Full articles available at www.theswanseaway.co.uk Michu vs Lukaku - A statistical comparison With Swansea rumoured to be looking to bring the Belgian striker to South Wales, how did he compare with Michu this season? I'm still very skeptical regarding our prospects of landing Romelu Lukaku on loan next season. Ok, so certain things do add up; Lukaku himself has stated that he'd like to go out on loan next season again if he's not going to be regularly included in the Chelsea squad, but for the life of me I can't figure out why he wouldn't be. Europe's highest scoring teenager this term, it's remarkable to me that more attention isn't being paid to a player who finished the season by scoring a hat-trick against Manchester United. It's possible that as the summer unfolds more clubs may come in for him, but with Chelsea looking set to appoint Jose Mourinho it's likely he'll fancy bringing in his own striker from elsewhere, so it may well be that Lukaku finds himself looking at another loan move. While West Brom do play a slightly more direct style of football than the Swans, looking at his performance this season against Michu's isn't that much of a squiff comparison as, for the second season running, the Swans finished the season in very close proximity to the Baggies. When you consider that Michu hit 18 goals to Lukaku's 17, it would seem to indicate that the team's around them also fared similarly. Michu made 35 starts in the league, and while Lukaku made the same number of appearances 15 of those were off the bench, so he's starting to look good already. His pass completion is 72.1% (averaging 16.3 successful passes per game) to Michu's 78.7% (32 PPG), but in fairness to the Belgian he plays the same amount of key passes per game as Michu (1) and has four assists - double that of the Spaniard. They both average around three shots a game (Lukaku has 2.8 and Michu 3.1), but when you look at dribbles again the former Anderlecht man comes out on top, successfully going past his man 0.9 times a game to Michu's 0.2. In fairness to Michu, no-one is expecting him to go on a mazy dribble and beat five men... Interestingly, when you look at defensive stats it seems Michu puts a shift in. The Spaniard makes 1.3 tackles per game to Lukaku's 0.2, and 0.9 interceptions per game to the Belgian's 0.1. That does result, however in Michu fouling his man more than twice as often - 1.4 times per game as opposed to Lukaku's 0.6, but a foul a game isn't that bad a thing. Keeps the defenders on their toes and all that. Michu also makes 1.1 clearances per game - again a much bigger number than the 0.3 managed by Lukaku - but to be honest I'm not that fussed on our striker tracking back and putting himself about. When you look at goals scored v minutes played, Lukaku has 17 goals in 2146 minutes while Michu has 18 in 3171 - the Spaniard has played around 50% more football so for the young Chelsea striker to have got 17 goals in a mid-table side is truly an impressive achievement. It works out that Lukaku has a goal every 126 minutes, while Michu has one every 176. It seems in every department (apart from defense, but we don't want him doing that) Lukaku really is a class act, and seeing as he only turned 20 ten days ago there is a whole load of room for improvement too. As has been stated, Europa League football could be the clincher but that's assuming no other club who've qualified for Europe come in for him, which seems a stretch of the imagination. That being said, the only other suitor being mooted at the moment is West Ham, which, as I mentioned yesterday, I don't think we have to worry about. Big Sam? Ha. All in all, a very impressive set of numbers from the Belgian. Obviously, you have to watch him play to know whether he'll fit the team but from everything I've seen of him he seems a class act, and what's more I've also heard he's tee-total and very much a good egg. Only Van Persie, Berbatov and Benteke had better "chance conversion rates" than Lukaku this season, who converted 21% of opportunities presented to him, and it's likely with increased game time and experience his level of performance will kick on again, and I for one would have no objection to that happening in South Wales. Michu & Lukaku up front? Yes please. Sign him up!
Michu has played in a slightly more withdrawn role on a few occasions this season and is essentially an AM whilst Lukaku is an out and out front man. Interesting though.
Good write up Scott . Could be the front man were desperately in need of, he certainly knows where the back of the net is but its early doors yet so if its not him then i hope ML knows of and gets a better striker than him in. God knows who and where from though !
Any striker Laudrup gets in will get a warm welcome from us jacks as the gaffer aint done to bad with his previous hunting trips the signing of michu wasnt to shabby for us was it ! so 2 lethal front men would be quite nice but would rather the new messi than drogba though .
It will interesting to see how Michu gets on in his second season with clubs more aware of his threat
It will be intresting. It was said by quite a few hacks and other fans last pre season that our team would struggle with second season syndrome in the prem when other teams were more aware of our style, but we stepped up and hopefully michu will do the same again.
Swansea City target Romelu Lukaku has said a loan switch to Borussia Dortmund would be a good move for him next season. The Swans had hoped to loan the 20-year-old Chelsea striker, who was seen as the perfect match for top-scorer Michu, but the Belgian frontman has admitted he was keen on a move to the German club. ​ Lukaku scored 17 goals in 35 Premier League appearances during a spell at West Brom last term, and West Ham are the latest club to throw their hat into the ring for the Belgian frontman. He is quoted as saying: "I'll start the season with Chelsea then I will speak with the management to discuss the best choice. I am a realist." "I still need to grow and for that I need to have time to play during the next season. Dortmund would be a good choice." One we may miss , although are / were we ever in with a chance ?
He was the top scoring midfielder in La Liga (14 goals) the season before, so clubs were well aware of him. They just didn't have the balls, or foresight to sign him. Laudrup did. Michu has asked us to sign some quality strikers to allow him to revert to his favoured attacking midfield position. This will take a lot of attention off him allowing him to come late and grab his share of goals. He might not get 22 goals again next season but if our strikers (remember we played from Xmas without a recognised striker) chip in as they should, Michu will get his share anyway and we should do well.
I wouldn't write West Ham off so quickly - being able to stay in the same city as your parent club is quite a good thing. Other than that, very interesting read. Thanks.
