RED

If this happens, it is madness. He is an excellent, excellent footballer.

I thought Falcao was nailed on. Has that changed?

We are playing well, but you've got Mourinho mate. Liverpool fans fear the Chelsea match more than the City match. Ramires being out changes that a little. I'd take a point right now without a moment's hesitation.

He seems to be doing just fine. And look at who is playing instead of Lukaku for Chelsea. If it were Drogba in his pomp, fair play. But it's not.

Of course, hindsight is 20/20. But, there were a lot of people, myself included, who couldn't believe that you let him go to Everton on loan. I mean, you don't have to be a psychic to see that he would likely score more goals than Torres, for example. Credit to you that you're so high up in the table given that you haven't hit your stride. All I'll say us that, as a rival fan, I'd much rather face the current Chelsea team than the exact same team with Lukaku starting up front. I think that says it all really.

Assuming he hadn't gone on loan, obviously.

Uno, I've read that reasoning before too, but it makes no sense when you don't have better strikers in your team.

A bit provocative wording, but you get my point. A clash of personalities.

dkw I can't comment on the 90 minutes criticism. But it seems like something that can be managed. And given the striking alternatives, it just seems to be such an odd sticking point.

Why does it have to be one extreme or the other? If you tell him that he will get his chances to earn his place in the team, wouldn't he be willing to try? Based on the performances of the other strikers, he probably would have by now. From the outside, it looks like Jose thought, who the f**k are you to make demands of me? You're out of here. As a rival fan, I am loving it that he's not in your squad. I just can't understand it. You have a striking problem. And you have one if the best strikers in the league out on loan. There seems to be an obvious solution. Fine. He's young. Raw. Whatever. If you had Aguero and Falcao upfront, I'd say what's the rush, loan him out. But your strikers are a major weakness. It's a bizarre situation to watch from a distance.

No doubt about your manager's credentials, esp the grinding out results. But, by extension, wouldn't he be the one to get the best out of Lukaku?

Well, in a sense you're right, because you're not getting any contribution from him. But what a waste of potential. I think he could be your first choice striker for the next 10 years. Right now, I'd say he's the most difficult forward to mark in the PL.

There is no assumption. In the Premier League, he has been averaging a goal every 2 games playing for West Brom and Everton. That is much better than any of the strikers in your squad. If he had to sit on the bench watching misfiring strikers week in week out, his frustration is completely reasonable. If he ends up leaving, it will be a massive loss for you.

Not interested in ad hominem arguments. Lukaku is a phenomenal talent. Your team would be nearly unstoppable with him in the lineup. If you don't agree, explain why.

What's bullsh*t? Your squad isn't settled and is barely out of second gear, but is at the top of the table. If it were firing, say for instance with a clinical striker like Lukaku, it would be easily in first place. How can you not see that?