Homepage Update: Being the Best

[JLW]

I guess the key is to find someone who scores lots and effects the game even when not scoring. But every team on earth wants that.

So it comes down to would you rather have Lukaku scoring loads, or Straqualursi running himself into the ground but never getting a sniff of a goal?

I get your point mate but i think all this comes from him saying 'wanting to be the best' and 'CL football'
His goalscoring record is fantastic and always will be in the PL whoever he plays for.. But to become part of the elite group of players he wants to be in, he cannot have games like west ham, Liverpool, were he was non existent..

 

[ijjysmith]

I get your point mate but i think all this comes from him saying 'wanting to be the best' and 'CL football'
His goalscoring record is fantastic and always will be in the PL whoever he plays for.. But to become part of the elite group of players he wants to be in, he cannot have games like west ham, Liverpool, were he was non existent..

It's a never ending saga. You could argue that if Lukaku had players like PSG have, or Juve have around him, he would never have games like the West Ham or Liverpool ones as he'd have chances handed to him on a plate all the time. Sometimes we don't exaclty help Lukaku out do we?

Andy picked out one cross in the West Ham game where, and I totally agree, he could have done a bit better, but what else did the other players give our undeniably lethal striker to feed on during the rest of the game?

 

[coollino]

Thought this thread was Army recruitment spam.

 

[EFC78]

There are some Evertonians that love to slate the players just for the sake of it, but I haven't seen any of that in this thread. I think the original post makes some valid points.

On the other side, there seems to be some that make out like Lukaku can do no wrong. As long as he scores then that's all that matters type argument. Well, most are in agreement about that, but what about in games when he's poor (mostly through lack of effort), and he doesn't score?

There are numerous games where I can think of a distinct lack of desire from him. The point about the ball being put in by Holgate was a good one. It's something that separates the best in the world from the tier below, where they switch off at times when there is an opportunity. In my opinion it's why Suarez plays for Barcelona and Lukaku doesn't.

I personally think he's the best striker i've seen at Everton and we will miss him a lot when he leaves, but I don't buy in to this theory that you can't criticise a player at all because he's a top goal scorer.

 

[JLW]

It's a never ending saga. You could argue that if Lukaku had players like PSG have, or Juve have around him, he would never have games like the West Ham or Liverpool ones as he'd have chances handed to him on a plate all the time. Sometimes we don't exaclty help Lukaku out do we?

Andy picked out one cross in the West Ham game where, and I totally agree, he could have done a bit better, but what else did the other players give our undeniably lethal striker to feed on during the rest of the game?

I just think he shouldnt be exempt from criticism because he 'scores goals' i want him to stay but it frustrates me when a big powerful quick striker of ours just goes missing, i dont care if scores or not he needs to be a 7/10 without the goals!! he is not though he usually a 4 or 5 out of 10.

 

[ijjysmith]

I just think he shouldnt be exempt from criticism because he 'scores goals' i want him to stay but it frustrates me when a big powerful quick striker of ours just goes missing, i dont care if scores or not he needs to be a 7/10 without the goals!! he is not though he usually a 4 or 5 out of 10.

No player should be exempt from criticism. But that goes for Lionel Messi too. As @Azzurri mentioned he was crap in some pretty high profile games this season. Whilst obviously being the best there is.

 

[msb]

Surely the point is that a number of our better players went missing, the most obvious of which is Lukaku, because he usually scores against Wham.

From what I saw, there were not too many people out there that could claim to have had a good game, even our manager said he wanted to sub all 11 at half time.

I get the point of criticising Lukaku, as he espouses to be a world star, but there were any other number of players that could easily have received similar approbation. None of them should be exempt. However, you can't compare Lukaku and Messi - its like comparing One Direction to The Rolling Stones. Talent wise, Messi is simply the best there is.

 

[EFC78]

No player should be exempt from criticism. But that goes for Lionel Messi too. As @Azzurri mentioned he was crap in some pretty high profile games this season. Whilst obviously being the best there is.

I'm sure we'd all agree that's because he's human, and no player, not even Messi can play well in every game. But Messi deserves criticism too if he doesn't appear to be giving 100% in them games.

The problem some have with Lukaku is that it's not just him having a bad game, it's a lack of effort. The Semi Final vs Man United was an example where he just had an off day. Had numerous chances and was involved in the game, but missed some vital ones including a penalty. I can forgive that because he was actually having a go. It's when he's half heartedly jogging round that annoys me.

But he's been unbelievable this season in terms of his contribution and overall I have been delighted with what he's given to the team.

 

[Boss_Blue]

I get your point mate but i think all this comes from him saying 'wanting to be the best' and 'CL football'
His goalscoring record is fantastic and always will be in the PL whoever he plays for.. But to become part of the elite group of players he wants to be in, he cannot have games like west ham, Liverpool, were he was non existent..

