Is Lukaku a centre forward?

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toffeestillidie

Player Valuation: £35m
So obviously I'm as made up as the rest of you that we've managed to bring him back on a permanent deal (especially just after securing Barkley's future at the club), and now that he's officially an Everton Player, I think it's worth discussing whether he truly has the attributes to lead the line.

Don't get me wrong, there is no denying whatsoever that he is an immense talent, my only question is whether we actually get the most out of him by playing him the furthest up the pitch.

The times when he went missing last season, based on my observation, were times when he was forced to mostly play with his back to goal, as he struggled to get good shots off after shooting, and his touch would often let him down in these situations.

Contrastingly, he was absolutely deadly when he was able to run onto the end of a through-balls, or when he got the ball deeper and was able to dribble at defenders, or when the ball was played between him and the goal from the goal line.

Don't these attributes make him seem more like a number 10 a player suited to play in the hole just behind a centre-forward, than an out-and-out target man striker?

Based on the above, I think two things could happen, either:

1.) He's young and has yet to develop the aspects of his game that would make him a deadly target man, and over time his ability to buy space to shoot when his back is to goal will improve, meaning his future at the club is as a number 9. centre forward.

2.) We use a formation that allows us to play him and Barkley directly behind a target man striker (Naismith or Kone?) who can knocked down headers or lay off passes for Barkley and Lukaku to run onto.
 
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There are different types of strikers, mate.

At the moment, his strengths are as you say facing goal, running onto through balls and being deadly from the counter. But he's got his best years way ahead of him, his hold up play will improve over time.
 

Fair enough lads, sorry for trying to get an actual discussion about our players and the way they play football going.

My only point is that Lukaku is probably best suited for playing with a target man in front of him, using the numbers just seemed like the most concise way to make that point.
 

So obviously I'm as made up as the rest of you that we've managed to bring him back on a permanent deal (especially just after securing Barkley's future at the club), and now that he's officially an Everton Player, I think it's worth discussing whether he truly has the attributes to lead the line.

Don't get me wrong, there is no denying whatsoever that he is an immense talent, my only question is whether we actually get the most out of him by playing him the furthest up the pitch.

The times when he went missing last season, based on my observation, were times when he was forced to mostly play with his back to goal, as he struggled to get good shots off after shooting, and his touch would often let him down in these situations.

Contrastingly, he was absolutely deadly when he was able to run onto the end of a through-balls, or when he got the ball deeper and was able to dribble at defenders, or when the ball was played between him and the goal from the goal line.

Don't these attributes make him seem more like a number 10 than an out-and-out target man striker?

Based on the above, I think two things could happen, either:

1.) He's young and has yet to develop the aspects of his game that would make him a deadly target man, and over time his ability to buy space to shoot when his back is to goal will improve, meaning his future at the club is as a number 10.

2.) We use a formation that allows us to play him and Barkley directly behind a target man striker (Naismith or Kone?) who can knocked down headers or lay off passes for Barkley and Lukaku to run onto.
So obviously I'm as made up as the rest of you that we've managed to bring him back on a permanent deal (especially just after securing Barkley's future at the club), and now that he's officially an Everton Player, I think it's worth discussing whether he truly has the attributes to lead the line.

Don't get me wrong, there is no denying whatsoever that he is an immense talent, my only question is whether we actually get the most out of him by playing him the furthest up the pitch.

The times when he went missing last season, based on my observation, were times when he was forced to mostly play with his back to goal, as he struggled to get good shots off after shooting, and his touch would often let him down in these situations.

Contrastingly, he was absolutely deadly when he was able to run onto the end of a through-balls, or when he got the ball deeper and was able to dribble at defenders, or when the ball was played between him and the goal from the goal line.

Don't these attributes make him seem more like a number 10 than an out-and-out target man striker?

Based on the above, I think two things could happen, either:

1.) He's young and has yet to develop the aspects of his game that would make him a deadly target man, and over time his ability to buy space to shoot when his back is to goal will improve, meaning his future at the club is as a number 10.

2.) We use a formation that allows us to play him and Barkley directly behind a target man striker (Naismith or Kone?) who can knocked down headers or lay off passes for Barkley and Lukaku to run onto.
Supply him faster when he makes those quick darts on 18 yards line not take the extra 3/4 paces so he gets it on the 6 yards line. Mirallas, Oviedo, pienaar Barkley, Naismith, McGeady et al to read this post!!!
 
So obviously I'm as made up as the rest of you that we've managed to bring him back on a permanent deal (especially just after securing Barkley's future at the club), and now that he's officially an Everton Player, I think it's worth discussing whether he truly has the attributes to lead the line.

Don't get me wrong, there is no denying whatsoever that he is an immense talent, my only question is whether we actually get the most out of him by playing him the furthest up the pitch.

The times when he went missing last season, based on my observation, were times when he was forced to mostly play with his back to goal, as he struggled to get good shots off after shooting, and his touch would often let him down in these situations.

Contrastingly, he was absolutely deadly when he was able to run onto the end of a through-balls, or when he got the ball deeper and was able to dribble at defenders, or when the ball was played between him and the goal from the goal line.

Don't these attributes make him seem more like a number 10 than an out-and-out target man striker?

Based on the above, I think two things could happen, either:

1.) He's young and has yet to develop the aspects of his game that would make him a deadly target man, and over time his ability to buy space to shoot when his back is to goal will improve, meaning his future at the club is as a number 10.

2.) We use a formation that allows us to play him and Barkley directly behind a target man striker (Naismith or Kone?) who can knocked down headers or lay off passes for Barkley and Lukaku to run onto.

I think your right he did go missing at times last year and his first touch let him down at times, but he is still very young and he was our only out and out striker. This season hopefully Kone will show and take a little of the strain.
 
Do you mean "is he a typical centre forward"?

I certainly think he's the goalscorer we've been crying out for since Sharp and Cottee were sold. He's a cut or three above AJ and Yakubu, and that's not a criticism of them.

He has the size of our ideal '9' and seems to be able to bring the physicality with it, and can combine that with a very good annual goal tally. With the guidance of the wonderful Duncan Ferguson (someone who knows what it means to be an idolised '9') and Roberto, and with his own initiative, he'll only mature and improve.

I'd say he's the perfect '9' for us at present. We've been waiting for some time for this.
 
Yeah his touch isn't always the best and his hold play could be better but the actual decision making involved in hold up play can be learnt and his touch worked on.

Personally I prefer him in the 9 role getting stuck in and making a nuisance of himself for defenders getting on the end of crosses and winning headers. His movement in the box is great and he also has the pace and power to run in behind teams (man city goal) he's more an instinctive striker (goal vs Stoke) than crafty, considered one. You are right in saying he can also run with the ball and provide a threat in the deeper positions, (goal vs Arsenal) particularly in wide areas, where he gets a chance to use that power and pace and over the season we'll probably see him there a fair bit and I've no doubt that when he plays there he can excel. Long term though I'd prefer him at 9.

Overall It's great that we have a striker that can do multiple things well, as in the past we've been use to either or type players, Jonson had pace, Jelavic could slot, Big Dunc could out fight anyone.

Long term I see Lukaku as being like Alan Shearer with more pace. Big Al didn't have the best 1st touch in the world but his last touch, well that usually ended up in the back of the net.
 

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