08 May 2017 23:26:50
Madness to think we are split on this Lukaku. If he goes he will be a massive loss to the squad how can we all not see this.

I know it's about opinions and I respect everyone's view but I'm struggling to see the positives about selling Lukaku. I think we are just sugar coating that we are loosing another top player by picking his faults. He's still 23 I think. Not many around his age doing what he's doing.

He has 24 goals with 6 assists. Involved in more goals than any other player in the premier league this season. Have a think about that for a second. Let that sink in.

He has got to improve on some aspects at his game, but many of the top top players had too at this age too. Look at ronaldo around that age. Wasn't the finished article. There are many examples.

I for one won't be happy when we sell Lukaku but I'm still very excited about being a blue as we are growing and in the best possible place we can be an have been for years.

But selling Lukaku is a massive loss not irreplaceable but a hard hole to fill in one summer transfer window.

Would like too see if anyone agrees with me. How about you Ed? Do you see my point regarding Rom?

Thanks.

COYB.


1.) 09 May 2017
09 May 2017 00:44:06
I agree that we will miss his goals. A goal scorer is a high commodity indeed and finding a player as young as he is, who has bagged 15+ goals year on year is going to be difficult.

However . if we lose him their are positives. For one, he thinks he is bigger than the club and the team, he has proven this time and time again. He doesn't want to be here any longer, the proof of that, is the fact that he hasn't come out and said he's staying.

I remember in his first season after he signed permanently, it was against Hull at home. I purposely watched him for the whole game. I said it then and still stand by it now, he bags goals but does nothing else. That might sound daft, but to move on as a team, I think we need someone who offers more to the team.

His first touch is diabolical, his hold up play has improved, but is still no way near where it should be for a lad his size. His link up play is terrible.

But when he is facing goalwards, he is an animal due to his sheer size and power/ pace. Technically i don't think he's a good football player. There are only three goals i can remember, where you think f*** me, that was filthy. Kiev, West Brom away a couple of seasons back and then Bournemouth at home this season. The likes of Aguero, Kane, Sanchez, they all make goals out of nothing an can flip a game on its head. Can Rom? I don't think so.

Then we can talk about his record against the top teams, it is something poor like 6 goals in 40+ since being in the prem. No way near good enough.

No one can argue that he is a lazy player, I remember reading that no prem player had ran less than him, for the season, a couple of months back.

I sound like i'm moaning an slating the lad, i'm not. I am just pointing out which i think are many faults. But do i think we will miss him, yes of course, who doesn't miss a player who bags 20 a season.

I don't think its the end of the world though and i want players who love this club and love the fans. Players who will run themselves into the ground for the other 10 men on the pitch.

We have Europe and money to go after some solid strikers now - Dolberg, Lacazette, Icardi, Dost, Mandzukic even the likes of Josh King would surprise a few people.

Sorry for the rant gents, just felt passionately about this Lukaku hype for a while. Interesting to read Rene Mul's take on him going to United as well.


2.) 09 May 2017
09 May 2017 01:24:45
But does he perform against the big teams?

The answer is no. Of the 6 teams above us how many goals has he scored against them . I'm betting less than 6 and that less than 0.5 goals a game. Don't get me wrong I'm a fan and he has potential but we was always a stepping stone.


3.) 09 May 2017
09 May 2017 06:52:23
Yes he will be a big loss if Lukaku goes but we will move on if he does and be stronger.

{Ed025's Note - i actually want him to go now ST, i never thought i would say that but its becoming a bit of a circus now and everybody is hanging on his every word to see who he chooses the cheeky sod, i say do it and do it quick so we get first dibs on the right replacement, as you say mate we move on..


4.) 09 May 2017
09 May 2017 08:12:24
A lot of good points from both sides of the argument, I would however defend the goals ratio against the top sides as much that as a team we cannot dominate them and create the opportunities for him to score.
he is a massive talisman and we look to him for the goals and to lead from the front, opposed to that it can make our play very one dimensional and therefore predictable.
Perhaps if he goes we look at adding a couple of strikers that give us different options?
Whatever the outcome let's hope its not a protracted negotiation that drags through the summer.


5.) 09 May 2017
09 May 2017 09:08:09
I am with Jimbo on this. He has improved season on season and is still very young to be scoring the amount of goals he does. He will be difficult to replace.


