The Footie Thread

[Arthur Wedge]

Or Lukaku on £350k a week

And that was pre Boehly

When the huge contracts were given out they were down to avoid PSR issues but was always going to be a bigger issue when it came to getting rid of the players on those big contracts

 

[Orikoru]

I still don't know why they don't give Lukaku a game. I've not seen a better striker on their books in the last three years.

 

[Swango1980]

I still don't know why they don't give Lukaku a game. I've not seen a better striker on their books in the last three years.

I agree. Lukaku is a weird one for me. In many respects, he is a striker with a big presence, and has shown he can put the ball in the back of the net. There also don't seem to be too many top Number 9's in this day and age either. There was a time most clubs would play 2 up top, and maybe have 1 or 2 other options on the bench. Whereas these days, some clubs might not even play with a recognized striker, let alone have many options on the bench.

Lukaku has scored a decent amount of goals, especially at clubs that have treated him as integral to their attacking play. Scored a lot of international goals as well. He wasn't great at Man Utd, I was always surprised at how poor he was at holding the ball up. But, Utd have had more problems that Lukaku, so his performances were probably not helped by what was going on around him.

It is as if clubs really have loved the idea of Lukaku initially, given I've worked out clubs have spent a total of nearly 340 million Euro for his services (transfer fees only, not wages). Chelsea bought him for a whopping 113 million Euro in 2021, and he has since played only 26 league games for them. Last season, they played some good football but were terrible at finishing. You'd have thought a player like Lukaku could have been a real strength for them?

I can only imagine that once he comes into the club, some managers just don't like his attitude, or he is just really poor at fitting into the style of football many coaches at top sides want to play

 

[Orikoru]

I agree. Lukaku is a weird one for me. In many respects, he is a striker with a big presence, and has shown he can put the ball in the back of the net. There also don't seem to be too many top Number 9's in this day and age either. There was a time most clubs would play 2 up top, and maybe have 1 or 2 other options on the bench. Whereas these days, some clubs might not even play with a recognized striker, let alone have many options on the bench.

Lukaku has scored a decent amount of goals, especially at clubs that have treated him as integral to their attacking play. Scored a lot of international goals as well. He wasn't great at Man Utd, I was always surprised at how poor he was at holding the ball up. But, Utd have had more problems that Lukaku, so his performances were probably not helped by what was going on around him.

It is as if clubs really have loved the idea of Lukaku initially, given I've worked out clubs have spent a total of nearly 340 million Euro for his services (transfer fees only, not wages). Chelsea bought him for a whopping 113 million Euro in 2021, and he has since played only 26 league games for them. Last season, they played some good football but were terrible at finishing. You'd have thought a player like Lukaku could have been a real strength for them?

I can only imagine that once he comes into the club, some managers just don't like his attitude, or he is just really poor at fitting into the style of football many coaches at top sides want to play

Maybe being more of an old school striker is his problem? Sort of like Big Sam as a manager, comes in and does the practical, boring stuff that gets results, then boards decide they want someone more flashy and get rid of him. Lukaku scores a lot of simple chances in the box but teams decide his all-round game isn't good enough. End up going for someone like Jackson who can play football nicely but misses a lot of chances with it. Call me old school as well but I like the strikers who put the ball in the net, of which Lukaku is one. Early last season Chelsea were playing quite well and not scoring, I think Lukaku would have got 22 goals in that side.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I agree. Lukaku is a weird one for me. In many respects, he is a striker with a big presence, and has shown he can put the ball in the back of the net. There also don't seem to be too many top Number 9's in this day and age either. There was a time most clubs would play 2 up top, and maybe have 1 or 2 other options on the bench. Whereas these days, some clubs might not even play with a recognized striker, let alone have many options on the bench.

Lukaku has scored a decent amount of goals, especially at clubs that have treated him as integral to their attacking play. Scored a lot of international goals as well. He wasn't great at Man Utd, I was always surprised at how poor he was at holding the ball up. But, Utd have had more problems that Lukaku, so his performances were probably not helped by what was going on around him.

It is as if clubs really have loved the idea of Lukaku initially, given I've worked out clubs have spent a total of nearly 340 million Euro for his services (transfer fees only, not wages). Chelsea bought him for a whopping 113 million Euro in 2021, and he has since played only 26 league games for them. Last season, they played some good football but were terrible at finishing. You'd have thought a player like Lukaku could have been a real strength for them?

I can only imagine that once he comes into the club, some managers just don't like his attitude, or he is just really poor at fitting into the style of football many coaches at top sides want to play

I've said this previously but worth saying again. Lukaku is a cracking striker but you have to play to his style. He is not multi dimensional, he is what he is. I always found it odd that teams bought him, ignored how he scored his goals at West Brom, Everton, in Italy, and tried to change him to fit their style. A classic round peg in a square hole. Feed him and he will score.

If teams are not scoring goals and have him on their books, maybe they should have looked at how they were playing and adapt that? I suspect he does not quite have the pace for the PL any more, maybe he has a season more. He may be better suited to Italy, Spain or similar now. Either way, both Utd and Chelsea misused him and paid an awful lot for the privilege.

 

[Beezerk]

I've said this previously but worth saying again. Lukaku is a cracking striker but you have to play to his style. He is not multi dimensional, he is what he is. I always found it odd that teams bought him, ignored how he scored his goals at West Brom, Everton, in Italy, and tried to change him to fit their style. A classic round peg in a square hole. Feed him and he will score.

