Former Chelsea defender Mario Melchiot has claimed that Romelu Lukaku is ‘killing his own confidence’ after he spurned a glorious chance to end his goal drought against Crystal Palace. The Blues were already 2-0 up in Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final when the Belgian striker hit the post from six yards out, after he was set up by Timo Werner.
Lukaku hasn’t scored since the FA Cup quarter-final win over Middlesbrough on March 19 and hasn’t found the back of the net in a Premier League game since the end of December. The 28-year-old's lack of form in front of goal has seen him dropped by Thomas Tuchel in recent weeks in favour of Kai Havertz.
Expectations were high when Chelsea spent a club-record £97.5 million on Lukaku last summer, with many feeling his signing would be the catalyst for a serious assault on the title. However, with just 12 goals in 37 appearances this season the former Inter Milan striker is yet to have the desired impact in west London.
READ MORE: Thomas Tuchel's passionate Ruben Loftus-Cheek warning a wake-up call to Chelsea academy stars
Melchiot believes that the Belgium international can still be a success at Stamford Bridge, and is adamant that he needs to establish what Tuchel requires from him in order to move forward.
“He needs a good chat with his coach,” Melchiot told talkSPORT. “To understand what his coach wants because if not he’s just killing his own confidence.
“Coming back after an injury and getting back in the team and coming on, of course, he hit the post trying to get the ball in the goal, it’s just sad, a player of his stature, of his ability.
“Coming with so much confidence and then going through the moments he’s going through now, the only thing he can do for himself is have a good chat, understand what the coach wants because I don’t always think that Lukaku really understands what’s expected from him in the system that Tuchel wants to play.”
Lukaku has been linked with a move away from the club with Paris Saint-Germain reportedly interested in signing him if Kylian Mbappe leaves the Parc des Princes when his contract expires in the summer. He’s also been linked with a return to former side Inter, where he undoubtedly enjoyed the best form of his career; scoring 64 goals in 95 appearances.