6.) 09 May 2017
09 May 2017 09:23:03
The goals will be difficult to replace.

The workrate and what he offers to the team when we are under the cosh - we could bring back Duncan for that!

And i mean McKenzie - not Ferguson.


7.) 09 May 2017
09 May 2017 14:15:23
Love or hate him. Keep him or sell him. All matters of opinion true. But one thing that isn't a matter of opinion is that he wants out, and will not renew his current deal. So he will leave within the next 2 seasons. It's now a case of whether we hold on and lose profit. Or let go and make a few bob. Even if we do hold on and get CL next year it's pretty much a given that he will still want to go to Chelsea or another CL regular. Sad but true.


8.) 09 May 2017
09 May 2017 14:32:51
Imho he gets a bad rap from a lot of supporters. Sorry to disagree with some of you but I don't get the "yeah he's young and scores loads of goals but he needs to do more and should be the finished article" argument. His primary role as a striker is to score goals everything else is surely secondary and in those secondary aspects he has improved for the most part.

I would rather have a striker who scores a bucketload of goals than one who maybes gets ten a season but covers every blade of grass on the pitch 9 out of 10 games. If you look at our current team we have a lot of different goal scorers this season but no one other than Lukaku has more than 4 goals. That's a lot of goals we would need to find somewhere.

Also, on turning it on against bigger teams he is one player in a team surrounded by 10 other players. if you look at our squad as a whole, how many of those guys show up against top 6 teams. Almost none. You surely can't expect the guy to single handedly win us every game against clubs with players of a caliber higher than that of the majority of players in our team. That's just unrealistic.

All of this doesn't mean I don't get frustrated watching him sometimes and this isn't any sort of comment on his personality or whether he thinks he is bigger than the club or not because that's a whole other discussion. Just more from a my perspective when he goes we'll miss his threat.

Rant over.


9.) 09 May 2017
09 May 2017 15:14:35
JMW1878 is spot on as far as I'm concerned. Totally agree with Toffee ace also. Said it a month or so ago, move on Lukaku. Sick of this circus. He came out recently giving out about the media. They seemed fine before when he wanted to make it very public about his intentions. Play by the sword, die by the sword. Can't just use the media to only your own advantage.

CToffee when Suarez was at the dark side he carried them up front. The team were not title contenders that year only for him. They threw it away that year and have been very average since he left. That's the quality he was. True world class. He performed against the top teams while at Liverpool. Unlike Lukaku. Rom has a long way to go to get there. Top world class, if he ever will.


10.) 09 May 2017
09 May 2017 16:21:29
NBTB I was thinking the exact same with your reference to the media. All well and good giving off about wanting to play for a CL team (clearly insinuating EFC isn't) , but then to sound off in frustration when the media start to mention the very teams he has invited interest off by making these statements is basic hypocrisy. And the only reason he is grumpy with them is because they dared to report that Chelsea weren't as viable an option as united were.

Like you NBTB I want this circus to move onto another town. But I get the feeling we will have another summer of media focus on what leaving rather than what's coming in.


11.) 09 May 2017
09 May 2017 16:22:29
I'm in no way saying Lukaku is world class or the finished product. My point is more just that most people seem very keen to write him off and throw him away.

As of last month Lukaku had more goals against top 6 teams compared to other strikers in top 6 teams. So he's also getting an unfair deal there. I agree he should do more in these games but it also shouldn't only be him.

Someone made a good point on this forum that when Lukaku plays well we generally win and when he doesn't we don't. That to me is more a poorer reflection on the rest of the team than it is on Lukaku. In top 6 clubs their squads are stronger and better quality than what we generally have in ours so asking someone who is a good player but not a world beater to always be on the top of his game seems a bit harsh.

Again, I'm not saying he is perfect or doesn't have some glaring issues that need working on (e. g. Personality, first touch etc. ) but I sometimes think too much is expeced of him.


12.) 09 May 2017
09 May 2017 18:20:04
I can dee pro's and con's on both side of this argument. But to answer Jim's point from the start. It is all about opinions but we have lost big plauers before and survived prettu well. What we all have to understand is no matter what we say on here, we don't have a say.
The only people who decide rom future is Rom, his agent, rk and the club.


