Lukaku or Sturridge

[RobotSophie]

Joke question, right?

Has to be Lukaku

 

[Jordan Welch]

Give me Lukaku and a creative midfielder. That's all you need. I would have preferred Sturridge but that bloke spends more time in the hospital than on the field.

 

[Skinner]

Give Sturridge a purple patch and Lukaku a dry one and the votes would go the opposite way again.

 

[johnnytodd]

Give Sturridge a purple patch and Lukaku a dry one and the votes would go the opposite way again.

A purple patch for Sturridge is making it through pre match stretches.

 

[SALTIRE]

So Johnny where do you think Lukaku will end up next season? Whose the replacement you lot have in mind, Niasse maybe?

 

[Renegade]

Give Sturridge a purple patch and Lukaku a dry one and the votes would go the opposite way again.

Nope.

Lukaku's dry patches last a few matches, Sturridge's last a few seasons.

 

[Skinner]

The point was more about comparisons rather than the said two. Remember when Walcott was better than Bale? Hazard being better than Neymar etc...

 

[Pagnell]

Nope.

Lukaku's dry patches last a few matches, Sturridge's last a few seasons.

Didn't score in Everton's last 10 league games of the last two seasons. He's often struggled for more than a few matches.

 

[Renegade]

He didn't score when Everton's season was long dead and buried thanks to Roberto Martinez. Not sure how much of that you can hold against him. They were slap bang mid-table with no threat of relegation or chance for Europe in both of those seasons. Apart from that he's been a very consistent player and has never disappeared for an entire season. His goal-scoring is actually impressively consistent considering he's been shipped out on loan twice.

West Brom 12-13: 17 - largest dry patch 4 games. 19 years old.

Everton 13-14: 15 - this is the season they challenged for 4th, scored down the stretch, largest dry patch 5 games. 20 years old.

Everton 14-15: 10 - transferred from Chelsea at the start of the season, had a pretty woeful start to the season. Largest dry patch, 6 games, not 10. Coming at the start of the season, not the end. Was a sub for three of those appearances too and scored down the stretch. 21 years old.

Everton 15-16: 18 - didn't score after week 28. Everton who had already given up their season after giving up on Roberto Martinez won 6 points from a possible 30. 22 years old.

Everton 16-17: 21 and counting. 23 years old.

23. Can't think of many more consistent players in Premier League history before the age of 24. There's Owen, Fowler, Rooney and Shearer. That's the type of company he's in in terms of goal scoring consistency. He's had one larger than typical dry spell in his very young career and it came when Everton had completely given up. A man can get no credit from Pagnell if he's a blue.

If you're being ultra-literal then yeah, technically you are correct that he has had spells where he didn't score for more than a few games. But he's pretty much as consistent as any player in the Premier League other than Aguero, Kane and maybe Costa? Had to look up the stats because you've mentioned a few times about his inconsistency and I didn't believe you, the stats I looked up didn't either.

 

[G.B]

yeah pags, stop being that guy will u

 

[MadMongoose]

Lukaku every time.

 

[Pagnell]

He didn't score when Everton's season was long dead and buried thanks to Roberto Martinez. Not sure how much of that you can hold against him. They were slap bang mid-table with no threat of relegation or chance for Europe in both of those seasons. Apart from that he's been a very consistent player and has never disappeared for an entire season. His goal-scoring is actually impressively consistent considering he's been shipped out on loan twice.

West Brom 12-13: 17 - largest dry patch 4 games. 19 years old.

Everton 13-14: 15 - this is the season they challenged for 4th, scored down the stretch, largest dry patch 5 games. 20 years old.

Everton 14-15: 10 - transferred from Chelsea at the start of the season, had a pretty woeful start to the season. Largest dry patch, 6 games, not 10. Coming at the start of the season, not the end. Was a sub for three of those appearances too and scored down the stretch. 21 years old.

Everton 15-16: 18 - didn't score after week 28. Everton who had already given up their season after giving up on Roberto Martinez won 6 points from a possible 30. 22 years old.

Everton 16-17: 21 and counting. 23 years old.

23. Can't think of many more consistent players in Premier League history before the age of 24. There's Owen, Fowler, Rooney and Shearer. That's the type of company he's in in terms of goal scoring consistency. He's had one larger than typical dry spell in his very young career and it came when Everton had completely given up. A man can get no credit from Pagnell if he's a blue.

