Chelsea FC - Centre Forwards, Their Importance And The Emergence Of Romelu Lukaku

Chelsea FC have a massive dilemma (quite literally) on their hands. What should they do with Romelu Lukaku? We explore. Ai??

The FA Cup quarter-final replay between Chelsea and Manchester United was settled by a moment of absolute brilliance by Demba Ba, Chelsea’s centre forward. Yes, it was Juan Mata’s sensational 40-yard delivery that took out the defence but when the ball arrived in the box, had Ba not done what he did, David De Gea wouldn’t have been beaten. A lesser striker, had he managed to make that run in the first place, would have tried to bring the ball down, but the United goal-keeper was so well positioned that he’d have preempted the striker from threatening his goal. Ba, however, spotted an opportunity, made a spectacular run through two opposition defenders, judged the flight and trajectory of the ball traveling across the goal perfectly, dived full length to volley home, leaving David De Gea stunned.

That’s what a good striker does; that’s exactly what Chelsea haven’t experienced after Didier Drogba departed and before Demba Ba rose to the occasion on Monday. Well, they’ve had Fernando Torres, and he certainly isn’t what one expects from a top quality striker. With the kind of creative players the club has had on its payroll this season, any forward worth his salts would have been amongst the top scorers in the league this season.

With the summer transfer window fast approaching, Chelsea will most definitely be linked to all the top striking talents in the world, but shouldn’t theAi??cynosureAi??of their attention be a player already on their payroll? A player who has scored 13 goals this season, has put the reputation of many a seasoned defenders to test, has shown remarkable improvement in his game, and is merely 20 years old today, with limitless potential. He is none other than Romelu Lukaku.

“Phenomenal strength, agile for his height but tends to drift out of important games – especially at int level. Would pop up with something magical at Anderlecht, but fear he’s left a year early. Chelsea want Drogba’s heir apparent but still long way off finished article. Hope his time on Chelsea bench doesn’t harm development“, Chris Mayer (Belgian Waffle) had written just after his much publicized move to Stamford Bridge.

Lukaku’s physical attributes (he stands 1.90 metres tall and weighs 101 kgs) have always led toAi??comparisonsAi??to his idol Didier Drogba in terms of his ability to beat defenders by virtue of his sheer strength and presence; however, his uniqueness lied in his pace (he is deceptively quick for a player of his size) and his ability with the ball at his feet. At the time of his move, he was quite raw, inconsistent and lacked finishing prowess in front of the goal. In his first few appearances, it was also clear that his stamina wasn’t at a level that was required in the Premier League and as a result, he used to tire easily. Andre Villas-Boas played him a few times and chances became even fewer under Roberto di Matteo who took over at a difficult time and couldn’t help but play his strongest eleven game after game. The Belgian was made to play with the reserves in order to gain some much needed match-time, and this didn’t go down well with the youngster, who’d come to Chelsea after setting the Belgian league on fire and was clearly looking for first-team football.

In the summer of 2012, Drogba decided to leave Chelsea and the club hierarchy shockingly appeared set to bank on the ability (or lack of it) of Torres for the new season, with Daniel Sturridge as his only back-up. They weren’t in the market for a new striker, after apparently trying and failing to sign Hulk from Porto, and it was decided that it would be in the best interest of everyone to send Romelu on loan. Stoke appeared to be in pole position to take him to Britannia, but Chelsea eventually decided to ship him to West Bromwich Albion to continue development under the able guidance of former coach Steve Clark. And, what a masterstroke that has turned out to be for the player!

There’s a reason why the West Brom faithful sing in unison, “He came from Stamford Bridge, he’s bigger than a fridge“, when Lukaku is on a prowl. He is a humble kid, works hard in training, and knows that he must improve if he’s to develop his skills to match his raw physical power, and reach his true potential. Thanks to his gifted genes, his physical attributes are presently unmatched in world football. And now, he’s beginning to evolve as a player.

Steve Clark has used him primarily as an impact substitute to change games, unleashing him on tired, unsuspecting defenders. His ability to win aerial duels has improved and so has his game-play with his back to the goal, something Drogba was a master of. His dribbling has come a long way and now he’s prepared to take defenders on with the ball at his feet, in addition to barging his way through them. This has led to more opportunities for himself and for his team-mates and as a result his goals per minutes ratio is amongst the best in the league. He, still being a work-in-progress, remainsAi??susceptible to losing the ball and getting trapped offside, and still needs to work on his finishing, especially off his head. However, at 20, he has time on his hands and these things will improve as he continues to get more and more minutes under his belt.

Romelu Lukaku is a monster, a rare gift of nature to football. If he continues to develop as he should, he can be the best centre forward in the world in three years time; such is his enormous potential. When he returns to Stamford Bridge in summer, he will be a different player from the one who’d departed an year back. And, Chelsea should be wise enough to plan their striker-force around him in years to come, rather than splurging on players such as Falcao, who are presently in their prime and whose value (even impact) will only reduce with time.

If Chelsea aren’t able to cut their losses by offloading Fernando Torres to whosoever that shows an interest, then a new striker (even a back-up) isn’t necessary and the Blues can head into the new season with a capable enough strike-force comprising of Demba Ba, Romelu Lukaku and Fernando Torres. Chelsea can take a leaf out of Clark’s book and start off by using Lukaku as a game-changing substitute, after starting with Ba in crucial games and occasionally with Torres, whenever the Senegalese striker needs a breather. The Belgian can even be deployed in cup games and lesser league games from the start. Such faith and thereby regular minutes at Chelsea can do wonders for Lukaku’s self-belief and who knows, he may just grab the opportunity by the scruff of its neck and establish himself as a definite starter in the first team by the time the season nears its business end.

In February, Romelu Lukaku, who’s a boyhood Chelsea fan, had said, “Yes, that’s my dream. Really my aim is to play at the Bridge, to be a legend over there. Hopefully in the next couple of years I’ll be one of the key elements at the Bridge“.Ai??In a couple of months, Chelsea will have to make a decision. They will have to decide on whom do they want to bet – on aAi??colossal failure, on another expensive new toy, or on one of their own.

Tags: Chelsea FC Lukaku

Chelsea FC – Centre Forwards, Their Importance And The Emergence Of Romelu Lukaku

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