The Belgium striker’s second debut gave a glimpse of what to expect this season, albeit against a weak defence that made it too easyOnce he had been confirmed in the starting XI, did anybody doubt that Romelu Lukaku would score against Arsenal on Sunday? Was there anybody who thought, “You know what? I think Arsenal might come up with a viable plan to stop him?” Lukaku had scored on his debut for each of the other five clubs he had played for; he required a second debut to score for Chelsea, but from kick-off on Sunday it only ever felt a matter of time. Related: Ruthless Romelu Lukaku puts feeble Arsenal to the sword on Chelsea return Related: Arsenal appear...
Mikel Arteta’s side made basic errors in a predictable 2-0 defeat but it is the culture behind the scenes that is the real concernArsenal fans: honestly, what did you think was going to happen? Probably, in fairness, exactly that. Indeed, had you simulated this game several thousand times in advance, “an easy 2-0 milking for Chelsea with Romelu Lukaku running riot” would probably have been among the more common outcomes.All the same, there was a startling quality to the way Arsenal lost here. Not simply the speed of their capitulation but the sheer stupidity of it, the bone-headed determination to keep making the same elementary mistakes, the way the 11 on the pitch were pretty much the only people in...
With fans back at the Emirates, Sunday’s derby with Chelsea will show how much goodwill the manager has in reserveEverybody wants their own Pep Guardiola. Everybody wants to find a former player, steeped in the traditions of the club, who can bring great success, preferably by using products of the academy. But the problem with geniuses is that there aren’t many of them about.It’s also the problem of clubs: for all the talk of identities and DNA, very few of them actually have a cogent philosophy that binds first team to youth sides, or at least not one that has been in place for long enough to turn out a player who can return almost two decades after their debut...
Romelu Lukaku returns for Chelsea, Raphaël Varane set for United bow and Burnley test Virgil van Dijk’s aerial mettleArsenal beat Chelsea twice last season, including a victory at StamfordBridge three months ago. Since then they have spent heavily on transfers including a £50m centre-back. Their fans must be super-confident as they prepare for Sunday’s Emirates clash, especially those who have blanked out last week’s fiasco at Brentford. But Thomas Tuchel is sure to bear that match in mind as he prepares his strategy for Sunday, and his pre-match pep talk is likely to begin with a good old-fashioned “get into ’em”. Ben White performed no worse than many teammates last week but the expectation on him is higher following his...
The striker returns to Chelsea a better and more experienced player in his prime – and with the title in his sightsWhen Sir Alex Ferguson signed Robin van Persie he knew the Dutchman could score the goals needed to take Manchester United to the title, and he proved his manager right in his first season. Thomas Tuchel is hoping Romelu Lukaku will do the same for Chelsea, as the £97.5m final piece in the jigsaw at Stamford Bridge.The Belgian has proven his capabilities everywhere he has been throughout his career, rarely experiencing a barren spell despite sometimes not being first choice. Lukaku’s form at Internazionale helped to lead them to their first Serie A title in 11 years, ending the...