13.) 09 May 2017
09 May 2017 19:38:16
This season he has scored a lot but I think he averages about 19 a season. We should be able to buy a striker who can get say 12-15 a season at least, that means we only need 5-7 more goals a season from our other attacking players. With some quality attacking players behind our striker we should be able to limit the loss of Lukaku and have a player who covers more ground which in itself should provide more assists for our attacking players. I am at a point where I know he is going so we need to get him out early for as much as we can and move on.


14.) 09 May 2017
09 May 2017 20:36:52
That would be my feeling if we got a striker who scored 15-20 but brought others into play to score that would be fine by me I remember when our midfielders would chip in a load of goals and qualifying for the CL with a certain Marcus bent!


15.) 09 May 2017
09 May 2017 22:00:41
Im not saying we should get rid of him or slating him as a striker. At the end of the day the lad bags and that's what you want.

But to answer the original point in that we would be lost without him. No i don't think we would be, because as daft as it sounds, all he does is score. He doesn't press, he doesn't hold the ball up/ link up with the midfielders (the only real time i have seen this, is with Valencia the other week) .

He doesn't make unselfish/ intelligent runs to create space for his team mates.

So if we lose him and replace him with someone else who bags, we will be fine.

It isn't the be all and end all like some people like to make out and personally like the above lads have said I am fed up with it all and the focus being on him and not the great direction we are going in as a club.

We are going in the right direction now and at a good speed. If he doesn't want to stay on board, get rid and find someone who does. Simple as that.


16.) 09 May 2017
09 May 2017 23:27:05
I agree with almost every comment on here with the Lukaku situation, it truly is an emotive subject. On one hand he is criticised for his goals against the top 6, however this season he is better than. Sanchez, Costa, Aguero against the top 6. He is a flat track bully, but again it's not like they grow on trees either! . There aren't going to be many top class player (worth their salt ) unfortunately not going to leave a Champions League side to come to Everton as a replacement. If there are please god let the board know! . Comparisons to Suarez, completely unfair. He is no Suarez yet however it's also worth pointing out that we haven't had the team around him that Suarez had, let's be honest. If he goes and we get good money and can possibly get a replacement and money in return, say a Batshuayi, Dolberg etc. you know what it won't be so bad. The lad is 23, he is not an Evertonian, he is not British and so if he wants to go and in his eyes better himself, well then fair enough as his goal return in a blue shirt is the best that 30% of season ticket holders have witnessed in their lifetime. Let's hope he has a change of heart, but just in case he doesn't we need quality replacement (s) . Positivity needed, I'm sick to death of the negative 'That's Everton' mentality.


17.) 10 May 2017
09 May 2017 10:57:58
Ed25 not sure why a media circus would affect your opinion of Rom who is still improving as a player and will only get better. If he goes he goes if he stays we will still see him score a shed load of goals. The statement Rom has made for the media to leave him alone and stop speculating about what he will do in my mind is positive. Now I know this won't work but at least he is trying to do what ever he is doing in private. The media circus is just hype and regurgitated news just ignore it the majority of it is rubbish anyway.

{Ed025's Note - i know what your saying sa and your probably right but i cant see him staying under any circumstance, everton seem to be overlooked and its all about the battle between united and chelsea for who gets him, now i know hes asked to be left alone but for me the damage has been done and even though i rate him highly i have no time for players who dont want to play for us mate..


18.) 10 May 2017
09 May 2017 12:23:36
I'm with you on this one now, Ed025. He seems like a really decent guy, the way he is with the kids and that lady at Southampton last season, but his work rate is awful! I've watched a lot of Juventus matches this season and someone should show Rom the videos of the tracking back and tackling that really top rate strikers like Dybala and Mandzukic do. They work for the team, not themselves. If Rom did this I'd be devastated to lose him, but he doesn't, so why not cash in now?

{Ed025's Note - i have been a backer of him since he came tezza but i just want it to end now mate, lets get the deal done so that we can get his replacement and move on i say..


19.) 10 May 2017
10 May 2017 14:21:16
Blu1 how is comparisons to Suarez unfair? He was the best striker in the premiership when he was here. Lukaku is top scorer this season. So why is it unfair? Don't care about age. Lukaku will get better. How long is Neymar at Barcelona? What age was he when he was turning it on at the biggest stage. Another true world class player.

