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Longest Thread For Drivel (or the Romelu Lukaku thread)


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I don't think anybody is singing the praises of the team and singling Lukaku out. Not from what I've read anyway. Although I have missed out 3,485 pages of this topic.

 

But take Lukaku on his own...you can use stats (shots, conversion rates etc) or his own words if you like, he had an off season. Could be many reasons for that.

 

This is him in August...

 

When I signed for Everton permanently my father was very ill and I was not in a good place because of that. My father has always been a big influence in my life. Whenever I have a bit of time off I go home and stay with my parents as much as I can. I am alone here and when my father was ill it was very difficult for me. The club knew about the situation and that I was going home all the time to see if he was all right.

 

When he was better I started to play well in December, although I also started the season with a few injuries and there were games when I didnt have to play but I wanted to play to help the team. I had four injections in my foot before the Arsenal and Chelsea games. Then my friend Junior [Malanda] died as well [the 20-year-old Wolfsburg midfielder was killed in a car crash in January]. He was very close to me and my family and I really wasnt good at that time.

 

Personally last year was my most difficult year. Its true for a footballer that if your life is good off the pitch, you can give that 20% more but for me, at my young age, I discovered there are some things you dont know how to handle. People associate the footballer with the glamour but we have a life as well. For me family has always been more important than football. The most important thing for me is that my parents and my brother are fine. That is the first thing on my mind when I wake up every day.

 

Then more words from him a few weeks ago...

 

I knew if I could improve the percentage of balls that I lose, hold up the play and lay it off better, I would get more chances, says the 22-year-old Belgian. I realised I could help the team better if I did more with the balls I was getting.

 

So, in the summer when I was back in Belgium, Id just kick the ball against the wall, over and over. Id going training with my best friend (Antwerp goalkeeper) Nicaise Kudimbana. Wed do an hour and a half in the morning and the same in the afternoon because the sun was still shining.

 

I had a programme from Everton, too, so Id work on that in the gym do some technical stuff, go home and rest, pick up Nicaise and go again. By the time pre-season started I was ready to go and Roberto (Martinez) knew I was ready to do the job.

 

The lad had a tough season. He's gone away, took ownership of his downfalls, took responsibly for how he performed, looked for answers, listened to advice, read Toffeetalk, and is now a much better player and probably a better person too. He alone deserves a lot of credit. No one else.

 

I will end my Lukaku debate as thorough as this, if people want to identify the odd quote here and there in middle of games when I have been fuming with him then so be it, but here is myt summary broken into signifcant stages:-

 

Early Impression:- Sep 2013 - Dec 2013

 

Physically and athletically like a shot in the backside for the team. Opponents were very wary of him and his scary appearance, pace and potential power. Showed some early promise - courageous header and getting knocked out, some excellent finishing and won us games but I was very aware of his poor touch, focus/work rate/agression

 

Jan-2014 - May 2014

 

Got injured in late Jan and came back early March. I noticed that defenders were not standing off him and appeared far less tentative towards him. It was if they werent scared and realised that getting stuck in was the best option. For me this was as clear as day - his lack of touch meant everything that went his way was getting mopped up, he was getting frustrated and for me his effort levels dropped.

 

Martinez opted to use him on the right to allow him to get a run on the defenders as we seen in his goal against Arsenal - it worked to a degree but again his lack of touch and effort found him isolated. Scored some good goals which demonstrated how good he is in front of goal. Had the odd game where he looked more interested than others.

 

Season ended and the world cup was next - many stating he would have a great tournament in a strong Belguim team rich with creative talent. His performances were pretty poor barring an energised and angry cameo late on versus an exhausted USA - to me it highlighted that he needed the odd fire lighting under his backside

 

 

2014-2015

 

A pretty disappointing season. Looked laboured in most league games, some league games he looked dynamite - the man city games versus mangala for example. He seemed to save his best performances for Europa - many have views on why this was, for me he just seemed to get up for them more. The opponents similar to when he first started out in his loan season stood of him, he had space to exploit. To me this highlighted his need to improve his all round game, teams could plan to contain him.

 

2015-2016

 

Like a reversal of 2014-2015. His poor games were few and good games have been many. There have been games and periods where you want to scream at him, but in all honesty he has looked a different player - much much better.

