Barkley Sparkles But Lukaku's Killer Instinct Deserts Him

Lots of pluses though; In Galloway, Browning and of course Stones. We have some very talented young defenders who don't seem to have a great deal of regard for reputations.

Barkley will get even better, so will McCarthy.

Due to our inexperience we will drop points we should have easily secured this season... but it's already better than the last one.

He'd chased a long ball down the channel, retrieved it at the byline and laid it back to Barkley. Instead of racing into the box where he could get on the end of something Ross might create, he almost literally just stood there, in an offside position, before eventually jogging back by which time the attack had broken down.

Bring back the Rom that was so desperate to prove something against West Ham in the cup last January or the one from the Europa League where he seemed determined to show he could play on that stage.

At this stage, he had already turned into the hybrid of Dixie Dean and Wayne Rooney for many a carried away fan. The unconditional love created in the over excitable fan who thought "We could never sign him but, if we did, we would win things." That daft sense of "he can do no wrong" exists today and it's embarrassing.

His ability as a footballer is very poor. I don't think I've seen a player with such a poor touch, he can't jump, his runs lack intelligence for this level, and his right foot has absolutely no sense of direction – it's his swinger.

Ahhh... but he scores goals! Forget the criticisms above, he does the most difficult thing to do....

Does he really??? For me, he's a flat-track bully. If in the first 5-10 minutes he feels he is getting some change out of the defenders, you will probably see a performance and a couple of goals to bump up his stats. If not, expect the sulky, arms flailing "nothing right is happening" demeanour and 90 minutes of him going through the motions waiting for the ball to just magically find him on the penalty spot with the keeper just to beat.

It's a little sad the fact that Everton fans call him the best striker we've had in 25 years. He wouldn't get a game for a Champions League side. Simply put, good defender's mark him out the game. Look at his record against top sides; he does his goalscoring against lesser teams.

For me, he isn't fit to be mentioned as a top striker, his laziness is an insult to those who contribute to his 㿷k a week wages.

He's 22 now, and no that doesn't mean he has time to improve his touch and get better. For strikers who have played since they were 18, this is where it gets tough. The fearlessness, instinct and sense of protection goes; fans demand performances, no polite applause for 60 minutes of mediocrity, you are in the territory that the likes of Fowler, Rooney, Owen, Shearer said it gets hard to score... defender's know you, you question yourself more, you need to be on it all the time.

If by some miracle he actually has a good season and a half decent Euro 2016 and some club offers our money back, I would snap their hands off. I want a striker that has the mindset of a Naismith, Suarez, Cahill, Rooney, and to a degree Costa. Someone who is desperate to win for his team first and foremost, not just desperate to earn his next move.

For Lukaku, I sense the most ardent of his supporters have found it difficult to see the pantomime villain Kone show the desire that is missing from their hero's game. After all, when Lukaku was bad, playing Kone instead was laughed at... Now it's a plausible option. Sadly it's going to take Lukaku the indignity of getting dropped to maybe try a little harder... Then he may actually find it's less pressure to score. Maybe.

He's got a turn of speed, but it takes him a few strides to get there. He is not quick, like say, the nibbler is quick.

He can score a goal with his head, but if he could actually jump, with his size, he would score tons.

His first touch is embarrassing. He should be sat down and forced to watch hours of Fellaini on the end of long balls. Maybe something might sink in.

I don't know if he's lazy or just out of shape. When a move breaks down, and the ball heads back up towards our end, Rom is invariably extremely slow to get back into position. The times that we do win the ball back, he's useless because he's usually yards offside.

I like Rom and I really hope that there's a top quality striker in him somewhere. My worry is that he won't, or possibly can't improve, his bad habits will become ingrained and become a permanent part of his game.

He is talented, but needs a lot more "attitude" in his game. He needs to show just a little disrespect to the other side; not Costa disrespect, more like Naismith disrespect.

I look at him and I am amazed that he's not terrorizing every CB in the league. Maybe he will. Would be nice!

As for Barkley, a new contract should be in the pipeline given his start to the season. He is starting to look the player we are hoping for since Rooney.

Good to see that defensively we are very solid and not leaking goals like last season.

The younger players at the club seem to have bonded very well, it would be a real pity if we end up selling any of them. There is very real, long-term, potential for improvement for Everton, what with a spine of young lads in Stones, Galloway, McCarthy, Barkley and Rom and the likes of Browning, Henen and possibly Ledson coming through?

