Lukaku: I needed winter wake-up call

Lukaku is like his manager – full of waffle.

Lukaku "full of waffle" – yes but he’s Belgian so what do you expect? Likewise his form’s like a box of chocolates – you never know what you’re going to get.

Over the years of sticking rigidly with the same formation, itÂ’s obvious that in two of the last three seasons it has stifled our attacking threat. This will be the second full season, the other being 2012-13, Moyes's last season, that we have failed to score more than three goals in any of the 38 matches.

It does seem to stifle your attacking threat. We can criticize Lukaku for his obvious problems, lack of workrate, terrible first touch, too many poor games... but, when you have a midfield that gives you virtually sod all in the way of support, then being a lone striker would become frustrating even for Suarez or Messi in our team.

Lukaku possibly would have benefited from playing in the Everton team of Tim Cahill supporting the forward and Arteta being the creativity. As it is, you have two defensive midfielders, Barkley who runs and runs but lacks a football brain at the minute, to see when a pass is on, so that leaves just Lennon and Mirallas who can offer ample ammunition or support.

I have doubts over Lukaku’s ability, of course (like everyone); he’s not a £28 million player, he’s not even yet Champions League material, but, unless we are going to start finding more creativity and more support for whoever plays up front, then I fear the curse of strikers at Everton will long continue.

Perhaps getting more than just one or two players in the penalty box might be a start. How you are ever meant to score many goals like that is beyond me.

DoesnÂ’t mean a jot if you win games 1-0 or 4-0 unless goal difference comes into play for one more league place up.

Never understood this, "When was the last time we scored 4/5/6?" mentality, what difference does it make?

The strangest thing this season is that if Lukaku scores 2 more in the last handfull of games, he will become our first 20 goal a season striker since the Yak.... and heÂ’s had a bit of a shite season to be fair.

He is a work in progress and if he stays and matures (and remembers how to control a ball) he may be a very, very useful and important player next season for us.

As for the present, six weeks is the normal minimum time a hamstring needs resting and once again it looks like heÂ’s been asked to play when not 100%; although heÂ’s saying now he thinks he is. Playing one up front is less than ideal; especially against the bully boy Van Gaal!

Because just once it would be nice to see an Everton side actually score some goals and entertain the fans rather than these scrappy 1-0 wins which, let's be honest, apart from very recently, we have hardly mastered being great at holding on to 1-0 leads anyway.

It doesn’t matter a jot – not providing your defence is that good to win you 19 matches by scoring once or twice tops – but that’s not going to happen. Teams that score goals win game’s. We haven’t won enough games this season and why? Because we haven’t been able to score enough goals to kill teams off. How many times have we blown leads in matches this season and lost points because 1-0 hasn't be a safe sufficient cushion??

Nobody is saying score four every game but having at least a formation or a plan where you can offer more firepower should be in our armoury. LetÂ’s be honest, ten men or not, if Burnley equalized last Saturday, did we look like doing enough to get a second goal?

Hopefully we will continue to improve in the final third. Against Burnley, Coleman was actually hitting first-time crosses instead of trying to dribble the fullback. I could hardly believe my eyes.

When Mirallas scored, he was in the box, something he doesnÂ’t always bother to do. Yes, as you mentioned, we need more people making that extra effort to get into the box. We know itÂ’s tiring but all the top teams do it.

Jim, I wish we were more entertaining too but I donÂ’t need four goals to be entertained, just good footy. We scored 3 against QPR and were booing our team near the end for our defensive back-passing.

Most players will say, "I can do it", injuries and all. They donÂ’t want to stay out.

A "wake-up call", though, could be interpreted as Roberto "laying down the law". Lukaku doesnÂ’t say that exactly, but itÂ’s easy to see it that way. I donÂ’t.

Hindsight being what it is, IÂ’ll thank him for trying despite playing with a foot injury. Wonder how much of his "billiard cushion" control of passes had to do with his toe injury? Had to be some, no?

If thereÂ’s a question IÂ’d like answered regarding playing injured, itÂ’s the McCarthy one. Out with a hamstring injury, then sent back in and within 15 minutes heÂ’s holding onto his hammy and substituted. Would love to have been a fly-on-the-wall listening to the reasoning to send him out to play.

Play to the best of your abilities every minute you are on the pitch. ItÂ’s not a lot to ask when you are being made a millionaire many times over by a club.......is it?