 

He can drop deep and look after the ball, his touch if poor can be rescued (I mentioned having the ability to miscontrol it away from a defender and use his body) - he has shown he can jump buty his timing is still a bit iffy but will get better.

His agression levels have been much better, he actually looks like a player who can engage in a battle (see Sakho in derby, his best game and one of the best examples of leading a line I have seen from an Everton player).

 

For me the only watch item is "being up for it" - when he is he is unplayable. Focus on right peg and a bit more on aerial ability and bingo.

 

In short he far better than I thought he would be this year. Not sure if that will do for some they may want a grovelling apology and to stand in the stocks at finch farm and allow Rom to fire penalties at my face. Fact is, this is how his journey has been for me.

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152 pages later, I finally won the topic. I feel elated, this is amazing.

 

I would like to thank my parents in the first place, they bought my first computer back in 1997. I would also like to thank them for passing on these great genes that provided me with my talents, intelligence and great insticts in people. I would like to thank forumclub, which is the first internet forum I ever joined. I would like to thank my primary school classmates who got me interested into football. I would also like to thank Queen Elizabeth for inventing England and Adolf Hitler for not destroying it. My final thanks goes to coffee.

 

sorry to let you down mate but you actually stated in one post "he's a lump hammer, not a footballer"....

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I do disagree with this a bit.

 

At the end of the day, as a single player, Lukaku had an aweful season. He has pretty much admitted it himself.

 

He was wasting a lot of chances. He was getting plenty of chances. Somewhere amongst these pages, I've posted stats based around his shots etc. He dropped off alarmingly.

 

At the end of the day, he had an off season. He's gone away and worked to improve himself. Surely that's what being a professional is all about? Forget all the 'he said, she said, I said ', fair play to the bloke. Totally different player to last season.

I think his scoring my spree is down to a number of things not least due to the fact he has undoubtedly improved aspects of his game but the improved service into him is definitely a factor . For example would you not agree that Gerry has had an influence?

 

You say he had as many chances in the early part of last season but how many of those were him picking the ball up deep and shooting from distance? Compare that to how many goals he has scored from inside the box this year and you will see improved service

Edited by duncanmckenzieismagic
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I think his scoring my spree is down to a number of things not least due to the fact he has undoubtedly improved aspects of his game but the improved service into him is definitely a factor . For example would you not agree that Gerry has had an influence?

 

You say he had as many chances in the early part of last season but how many of those were him picking the ball up deep and shooting from distance? Compare that to how many goals he has scored from inside the box this year and you will see improved service

I got that inside outside box thing thrown at me last season...and was able to show, through actual effort in research, that a vast majority came inside the box. I'm not doing it again. Go back through the pages.

 

Look, for Christ's sake, can't we all just end this? He had an off season. Simple as that. For fucks sake, who really cares now? He's shot hot this season.

 

The title of the thread had been changed. It turned into a load of bollocks last year when he was shit. I stopped reading. It's still a load of bollocks now, and he's doing brilliantly. Sums up the mindset of the modern Evertonian brilliantly.

 

Lukaku...keep going. You're a credit.

 

I'm out.

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Didn't people watch what Lukaku did at WBA ?.....haven't people asked why Chelsea bought him in the first place, why West Ham wanted him, liverpool were interested in him, why Everton took him on loan, why Everton eventually bought him......why now he's worth probably £50million ?

 

 

It's because the lad 'HAD' talent !

All the transactions above happened 'before' his 'terrible' season.It was written all over the lad that he was going to be huge.So he had an off season at 21 whilst playing in a below average team playing crap football.So what, Barkley still falls to pieces at times,Stones still makes mistakes, IT HAPPENS !

 

Some don't like the fact that others saw what he had.Most of us that 'did' see the potential were probably the same ones who were shouting Martinez down for his awful tactics last season at the same time seeing an under performing Lukaku.I wasn't surprised he and others were suffering, the tactics at times were awfull.None of our great young players advanced much last season.

 

You could see the class Barkley had at a young age, he's had some pretty poor runs over time, made some very bad mistakes, I partly blame the coaching system at Everton for not bringing him on more, this lad should be winning games single handed.

 

To me Lukaku is like Barkley and Stones, they've got mistakes and bad games in them, but more importantly huge amounts of talent.