The comparison to Suarez was really about how he carried the Reds. Even though in my opinion the were average. After he left he were well down the table. When he was there they finished second and should of won the league. He was not relying on other players. Rom needs to improve himself. He's not carrying Everton.

Auguero has been injured for a good few games so wouldn't be that hard to have a better record than him against the top 6. I'd love to know where these records are coming from with Costa and Sanchez?

Lukaku has not a good record against the top teams period.


20.) 10 May 2017
10 May 2017 15:23:38
NBTB, fair point I get where you are coming from, but if I look at the Liverpool Team from 2013, Chelsea, Man CIty etc. I really really don't think it's a level playing field to Lukaku to compare as even Gerard at that stage is equal if not better than what we have, let alone that Sturbridge was on fire, Sterling had the season of his life, Coutinho etc., Chelsea's midfield and upfront support, ManCity upfront and there support compared to . Mirallas, Barry, Barkley, Delefeu, cleverley, Gana, Davies, Besic, McCarthy, Lennon, Oviedo, Lennon, Gibson, McGeady, Kone. don't know if I've left anyone off but I think you get my point / angle that I was coming from. It's horses for courses and whilst there is no evidence that playing with better players makes you better in Lukaku's I know which team mates I'd rather be playing with focal point or not.


21.) 11 May 2017
11 May 2017 07:20:48
NBTB, your point seems to be Lukaku isn't world class. From the comments I've read no one has been saying he is.

Also age should be taken into account. Most strikers are at their peak between 25 - 30. Suarez is only 30 now, Neymar is 25. Lukaku is only 23 and may yet become a world class player but he is clearly not that yet (despite what he may think) . So the expectation that he should be a one man team doesn't really seem fair to me but hey you are entitled to your opinion.

{Ed025's Note - it is as you say all about how you see it CT, i love the guy and am a massive fan but if he wants out then my interest in him ends im afraid mate..


22.) 11 May 2017
11 May 2017 13:15:42
CToffee that's not my point really. Lukaku just annoys me and he has done interviews where he says he thinks one of the best or the best striker in the premiership. Why does he say that? Plenty might think that, Costa Aguero etc but you never here them say it. I have read some people say he is world class. He has a lot to do to get there. Real or Barcelona would be showing interest if he was.

He just comes across to me that he thinks he's too good for Everton. Don't get me wrong I love to see players hungry for success and wanting to succeed but the whole manner Lukaku is going about it stinks to me. There is one reason and one reason only he changed to his current agent. That is to get him out of Everton. He was never going to sign that contract. Despite anything he says that's what I believe.

He wasn't at Everton a wet week when he started talking about champions league and how he wanted to fulfill his ambitions. Don't see Coleman or other players doing that. Humble and very professional young lad who imho deserves to play in champions league just as much as Lukaku.

Age most definitely needs to be taken into account and I've often said the exact same thing as you on that issue CToffee. He will get better with time. The point made with Neymar is that at 25 he is playing at the very top since he was 21. True world class player doing it at that age.

Don't get me wrong. Love Lukaku playing for Everton. Appreciate him scoring plenty of goals and playing for Everton. I wish he could stay and do his stuff with Everton as much as anyone associated with the club. I really do.

Fed up of the circus that it is becoming and can't wait to see him gone. Its a putty because I think he could develop as good if not better at Everton for another 2 years at least. Then at 25 he would be in his prime to move on at the very very top if we are not up there by then.

Imho he is taking a little risk by leaving because Utd or Chelsea won't have much patience with him if he doesn't hit the ground running. If he's not a success straight away it will be tough for him.

Still and all I wish him the best whenever he leaves. He made this club stronger with the time he was here. Make a nice profit. I hope he does win a champions league medal and becomes world class.


23.) 11 May 2017
11 May 2017 09:20:19
Yeah I get your point Ed. It's clearly a divisive issue with a lot of differing opinions.

At the end of the day I think he will leave this summer and we'll adapt as a team to the loss of any player regardless of who they are or how good they are.

{Ed025's Note - yeah thats what im hoping as well CT..