You mean like these by Ronaldo:

http://www.espnfc.co.uk/club/real-m...his-worst-performances-in-a-real-madrid-shirt

http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/real-madri...-bad-worse-yet-another-pitch-incident-1539928

Despite scoring 16 goals this season, Ronaldo has been criticised as a flat-track bully who only scores in games against minor sides or when his team are on the way to an easy victory

Sound familiar?


Or these by Messi:

https://www.[Publication is blacklisted]/c/dream-team-europe-points-psg-4-barcelona-0/

http://www.newsweek.com/lionel-messi-barcelona-447687

http://www.101greatgoals.com/101-social/messi-suarez-trolled-barcelona-fail-make-dent-juventus/


Every player has an off day, even the greatest players for a generation like Messi and Ronaldo.

 

[ijjysmith]

I'm sure we'd all agree that's because he's human, and no player, not even Messi can play well in every game. But Messi deserves criticism too if he doesn't appear to be giving 100% in them games.

The problem some have with Lukaku is that it's not just him having a bad game, it's a lack of effort. The Semi Final vs Man United was an example where he just had an off day. Had numerous chances and was involved in the game, but missed some vital ones including a penalty. I can forgive that because he was actually having a go. It's when he's half heartedly jogging round that annoys me.

But he's been unbelievable this season in terms of his contribution and overall I have been delighted with what he's given to the team.

It's weird, because I really wouldn't want to be saying that Lukaku isn't trying his hardest every game. In fact every player is. Surely. It might just not be going their way.

Apart from every Leicester player earlier in the season who either had the biggest hangover ever, or simply weren't arsed.

 

[JLW]

You mean like these by Ronaldo:

http://www.espnfc.co.uk/club/real-m...his-worst-performances-in-a-real-madrid-shirt

http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/real-madri...-bad-worse-yet-another-pitch-incident-1539928



Sound familiar?


Or these by Messi:

https://www.[Publication is blacklisted]/c/dream-team-europe-points-psg-4-barcelona-0/

http://www.newsweek.com/lionel-messi-barcelona-447687

http://www.101greatgoals.com/101-social/messi-suarez-trolled-barcelona-fail-make-dent-juventus/


Every player has an off day, even the greatest players for a generation like Messi and Ronaldo.

Thats correct!!
My point is when he doesnt score i want to know he has been on the pitch!! He can still play well without scoring..

 

[Lanolin]

I get your point mate but i think all this comes from him saying 'wanting to be the best' and 'CL football'
His goalscoring record is fantastic and always will be in the PL whoever he plays for.. But to become part of the elite group of players he wants to be in, he cannot have games like west ham, Liverpool, were he was non existent..

So we're using his ambition to slate him with?

If he just admitted that he was happy to take the money and plod around scoring the odd goal we'd all be lauding him but because he's actually come out and backed himself to be as good as he can we have to get on his back every time he doesn't score from a cross that a far inferior player would have done in the past?

Or, more to the point, if he just accepted his lot with us in midtable and told us all how boss Everton were and he could never dream of playing for anyone else because it just wouldn't compare, we'd cut him a bit more slack.

 

[Goat]

The improvement Lukaku has made in 12months has been utterly amazing.

To "blame" him when we dont win is utterly laughable, he had nothing to work with at all last game.

Comparing him to some midget in La Liga is laughable, utterly horrific league in which Negredo, Nolito and Steven freaking NZonzi are considered superstars.

 

[EFC78]

Surely the point is that a number of our better players went missing, the most obvious of which is Lukaku, because he usually scores against Wham.

From what I saw, there were not too many people out there that could claim to have had a good game, even our manager said he wanted to sub all 11 at half time.

I get the point of criticising Lukaku, as he espouses to be a world star, but there were any other number of players that could easily have received similar approbation. None of them should be exempt. However, you can't compare Lukaku and Messi - its like comparing One Direction to The Rolling Stones. Talent wise, Messi is simply the best there is.

Agree with your points here, but I think it shows how much we expect of Lukaku. He's our only potentially World Class star in my opinion and that brings with it extra expectation.

None of the other players in our team are worthy of being talked about in terms of the best teams or players in the world. It's not fair on them because they will never be at that level.

 

[JLW]

So we're using his ambition to slate him with?

If he just admitted that he was happy to take the money and plod around scoring the odd goal we'd all be lauding him but because he's actually come out and backed himself to be as good as he can we have to get on his back every time he doesn't score from a cross that a far inferior player would have done in the past?

Or, more to the point, if he just accepted his lot with us in midtable and told us all how boss Everton were and he could never dream of playing for anyone else because it just wouldn't compare, we'd cut him a bit more slack.

No the last point i made is what am trying to get at "When he doesn't score i want to know he has been on the pitch!! He can still play well without scoring."

Him not scoring in a game is not my issue at all... its being poor and anonymous when he doesn't.