I sincerely hope that in three years time, the comments on here will be about Lukaku having achieved his full potential with Everton; I think even the most sceptical of fans would accept he is more than capable of 15 goals, even on an average season?

At the start, the three pretty much touted as talented and 'the future'; in the end, two stood out and the other kinda had a very average career compared to what should have been.

Stones and Barkley are going to world class levels. Rom is going to be remembered like a "could have been" unless his attitude changes.

Niall, given that Kone came back from a long-term injury this season and Rom not having consistent form, I would have thought it should be Rom to play and Kone to rest.

The way we are playing at the moment, I would be quite confident if the manager made 2 or 3 changes from the Swansea game. It's about keeping players fresh and hungry, and nobody should feel their place is guaranteed. We need to go all out to win the League Cup; it is definitely achievable with this squad.

Spot-on about Lukaku, and I agree with Derek Thomas: he's turning into a rich man's Anichebe. I don't know where Lyndon thinks his contribution against Chelsea was important. I would also question what Duncan Ferguson is doing with Lukaku, surely as an ex-centre-forward he should be working on all aspects of his game. Yet I have seen no improvement in any aspects of his play. He has no tactical awareness of what runs he should make, and for the size of him he is easily muscled out of games. His first touch has got to be one of the worst I have seen in a top flight player.

I think it's time for RM to shake him up and leave him on the bench for a couple of games. I seem to get the impression that Lukaku thinks he is doing us a big favour turning out each week for us, and we should be thankful he does.

Let's keep the momentum going on Tuesday in what promises to be a tricky assignment!

We must have had the youngest back 4 in the Premier League yesterday.

So I put the blame on Martinez for being too nice. Drop him, it worked last season. In fact, if I was the manager I would say, "If you have a bad game, I'm going to drop you."

This is why we should have brought in another striker.

Yes, Rom was off his game, but that was aided and abetted by Ashley Williams who IMHO has been one of the Premier League's top defenders for the last couple of seasons.

Then we come to Barkley, who Lyndon quite rightly singled out; with a run in the side it won't be too long until he reintroduces those Gazza-like surging runs into the box, but he's doing quite nicely controlling the game from behind Rom. Yes, that's the same Ross who last year 'stunk the place out' 'what ever they offer snatch their hand off' 'I'll drive him to the ground meself' — think about that when you're having a pop at Lukaku.

Finally the young guns at the back; for Browning to be up against Montero and come out honours even is an achievement in itself; and RM deserves a bit of praise for picking him; and Galloway, 'nuff said. In a way, I'm glad he didn't score that goal because he would have been Chelsea bound or Citteh bound for the rest of the season.

All-in-all, I'm happy with the point and even happier how we played against a team that are no slouches. C'mon TWebbers... Smile!

I'm sure if we had brought in Austin we would have four or five more goals by now and the fans would've taken to him which hopefully would've made Lukaku try that bit harder and upped his game. Sometimes Lukaku works his bollocks off and produces one of those games where everyone is talking about how good he can be. But, when he returns to not moving as much and generally not being as sharp or aware, I think it is complacency kicking in.

I'm trying not to have a go at him because every player has days when, for whatever reason, nothing comes off and it is the manager's and chairman's responsibility to bring in that challenge from another player. To be fair to Martinez, I'm sure he would if he could but, if he didn't, and it was anything to do with egos, then he is partially blind.

I hope the loyalty that the manager has to certain players doesn't extend to the extension of certain players' contracts like Kone, Gibson and Pienaar. There's no way I'd be renewing them and, with those released wages, he could bring in a decent striker.

Martinez is doing a great job with bringing through the youngsters and certainly seems to have a plan to have an exciting, talented young squad for years to come but, if he could get rid of some deadwood and invest in a top striker whilst keeping Lukaku happy, we could be going places sooner than later. Austin or Rhodes in January would be good.

I believe if we had a young Rooney in our squad right now we would be playing Champions league next year, perhaps as Champions.

I hold my hands up: I simply don't rate Lukaku. He's lazy, lacks positional awareness, his right leg is for standing only, his link-up play is iffy... and please don't get me going about his first touch!

We played really well yesterday and I had us down for a score-draw but ended up disappointed not to come away with a handsome win; if only our finishing/shooting was of the same standard as our defending! Three clean sheets on our travels; not bad at all.

