Lukaku: Koeman convinced me staying at Everton was right

Why? A reflection on his predecessor? Or someone else's lack of honesty in the past when discussing his career?

It makes you wonder what he has been told previously.

Lukaku seems to have stepped up again this season. He's holding the ball up a bit better and his touch looks a little sharper (still way to go mind). If he carries on this form it won't be long till we get offered the kind of bucks that would probably be hard to turn down by clubs that he'd definitely rather play for.

This on other items, as well - If yesterday's first-half performance was one of a high intensity by players in blue, then please get us different, more competitive players in the January window!!!

We lack totally a desire to keep the ball, that was completely remedied in the second-half display – but why does this one-half display consistently get repeated, week-in & week-out? Makes MotD horrendous to watch, other teams being completely competitive, even when losing!!

We deserve MORE – especially when at home, & consistently blaming a referee, missing the main point, even if he was pathetic – just play to the whistle, regardless!

Surely any honeymoon period is well over – many players in blue are just completely inadequate. Other than actually scoring, what does this centre forward actually contribute to our team effort? Poor control, effort, attitude zero & body language pathetic – always offside... strolling around???

Here for a season, what a fantastic decision made!!!
COYB

The Everton tactics also prevent the scoring of more goals, because Barry and Gueye are further back in midfield away from Barkley who is further foreward, so less midfield players in the business area and last third, mean less potential goal scorers.

Even worse, unless Coleman gets foreward and with Baines injured there are less crosses coming into the box. As proved by Lukaku who has to go wide to be his own provider from the wings.

The worry is he agreed to only stay 1 more year, I guess they discussed what options he would have after this season, especially if we don't qualify for Europe at all.

Let's hope that we do qualify for Europe and Lukaku and his agent realize we can be challenging for a top 4 place although that is a big ask. But, if we don't qualify and we sell Lukaku, it would be very difficult to get another striker who could get even near his goals return.

Still time for Koeman and Walsh to earn their stripes.

However, the article made me think that Everton needed to bridge the gap for the next couple of windows, keeping Rom and selling Stones clearly was the plan. You can always find a decent defender, forwards not so much.

Koeman has been clever, not asking for anything more than a season from Rom, this you would think will give him enough time to find the right replacements should he leave, if he doesn't then all the better.

Rom had no options in summer otherwise he'd have left. I have no beef with him, he's consistently held up his side of the bargain with his goals alone.

But I think Everton held all the cards here, and Rom's kind of suggesting he did us all a favour and stayed 'cos of the honest talking from Koeman...

A lot of talk about him and Bolaise, him and Ross, I happen to think that playing him left of Rom will work, suggested this during his poor form he plays as a winger, more space, job simplified and less exposure to mistakes.

I think coming in from the left helps with his shooting and if Rom gets this then Barkley plays most balls through onto Rom's left foot and Bolaise bombs the crosses from the right

3-4-3 Williams, Jagielka, Holgate, Baines, Barry, Gana, Coleman, Barkley, Lukaku, Bolaise

Great to know you stayed because you wanted to... I was worried you only stayed because nobody offered you an alternative.

https://www.grandoldteam.com/2016/11/01/watch-romelu-lukakus-50-league-goals-Everton/

For the haters, cover your eyes and go "Lalalalala.....

Start by telling Lukaku to stop talking to the press, and start to focus on his job, and getting better and better.

Bony would be a decent second choice, or we should get Alvaro Negredo.

Also he has got most of those goals playing for WBA and us. Not for the so-called big clubs. He usually plays up front on his own too. He is fast becoming a leader and every team needs as many of those as it can get.

He has helped Bolasie to settle in very quickly and challenged him to score 10 goals – so he's motivating those around him. I know he's not everyone's cup of tea but his goals are vital to us and he's an integral part of what Koeman's trying to put together.

With the players we have, I feel we are still playing (in-the-main) a 4-2-3-1.

This formation played correctly, always ensures you have midfield cover to allow a full back (not both ala Roberto) to push on and that the 4 attacking players (the 3-1) don't have to worry too much about getting back because theoretically (again – if played correctly), you always have 5 sitting.

Germany invented it, almost won the 2010 World Cup with it and then did in 2014. With the right players, almost the perfect formation, in my opinion.

Lukaku didn't go wide to provide for himself on Sunday; he showed good intelligence and hold up play to wait to provide for Barkley.

Our players still getting used to this formation though. Once they are more familiar, results will start to show more consistently.