Ademola Lookman signs on loan

[lcfc sheff]

4 hours ago, Jimmy said:

I don't know why he and Barnes don't swap wings during the game, Barnes could do just as well down the right for a short spell in a match

I’ve never seen Barnes ever play on the right, seems odd it’s never even been considered? He even played as a CAM at West Brom and looked very good there

[LCCFox96]

Rodgers made reference to Lookman needing a home when we signed him - it feels like we're getting really close to giving him that. He had an enthusiastic live wire start but lacked end product on the whole but since late December he's really started to pick up. 10 goal contributions in 25 games is very decent output and certainly comes close to justifying taking a punt on a permanent deal. For comparison Gray's best ever output for us was 8 goal contributions in a full season. I'd say the biggest risk to Lookman coming in permanently is possibly Rodgers getting the boot.

[StanSP]

Agree with most comments. 

 

It annoyed me that at times he didn't look to run in behind down the wing. Frustrating because, especially in 2nd half, Amartey would have acres of space to run into, while Lookman just hugged the touchline and therefore restricted options for Amartey, causing him to stop or look inside. On occasion there definitely was the ball on for Amartey to play over the top or through the defence for Lookman to get in behind. 

[Clever Fox]

Lookman has been decent for us but if we're serious about aiming higher then we need to find better.

Someone who offers a real threat at corners and free kicks. Coupled with the ability to defend also if needed.

 

[Bert]

9 minutes ago, Clever Fox said:

Lookman has been decent for us but if we're serious about aiming higher then we need to find better.

Someone who offers a real threat at corners and free kicks. Coupled with the ability to defend also if needed.

 

You won’t find many wingers that are a threat at free kicks and corners. Mahrez, Bowen, Sancho, Rashford, Salah, Mane, Son, Barnes, ASM just off the top of my head…. 

[Sunbury Fox]

He's okay but not as a nailed on first team starter. What's frustrating is that a year or so ago we could have picked up Bowen or Raphinha, who are both much better, for similar money to what we would now need to pay to buy Lookman. 

Edited 18 February 2022 by Sunbury Fox

[Fox92]

I really hope we don't sign him.

[majaco]

His close control is sometimes excellent.  Not always.

[South Shire Fox]

Thought he was poor yesterday but overall in his time here hes been a very good acquisition. Would certainly sign him for 15 million in the summer if thats the option. Need pace and good feet to be a winger and he has both of that.

[lcfcsnow]

He always looks less comfortable on the right as like Barnes he's a right footed left winger, this is the problem when we don't fully commit to sorting that side out every season since Mahrez left. (Ghezzal, Perez, Under, Lookman)

[VG Fox]

4 hours ago, moore_94 said:

Simultaneously managed to have a good game and a frustrating game

 

2 assists and was involved in another, yet didn’t seem to be able to control the ball properly at all all game

This is the problem for me, lacks control when defenders tight to him, crossing could be better.  clearly has some ability, but I don't think he's a buy 

[Clever Fox]

34 minutes ago, Bert said:

You won’t find many wingers that are a threat at free kicks and corners. Mahrez, Bowen, Sancho, Rashford, Salah, Mane, Son, Barnes, ASM just off the top of my head…. 

That's a fair comment, but you know what I mean, someone who offers more nuisance  value at corners as well as the odd goal.

We need to beef up the team a little while adding quality.

[Bergen fox]

5-7 mill max 

good squad player 

[An Sionnach]

Those who read the financial results yesterday will understand we are not in the market for a £70 million pound Sancho on over 200 grand a week. Lookman will cost a quarter of that and at most a third of the salary. Over a season he will almost certainly be a vastly more cost effective choice.

[Unabomber]

We should 100% sign him as a squad player. Overall he has done well and his work rate is very impressive which I think is why Brendan plays him so much.

