others in the Prem.

[Paddock]

His goals haven't helped???

 

Jesus I've heard it all now. He doesn't cost us goals. It's made out like every game he gives the ball away and we conceded 2 or 3 directly from him doing it.

 

I'm fuck astonished that people can say because he gives the ball away sometimes ( I take it no other player does this as it's only Lukaku who it's getting pinned on) then it counter acts his goals. Truly astonished.

 

What an absolutely shit argument ?? he's scored 77 in 134 but he gives the ball away quite a bit so thise goals count for nothing. Wow, talk about clutching at straws.

[Cornish Steve]

 

2015/16 Average pass % Strikers

Troy Deeney - 60.9%

Andy Carroll - 61.6%

Salomon Rondon - 65.5%

Jamie Vardy - 65.8%

Graziano Pelle - 66.1%

Christitan Benteke - 66.1%

Shane Long - 66.4%

Giroud - 68.1%

------------------

Lukaku - 72.6%

------------------

2016/17 Average pass % Strikers

Peter Crouch - 52.9%

Jon Walters - 55.3%

Troy Deeney 58.4%

-------------------

Lukaku - 62.9%

-------------------

Christian Benteke - 63.4%

Austin 63.7%

Shane Long - 63.8%

So Lukaku's pass % has dropped significantly, but its dropped because we now play long ball up to Rom, rather than a Martinez possession based philosophy.

 

 

This post ought to end all discussion about Lukaku's pass completion. It quotes the numbers, and it explains the drop since last since. Nothing more needs to be said.

 

Next.

[MikeO]

 

This post ought to end all discussion about Lukaku's pass completion. It quotes the numbers, and it explains the drop since last since. Nothing more needs to be said.

 

Next.

 

Dreamland! I'll close the thread .

[Shukes]

I'm astonished, really am.

Astonished that people really don't have the ability to see simple points, even if they don't agree with them.

 

No I'm only joking as I know most do and can.

 

But can a simple question be answered?

 

Would you prefer a striker to score 18 and we finish 11th?

 

Or our top scorer to be on 8 and we finishing 6th?

 

I don't think even Haf in his hatred for Lukaku is even blaming everything on Lukaku. I think he is just trying to point out a universal truth....goals aren't everything.

He is pointing out that loss of possession cheaply is a deteremenr to the team..... simple really isn't it?

 

Now if Rom could score the same goals a season and improve his ball retention by...say 1%....then surely the thinking evertonian can see that, that would be a positive for the team?

 

Now if we could just agree to that, then maybe we wouldn't have to read endless posts about the same old same old!

Maybe people would get back to debating subjectively about one of our prize assets. And rate him or not.... he is arguably our greatest asset.

[Shukes]

And while we're at it, let's end world famine.

 

Bloody hell if we put the same energy into a worthwhile cause I am sure the novel prize would be coming to TT

[Shukes]

Damn......

 

Forgot...

 

World famine is Roms fault too!

[Sibdane]

But can a simple question be answered?

 

Would you prefer a striker to score 18 and we finish 11th?

 

Or our top scorer to be on 8 and we finishing 6th?

 

 

Obviously the latter, but there's a stronger correlation between having a striker who scores more goals and a higher league finish.

[StevO]

I like watching Everton score goals. I really do, it's one of the most enjoyable parts of watching us play.

 

Lukaku scored a lot of goals, therefore my enjoyment is increased when he's playing.

 

I didn't enjoy watching Kone, Bent, Beattie, Straq, I enjoy goals.

 

I liked watching Henry, he scored lots of goals.

 

I didn't like watching Heskey, he worked hard but that's not for me.

 

Goals please, lots of them. Thanks for the enjoyment Rom.

[Blue 250]

 

Now if Rom could score the same goals a season and improve his ball retention by...say 1%....then surely the thinking evertonian can see that, that would be a positive for the team?

 

Now if we could just agree to that, then maybe we wouldn't have to read endless posts about the same old same old!

Maybe people would get back to debating subjectively about one of our prize assets. And rate him or not.... he is arguably our greatest asset.

 

So 'Rom' has to improve an aspect of 'his' game...............................yes if he could improve ball retention by 1%, yes that would make everything that's wrong with Everton better.

 

Maybe if his team mates could improve by 2%, Lukaku could score ' EVEN MORE GOALS'.

 

Yes we know Lukaku doesn't create enough goal chances for himself ( we've been told this about 10,000 fucking times).

 

Well how about the Team increase the chances created for him, I know it's radical and would take an extra big effort, you know actually thread some through balls to the lad or get some great crosses in.

 

Just a thought.

[Shukes]

Your all a bunch of twats!

 

You may be right, but twats haha.

 

250 that's my point mate. I wish the WHOLE team would improve. But this is a err... well it's a Lukaku thread. So it should be ok to discuss Roms weaknesses?

And my wish is for Rom to be a little more pressing and control the ball better.

 

I mean what fan wouldn't want one of their players to improve?

[Matt]

I'd prefer the striker brought in the goals and the rest of the team did their designated jobs as well as that

[MC11]

Just to stir the pot a little. I don't think he wins anywhere near enough aerial duals with defenders for his size. Our long balls pretty much end our attacks because he hardly wins anything up there.

Edited December 28, 2016 by MC11

[StevO]

I agree MC. I think growing up always being bigger than everyone else he probably never learned to battle in the air. Players like Cahill have had to learn to fight for every header.

[Hafnia]

Just to stir the pot a little. I don't think he wins anywhere near enough aerial duals with defenders for his size. Our long balls pretty much end our attacks because he hardly wins anything up there.

Of recent he has won far more headers than before - he's actually been far better than before. See...I can be balanced. Just like I say he's a good finisher.

 

But to touch on what Shukes said... so many people get all excited cos he's the man who finishes the goals - great yeah I can see that.

 

I also understand that we set up to make him that man.

 

Name me another team in the league that have used just one striker the way that we have for the past 3 years - other than spurs with Kane?

 

He gets the richest of pickings. He doesn't get dropped even when having a 13 game goal less streak. At another club you get dropped and struggle to reclaim your place. He is in a very privileged position. But that said he scores goals.... we establish that don't we?

 

If someone wants to tell me that a player who has completed 20% less passes than his next worse team mate in the last 3 games isn't so bad then Shukes is right... just completely shutting eyes to the obvious and it is obvious.

[Palfy]

He's a striker not a midfielder why do you consider pass completions more important for a striker than goals scored, when he receives the ball in the majority of positions he receives it, his first thought isn't who he can pass it to, it's how can I score from here.

[Bailey]

Just to stir the pot a little. I don't think he wins anywhere near enough aerial duals with defenders for his size. Our long balls pretty much end our attacks because he hardly wins anything up there.

No he doesn't, especially on long balls. He does alright from crosses but not when we go back to front. It's like he doesn't read the flight properly, probably in part because of what StevO said.

[Palfy]

No he doesn't, especially on long balls. He does alright from crosses but not when we go back to front. It's like he doesn't read the flight properly, probably in part because of what StevO said.

He's playing as a lone striker what's the point in useing the punt up field to someone to win in the air when there's no one near him to benefit from the knockdown.