If you're being ultra-literal then yeah, technically you are correct that he has had spells where he didn't score for more than a few games. But he's pretty much as consistent as any player in the Premier League other than Aguero, Kane and maybe Costa? Had to look up the stats because you've mentioned a few times about his inconsistency and I didn't believe you, the stats I looked up didn't either.

You said he disappears for a "few games" when going through his dry spells. I pointed out it is often more than that, whilst providing two examples. I'm not sure what the issue is here.

The guy is a great player, and has the potential to be full on world class, but he has been inconsistent in the past. And I've already said he's young enough to get that consistency together, especially if he moves from Everton and pushes on his career to the next level, which is likely to happen this summer it appears.

As for Sturridge, it's interesting their stats are so similar given his injury record. He's certainly not helping his cause this season though, but Klopp's style of play and lack of interest in playing him isn't helping.

 

[Renegade]

Well, one of your examples was wrong and the other was when Everton had given up on Martinez. But yeah, I should have assumed you were being literal when I said a few. I was simply illustrating than he's had a far more consistent career than Sturridge.

I don't agree that he's been inconsistent in the past. Unless every (not literally every) striker in the world has been inconsistent in the past. Droughts of 4-6 games are common every now and then unless you're Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi.

 

[Pagnell]

Apologies, I misread the stats. In 14-15 he has 5 and 6 consecutive Everton games with no goals, and in 15-16 a patch of 4, 5 and 10 games. Sure, he was young, but for me it's not unreasonable to say he's been inconsistent based on those statistics. You disagree which is fine.

This season he has improved that side of his game and no doubt that will continue when he moves.

 

[Lionel Messi]

If it’s a question of who I sign this transfer window it’s gotta be Lukaku.

If it’s a question who I build my attack around, the answer is Lukaku again.

Will Sturridge even get in the England World Cup Squad this summer? Right now I’d have Kane, Vardy and Rashford all ahead of him. His best performances are from 3 to 4 years ago now. It’s time he left Liverpool.

 

[SALTIRE]

Sturridge isn't what he was and looking like he'll never be that again, a move may reignite something in the dying embers of his career we'll see. Lukaku is still pants though.

 

[Nilsson]

Interesting stat from twatter:

Romelu Lukaku now has 28 assists in the Premier League since 2013/14; no striker has more in that time.

 

[mistermagic]

Lukaku plays for Manchester United. Sturridge plays for West Brom.

 

[Lionel Messi]

Good move for Sturridge, West Brom and England. I think Southampton should have put a bid in for him though.

 

[Pagnell]

I think it's clear that Lukaku has kicked on and Sturridge hasn't had the opportunity to because of injuries and a lack of playing time even when fit. But despite Sturridge barely playing in the last 18 months, their top flight stats aren't a million miles apart still. It will be interesting to see how their stats stack up now both players will be playing regularly. I certainly wouldn't rule out Sturridge being more impressive between now and May, especially given how inconsistent Lukaku is despite playing most games.

 

[JimJams]

They'll end their careers having flopped at the top level, one for a lack of talent, one for a lack of fitness.





Oooohohohohohohoh controversial!

 

[SALTIRE]

They'll end their careers having flopped at the top level, one for a lack of talent, one for a lack of fitness.





Oooohohohohohohoh controversial!

Prepare for the fume...

 

[Stevencc]

Good one JJ, old boy.

 

[Pagnell]

Another nondescript performance by the £75m striker last night. And against a big team in a high profile game. His saving grace is that the rest of the United team was equally shite.

Sturridge had 12 minutes in the West Brom games. Too early to judge his impact there.

 

[JimJams]

The Brom lad should have scored.

 

[Stevencc]

Another nondescript performance by the £75m striker last night. And against a big team in a high profile game. His saving grace is that the rest of the United team was equally shite.

Sturridge had 12 minutes in the West Brom games. Too early to judge his impact there.

 

[Pagnell]

I'm just keeping people informed of the facts Steven. I'm good like that.

 

[SALTIRE]

I forgot that Lukaku played last night, he was that 'invisible' to use a phrase of another member here.

 

[Lionel Messi]

I think even Callum Wilson deserves to be in the England squad ahead of Daniel Sturridge right now.

 

[Stevencc]

I'm just keeping people informed of the facts Steven. I'm good like that.

I prefer the stuff you do about your goalkeepers.