Former Chelsea striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has claimed that Romelu Lukaku ‘doesn’t do enough’ after another lacklustre performance during the Blues' 4-2 defeat to Arsenal on Wednesday. Lukaku started the match but was replaced by Kai Havertz in the second half after a largely anonymous display.
Much was expected from Lukaku when he re-joined the club for £97.5 million from Inter Milan last summer, he scored an impressive 30 goals in 44 appearances last season to help the Nerazzurri win their first Serie A title in a decade. It was hoped he would have a similar impact at Chelsea but he is yet to justify his hefty fee and has been replaced by Havertz as the focal point of the team.
Lukaku, who barely troubled the Gunners' defence before he was withdrawn, also missed a very presentable chance during the weekend’s FA Cup semi-final win over Crystal Palace. And Hasselbaink believes the 28-year-old needs to work harder for the team if he’s to rediscover the form he showcased in Italy.
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"He does not do enough. Hasselbaink said on Sky Sports during the post-match analysis. "If you want to be the man, you need to at least run around.
"You have to try and show that you are bothered and that you want to suffer, and he simply does not run around, he does not go into gaps and he doesn’t go into space and without doing that, you are not going to score. Chelsea were very static and if you are going to have players that play like that, you have no chance."
Arsenal opened the scoring at Stamford Bridge through Eddie Nketiah in the 13th minute, but Timo Werner continued his recent run of good form with an equaliser moments later. Emile Smith Rowe put the away side 2-1 up but Cesar Azpilicueta’s strike ensured the scores were level going into the break.
However, Nketiah bagged his second of the game in the second half and Bukayo Saka’s stoppage-time penalty sealed a priceless away victory that put Mikel Arteta’s side level on points with fourth-placed Tottenham.
