Longest Thread For Drivel (or the Romelu Lukaku thread)

[nyblue23]

9 hours ago, Matt said:

Geography is the big difference I’d imagine. 

And the fact that baseball is 162 games plus postseason, basketball and hockey 82 plus. But traveling 3,000 miles from San Diego to Boston or Seattle to Miami definitely contributes. My favorite baseball team plays in Seattle and has always struggled to attract great players because of the amount of travel they have to do; their closest opponent plays 800 miles away in Oakland.

[markjazzbassist]

1 hour ago, nyblue23 said:

And the fact that baseball is 162 games plus postseason, basketball and hockey 82 plus. But traveling 3,000 miles from San Diego to Boston or Seattle to Miami definitely contributes. My favorite baseball team plays in Seattle and has always struggled to attract great players because of the amount of travel they have to do; their closest opponent plays 800 miles away in Oakland.

i never realized thats why seattle has been bad for long periods of time.  wow.  enlightening

[Bailey]

I think its BS. Its not like he doesnt talk shit a lot of the time. No way will he walk away 2 years from a WC as the leading striker for a possible championship winning side.

[Chach]

 

[Hafnia]

1 hour ago, Chach said:

 

I ended up watching the game last night as couldn't get Everton on.... he was absolutely SHITE.  

It wasn't just his lack of touch which we all know about but he has well and truly bought his lazy arsed version of himself into the United team.  Pogba went absolutely nuts at him...  Martin known sounded like he wanted to chin him for being so idle.  Scholes and Ferdinand basically said they could have marked him.

I'd be very surprised if United don't go all out for an mbappe marquee signing.  Sanchez is just as bad if not worse cos he actually has real ability. 

[Hafnia]

It's international break and lukaku has reverted to type - interviewed by Italian press....  he wants to play for Juventus.  

Funny... he's stinking the gaff out at old Trafford and starts appraising Juventus players like dybala as "getting better" or getting stronger..... whilst he's getting fatter! 

It's fair to say the United fans aren't impressed and the media seem annoyed.... he did this all the time with us. 

[Matt]

won the game for Belgium last night

[Hafnia]

25 minutes ago, Matt said:

won the game for Belgium last night

Pretty much standard lukaku to be fair matt... 2 goals for a side with the best attacking midfielders in world football vs a side with shite defenders.   I did find his 4 yard sitter a bit standard too. 

He is the ultimate flatter to deceive footballer.  His goal stats do the flattery his overall play and inability to impact key matches or tough games is the deception. 

I'll be honest. Not even I expected his United career to nosedive so quick after the first year honeymoon.  He will no doubt have his 3 week spells of looking arsed and getting the press and fans off his back before putting his slippers back on.  It's all very cyclical with old Rom, he just hasn't got it in him - it's who he is.

Yakubu got the same type of rep after a couple of clubs.  

 

[pete0]

Drogba got more than 12 goals only twice at Chelsea, probs the best striker in the world at the time under Mourinho. Put Lukaku at city and he'd score twice as many. 

[Matt]

10 minutes ago, pete0 said:

Drogba got more than 12 goals only twice at Chelsea, probs the best striker in the world at the time under Mourinho. Put Lukaku at city and he'd score twice as many. 

Haf's point isn'tt against his finishing ability though, don't think that's ever really been dismissed. Haf's point is that he doesn't do more  for the team. Honestly, I couldn't care less what the striker provides for the rest of the team provided he scores, which he does. If Rom was still with us and had the creativity around him, the speed alongside him, he'd have a field day without having work any harder than he already does. With the passing ability of Glyfi and Bernard, the energy and pace of Richarilson and Walcott, he could just mope about and bang them in for fun. 

But he's not our player anymore, so I don't really care.

[Hafnia]

3 minutes ago, pete0 said:

Drogba got more than 12 goals only twice at Chelsea, probs the best striker in the world at the time under Mourinho. Put Lukaku at city and he'd score twice as many. 

He was the best striker in the world at that time? Yeah I wouldn't disagree with that.  

Why was he the best striker in the world at that time?

Epitomized the phrase "complete striker"... scored 29 prem goals in one season.  But it wasn't about his goals.... he was a one man battering ram.  An assist machine, free kicks from 30 yards,  would occupy a top level back 4 on his own.

Above all.... a big game player.  Huge....  both lampard and Terry credit him as being the biggest factor in big games. They knew he would deliver and he would.

I'll be honest lukaku can't and shouldn't be mentioned in the same breath as drogba, 

Give lukaku to city and he goes on their bench.... because he can't score the goals aguero can and aguero can score the goals lukaku does.  Again.... no comparison.  Aguero and drogba are/were world class.  Lukaku not near that level. 