A final word for RM: please please bench Lukaku until he learns to control the ball and takes his chances when they come!

As for Mirallas, I think he did what very late subs sometimes do: injure themselves or someone else.

When he's on song, he's frightening. After the Southampton game, I got texts from other teams' fans about his brilliance.

All too often, he disappears. Is it a mental issue, or is he another second-grade striker who looks great on his day, but doesn't have his day often enough?

This season, he has Kone holding the ball and linking play, Barkley looking like the player we want him to be (humble pie from me!), and Cleverley, Coleman, etc putting in good crosses. He's still falling short.

Big decision for Martinez here. How is he going to get the best out of Lukaku consistently? Or is he going to actually play Rodriguez within six months of buying him? Or is he going to reinforce in January?

We've got a good young back four, options in midfield and a manager who seems to have rediscovered his powers of motivation and playing a balanced team. We need strengthening up front. I hope it's led by a consistent Lukaku, backed up by a pleasantly surprising Rodriguez. If not, we need a new striking hero in January.

Roberto says that he can be as good as he wants to be because he has all the attributes required to be a top striker.

I tend to think he can't be as successful as he wants to be because there are limitations to his game that might not ever leave him – that poor first touch and his lack of aerial prowess, for example.

But he has shown that when he is in the mood he can be unplayable. He has demonstrated against some top sides (Arsenal, United, Wolfsburg, etc) that he can score the goals to become one of the best goalscorers on the Continent. He has enough speed, enough strength and enough ability that, when combined with the single-mindedness that he sometimes exhibits he can, like his old Anderlecht coach said, always score enough goals to make his faults irrelevant.

It's all about attitude and application for me.

The above is the musing of a 13-year-old, and I think it says everything about Lukaku.

Now, from what I hear, Rodriguez might get a game against Reading in the week. If he performs well, maybe scores a goal or three, then stick him on the bench against West Brom. Give Rom something to think about.

Sachin Tendulkar has said something similar, since retiring i.e. that he was into Test cricket so quickly, that he never had the chance to grind out his technique in 1st Class cricket; which led to a few blips early on.

So, if Rom goes on to have as much success as Sachin, I think that'll do just fine!

Who can name Lukaku's last Premier League goal at Goodison from open play?

http://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=56521&season_id=144

Perhaps the difference between the two is less conviction more confidence. The former implies issues around his attitude that I don't necessarily agree with. It is clear though that the full weight of the team's expectations rest on him in front of goal and he won't always be up to it. I know there was a clamour for a CAM to be signed before the deadline (and we do need one), but the priority has to be a striker to share the burden with Rom.

I know he cost £28m but that's not his fault. With a goal every two games in the toughest league in the world, that is going to prove money well spent in the medium term.

His first touch is the big issue with his game. Sometimes he controls the ball well, and at other times he controls the ball like a leaden-footed kid. Clearly he needs to polish his technique, but I also think he has issues with confidence.

For all those who persistently attack him, remember what he has achieved for his age. In a season with West Brom where he often came off the bench, he managed 17 Premier League goals as a 19/20-year-old. That's not just good, it's breathtaking. Top strikers around the world were not achieving those numbers at such an age. He followed that up with 15 in the league for us, as a 20/21-year-old. That is true consistency, despite his age.

Last season was poor, but that had a lot to do with our inefficient supply, and the slow build-up of our midfield players. He still managed 20 in all competitions however. He has not started well or terribly so far this season. He has 4 goals from 7 games in all competitions, and with the team more properly set up to his strengths, I'd expect him to get near 20 in all competitions this year without the goals of Europa League football. We will see what happens, but a return of around that number would again demonstrate his significant potential and value to the team despite his age.

It might worth looking at the work of other strikers too. I saw Bony lauded on here many times, but he has clearly suffered from the pressure at Man City, and has not performed when starting.

Benteke is a wonderful player... but a wonderful player in spurts. He goes missing for matches, and his poor movement will make it difficult for Liverpool to imitate the fluid system of the SSS days, and I wouldn't be surprised if Ings played more with Sturridge than we expected at the start of the season.

Kane, fresh off a brilliant season last year, has not scored in 6 league games, carrying on the poor run of form exhibited at the end of the last.

