Granted, that’s a somewhat reductive headline, but it amused me when I thought of it, so we’ll stick with it. And in all honesty, it might not be nearly as far from the hard truth as we’d like. Start the hot takes!
While it’s safe to say that neither Timo Werner (10g, 5a) nor Romelu Lukaku (12g, 2a) lived up to their reputation, price tags or expectations since joining (or rejoining) Chelsea. , but it seems Lukaku is at the bottom of the pecking order at the moment as Werner continues to make the most (well, more) of his opportunities. The two-legged Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid clearly reflected this situation, with Lukaku missing a huge, potentially decisive chance in the first leg and Werner completing the comeback and briefly giving Chelsea the overall lead towards the end of the game, second.
Of course, judging forwards by goals alone is also limiting, but scoring goals is better than not scoring, even in the age of fancy statistics and data analysis – especially when it comes to the biggest phase and moments.
Goals change games. Given the length of a standard football game, they are relatively rare, which reinforces their importance and in turn the importance of those who can deliver in crucial moments. Werner did, Lukaku didn’t. We should all try to be more like Werner, odd as that may sound for a striker who has a litany of increasingly hilarious and incredible misses (including a Woodwork hat-trick just the other day!). On the other hand, Werner’s attitude and pace of work have remained exemplary throughout, and these are qualities that others should emulate.
“[Lukaku] had a huge chance against Real Madrid and it can go that fast. Nobody knows what that goal would have done for us if he had taken his chance with that late header in the first leg.
“That’s exactly what he needs to do. Wait, be patient, work hard and put the team first, be ready to help the team, because as a striker, you can help within seconds. Things can change in minutes, in moments, especially for strikers. Whole careers can be upside down and go in all directions, but as a striker you always have a chance to turn things in your favor, whether as a substitute or when you have a chance to start.”
-Thomas Tuchel; Source: Guardian
It’s maybe a bit unfair to Lukaku as he was injured in the second leg. We could certainly have used him as a late substitute or in extra time to try and win the tie. Alas, fate has conspired against our prodigal son.
However, he now has a chance (…if he plays…) to take us to the FA Cup final, a competition in which he excelled this year. All it takes is one bright moment.