Lukaku jumps to Chelsea

Football sometimes has its certitudes and about the braided bond between Romeu Lukaku and Chelsea there was little doubt that the Belgian forward was the piece that the European champion was missing to become an even more fearsome team capable of defending successfully. his continental title without undermining his highest aspirations to win the Premier.

A priori, this Chelsea has a squad to play all the titles it proposes. It is much more than a starting eleven. Thomas Tüchel has chips to make two highly competitive lineups. To alternate between competitions according to immediate needs, and to play with changes, rotations and whatever else he deems appropriate. In six months he has managed to make all his players feel between necessary and important and conform to a tactical model regardless of being starters or substitutes. When they play, everyone knows what they have to do and the accordion that always defends upwards with very staggered lines almost always has a balanced sound.

The most significant case is that of the Spaniard Marcos Alonso. Defenestrated absurdly by Lampard, he jumped to the starting position with the arrival of the German coach, then lost it to the benefit of Chilwell who, with the European Championship with England on the horizon, ended the season as indisputable. With the start of the new season and his latest incorporation to come from playing the final against Italy, the Spanish side regained his position and his performances are counted as outstanding, including a goal from a direct free kick in the Premier's first match against Crystal Palace. Direct consequence: Tüchel now has two starters on the left wing.

And the same is true in all positions. It is not that he has all the positions doubled, like almost all teams with a vision of champions, it is that he has positions in which whoever plays the collective performance has visas of not resenting. And also with versatile players who can play in various demarcations, with Azpilicueta as the maximum exponent: central, lateral, right, left.

Only Lukaku, signed from Inter for 115 million, seems irreplaceable. The squad does not have another footballer who can contribute what he already captured on Sunday against Arsenal in his debut. It seemed as if he had been in that gear for six months. The entire offensive game revolved around his positioning, his unchecks. Everyone was looking for him. With their presence at the top, the wingers (James and Marcos Alonso) played almost as wingers ahead, even from the interiors (Mount and Havertz). James passed the first goal and scored the second.

The inside-midfielders themselves took advantage of the Belgian's movements to reach the area from the second line with free spaces. The midfielders (Jorginho and Kanté or Kovacic) used their magnificent back game to connect with him and gain meters in the opposite field. Lukaku seems to be throwing the equipment on his shoulders. His mere presence invited us to play with him. As he did at Inter de Conte with a very similar tactical organization (3-2-4-1 / 3-4-2-1). There last season he scored 30 goals and gave 10 passes in 44 games. Not forgetting the four of the Eurocup in five games. Already against Arsenal he looked for the right wing as bait to get away from the centrals, but when he had to be in the small area there he was, as in his first goal to the center of the winger James.

Waiting immediately for the Sevilla central Koundé and the possible arrival of the rojiblanco Saúl, who could play in both the midfielder and midfielder positions, the powers of Chelsea de Tüchel champion of the Champions are visualized in these two eleven that, obviously , can be mixed with each other.

Starting team: Mendy;

Koundé, Christensen, Rudiger;

Azpilicueta, Jorginho, Kanté, Marcos Alonso;

Mount, Havertz, and Lukaku.

Second team: Kepa;

Chalobah, Thiago Silva, Sarr;

James, Kovacic, Loftus Cheek, Chilwell;

Pulisic, Ziyech;

Werner.

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