Lukaku on his day is a world beater. That performance at Southampton was as good as any striker has played this season in the Premier League. He was bullish, unplayable. He was, as many like to make the comparison, Drogba like. He is of course a different player to Drogba, who managed to score over 12 league goals in only 2 of 9 seasons at a dominant Chelski. Despite this his legacy is resounding, even though he shared some of Lukaku's faults, and was not a consistent goal scorer in the way that many of those who came before him were.

When Lukaku scores a couple of goals at Goodison, he will look a different player. We could also play to his strengths a little more. He thrives off cut backs, and when we have wingers playing I expect that we will see more of those attempts and goals. He can also score headers, and consistently peeled off CBs at his time at West Brom, but we do not play many of those type of balls for him. Finally, we need to give him the ball quickly so that he can isolate defenders. That has certainly improved this season.

But Lukaku's worth is in his goals. He can improve his touch etc, as players improve all of the time. Suarez notably got a lot better at that part of his game, as have many strikers in their 20s. He needs support, and patience, because he is only 22.

I wish people would stop mentioning Lukaku in the same sentence as Drogba. It's just so much wishful thinking!

Surely, most of the aforementioned attributes are natural and ingrained. How do you teach a grown man to jump higher, go into an a challenge with more conviction, or transform a naturally laid-back character into a foaming-at-the-mouth, "I'm gonna fuck you up if you so much as look at me" scrapper? 

Although sometimes, when he's stumbling about with the ball at his feet, Lukaku may look about as assured as Private Pyle attacking an assault course, I'm pretty sure Finch Farm isn't the footballing equivalent of Full Metal Jacket. You won't find Ferguson going all Gunnery Sergeant Hartmen and giving it  "You will be a weapon. You will be a minister of death praying for war. But until that day you are pukes. You are the lowest form of life on Earth. You are not even human fucking beings. You are nothing but unorganized grabastic pieces of amphibian shit! Because I am hard, you will not like me." etc.

Even if he did, it isn't going to make Lukaku a better player or instil him with a greater will to win. It'd probably just make him look up, groan and then go back to fannying about on his phone or something.

You would hope Lukaku listens to Ferguson when it comes to such lessons as how to hold the ball up when under pressure, how to lay it off to an oncoming runner without losing it, how to hit a first-time shot on the turn with your left peg etc. Things that can actually be taught and worked upon. Even then, though, if the lessons don't take, who is to say whether it's the fault of the teacher or the student?

He is young though, and can improve his obvious failings, but the most important thing is a mental one. Someone (or himself) needs to get the lad fired-up, and motivated. He needs a kick up the backside.

I'm all for encouragement but he was piss-poor on Saturday; he needs to up his work-rate and contribute. He is like a big heavyweight boxer with a great physique but no killer instinct.

Last season, he was dropped and came back a more willing player, so stick the revitalised Kone up top and bench Rom for Reading, and see what happens.

Barkley has now taken the mantle of being the No 10, and Kone provides a good hard working foil to the other two. This triumvirate has the makings of delivering for us this season, which is something that seems to be a common thread in all of the reports from Ken Buckley etc (which I take more seriously than the criticisms of Lukaku from pundits such as Don Hutchison and Andy Townsend over the weekend).

At times, granted, he can be a little frustrating, but he is leading the line every game more or less on his own. Players can't be expected to do it every game.

One could look to Eden Hazard, a man who won Player of the Year in 2015, and is outstanding talent yet is a shadow of that player this season. Sometimes it takes a while to get going.

Whenever we play teams, they know he's our main man and do everything in their power to nullify him. Yet he has games like he does against Southampton where he is unplayable. You all won't mind if he does not score against Reading and West Brom (providing we win both) if he scores in the derby the week after. I don't know the stat exactly, but I think the most he has gone without scoring for us is 4 games.

He is only a young man, and he does still have a lot to work on as alluded too, but finishing is not one of his weak areas. Again, argument could be raised that not playing with wingers is affecting him and a narrower formation means he is having to adapt his game?

I think you're fine Rom! Keep going. It will come!

Interestingly, John, I remember one footballer (South American, I think, but can't recall his name) relating how he gradually increased the height he could jump by setting up a horizontal bar that he couldn't quite jump up to and practicing jumps until he could; and then slightly raising the bar and repeating all that; and so on until he increased his jumping height significantly.

There's also something about technique in jumping in terms of a slight bend of the knees before you jump, with the bend storing up energy which is released in the jump. So I read.