[Marshall Cockney Fox]

It's all about the price. But let's be clear he clearly is Prem level and his selling club will know that. So unless his contract has run down they will want  £15mil plus I'd say. I think he can also improve as he had undoubted technical ability. But his body language sometimes speaks of a player not fully convinced of his own ability. Less than 20 and I'd buy

[Foxes96]

Would be a good squad player. Worth noting that he is much more effective on the left. Not seen anyone suggesting he should be signed as our first choice RW in the summer. 
 

But as a fairly versatile, rotation option for Barnes, he would be perfect, and seems to have settled in well with the rest of the squad. Would help prevent burnout for Barnes as well and risk of injury to him as we saw last season. 

[PAPA LAZAROU]

12 hours ago, MPH said:

He’s not going to be a Mahrez for us. Very few will be.  If people can not judge every right sided player by that standard then things will go a lot smoother. He’s done well and for the money being touted, he’ll be a fine addition.

I would hazard a guess that absolutely no one is ever going to be another Mahrez for us never mind very few. 

[MPH]

13 minutes ago, PAPA LAZAROU said:

I would hazard a guess that absolutely no one is ever going to be another Mahrez for us never mind very few. 

 

im sure you’re right!

[Ric Flair]

5 goals and 5 assists, with a couple of others not given to him officially and 2 of his 3 goals rules out in the PL very harshly. He's doing well. He doesn't feel like he's anything special but I like his end product is way above average and defensively he fits in the team well.

 

Last night was so odd though, Barnes seemed to refuse to cur inside, always finished his pass or shot by going on the outside on his left and Lookman seemed to be struggling to attack the ball from the right, I'd have swapped them and continued to do so throughout the game as both could and should have had a field day.

[Clever Fox]

2 hours ago, An Sionnach said:

Those who read the financial results yesterday will understand we are not in the market for a £70 million pound Sancho on over 200 grand a week. Lookman will cost a quarter of that and at most a third of the salary. Over a season he will almost certainly be a vastly more cost effective choice.

Isn't this the Dilemma. If we want to make top 6 we need better players. Do we buy them or make them ourselves with the ups and downs along the way.

Given our finances option 2 seems the most likely.

Then again a clear out of the fringe players in the squad should bring in close to 100 Mil leaving us with the room and funds to start again .

[An Sionnach]

6 minutes ago, Clever Fox said:

Isn't this the Dilemma. If we want to make top 6 we need better players. Do we buy them or make them ourselves with the ups and downs along the way.

Given our finances option 2 seems the most likely.

Then again a clear out of the fringe players in the squad should bring in close to 100 Mil leaving us with the room and funds to start again .

The problem is our fringe players are very well paid and while under contract they will go nowhere for less money. If any interested club is going to match their pay then they will give us next to nowt for them. Anyway they wouldn't want to cause trouble by paying them more than their current players. The only players we seem to be able to sell for big money are our star players and in doing so we probably weaken our squad.

[Jonezy]

He is a weird one. Was not impressed with him yesterday and yet he still ends up having a foot in all 4 goals; 2 assists for Ndidi and KDH, causing havoc for Barnes' goal and playing in Tielemans for Daka's goal. 

[Clever Fox]

2 hours ago, An Sionnach said:

The problem is our fringe players are very well paid and while under contract they will go nowhere for less money. If any interested club is going to match their pay then they will give us next to nowt for them. Anyway they wouldn't want to cause trouble by paying them more than their current players. The only players we seem to be able to sell for big money are our star players and in doing so we probably weaken our squad.

 Correct, What that should tell us though, is that our wage structure is wrong. 

We should be paying smaller salaries with bigger bonuses.

[cityfanlee23]

One thing I would note, is that Lookman is a player that has always shown promise and has that little bit of class. He does not always have consistency but he's an upgrade on Gray imo. 
It's worth mentioning just how average this season has been for us, I fully expect if we signed Lookman in Rodgers first 12 months, he would have been a completely different player. If we can get him for 20m I'd take it and ship out Perez to fund it. The way we are playing right now, I'm trying not to judge AL.