Former Everton players on target

Is the Lukaku we've lost the arsehole who's just scored his first goal for Man Utd and done the old badge holding and pointing trick. Cunt!

As for losing all interest in Everton for two years? Can't have ever been love in the first place.

Nice to see a former player still making a living in the top flight – not too many do!

Two for that lazy tosser now...

Lukaku was always class waiting to happen.

It's not rocket science.

Look what happens with good service, width, pace, and three in the middle.

He will score north of 30 this season.

Dream come true" for the Big Lummox!,"Dream come true" for the Big Lummox!,,,1,17:56:17,,67.171.50.38,ok,175,08/13/2017 17:56:17,BlueKfrog,admin,, 839252,35322,toffeeweb,13/08/2017,Rob Halligan,bobsbluehouse@sky.com,A centre forward scoring goals. Who'd have thought it.,A centre forward scoring goals. Who'd have thought it.,,,1,17:58:14,,82.5.161.56,ok,14808,08/13/2017 17:58:14,bobtheblue,reader,, 839253,35322,toffeeweb,13/08/2017,Mike Green,michael.green@royalmail.com,"I never rated Duffy that highly when he was with us but always liked his personality. I was quietly chuffed to see him holding his own yesterday and wish him all the best at Brighton, particularly given the illness he had with us. I know Andy Crooks was a big fan so sure he was as pleased as I was yesterday.

A centre forward scoring goals. Who'd have thought it.

I never rated Duffy that highly when he was with us but always liked his personality. I was quietly chuffed to see him holding his own yesterday and wish him all the best at Brighton, particularly given the illness he had with us. I know Andy Crooks was a big fan so sure he was as pleased as I was yesterday.

John Ruddy has looked unbeatable for Big spending Wolves as well. Yet to concede.

Manchester United seeing the best of Lukaku today, just cannot wait until they see the worse of him - you guys know what I am talking about, poor ball control, poor link-up play, an seemingly inability to play with his back against the goal, the games when he is not arsed especially the last 8/9 games of the season and most of all when he CHOKES in the big games!!

Feed the Rom and he will score. Only the blind and/or ignorant can't see this. Good luck to the lad.

Easy points for fantasy league!!

Come on Colin, the man is a world class goalscorer. I don't, or rather didn't care, about other aspects of his game, as long as he put the ball in the net. One player we should have done our utmost to keep hold of this season.

Colin #9

I'd let it go. I think he will show Utd fans his best side at least 30 times this season.

Erm Colin (#9).

While I can't fault your motives you will be sorely disappointed mate.

He has now what he did not have with us last season but still scored 25. I for one cannot blame him for feeling frustrated with second- often third-rate service.

What you saw today was Lukaku being Lukaku. This is what he can do with width, pace, and service around him,

No need for bitter here. My concern is that we have not replaced him.

Completely agree Rob. We will never replace him.

Now to find our own 30-goals-a-season man.

Will be difficult, if not impossible, Colin. We got about 18 days to find someone.

Same policy as when he played for us. When he's not playing against a big team, have a bet on him to get first goal. A nice little income over the past few years that will now continue.

We will replace him, just hope it doesn't take 30 years like last time

I wonder at what goal mark the Lukaku knockers will realize we lost our one top class player?

When he's scored 30 goals and is holding the Premier League trophy?

He was frustrating to watch with mediocre touch and lazy at times but he practically guarantees goals and will do well in a Man Utd team filled with more creativity and pace than we had. Plus they have other goal threats which mean the entire defense cannot concentrate on Lukaku to nullify him as was often the case with us.

It would be nice if Schneiderlin could play a little like Matic did today. They looked good.

We still need wide players, a new centre back and a new striker. Easy enough. Oh... and minus £50 mil from the kitty on another central player of course.

What's annoying is looking at a team sheet before the game and thinking what's going on here then. We didn't try that once in pre-season but try it in the first game of the season.

The Wayne that was apparently on the wane was our best player yesterday but wouldn't of got on the field for Man Utd today. So what is our goal for this season?

It doesn't matter what Rom does from now on, he chose not to have a future with us - not the other way around. We offered him a contract, remember, which he turned down. Rom was looking for the out door as soon as he walked in to Everton and has got to exactly where he wanted to go. Well done him.

As much as we were instrumental in helping him get there it beats me why people are getting misty eyed watching him banging in goals against a shit West Ham side at home for Man Utd and think that proves some kind of point. Lukaku can score goals. Fuck me, I never knew.