[Hafnia]

15 minutes ago, Matt said:

Haf's point isn'ttt against his finishing ability though, don't think that's ever really been dismissed. Haf's point is that he doesn't do more  for the team. Honestly, I couldn't care less what the striker provides for the rest of the team provided he scores, which he does. If Rom was still with us and had the creativity around him, the speed alongside him, he'd have a field day without having work any harder than he already does. With the passing ability of Glyfi and Bernard, the energy and pace of Richarilson and Walcott, he could just mope about and bang them in for fun. 

But he's not our player anymore, so I don't really care.

But there is no player in the world who has the ability to pass a ball through defenders.... and that is where lukaku is at.  He was at that static "look at me I want the ball here" place when he was with us and people said it was about service.

I stated time after time after time that his movement was awful. He relied on defenders falling asleep rather than him being smart.   It's been picked up widely now.... mourinho has called him out, pogba launched into him on the pitch, scholes and Ferdinand said they could defend against him right now and Martin keown was bursting blood vessels in anger about it. 

 

We don't need lukaku. We need the player that some people mistakenly think that he is. 

 

[Matt]

1 minute ago, hafnia said:

But there is no player in the world who has the ability to pass a ball through defenders.... and that is where lukaku is at.  He was at that static "look at me I want the ball here" place when he was with us and people said it was about service.

I stated time after time after time that his movement was awful. He relied on defenders falling asleep rather than him being smart.   It's been picked up widely now.... mourinho has called him out, pogba launched into him on the pitch, scholes and Ferdinand said they could defend against him right now and Martin keown was bursting blood vessels in anger about it. 

 

We don't need lukaku. We need the player that some people mistakenly think that he is. 

 

It absolutely was about service, i.e. he barely had any of quality. But I'm not going down that road again

[Hafnia]

35 minutes ago, Matt said:

It absolutely was about service, i.e. he barely had any of quality. But I'm not going down that road again

His service was fine matt. I spent many a post demonstrating this based on conversion rates, clear goal scoring chances made.

His inability to link play with attacking midfielders and act as a give and go was a huge detriment and still is now at United.

For Belgium the likes of hazard, mertens and De bruyne were actually skipping him out on build ups. His job? Just stand in the box and finish..... any striker in the world would love that job description but no one has the luxury of getting it. 

Funny enough... Tranmere Rovers under Johnny King.... their midfielders were told only to pass to Aldridge if he was in the penalty box. Jimmy Harvey told me this the other week... great finisher but couldn't look after a ball. The midfielders and wingers had to work amongst themselves to create. But he could make space in the box.... that's the thing. 

 

 

[Matt]

3 minutes ago, hafnia said:

His service was fine matt. I spent many a post demonstrating this based on conversion rates, clear goal scoring chances made.

His inability to link play with attacking midfielders and act as a give and go was a huge detriment and still is now at United.

For Belgium the likes of hazard, mertens and De bruyne were actually skipping him out on build ups. His job? Just stand in the box and finish..... any striker in the world would love that job description but no one has the luxury of getting it. 

Funny enough... Tranmere Rovers under Johnny King.... their midfielders were told only to pass to Aldridge if he was in the penalty box. Jimmy Harvey told me this the other week... great finisher but couldn't look after a ball. The midfielders and wingers had to work amongst themselves to create.

 

 

It really wasn't though, and we've been through it all before where I think you're the only one who thinks it was. If he played in the team we have now, he could play as you describe in the Belgium team, and that's all I ever wanted from him; let the creative players, with pace and good ball control, do the hard work and he bangs them in. So long as he, or any other striker scores, they're doing their job as far as I'm concerned, because goals win games.

[MikeO]

[Hafnia]

30 minutes ago, Matt said:

It really wasn't though, and we've been through it all before where I think you're the only one who thinks it was. If he played in the team we have now, he could play as you describe in the Belgium team, and that's all I ever wanted from him; let the creative players, with pace and good ball control, do the hard work and he bangs them in. So long as he, or any other striker scores, they're doing their job as far as I'm concerned, because goals win games.

He's a supposed £90m striker and comes with his very own small print.... he's like a fookin mogwai....

"Happy Christmas son.... I've bought this fluffy beast for you from a chinaman in a backalley shop....  he can score goals but there are certain rules you need to stick to....."

1. Don't get water on him

2. Never feed him after midnight

3. Never send him on international duty

4. Don't expect him to run

5. Remember he will never be older than 21 

6. You need to buy £800m worth of friends to keep him happy. 

[markjazzbassist]

comical, he said a couple years ago he would never play in italy, said it was too much of a 1 team league and wasn't a strong enough league.  hilarious.  i loved lukaku here but he is becoming a caricature of himself now.

