Chelsea and their never-ending striker problems

"I want to try and help them win more titles." Those were the words of Romelu Lukaku when Chelsea signed him back from Inter Milan. Lukaku was firing all cylinders at Inter, and Chelsea wanted him in a slightly blue-er shirt than that Inter. This was in August last year (2021). But where did it all go south, and was it why Chelsea couldn't excel at their optimum this year? Was the signing of Lukaku necessary? So many questions seem like most of it is answered as Lukaku is back at Inter Milan, this time on loan and probably a permanent deal. But why didn't Chelsea be able to do what Inter did with him? Lukaku was one of the failed experiments as a striker at Chelsea. A year before Lukaku, Chelsea was ambitious in signing Timo Werner after his resounding success with RB Leipzig. Two seasons in, Werner hasn't yet gotten off the mark as expected. Had it been for Werner, there wouldn't have been an offer for Lukaku in the first place. In this article, we look at how Chelsea couldn't make their striker combinations work and what transpired with both Lukaku and Timo Werner.

The Lukaku saga

In 2021, Romelu Lukaku was again in the spotlight after he moved out of Manchester United. He described the time at United as him being in a 'deep hole' and that Inter Milan rejuvenated his career as he went on to win the league with the side. In 72 appearances, Lukaku netted the goal on 47 occasions across all competitions and was the driving force in ensuring Inter got to a Serie A title. Seeing this potential, Chelsea signed the Belgian striker for a record of £97.5m on a five-year deal, only to depart in ten months. So what was lacking? When Chelsea announced Lukaku was back, it felt like it was the missing piece for Chelsea as they were readying themselves to fight with Liverpool and Manchester City for the League title. The 29-year-old has just come off a great season with Inter, and he knew he had a task to finish at Chelsea. Early Chelsea ticket holders will remember the teenage Romelu Lukaku, who joined the club in 2011 and left three years after he could not score. But that was a long time ago. "I'm happy and blessed to be back at this wonderful club," added the Belgian striker when he joined the Blues' and it all felt like Chelsea was finally complete. And it all started well. In Lukaku's first game for the 2021-22 season, he scored in the 2-0 win against Arsenal and followed up the success later with a brace against Aston Villa in September. But that was all. Since the goals in September, Lukaku again scored in December, and the excitement soon faded away. During this time, there were several blockers, but the striker felt he had lost his motivation to play. An interview in December with Sky Italia put all of the Chelsea ticket holders in a quandary when it was confirmed Lukaku's lack of motivation and how he does not want to be a part of the club. In his interview, he was straightforward in stating that he was not happy at Chelsea and wanted to leave. He also made a strong claim that coach Tuchel did not play him to his strengths - which Tuchel denied. The Tuchel claim did not stand strong in the next few games, and Lukaku couldn't satisfy the bare minimum. In the Chelsea vs. Crystal Palace game that Chelsea won 1-0, Lukaku managed just seven touches of the ball, the fewest for a player who played a full 90 minutes of Premier League football. Thus, the problem was evident - Lukaku needed to go. As the Inter loan deal is confirmed, that would mark the full stop of the Lukaku experiment. A costly experiment, it was with no results to show. Inter without Lukaku could not defend their title in Italy as their main rivals AC Milan ended up on the podium. As the Belgian turns 30, he knows that time is no longer by his side, but the entire world would be watching if it was Chelsea; that was the problem.

The Werner fail

Timo Werner was a different case of a failed experiment. In the 2020-21 season build-up, the transfer market was buzzing on the announcement of Timo Werner as a Chelsea player. Playing for RB Leipzig, Werner had an outstanding final season, breaking record after another in the Bundesliga. He ended up with 95 goals under his name, becoming the club's highest goalscorer. And the expectation was to recreate this at Chelsea. But he didn't have the start he wanted, despite having a good midfield that gave him good ball. Owing to this, after several chances in the first season, Werner eventually ended up becoming a rotational player, providing space for other options. His lack of confidence in front goal was one of the key deciding factors in assessing form. It went on to the point where tap-ins that were scored were declared a success. Werner went from being an assist specialist and creating space to eventually ending up doing virtually nothing. While making runs, he was often found offside and in places where he was not reachable. That was all the first season. Even with Lukaku's arrival, he was given a chance, but nothing significant came from the German. The numbers don't show either, as he has just ten goals in 56 appearances for the side. The hype train before Werner arrived got all who purchased Chelsea tickets excited, only to be disappointed later. Owing to this, it was evident that Chelsea wanted to get rid of Werner, and there was mutual agreement to list him on transfer. Most recently, the team is discussing terms with Juventus on a possible swap with Matthijs de Ligt. But, there's still time for the 26-year-old to revive his career. While his options at Chelsea might look thin as Tuchel has expressed his intentions of playing Kai Havertz in that #9 position, he still has years to prove his net worth, maybe not at Chelsea. While the failed experiments looked for space outside Chelsea, individuals who purchased Chelsea tickets in the last two seasons had a few moments to cherish with these two players. While it was not great, there were small wins to take home. Expect Chelsea to be a newer, much improved, and exciting team next season, provided their transfers get through. In the meantime, if you are looking to watch the team play at Stamford Bridge, this is a reminder for you to reserve Chelsea tickets in advance. Chelsea tickets are one of the most challenging finds, and with the FA announcing this season's fixtures, the bids are already locked in for tickets. Most crucial games are already pre-booked, such as the encounters against Liverpool, Manchester City, and Manchester United. Expect the UEFA Champions League games to be also in hot demand, but the loyal Chelsa fans know what to do to source tickets. 41,000+ tickets are available for each game at Chelsea's home ground, so get started in your ticket hunting today, and soon, you'll be making plans for your trip to Stamford Bridge to see the Blues play.