My advice is take the photo our of your wallet and put it in the bin, it'll be far less painful in the long run.

I agree with you Sam, but West Ham didn't make it difficult for him. Awful performance from West Ham.

Would still like to see a £40 Million bid for Martial. His Pace and finishing ability deserves a platform to start, down the middle, every game.

He wont get that at Man Utd, he would be the perfect No 9 to have in this team.

Man Utd will win the league this season. Defensively they were solid last season and with Matic replacing Carrick and Lukaku replacing Rooney they will tighten that midfield up and turn those draws at home into wins with a proven goalscorer. For me, they are the favourites.

I'd like him at Everton to Fran. Martial is what we need but a team that wants to compete at the top level will always look to have four strikers. Lukaku, Rashford, Martial and possibly Ibra returning.
No way Mourinho will let him leave.

He always has scored against West Ham.

Let's see how he does when he comes up against a big team on October 17.

Yes Ian, he'll have much harder and less fruitful games than today. But unless he gets injured he'll score 20+ goals in that team. Maybe 30. And Man Utd will surely be in or around top spots with those goals added to their defensive stability.

I'm excited to see how the Lukaku-less Everton play; I hope losing him will force us to be more inventive (though yesterday suggest not) but we still need a central striker; Rooney prefers to play deeper, Sandro is too untested and Calvert-Lewin cannot be relied on for too much yet. Would have thought this striker signing would be high priority.

Martial, is like Rooney, a top player who can't get into the team. I'd take him all day, and reckon he would score loads of goals, if he was played right.

Lukaku, will always score goals, when everything in the garden is rosey, he was a cert to score today, but bigger fish lie ahead, and he's got to be more than a flat-track bully to succeed at United.

I'm not saying that he's just a flat-track bully, I'm saying that when you play for the biggest teams, then you have got to do it in the biggest matches, and that's why the jury is still out for me.

Made up for James Vaughan.

Martial on loan (initially) would be a great deal for both sides. He would get to play regularly and he'd be off their payroll.

Dzeko and Mangala (loan) plus Siggurdsson would give us a real chance for glory.

Rob. (12), Did you care about other aspects of his game when he didn't put the ball in the net?

And McGeady Link

And I miss Link

Link

or

Link

Dave (#32). The man done what he was paid to do, put the ball into the net. If he scores 25 -30 goals this season then you won't hear many Man Utd fans moaning about other aspects of his game.

As others have pointed out, he will have a better quality of player around him, players who will be quick to give him support, so he might well improve on the "other aspects" of his game. Only time will tell.

In a team which moves the ball and men forward quickly Lukaku will always score goals.

The stuff about him not scoring against top opponents is just nonsense. On Tuesday he scored against Real Madrid, the best team in Europe by some distance, on a night when for an hour Man Utd were totally outclassed.

If he avoids injury, and he usually does, he will score thirty goals this season. Some of those will come against the top six because, unlike us, United will dominate those games with their pace and strength.

Dave (#32),

We will not get another goal machine like him for another 30 years. Who gives a feck if he is lazy bad first touch etc etc? Give me a lazy goal machine any day to some of the "run themselves into the ground", "couldn't hit a barn door" workhorses that are about now.

He will score 30+ for them this season and for the next 3 or 4 as well.

My point is he could have done a lot more in the games he didn't score, if he scores and looks like he is interested, no-one can complain and most didn't complain when he played this way.

There were many games when he didn't look interested, including the last few games of the season when most players, ahead in the goal scoring charts, would have been busting a gut to score and win the golden boot award. Not Rom, you all saw how he played but according to some it didn't bother you.

Well I never thought he was a team player, he played for himself, but if they do not put the full 90 minutes in and are not doing the job they are paid to do. That will always bother me no matter who the player is and it should bother most fans.

Yeah but really disliked him for some reason. Weird...not that sure why. Disliked him even before he was leaving. May have stupidly put emotion in the way of supporting properly!

John, in the big games sometimes a player has to do a bit more than just score. It's easy when your own team can dominate with strength and pace, and we already know that Romelu, is a proven goal scorer,, but sometimes a player has to offer a bit more.

Lukaku, has gone, and just like when he played for Everton, I have no real love for the lad, so now that he's gone that's not going to change, but it's going to be easier watching him now because I'm not really bothered if he does or doesn't do well.