 

Their talent was spotted years ago, anyone who would let potential like that leave the club for a poor run of games.........probably has shit for brains, just saying :)

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http://www.football365.com/news/kane-lukaku-mane-top-negative-stats

 

Interesting that he doesn't even feature in the top 5 for losing possession due to a poor touch, but is top for losing possession due to being tackled. I'll happily accept that though because that's mostly going to be down to him trying to make something happen.

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not in the top 5 offsides either

 

could be after last night.

 

Interesting the loss from poor touch or player gets tackled - what the criteria? someone could take a bad touch still kinda have it under their control but they get tackled?

 

anyhows - lets hope his injury isn't bad. Deffo needs a rest, fa cup ideal.

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At being offside pal.

 

For the record, I haven't really bought it up before but he can be caught on occasion.

 

This is why I said to my brother - wait for it.....

 

"I would play Barkley up front in the FA Cup with Deulofeu behind him"

 

The rationale for it is to give Barkley an appreciation for the speed of pass - I don't thing Ross is to blame for the offsides but he does need to get to the pass quicker. Plus it may do Ross some good getting his shooting boots going - takes too long to get a shot away.

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This is why I said to my brother - wait for it.....

 

"I would play Barkley up front in the FA Cup with Deulofeu behind him"

 

The rationale for it is to give Barkley an appreciation for the speed of pass - I don't thing Ross is to blame for the offsides but he does need to get to the pass quicker. Plus it may do Ross some good getting his shooting boots going - takes too long to get a shot away.

Good idea, out of the box thinking.

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This is why I said to my brother - wait for it.....

 

"I would play Barkley up front in the FA Cup with Deulofeu behind him"

 

The rationale for it is to give Barkley an appreciation for the speed of pass - I don't thing Ross is to blame for the offsides but he does need to get to the pass quicker. Plus it may do Ross some good getting his shooting boots going - takes too long to get a shot away.

 

 

How about even outer of the box thinking:

 

Barkley up front with Lukaku behind him

 

Ooh snap - I said it :P I am just really curious to see Lukaku in the number 10 position now with the way he's paymaking / pivoting up front.

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How about even outer of the box thinking:

 

Barkley up front with Lukaku behind him

 

Ooh snap - I said it :P I am just really curious to see Lukaku in the number 10 position now with the way he's paymaking / pivoting up front.

 

I said in the FA Cup - Lukaku will not be playing you can bet £££ on it. Aside from that Barkley has been playing number 10....

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seriously enough with all the negative stuff. it's completely ridiculous. Rom is untouchable at the moment and he continues to work incredibly hard for the team. Could not ask for more out of a center forward.

Think your a few pages behind, been nothing but orange fir a while now :-)

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  • 2 weeks later...

Very disappointed with him yesterday. The service to him wasn't great (I can remember him having one or two chances in the game, and fluffed one badly!), and he's possibly tired with how much he's had to do this season. BUT, I expected him to be really fired up for that game and for adrenaline and having a point to prove driving him through that tiredness. Sadly, his touch was much more miss than hit and he just didn't get involved enough, or use his strength as effectively as he has been.

 

After more than a week recovery I expect a full-blooded showing from him against Swansea.

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Very disappointed with him yesterday. The service to him wasn't great (I can remember him having one or two chances in the game, and fluffed one badly!), and he's possibly tired with how much he's had to do this season. BUT, I expected him to be really fired up for that game and for adrenaline and having a point to prove driving him through that tiredness. Sadly, his touch was much more miss than hit and he just didn't get involved enough, or use his strength as effectively as he has been.

 

After more than a week recovery I expect a full-blooded showing from him against Swansea.

agreed, his work for the first goal was excellent but that's about all he managed
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Very disappointed with him yesterday. The service to him wasn't great (I can remember him having one or two chances in the game, and fluffed one badly!), and he's possibly tired with how much he's had to do this season. BUT, I expected him to be really fired up for that game and for adrenaline and having a point to prove driving him through that tiredness. Sadly, his touch was much more miss than hit and he just didn't get involved enough, or use his strength as effectively as he has been.

 

After more than a week recovery I expect a full-blooded showing from him against Swansea.

Powderpuff is how I described it. I thought he was pretty poor if I'm honest with you I Just decided not to go there as there was bigger issues.

 

He has got to realise how different he is when he is "on it". Yesterday he looked laboured and not very interested. Is it because kone hasn't started the last 2 games? I doubt it but he's got to get it back.

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