[johnh]

There are signs that he is going the way of Balotelli and Benteke.

[Romey 1878]

8 hours ago, johnh said:

There are signs that he is going the way of Balotelli and Benteke.

Neither one of those was ever any good imo. 

[Matt]

3 hours ago, Romey 1878 said:

Neither one of those was ever any good imo. 

Benteke looked like he could've been had he not gotten injured, but unfortunately he did and so I agree

[Romey 1878]

1 hour ago, Matt said:

Benteke looked like he could've been had he not gotten injured, but unfortunately he did and so I agree

He's only good if the team plays one way. Which was shown by his time with Villa and the shite. 

At Villa they played totally to his strengths, so he looked decent. The shite didn't, so he looked like a donkey because he's not a footballer at all.

[Matt]

25 minutes ago, Romey 1878 said:

He's only good if the team plays one way. Which was shown by his time with Villa and the shite. 

At Villa they played totally to his strengths, so he looked decent. The shite didn't, so he looked like a donkey because he's not a footballer at all.

The injury took a lot of his mobility out of him too. But anyway, still doesn't belong in the same comparison as Rom

[Romey 1878]

26 minutes ago, Matt said:

The injury took a lot of his mobility out of him too. But anyway, still doesn't belong in the same comparison as Rom

Was he ever someone that relied on his mobility though? To me he was a target man, someone who just stood still most of the time. It wasn't like you'd be scared about him running at your defence. He'd just control the ball and pop it off to someone, or be on the end of something.

Yeah it was a bad injury, but I don't think it changed all that much in terms of what sort of player he was.

[Hafnia]

6 hours ago, Romey 1878 said:

Neither one of those was ever any good imo. 

Benteke was awesome in his first year or so till his Achilles injury.  More rounded than Rom for certain. Had pace which completely went. 

Lukaku is on a fast track to retirement himself. Not because of injury... mainly cos he's a dickhead who's brain gets in the way. 

[johnh]

7 hours ago, Romey 1878 said:

Neither one of those was ever any good imo. 

My intention was not to compare abilities as players but to compare the course Lukaku's career will take.

[Matt]

2 hours ago, Romey 1878 said:

Was he ever someone that relied on his mobility though? To me he was a target man, someone who just stood still most of the time. It wasn't like you'd be scared about him running at your defence. He'd just control the ball and pop it off to someone, or be on the end of something.

Yeah it was a bad injury, but I don't think it changed all that much in terms of what sort of player he was.

He was a real threat before his injury, more than just a target man as I remember (although it was a long time ago so I could well be wrong). 

[markjazzbassist]

2 hours ago, johnh said:

My intention was not to compare abilities as players but to compare the course Lukaku's career will take.

i loved lukaku here john but i am starting to come around to your comment here.  he has not done well at united, i don't see him going to a lower 6 side in the premier league, it will be PSG, Juve, Atletico, etc i think.  somewhere where CL is guaranteed.  it's funny because Martinez and Koeman were able to get the best out of him and Mou just can't.

[pete0]

12 minutes ago, markjazzbassist said:

i loved lukaku here john but i am starting to come around to your comment here.  he has not done well at united, i don't see him going to a lower 6 side in the premier league, it will be PSG, Juve, Atletico, etc i think.  somewhere where CL is guaranteed.  it's funny because Martinez and Koeman were able to get the best out of him and Mou just can't.

16 goals and 7 assists isn'tt too shabby for a striker under Mourinho. I doubt any striker in the league other than Aguero would do any better. 

[Hafnia]

2 hours ago, markjazzbassist said:

i loved lukaku here john but i am starting to come around to your comment here.  he has not done well at united, i don't see him going to a lower 6 side in the premier league, it will be PSG, Juve, Atletico, etc i think.  somewhere where CL is guaranteed.  it's funny because Martinez and Koeman were able to get the best out of him and Mou just can't.

You can go back a longer way than johns comment there MJB.  John has always seen lukaku the way I have just less vocal....

there is no way any footballer with his technical deficiencies can be considered a top player for a top club.  By all accounts some people in the universe think he still has time to develop his touch.... the only thing he's developing is a gut that is almost as big as his ego. 

The only way you can get the best out of him is to make your team worse.  By that you have to play with a man down.... do not expect him to do anything other than wait for a chance.

His pace will decline soon, his speed over 10 yards certainly has as he's carrying timber. Then that is it.  No ability to create the yard for a shot or react quickest in the box.