I tipped United for the title a couple of months ago on ToffeeWeb, but now that they have Lukaku and all his goals, I'm not as convinced that they will win the league as I was before, but that's why the lad left Everton, and only time will tell?

Lukaku is like marmite. I love marmite.

Lukaku is like Marmite."

What? Disgusting?,"Lukaku is like Marmite."

What? Disgusting?,,,1,20:05:29,,86.172.82.123,ok,1137,08/13/2017 20:05:29,RayRoche,reader,, 839302,35319,toffeeweb,13/08/2017,Danny O/Neill,dannyefc@orange.net,"Very well said, Mike Gaynes. Baines used all of his experience to out-do Crouch. He's going to beat me in the air but I just have to do enough to make him ineffective. It's what us coaches teach kids. You don't have to win the header but you challenge and do enough to win the situation.

Some will have him on toast.

Lukaku was superb today, hopefully putting to death the nonsense that he was lazy, had no control, couldn't play with his back to goal, no ability in link up play, etc.

The reality was that he often looked poor in poor teams at Everton and he's in a better team now, he was a snip at what we sold him for. He is possibly a league title winner for Man Utd and a superb investment.

I say he was often poor in poor Everton sides but no player with serious weaknesses of the type claimed against him can score 25 goals a season.

Marmite is good for you Ray.

He's another ex-player. Stop fawning over him ffs.

"Lukaku was superb today hopefully putting to death the nonsense that he was lazy, had no control, couldn't play with his back to goal, no ability in link up play, etc."

After one game, Martin? Now that would be jumping to a conclusion far too quickly.

That is fair comment Dermot and I'll gladly take it back when he bombs out at Man Utd. At Everton I for one saw a player who was exceptional in a side that struggled to play to him but with none of the structural weaknesses levelled at him.

In the games I've seen him play for United, he's been a Rolls-Royce compared to the Morris Minors he's left behind and has scored every game. His interplay with the likes of Pogba and Rashford was excellent.

I maybe put it badly but it may just be that the small minority of us that slagged him were talking through their chocolate starfish.

I wish him well and hold no grudges against him. :-)

Martin, Lukaku scored two goals today so was not lazy at Everton. Hmmm, baffling logic. His comment on signing for Man Utd that he would work harder said it all.

Well... Deulofeu starting for Barça against Real Madrid!

Yeah interesting to see how Deulofeu goes tonight with Messi and Donkey. His career has hit the skids after being shown the door by Koeman. (Did I ever mention how shite we are to watch under Ronald Koeman?)

Frank, my logic is that, by not being lazy, showing excellent first touch and distribution in 2 games for Man Utd then he can't be accused of having those characteristics. He proved very clearly that he doesn't.

Anybody who says that he was always like that at Everton is simply wrong because he wasn't, 25 goals a season proves that. We lost a gem that we have no full or partial replacement for, United gained a gem and looked a far better side for it especially Rashford.

They lost at home to West Ham last year.

Yes, Deulofeu is starting until they sign Countinho or Hazard or Dele Alli or whoever and then he will be back to his familiar role gathering splinters in his arse.

Or maybe they have decided that ineffectual play for 90% of the matches he plays in and blowing for tugs after 20 minutes is the future and could save them 𧴜m?

Martin (#54), I don't think I am up for arguing with your logic. Rom and your logic are kings, so that is the end of the argument against Lukaku for me.

Still think we were robbed for Lukaku same as Rooney.

Spend the money we got for him and you won't find a better striker right now.

Reckon he'll help get them the league but he's not good enough for the Champions League yet.

At the same time, who gives a damn, onwards and upwards.

Always thought it was a bad decision by Martinez to get rid of Duffy. He was good defensively on the ground and in the air. Martinez wanted ball players at the back, but Duffy was young and still in learning mode. We are still trying to get rid of several of the type of players that Martinez rated.

Wanted him to score and succeed when he played for us, want him to fail miserably now he doesn't wear the Royal Blue jersey. Same with most players, only want them to succeed at Everton and not our rivals – makes perfect sense to me though I understand why others wish him well.

Rob – well said, once someone leaves Everton, I no longer care about them and want them to fail too. It may be a little sad but it is true.

Don't say that, Dave (56). If you have a good case against Rom then I'd listen to it.

Rob and Chris, surely that is an incredibly narrow-minded view? We had good use from Rom and made a small fortune from him. Selling Rooney helped secure survival for the club. Players move on, we have to accept this and the benefit that we gain from it.

