Whatever happens in the FA Cup final, Romelu Lukaku’s first season back at Chelsea will not be looked upon fondly. But the Wembley winner he was cruelly denied in February could arrive on Saturday, and that could save Chelsea’s season.
Few would claim that He has been a success at Chelsea. We had very high expectations for him, but it has been an imperfect marriage between the club and player.
All of the possible factors that have contributed to Lukaku’s struggles – his teammates, his manager, the media, his confidence and more – add up to a disappointing outcome: eight Premier League goals from 27 appearances. He was supposed to lead Chelsea to the title.
But it hasn’t been all bad; in a way that suggests this union isn’t an entirely lost cause. When Liverpool and Manchester City were considered genuine title contenders, Chelsea would have been considered a threat as well. But Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp must have watched Romelu Lukaku’s second debut against Arsenal with apprehension.
The Belgian played to his strengths that day, beating defenders and scoring a goal. He followed that with a brace against Aston Villa before scoring in the club’s first Champions League match against Zenit St Petersburg. Things were looking good for him.
Over the past week, Lukaku has shown glimpses of his Inter Milan form by scoring three goals in two games. His influence on the team has been greater than his goal tally suggests.
His performance against Leeds United, in contrast to his seven-touch nadir against Crystal Palace in February, was an encouraging step forward for the striker.
Lukaku may not start the FA Cup final. But he is likely to enter the game at some point, just as he did in the Carabao Cup final.
His shoulder was the difference between Chelsea winning and losing. A protein shake’s difference between hero and zero, as the goal he scored was ruled out for offside in extra time.
The last three months could have been different for Romelu Lukaku, who has struggled to find his form. However, the physicality and mentality of Lukaku are clearly tied together, and goalscoring is a habit for him, so it may be too early to count out the striker.
There is no magic wand to improve relations between Lukaku and his teammates. They need to work together to get the best out of each other. However, if they want to see results in the future, they need Lukaku to perform well in the FA Cup this Saturday to prove that it’s worth working together.
However, if Lukaku scores a last-minute goal against Liverpool at Wembley in the FA Cup final, it would change everything. 1-0 to Chelsea, Lukaku 90+3.
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