Lukaku reminds me of Ruud. Yea, laugh all you want.
Minus the goal hungry driven, ruthless finishing, better technical abilities and quick insane reactions inside the box. Both play best inside the box than outside, while in fact in their own ways, are actually not that bad outside. RVN's technical and general abilities meant he's that too good and can be an all around complete striker including bringing in others into play and he showed that few but enough number of times, he's just not too interested in doing that, preferring instead to be the one at the end that finish attacks. Lukaku we know have a good sense of his surrounding teammates and will feed team mates with good passes. Both play with intelligence positioning and short movement exploiting the pocket of spaces all around the inside box.
No need for too much runs if you're already there.
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Anyway, back to just Lukaku, and attempted disintegrating this "
staticness" of his.
- He's a fox in the box, relying on intelligence positioning and calculated short targeted movement, exploiting the many pocket of spaces inside the box.
- Sort of a poacher, his reaction is a lot slower though that the usual poacher I know of, but other than that has all the minimum tools.
- Shooting power and shooting technique is not top class, and he doesn't actually "shoot" or blast the ball in but more like putting the ball into the back of the net. Not a shooter.
- Not a dummy runner (who'll pull defenders away creating spaces for team) or a crazy runner (constantly running around moving into empty spaces).
- Have good strength and balance, but doesn't abuse it nor making good use of it, so for sure not a power forward.
- Have amazing top speed and balance, but not too agile not quick acceleration. Not too much of a speedy striker.
- Good heading skills, not amazing. Fair aerial threat.
- Not really a dribbler. Dribbling skill is fine, not too good, but gets the job done. His play on the right channel and wing is good. Good balance, fair dribbling skills and speed enough to beat defenders and fine crossing skills.
- Good awareness, he'll feed team mates with good short passes. A fine supporting striker, who can link-up well, but selective combination since it needs others to gets his movement. Martial manage to see him and link well with him.
- Post play is improving, he has the eye of passes which helps a lot eg. that flick to Rashford goal against Liverpool. Poor strength play in holding the ball and often bad touches can let him down though on the floor. Aerially can make good flicks, but not like Fellaini who can receive the long ball well and brought it down starting quick attacks.
- Not too good in evading markers, so that's another disadvantage. At times, he'll lurk behind opposing defenders, like a shadow striker, silently lurking to tap the ball in.
So combination of those are why it's easy to see him as "static".
Why run the longer distance if you're already there at the "right positioning" or done calculated short runs. It's not easy for his team mates to see him though. Pogba, Sanchez, Martial and even freaking KDB can see his short runs and positioning. Pogba preferred him to move more faster and making more good runs.
Another point is..
Doubt he have that mindset of becoming the first star men of his team (eg. Zlatan, Neymar, Mbappe showed that appetite for France, Ruud, CRonaldo, Hazard) he's too much of a team player. So we need others to step up and fill that shoe. Not necessary but useful, often that kind of player is the big difference maker when two big team collides. We do have two players who showed signs of having that hunger - Martial and Rashford.