Martin, I don't disagree with you that we have to sell players from time to time and that we may well have had good use from them before we do. However, I care only for Everton and whether Lukaku does well for Man Utd is not my concern. l and I hope that he doesn't.

Anyone doing well for another club once they leave us is of no real material benefit unless they have a clause in their contract which ensures that we are paid significant amounts based on their performance.

Martin (#61), if the greatest football expert in the world made a good case against Lukaku's football ability, your 'logic' would defeat it, so I'm no match for it.

Rom scored against West Ham! He always does, nothing new ! Let's see him up against the big boys and we will see if the superior service makes the difference.

No problem, Chris.

Martin,

Lukaku was bottom – BOTTOM –- in the list for average ground covered by strikers in the premier league last season. He was in the bottom 6 for sprints. He also made 0 interceptions in a pressing team.

Okay, he put the ball in the net on occasions, but I would suggest this was when the wind was blowing our way. We would have finished 7th without him after all.

Give me a Jamie Vardy any day. That lad puts in all the hard yards, and he also scored 2 goals on the opening day of the season. Let's see if Lukaku turns up away at Arsenal shall we? After all, he never did for Everton!

That number 7 for Madrid looks okay though... is Walsh watching?

John (#37), Oh come on John, Lukaku scored, yes, but he could hardly miss now could he?

I think most Toffeewebbers could've buried that one; however, the one he blazed over the bar was the mark of a man who just can't quite cut it against top class opposition.

Martin (#61), I wouldn't say it was narrow-minded to look at it like that, though like I said I respect others opinions.

I just don't want to see anybody except Everton succeed in the league; otherwise, what's the point in it all? Any team spunking a billion quid on 'building' a team deserves loathing in my not very humble opinion. Cheers though, let's hope we see the worst of Lukaku when he plays against us and not the best!

Colin (#68) – Just like his goals against Chelsea in the FA Cup or his goal at Man City last season?

I love marmite. But I also think Lukaku is like Durian.

If you don't know what's that, google it. If you want to know how it tastes ask someone who lives/used to live in Malaysia or Singapore (not Thailand or Indonesia).

Bizarrely, I finally find myself agreeing with Darren Hind 100%. From memory, Lukaku scored two against West Ham on his debut for us (and got himself knocked out by bravely going for a header for those questioning his commitment). Apart from the fact they were absolute shite he has the Indian sign over them.

Danny Broderick (#66) has to be the silliest post on here in a long time and reflecting the modern fans absolute obsession with stats. Sorry mate, no offence, but not all stats were created equal, and when you start making goals scored and yards covered and numbers of sprints (and interceptions ffs, for a goalscoring forward) then the plot is well and truly lost.

Lukaku will score a bagful more than Vardy this season and not just because is in a better team. Lukaku nailed on for Golden Boot IMO, but I'm not certain that means Man Utd are nailed on for the league. Ibrahimovic didn't too badly for them last season and was a better team player. So we see the classic TW debate of team player vs individual goalscorer being played out in reverse at Man Utd. I don't see the issue. Good teams will always get the goods from great players

Joe (#72). Have to disagree myself. I'm not a massive fan for stats in football but they give you an idea and can't be dismissed that easily.

The stats Danny has pointed out show that Lukaku is a lazy fucker, which marries up to my and most other people's eyes whilst he was here. But stats also show he scores a lot of goals. Still too early to say if he'll carry on "working hard" for Man Utd once the novelty of sharing a shower with his best bud in the whole wide world dwindles.

I too would prefer a Vardy type player over Lukaku who only ever moved if there was a chance of scoring. The Vardy type player will score 15-20 goals as well as make goals for others (like Klaassen did for Rooney) with their unselfish runs. Therefore overall the team is better. No-brainer for me.

Daniel, the king of fruit. Very apt for Rom.

Joe (#72) – I think they said on MOotD Saturday was the first time Rom had scored twice against West Ham. I think the game you are thinking of may be West Ham away when we won 3-2 courtesy of a goal from Rom and two free kicks in either corner from Baines, from memory.

It'll be interesting to see how Man Utd get on with Rom. They clearly have far more than we had around him to step up when he goes missing / exploit the spaces made by defenders concentrating too much of their efforts on him and are going to be contenders this year.

