You can’t score every single chance you get.
You can’t score when your team is giving you poor service. Every time something goes wrong for Manchester United this season, Romelu Lukaku gets savaged.
Manchester United lost 1-0 to Basel on Wednesday, and the majority of the criticism was, yet again directed at their centre forward.
It’s easy to criticise him. It’s too easy. When Manchester United are struggling, and their supporters are looking for someone to pin the blame on, the big Belgian is the easy target.
He’s not the type of player that will go hunting for the ball. He’s not the type of player that will hound down defenders.
They call him lazy. They give out stink about his work-rate.
Most of the world’s best players have that arrogance, that confidence about them.
Many of the world’s best strikers don’t chase, hassle and harry, though. That’s not his job. His job is to score goals, and in fairness to him, he hasn’t been doing too badly from that front.
If he did run after every lost cause, every loose ball, his goal scoring returns would be nowhere near his credible return of 11 goals in 16 games.
He’s scored 3 goals in 4 Champions League appearances this year. He’s scored 8 goals in 12 Premier League games.
And the most impressive thing about his season so far is that he’s been doing that in a Jose Mourinho system that is killing him, particularly in big games.
Just like tonight’s game against Basel. All Manchester United needed was a point to confirm the top spot in the group. That’s all Jose Mourinho played for.
Lukaku has a lonely existence on night’s like tonight. Manchester United’s midfield provide him with little or no quality ball. They lump it up the field, hoping for the best with no real structure or pattern.
It was the same against Chelsea two weeks ago. They gave him nothing.
It’s a vicious circle. He gets criticised and jeered even though there’s not much he can do. His confidence takes a hit, and in the rare occasion when he does get a good pass or a good through ball, he’s not as invincibly confident as he should be.
Then, to rub salt in the wounds, Lukaku is moved straight out to the right wing when Zlatan Ibrahimovic comes onto the pitch.
How can the man win?
Man utd and lukaku are fucking shit
— 🤔 (@JackNumbaNine) November 22, 2017
https://twitter.com/UnitedStandMUFC/status/933444049083752448
This match was a classic case of 'lack of motivation', no one seems to be trying to step up their game! Lukaku looks tired & hapless at times. #MUFC
— 𝐀. 🇮🇳 (@0vij1t) November 22, 2017
Lukaku is absolutely garbage, why does he never get dragged off 🙄
— Cem Oktem (@cemoktem89) November 22, 2017
Mourinho has his favourites and I can’t stand it. Some players like Lukaku will always stay on the pitch unless injured no matter how they are playing. Why isn’t Martial still on the pitch?
— Rob (@robert_burke3) November 22, 2017