At Everton, everything is falling onto Rom's shoulders and nobody expects Kone to score much so we are stuck with it unless Mirallas gets a good run but his good partnership bubble with Rom seems no more.

Having said that, RM has changed the system with Kone playing deeper and Barkley having a free role.

It's hard to swallow scoring three against the Mourinho mob one week and then coming up empty the next with chances gone begging.

Everton seem to have a lot more options these days but the likes of Deulofeu and Lennon look as if they will only be used as relief from the bench for now.

Is Rom in the wrong team? Is Martinez trying to improve his overall contribution to the game at the detriment of his goalscoring prowess? Is Rom just lacking in confidence? Is Rom really as good as his price-tag suggests he should be?

All of these questions will be answered in the next eight months, but at the moment there are far more questions than answers surrounding Rom and that is highly unusual for a striker who has been at the club for nigh on two years with two full seasons under his belt. I'm sure every Evertonian wants Rom to bang in the goals on a more regular basis but he'll have to do more than grab a winning goal in the derby to justify his place in the team.

I'm sure Roberto is as mystified as the rest of us as to why the lad isn't producing the goods at the moment. I don't know the number of games on the bounce he has failed to score, but his league record is poor in the last nine months and it needs to improve and quickly. If he doesn't return to goalscoring form soon, it will adversely affect the team and its results and that will put pressure on everybody including the manager.

Martinez has shown an unbelievable amount of trust in the young man and it's about time the lad started to repay that faith. I think he has had a relatively easy ride from the majority of fans given his price-tag and his importance to the team. Many strikers have received far more flak over the years at Goodison for not doing what they are paid to do... think Jelavic, Saha and even Naismith at times.

Whatever happened to that guy?

Link

In all honesty did anyone here improve their touch when they were 22-25 or whatever? I can honestly say that my technical ability peaked at 17 years of age. The only think that improved was composure and decision making.

One thing I will say is that my touch was not far from Rom's level - thats fine, I knew I had to work for a living.

Put it this way, if someone paid me £75k a week you would see a lot more effort than what you see from that lazy, arrogant man child. I certainly wouldn't have the audacity to talk about moves to other clubs whilst I was trotting round going through the motions.

I don't know who suffers from delusions more - Rom himself or the fans that somehow think he is going to be awesome. I cringe every time I see Drogba and Lukaku on the same article. Its about as relevant as comparing David Bentley to David Beckham - kinda look the same and that's where it really ends.

If Rom showed as much passion for the shirt as the Evertonians who consistently try to defend him - we may actually have a reasonably good player on our hands. Till then expect a few goals against Reading or another team when the win is in the bag and more half bothered perfromances where 1 goal will make all the difference.

He needs to work on staying onside and being alive to through-balls. There's only Naismith who can run into space between defenders and finish first time.

Like so many, I find Lukaku a complete frustration. I've lost count of the amount of times as I've expounded to others how limited a player he is, he goes and scores a goal out of nothing. Sadly then for the next 5 or 6 games he reverts to type.

His lack of work rate reminds me of a centre forward in a team I used to coach some years ago. As his team mates were chasing and closing down the opposition, this guy sauntered about never directly getting involved or demonstrating anything resembling aggression. As players passed him he'd make a half-hearted pretense of chasing them until he got bored and stopped after a second or two. He was constantly berating his colleagues for failing to pass to him even when he consistently failed to return the compliment. Nonetheless, he could be guaranteed to net 15-20 times a season. With a bit more application, that could have been doubled, as could Lukaku's return.

Young he might be but, as Peter mentioned, the technique of touch is something that is usually developed at an earlier age. I can't really see this aspect of his game improving now.

The main thing he has going for himself to play the centre-forward role is physical size... But the sad thing about that is.... He doesn't know how to use his physical attributes. He's a pussy cat.

As for not improving his touch because he is 22... seriously?! It's nonsensical bullshit. Why on earth would a player not be able to improve his touch in his 20s? There have been plenty of examples in recent times. Look at Drogba - Look at Suarez. Look at Ramsey. And one of the oddest examples: Mertesacker. His touch and passing have improved incredibly since his move to Arsenal.

There is absolutely no reason why Lukaku cannot improve his touch. Maybe someone could provide a list of what can and can't be improved, because clearly I'm missing out on something.

