"Unwillingness to get involved" - Paul Robinson slams Chelsea's Romelu Lukaku after horror show against Crystal palace

Paul Robinson was unimpressed with Romelu Lukaku's performance for Chelsea against Crystal Palace.

Lukaku recorded only seven touches throughout the length of the match and was slammed by the former England goalkeeper for his poor outing.

Robinson told Football Insider:

"It's an incredible stat for a player who cost around £100 million. To have that few touches in a game is simply not good enough. That was one of his poorest ever performances in a Chelsea shirt."

He added:

"There's arguments that the Blues don’t play in a way that suits him, that doesn’t involve him in the game but he has to do more. He has to get involved in the game more. Your attitude and application has to be better than that."

He further said:

"To have that few touches shows an unwillingness to get involved in the game. That is not people passing him the ball. It’s him not getting involved. I thought Lukaku was going to be the difference for Chelsea this season, but far from it."

Expand Tweet

Lukaku struggling at Stamford Bridge

Lukaku is having a troubling first season back at his old club. He was signed from Inter Milan for a club record fee of £97.5 million in the summer of 2021.

The Belgian was expected to lead the line at the Bridge but faded away after a bright start in west London. The striker has scored ten goals in 28 games, only five of which have come in the Premier League.

Lukaku's miserable form in front of goal has also affected Chelsea's hopes of winning the league title.

Chelsea can still turn around their season

The Blues are currently 13 points behind league leaders Manchester City and are realistically attempting to secure a top-four spot this season.

They have an easy run of fixtures in the Premier League in March and Thomas Tuchel will be hoping that the Belgian hitman can refind his form.

The Blues also have an important clash against Lille on Tuesday night in the UEFA Champions League.

Finally, they will also have the chance to add yet another trophy to their kitty this season when they face Liverpool this weekend at the Carabao Cup.

Expand Tweet

About the author

Diptanil is a European football journalist and sports editor at Sportskeeda. He completed his Master’s in Sports Management from Coventry University and has a total work experience of 7 years. A true expert of the beautiful game, Diptanil also studies the sport from the data analytics perspective.

Diptanil focuses on in-depth research, objective writing, and cultural sensitivity when creating content, and always strives to give his readers something new to take away from each of his articles. His ability to streamline information and let it reach a natural conclusion as opposed to telling a story with a pre-fixed narrative sets him apart from other journalists.

He became a fan of Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea after their record-breaking 2004-05 season and their 2008-09 Champions League semifinal defeat was a bittersweet learning experience for him. Diptanil’s favorite player is Frank Lampard who is known for his hard work and dedication as a football professional. He loves how his favorite manager Carlo Ancelotti strikes a fine balance in keeping the game both player-oriented and data-driven.

Outside of Europe's top five leagues, Diptanil follows Liga Portugal, the Indian Super League, and Saudi Pro League. His other interests include doing charity work, watching period dramas, and world politics.

Know More

Edited by Arjun Panchadar