Tuchel reveals why Romelu Lukaku was an unused substitute vs Everton

Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel reveals why he didn’t use Romelu Lukaku in the loss vs Everton

According to Football.London, Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel suggested that he didn’t include Romelu Lukaku in the clash against Everton due to a shortage of substitution options. 

After trailing by one goal against Everton in yesterday’s Premier League clash, Tuchel had sufficient time to bring in his £97m striker. However, the German chose to bring on Christian Pulisic and Hakim Ziyech instead. Lukaku, of course, enjoyed a loan season at the Toffees before being bought permanently in 2014.

Failing to equalise after Everton’s opener, Chelsea suffered a 1-0 defeat that obliged them to take a big hit in the Premier League points table. Now standing only 3 points clear from fourth-placed Arsenal, the Blues may have to fight hard for the top-four spots in the following games. 

When asked why he didn’t call upon his crucial striker, the German manager revealed that after taking out Jorginho, he didn’t have choices left to substitute Romelu Lukkau in the game.

“had to take Jorgi off; I only have three chances.”

What next for Lukaku?

Even though Tuchel’s explanation clarifies some parts of the story, it is still not understood why he preferred to bring on Christian Pulisic and Hakim Ziyech instead of the Belgian striker. Perhaps, he wanted more creativity in the final third rather than Lukaku’s dominating presence inside the box.

Considering the colossal money Chelsea spent on Lukaku, the Belgian was expected to play a massive role this season. Even though he was trusted regularly in the initial half of the season, things have gone downhill for him since then.

His last 90-minute spell in a Premier League match was back in mid-February against Crystal Palace. Moreover, Tuchel’s changes hint at where he may rate the former Inter Milan star when his team needs a goal. Jorginho was subbed off at halftime and he still had two changes left in his kitty.

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Before coming to Chelsea, the Belgian was a sensational performer at Inter Milan and was arguably impactful during his time at Manchester United. We have made a big investment in Lukaku and it makes sense to stick with him for a while before giving a judgement on him.

Moreover, it has to be understood that every player will not play every single game for the club. Maybe, this is the phase where the 28-year-old striker has to prove his worth to the German boss and with an important month up ahead before the summer, he should have a few chances to do just that.