I had a wry smile though at how much arm waving, finger pointing and bemoaning of misplaced passes were coming from Rom. It's obviously still all about him – I'll be curious to see whether that starts to grate on his new set of team mates after a while or not. But, then again, if you need to be selfish to be a top striker he's destined to go all the way.

James I don't actually disagree with you but you have missed my point. Stats are a tool in the box and useful too.

The problem, as I said, comes with false equivalence. When you think yards covered are as important as goals scored you've lost the plot. Goals scored not yards covered is why Lukaku cost £75M (Not flippin' £90M) against £20M to trigger Vardy's release clause.

When you start thinking passes are as, or more, important than goals, then congratulations, you are Roberto Martinez.

Rob, for sure but remember that opinions aren't facts and are there to be challenged if a better case can be presented.

I support Everton but also love the game of football so looking only at Everton is narrow for me at least and remember that Everton have effectively bought their team too.

Joe. I don't think Danny was saying those stats are equal. Not the way I read it anyway. I read it as he's saying the stats show what we know, he's a lazy twat who scores.

£20M Vardy release clause? That true? I hate that little twat but would pay that for him in today's market!

Quite right, Martin, I just can't see that you have presented a better case in this instance – just because it is your opinion doesn't make it a fact either!

Lukaku polarised opinion whilst playing for us and will undoubtedly continue to do so, I would have preferred him to stay and up his work rate as he obviously played well within himself. Have a fun week, Up The Blues!

Danny (#66) please explain how we would have finished 7th last season without Lukaku. Only 2 players scored more than 4 goals & one was Lukaku!

In a team like Man Utd where you have a lot of the ball, lots of pace in attacking areas and some very talented playmakers then running around for a main striker is a little less important. Rashford provides a lot of the searing pace and movement. Therefore Lukaku is a good fit. He will score the goals that they struggled to find last season

In a team like ours with less pace and movement, that struggles often to retain possession and still (somehow) seems short of creativity and invention then perhaps someone like Vardy is more useful as he will make a aimless lump seem useful with his pace and might harry a defender into a mistake.

People who think Lukaku was not good enough for us need their head examining. The worst you could say was that he wasn't a good fit (though any striker who scores 25 goals for a workmanlike team is fitting okay in my eyes).

Good one, Martin. I didn't think of that relation.

Kundal (#26) Man Utd would have sold Martial to us if we've had said we are only selling Lukaku to you if we can have him. Instead, we only had eyes for Rooney – go figure!

Geoff@38. Lukaku, might score 30+ goals for United this season, but I would be prepared to bet you anything you see fit, that he doesn't do it for the next 3/4 years?

Injuries, maybe having to eventually try and change his style to suit the manager, and his ego, will get in the way I'm sure. He comes across as a nice boy does Romelu, and when the chips are down, I just think it's easier to blame others, than look at yourself for some people?

I watched him at Everton, I saw him greatly improve under Koeman, and I also know that he's a natural goalscorer, but I'm just not sure about "Rom"?

Lukaku showing the ridiculousness of those who criticise him so singularly already. He was fantastic yesterday – two superbly taken goals, and he set up several chances with great interplay. He also swapped positions with Rashford really effectively.

The criticism of him, more than anything else, confirmed to me the absurdity of some Everton fans, and their inability to see weaknesses in other top strikers or appreciate Lukaku's considerable strengths. We are going to struggle for goals this season and his absence will he felt. Scoring 25 goals for us, giving our lack of creativity, was a brilliant feat.

Lukaku at Man Utd will probably just reinforce whatever view you held of him when he was with us. From my perspective, Shearer was right on MotD2 last night (sticks in my throat saying anything positive about that fucking Geordie tosser), he will do even better playing in a better side.

When he was doing his pointing business against West Ham yesterday, the ball was actually being played there very quickly. Rashford will be a great foil for him, and their midfield will create chance after chance. If he stays fit, I can't see him scoring less than 30 this season.

Doesn't tell me anything new about him – he's a fantastic goalscorer and a very strong and powerful player. He scored shedloads of goals for us despite our lack of creativity in other departments; he'll score 50% more for a team that has Pogba, Matic, Rashford, Mata, Mkhytaryan etc in it. He's only 24.

Conte must be fuming, especially watching Matic in red too.

James (#79) / Joe (#77) – likewise, 㿀m would be a snip but looks like his last contract had this as a clause, Arsenal triggered it in June which led Vardy to negotiate a new improved (𧴜k p.w?) four year deal. No doubt that 㿀m release clause has long since sailed.