No shit, no standing off them admiring them, just make sure you and your teammates get stuck into them and try to give us at least one memorable win from this absolute tosh season.

Knock that shit off. You wouldnÂ’t gnaw your own arm off, for God's sakes, let alone "we fans would..."

"Play to the best of your abilities every minute you are on the pitch. It's not a lot to ask when you are being made a millionaire many times over by a club.......is it?"

Here we go. Millionaires they are. Only, ONLY, because thereÂ’s kadzookian millions to be paid to employees to hire and retain them. The "Club", Kenwright and them, are responsible for those millions available? Hahahaha.

Nice try though. WhereÂ’s the "Fucking players; selfish, twatish, greedy... " Only thing youÂ’ve missed.

I support Tony’s call — seems you might’ve been watching a little too much US TV where the cult of untouchable superstar personality is rife and they can, of course, do no wrong.

Methinks the good people in the Old Country ainÂ’t so easily duped on their side of the Pond, Jimmy.

Once the big fee was paid, everyone expected that much more, as they did from Fellaini when he arrived... but he was also a big disappointment.

However, I am sure, with the right support, he will be tremendous over the next few seasons.

Why was he playing? Surely, a fit Kone, McAleny or Long would make a better contribution than an unfit Lukaku? Playing an unfit player, a valuable club asset, could lead to further injuries, a serious injury and at the very least, extending the recovery time of the original injury.

Over the years, I have seen Leon Osman play some great games with great energy. I have also seen him struggle to raise a gallop in matches. How can this be? He certainly divided opinion on here.

I guessed that he must be playing while injured. I read his autobiography and this was confirmed, even insisting he was fit to play one game with numerous injections in a broken toe. Strange that he considers this trait/dedication Â’professionalÂ’ and was critical of Big Vic, who would not play unless he was 100% fit.

In his interview though, I think Lukaku has elected to use a poor choice of words and in that respect I can understand where Tony (#2) is coming from also. In a season where we have had to endure mind-numbing, listless, dire anti-football with regular morale-sapping results, to hear a player come out and say he needed a wake-up call is, at best, naïve; at worst, a slap in the face (or a kick in the nether regions ) regardless of extenuating circumstances re injury problems.

With the way the season has gone, the least the fans could expect of every player is to show that they care and show to the fans that they have left every ounce of effort and energy on the field at the end of a game. That has most definitely not been the case and then to hear a player say that he needed a wake-up call, then it's not surprising fans get a tad upset.

I like Rom as a player and do believe that he will go on to be very good but he is far from the finished article and until he is then he would be better advised to keep quiet and carry on working at his game to be that very good player.

As a side issue, Harold, I think I must have been asleep at recent games because I cant recall witnessing any quicker football style, I'm afraid... granted we managed to get into the penalty area and attempt a few shots against the bottom of league team but quick football style??? Hmmm bless you for being positive though.

What more needs to be asked?

For me, Yes, I want to play as any decent footballer does .but masquerading a fitness you don't have is kidding your payroll managers, yourself and the fans...

In reflection, that has been happening all season with a few of our squad.

I wondered why Distin had disappeared off the face of the Earth for example.

A couple of goals tomorrow would do nicely. The game will give us a much better idea of where we are at than a scrappy, lucky win against relegation fodder like Burnley.

If you don't feel you are depressed enough by what's gone one this season, just get yourself down to Finch Farm and interview a player!

Mirallas across to Coleman, forward to Lennon, forward to Kone, 1st time to McCarthy, 1st time cross to Mirallas – goal (15 seconds).

Last man Jags forward to Barkley in centre circle, swivel and forward pass to Baines, cuts in, forward reverse pass with right foot to Kone, under pressure, neat forward flick to McCarthy, crosses ball – Lennon scores (18 seconds).

That was the quick, forward football Martinez used when his Wigan side tore us to ribbons at Goodison.

Last man Jags forward to Barkley in centre circle - Swivel and unexpected forward pass to McCarthy - moves left - forward pass to Baines - Cuts in, reverse forward pass with right foot to Kone - Under pressure, neat flick to McCarthy who had raced forward. - crosses ball - Lennon scores (18 seconds).

That’s Everton's quick football under Martinez – all in the one sentence.

I do wish he would shut his gob.