If teams are not scoring goals and have him on their books, maybe they should have looked at how they were playing and adapt that? I suspect he does not quite have the pace for the PL any more, maybe he has a season more. He may be better suited to Italy, Spain or similar now. Either way, both Utd and Chelsea misused him and paid an awful lot for the privilege.

You watched him at the Euros? Absolute donkey, the Titanic turned quicker than him some of those misses from in and around the 6 yard box

 

[Lord Tyrion]

You watched him at the Euros? Absolute donkey, the Titanic turned quicker than him some of those misses from in and around the 6 yard box

I agree that his time has probably gone in the English league but in some of the other European leagues he will still score goals. Even prior to the Euro's, turning was never his thing. You have to feed the ball in front of him, let him run on to it.

 

[Beezerk]

I agree that his time has probably gone in the English league but in some of the other European leagues he will still score goals. Even prior to the Euro's, turning was never his thing. You have to feed the ball in front of him, let him run on to it.

Would that mean he has to play for a team who purely sit back and play on the break then? Modern football seems to be play through the 3rds and create an opening rather than the old fashioned style of having a CF running at the space between the CB’s. What was obvious to me watching him at the Euros is he struggles playing for a team who try to create goals with clever passing against organised defences.

 

[Swango1980]

You watched him at the Euros? Absolute donkey, the Titanic turned quicker than him some of those misses from in and around the 6 yard box

Mind you, many though Harry Kane was a donkey in the Euros. Yet he scored 44 goals in 45 appearances in Germany that season, and 32 goals for Spurs the season before.

At 31, I'd have thought Lukaku has 2 or 3 years where he can score a lot of goals somewhere in Europe, for a decent side. Assuming he doesn't have any long term injuries / niggles that we don't know about, that means he will get nowhere near the player he was a few years ago

 

[Orikoru]

Would that mean he has to play for a team who purely sit back and play on the break then? Modern football seems to be play through the 3rds and create an opening rather than the old fashioned style of having a CF running at the space between the CB’s. What was obvious to me watching him at the Euros is he struggles playing for a team who try to create goals with clever passing against organised defences.

Exactly - I wouldn't write him off for Premier League as a whole. He could definitely play for a counter-attacking side that don't look to keep loads of possession. Would have been good in the Moyesy West Ham side for example - they've now got Fullkrug who I've not seen loads of but seems similar. Whether he wants to play for one of these teams is another matter. It looks like he's going Napoli anyway.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Would that mean he has to play for a team who purely sit back and play on the break then? Modern football seems to be play through the 3rds and create an opening rather than the old fashioned style of having a CF running at the space between the CB’s. What was obvious to me watching him at the Euros is he struggles playing for a team who try to create goals with clever passing against organised defences.

@Orikoru has beaten me to it. Yes, I agree with what you have said. Surely the scouts at Chelsea and Man Utd can not have missed that? It is hardly rocket science, you only have to watch him where he had success and where he has not to see it.

In my eyes, it's the equivalent of signing Berbatov and then fuming when he doesn't do the high press. Neither are multi dimensional, you either play to their strengths or you don't have them in the team.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I don't think any PL team will touch Lukaku. I don't think his style works and teams are working out his style. Wages will be an issue for so many clubs

 

[PJ87]

Exactly - I wouldn't write him off for Premier League as a whole. He could definitely play for a counter-attacking side that don't look to keep loads of possession. Would have been good in the Moyesy West Ham side for example - they've now got Fullkrug who I've not seen loads of but seems similar. Whether he wants to play for one of these teams is another matter. It looks like he's going Napoli anyway.

He turned us down to join Everton I believe. Shame he was everything we needed in a striker at the time and even throughout the Moyes days

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Strong rumours of us taking Trippier on loan. I'd be happy with that. He probably needs a refresh, turbulent spell off the field has affected his form and this might help him. We badly need a right back and he would add some quality as well. Newcastle don't really need him now, job done by him, and it would release his wages. Everyone a winner.

 

[Swango1980]

Just seen that the BBC have sacked Jermaine Jenas, ending his roles on Match of the Day and the One Show, due to complaints about his conduct in the workplace.

I can't say I'll miss his punditry

 

[Lord Tyrion]

He is just about the blandest pundit out there. No one will notice he is gone.

 

[Arthur Wedge]

He is just about the blandest pundit out there. No one will notice he is gone.

Was going to say didn’t even notice he was there

 

[Orikoru]

Just seen that the BBC have sacked Jermaine Jenas, ending his roles on Match of the Day and the One Show, due to complaints about his conduct in the workplace.

I can't say I'll miss his punditry

Yeah I saw this - what's he done? Has he gone all Russell Brand? I thought he was married. So much for Lineker earmarking him as the next MOTD presenter.

 

[Norrin Radd]

Just seen that the BBC have sacked Jermaine Jenas, ending his roles on Match of the Day and the One Show, due to complaints about his conduct in the workplace.

I can't say I'll miss his punditry

His agent has dumped him as well.

 

[PJ87]

What the hell is going on at palace? They had a fantastic end of the season.. got a good manager in and were playing fantastic football

Fast forward to today. Eze is on verge of being sold. Geuhi (sp) off to Newcastle, Anderson off to Fulham ..after selling ollise aswell??