I honestly think it's all about anticipation. Start thinking were the cross might go and attack the ball, instead of holding back. This would change everything for me.

And then he will want away, because he ain't half as good as he and some of you think he is.

It seems that you think Drogba was 'overrated' but he only gets mentioned in these discussions because he is the player we all want Lukaku to turn out to be like. I think most people would say he was one of the best goalscorers of the Premier League era.

By the way, the reason a player is unlikely to improve his touch is that he doesn't have the innate ability to do so. I've been watching Lukaku for over 2 years now and he's getting no better in that regard - how long do you think we should give him?

Can't hold the ball up

Can't head a ball

Poor touch and ball control

Never on his toes

Rarely first to the ball.

I am pretty certain that if Naismith had the same amount of game time he would score as many and contribute far more... but, there again, he is not a "cult" figure.

John Daley, I expect it was before your time but there was a striker in the " Victor" many years ago who came from an island far away. He was immensely tall, played barefooted and scored for fun. The title was "Jumping Jimmi gets the goals", Frankly, his hold up play was shite but he broke the net on a regular basis.

How can you combat that? Well, a pencilled moustached foreigner did. The fucker got spring heeled boots. What I'm saying is if boots like that existed in the seventies then surely to God Lukaku's boot sponsor can manufacture a top notch pair now.

Re. Drogba. Whilst Drogba was unplayable on his day, he was not as good a goalscorer as the likes of Henry or Nistelrooy. I think you have a little bit of a flawed memory, because Drogba got plenty of criticism during his time at Chelski, especially in his first 2 seasons. You also criticise, but fail to engage with, the fact that Drogba only scored above 12 goals in 2 Premier League seasons. It's a little pathetic tbh. Try answering a couple of questions for me: Drogba did only score more than 12 goals in 2 of his 9 seasons – didn't he (one was admittedly when he returned as a bit part player)? If Lukaku only manages more than 12 league goals twice in 8/9 league seasons with us will you be pleased with that?

And Phil, try reading my post again. You claim that I'm trying to make a spurious comparison to Drogba. I'll point you to this line, 'He was, as many like to make the comparison, Drogba like.'. As you can see, I'm responding to a narrative about Drogba and Lukaku. The same Drogba who was criticised at points for his touch, control and even goal scoring at Chelski. It's kind of ironic then that you claim that touch can't be improved, whilst promoting the legacy of a player who improved in exactly that area.

Interestingly Lukaku has 44 goals in 108 league games for Everton and West Brom so far. That's a rate of one goal every 2.45 games. Do you know Drogba's goal scoring rate for in the Premier League? One goal every 2.44 games. And yes, I'm being selective, but Lukaku has scored those goals.

And for everyone who criticises him, it might be worth considering just how good that record is for a 22-year-old. It also might be worth watching the highlights from that Southampton performance again.

The fee is around £22m, and that fee is very reasonable given his age and goalscoring record. It's £10m less then Benteke, and I know which player I'd prefer to have. I'd love to see the frenzy on TW had we signed Benteke, and he was having one of his 'can't hit a barn door spells' that last for a good few months of a season.

Rom will score 15-25 goals every season. So what if he can't do everything! If he could, would he playing for Everton?! No, he wouldn't! The £22m fee is very fair for that kind of goal return.

I predict he'll score a couple on Monday night and the boo boys will turn their attention back towards Steven Naismith.

Forget the price tag as you can always find more in-form players for cheaper and worse or unsuited players for more expensive.

Be thankful we have the big man – that's my take on it as we were all desperate for him to sign and he will be missed when he eventually moves on.

The biggest problem is... he like you just can't see it. For him he is world class, it's got to the stage now where we need to get rid.

Wilmots (like Mourinho) seems to have run out of patience with him, only time will tell how far RM will persevere.

The fact is these guys get bought for big fees before they are ready and elevated to superstars and they simply can't live up to the hype and then we get on their backs because they haven't lived up to our over-excited expectations.

Would we have probably have been £28M better off we had held on to Anichebe? He scores just as many, or should that be just as few goals, as Rom and we wouldn't have to pay him so much.

Anyway, do the maths, compare their records. I think it was a miracle to get £6M for Vic, and if you do a goals per game per transfer fee spent calculation you will find that Rom has been the more economical of the two by some distance. The reason to spend money on strikers is to get goals unless I am missing something about football.