Romelu Lukaku returns to Chelsea on a 5 year deal

[Sleeping Dave]

26 minutes ago, boratsbrother said:

I don't rate him any higher than you do, but I have to disagree about him not having to try hard to get where he is.

Watch him closely  when recieving the most simple of balls and making  simple short passes. It looks like he has to give it max concentration to not fluff those moments.Apart from those split second shots or headers that score a goal, there's next to zero off the cuff,  natural football instincts in his game. Everything looks like hard work for him.

There would have been thousands of kids of Lukaku's age with way more natural football talent than him, but not the mentality to make it. He's a bit like a better version of Vinnie Jones in making it to the top with very little natural talent. 

 

You mean he has to focus max to not look like an amateur? Yeah, I can definitely see what you’re trying to say here. 

Lukaku was playing senior football at Anderlect at 16 because he looked like a 25 year old at that time. Football wise or in terms of technique he was noting special at all. He had size and speed. Now he just has size. 

[Michael Tucker]

Club	Season	League			National Cup[a]		League Cup		Europe		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Anderlecht	2008–09[196]	Belgian First Division	1	0	0	0	—		0	0	—		1	0
	2009–10[196]	Belgian Pro League	33	15	1	0	—		11[c]	4	—		45	19
	2010–11[196]	Belgian Pro League	37	16	2	0	—		11[d]	4	—		50	20
	2011–12[196]	Belgian Pro League	2	2	—		—		—		—		2	2
	Total		73	33	3	0	—		22	8	—		98	41
Chelsea	2011–12[197]	Premier League	8	0	1	0	3	0	0	0	—		12	0
	2013–14[198]	Premier League	2	0	—		—		—		1[e]	0	3	0
	Total		10	0	1	0	3	0	0	0	1	0	15	0
West Bromwich Albion (loan)	2012–13[199]	Premier League	35	17	2	0	1	0	—		—		38	17
Everton (loan)	2013–14[198]	Premier League	31	15	1	1	1	0	—		—		33	16
Everton	2014–15[200]	Premier League	36	10	2	2	1	0	9[f]	8	—		48	20
	2015–16[201]	Premier League	37	18	3	3	6	4	—		—		46	25
	2016–17[202]	Premier League	37	25	1	1	1	0	—		—		39	26
	Total		141	68	7	7	9	4	9	8	—		166	87
Manchester United	2017–18[203]	Premier League	34	16	6	5	2	0	8[g]	5	1[e]	1	51	27
	2018–19[204]	Premier League	32	12	3	1	1	0	9[g]	2	—		45	15
	Total		66	28	9	6	3	0	17	7	1	1	96	42
Inter Milan	2019–20[205]	Serie A	36	23	4	2	—		11[h]	9	—		51	34
	2020–21[206]	Serie A	36	24	3	2	—		5[g]	4	—		44	30
	Total		72	47	7	4	—		16	13	—		95	64
Chelsea	2021–22[207]	Premier League	15	5	1	1	3	0	4[g]	2	—		23	8
Career total			412	198	30	18	19	4	68	38	2	1	531	259

1. ^

 Personally, I wouldn't have signed (re-signed) Lukaku. And I certainly wouldn't have paid the money for him - just another rock around his neck. But mostly he has shown the ability to put the ball in the back of the net on a reasonably consistent basis, which is why we bought him.

[Mark Kelly]

I don't think you can argue with the stats , my issue is he came here again because he didn't want to pay his tax increase in Italy as Bob pointed out , did an interview saying he'd be back soon , probably after the two year gap that would allow a reset on the tax relief and he's playing like he can't be bothered . It doesn't matter what excuse we make , he's not a target man so that's why he's losing every aerial duel to he wants it played down the channels where Dan Burn a journeyman six foot seven lumbering centre half beats him for pace . He's not concentrating on the game around him and is mainly a passenger in every game he plays , and definitely , since the interview his efforts have declined .

I would swap him tomorrow for literally anyone .

[Sciatika]

I was thinking yesterday that we should have gone for someone like Michial Antonio. 20/20 hindsight, of course.

[paulw66]

On 23/01/2022 at 9:54 AM, Sciatika said:

I was thinking yesterday that we should have gone for someone like Michial Antonio. 20/20 hindsight, of course.

A near 32 year old who has never scored more than 10 goals in a premier league season. 

Pass. 

[exiledblue]

Would have wasted less and at less risk to give Banford a look until a bigger investment came along

[Bison]

37 minutes ago, exiledblue said:

Would have wasted less and at less risk to give Banford a look until a bigger investment came along

...or just kept Tammy.

[CarefreeMuratcan]

In all 3 games against Spurs he had about 6 clear cut chances and he didn't score once. 

[Sciatika]

1 hour ago, paulw66 said:

A near 32 year old who has never scored more than 10 goals in a premier league season. 

Pass. 

I meant in 2017 when we were linked with him. Obviously he is now too old.

[Jasonb]

Lukaku at times reminds me of the runner on the home leg of the sprint relay with his hand held back yelling for the other sprinter to move it and get the baton in his hand.

He is poor in inter-play in no small part due to his limited poor touch and is good when in open play he has the ball on the run with one defender to beat.

That does not happen much when we are playing possession based football.

His other skill is offensive heading so we might have to wait until James and our first choice left wing back is available.

I was not keen on re-signing him and am hoping Havertz improves enough along with Broja improving so we are not forced into playing exorbitant fees for limited players. 

Thought I read he was on a 5 year contract let's hope his season here does not detract from his earning power abroad.