Chelsea with Lukaku vs Chelsea without Lukaku
Carlo Garganese
- Updated: 31 Oct 2021 21:30 GMT
- 3 min read
The Chelsea machine is building up steam. Saturday’s 3-0 victory over Newcastle United means that the Blues have now had six wins in a row in all competitions (including the League Cup penalty shootout victory over Southampton).
Thomas Tuchel’s men find themselves top of the Premier League, three points clear of Liverpool and a healthy five points ahead of last season’s champions Manchester City. Man Utd and Arsenal are already eight points off the pace.
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But despite the current standings, Chelsea have not always impressed this season.
Indeed, they have laboured at times and their recent run of form has coincided with Romelu Lukaku being out of the team due to injury.
Some fans and critics have even argued that Chelsea are playing better without their €115 million (£97m) record summer signing.
Is there any truth to this? Let’s take a look at the key statistics.
Chelsea with Lukaku in 2021-22
Played: 10
Won: 6
Drawn: 2*
Lost: 2
Goals for: 15
Goals against: 5
*one draw was a penalty shootout win in the League Cup
Chelsea without Lukaku in 2021-22
Played: 6
Won: 4
Drawn: 2*
Lost: 0
Goals for: 19
Goals against: 2
*both draws were penalty shootout wins
The stats above show that Chelsea are producing better results when Lukaku doesn’t play. They have a much higher win percentage, are unbeaten and all their games have ended successfully as even their two draws resulted in penalty shootout victories in the UEFA Super Cup versus Villarreal and League Cup against Southampton.
They are also scoring at a far higher rate. Chelsea have scored four more goals without Lukaku despite playing four less matches.
It should be noted, however, that Chelsea’s fixture list without Lukaku has been far easier; Villarreal, Crystal Palace, Malmo, Norwich, Southampton and Newcastle.
With Lukaku in the team, Chelsea have had to face the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool, Man City. Juventus and Tottenham.
Nevertheless, Lukaku’s record of four goals and no assists from his 10 matches played is somewhat disappointing given his pricetag and the fact he was expected to be the final piece in the Chelsea jigsaw.
It is still early days and few doubt that Lukaku will go on to be a big success but so far it is true – as Antonio Conte remarked a few weeks ago – that Tuchel has yet to find the right formula for the big Belgian.
