Why is Romelu Lukaku playing? He’s doing what Chelsea asks

Thomas Tuchel is no shrinking violet. When he saw things weren’t going his way at Dortmund, he wasn’t afraid to speak up and go against the board. He did the same thing at Paris Saint-Germain which is part of the reason why they were so willing to sack him the season after he took them to the Champions League final. Tuchel’s relationship with the Chelsea board is as good as he’s ever had it, but do not mistake that as a sign this is not the same Tuchel.

If the board had told Tuchel to play Romelu Lukaku, he may have played along for a bit. But not forever. If performances simply are not there, Tuchel is not the type to keep following the company line. Tuchel will only play someone that is earning their keep or following his instructions.

The only logical conclusion as to why Romelu Lukaku has eight straight starts for Chelsea is that he is doing what Thomas Tuchel wants him to do. The fact that Lukaku has not been particularly effective only reiterates that point. When Tammy Abraham and Callum Hudson-Odoi did not follow instructions last year, Tuchel didn’t hesitate. There is simply no way Lukaku starts the last eight games (going back to the Liverpool game he was dropped as punishment), with poor form, if he was not doing exactly what Tuchel has asked of him.

Perhaps the biggest question is why. Lukaku has been pinning the centerbacks, an important part of any striker’s game. Somewhat unseen is the space and time he creates for the likes of Hakim Ziyech on the flank. Big strikers like Lukaku create gravity, and though that takes them out of the game, it opens the game up for others.

This isn’t too dissimilar to what happened with Kai Havertz last year. Havertz wasn’t meant to be a striker that scored. He was meant to be a striker that dragged bodies towards him. Lukaku is doing the same, just with less movement.

But the frequent call is for Lukaku to get more involved, something Tuchel himself doesn’t shy away from. There is just one issue with that: Lukaku’s teammates. Yes, Lukaku is responsible for putting himself out there, but he can’t force a pass to himself. Against Crystal Palace, Lukaku’s lack of touches was very much a by product of his teammates simply not trying to pass to him much if at all. The team plays around Lukaku, not into him.

And that’s why his pinning the centerbacks works. It’s a blackhole that nothing goes into, but opposition defenders know they can’t escape it or else Lukaku will be too open to score. And that’s just speaking of the game horizontally. Vertically, players get pulled into Lukaku and that opens up space for teammates (and sometimes Lukaku if someone actually plays the ball) to run in behind.

And all of this is done, in part, because Lukaku is doing what Tuchel has asked of him. If Lukaku wasn’t meeting Tuchel’s grade, there is simply no way he would have started as much as he has. Yes, Kai Havertz and Timo Werner have had Covid and Lukaku cost a ton, but that simply doesn’t fully account for the last two months. The only thing that does is that Tuchel is seeing what he wants. And despite the boo boys that think Lukaku can be sold this summer, it’s likely this run will continue.