Lukaku enjoys dream debut
This was men against boys which, given Romelu Lukaku first arrived at Chelsea as a raw teenager 10 years ago and returns as one of the world’s finest strikers, was accurate in more ways than one.
Chelsea were simply too good for Arsenal, with Mikel Arteta’s side having now played two, lost two and with no goals scored. In 118 seasons in English football it is the first time that has happened to them at the start of a league campaign.
Thomas Tuchel’s side were too strong, too skilful, too well-organised and too competitive. They were just far better, and Lukaku now gives them an even bigger edge. Asked to assess his performance, the Belgian was succinct and accurate. “Dominant,” he said.
Lukaku got his goal inside 15 minutes, having not scored in 15 appearances for Chelsea during his first spell at the club that ended in 2014. That summed up the difference he made to Chelsea – who are bona fide, genuine, daunting Premier League title contenders – and the difference between them and Arsenal. He called it “emotional”. Unfortunately, it was for Arsenal also.
Following his £97.5million move from Inter Milan and on his second debut, Lukaku did precisely what Chelsea want. As the away fans chanted his name at a corner, Lukaku tapped the club badge on his shirt. This appears set to be a very, very happy reunion.
The 28-year-old held the ball up against Pablo Mari, like he was fending off an over-eager puppy, and released it back to Mateo Kovacic, who picked out Reece James unmarked on the right. The wingback’s low cross was precise and for all Mari’s desperate efforts to impede him, Lukaku was in the sixyard area to tuck the ball into the net. Mari ended up on the ground having thrown his arms in the air. Not a good look for Arsenal, but a textbook example of what Chelsea hoped for from Lukaku.
It was his first goal against Arsenal, but his 114th in the Premier League – taking him ahead of Ian Wright in the all-time list. There will be many more to come. It burst Arsenal’s optimism, with the fans back, money spent, their own young tyros given their head and Granit Xhaka apparently worthy of a new contract. The next pass backwards by them was booed and the frustration started to bubble over.
There were more boos at halftime – and again at full time – and although some were directed at referee Paul Tierney, it was as if those fans had never been away.
Arteta had summoned a siege mentality, the manager saying “they” (whoever they are) could not break Arsenal’s “spirit”, although here it had been clearly fractured. Chelsea smashed straight through it and, although Arsenal improved significantly in the second half, it was never enough.
Perhaps instead of worrying about outside noise, Arteta should have organised his team better. Even the most basic of coaching courses would have pointed out, for example, that James – who was outstanding – needed to be stopped down the right. Instead, he remained unmarked.
Arsenal were without £50million signing Ben White after he tested positive for Covid-19, as well as other players, but that was not the problem; it was simple organisation and not being good enough. When Mari finally got close to Lukaku, he was booked for bringing him down.
And then Chelsea scored again and – guess what? – it was James who claimed it. The move began as Chelsea worked their way down the left, with Marcos Alonso’s pass infield intended for Lukaku. Xhaka slid in, but the ball ran to Mason Mount, who again found James unmarked. The wing-back slammed the ball high into the net. As the goal was scored, Kieran Tierney could be seen throwing himself to block James. Too late.
It was game over. Yes, Arsenal huffed and puffed and maybe should have had a penalty when James appeared to bundle over Bukayo Saka in the penalty area. The referee was unmoved and the decision stood after a Var check.
Last season it probably would have been given, but the rules have been loosened with the officials deciding there was insufficient contact. If Arsenal were unfortunate then, they were lucky when an ugly lunge by Rob Holding on Alonso went unpunished. Last season that could have been a red card.
Arsenal threatened twice more. First, Edouard Mendy tipped over a fierce rising shot from Saka. Then, when Mari headed a corner back across goal, it was met by Holding, who could only send his own header wide.
It always felt like Chelsea had too much and when Tuchel turned to N’golo Kante – what a substitute to be able to bring on – it ended any flickering hope of a way back for Arsenal.
The home side appeared to know it, too, with Chelsea creating chance after chance and with Lukaku at the centre of it all. He went closest when he met Mount’s cross, running in front of a static Holding, only for Bernd Leno to excel in turning his strong, close-range header onto the crossbar and away for a corner. Leno then also blocked from Kai Havertz, who was teed up by Lukaku and should really have scored.
“Too easy,” shouted one angry Arsenal fan. For Chelsea it was just that.
Lukaku undoubtedly gives them a far greater dimension, but does not make them predictable, with Tuchel demonstrating their formidable attacking options by bringing on Timo Werner and Hakim Ziyech.
Just like Lukaku, they are going to take some stopping. Arsenal were never going to be up to the challenge. Maybe Chelsea’s next opponents, Liverpool, will provide a truer test with, on its own, Lukaku against Virgil van Dijk a contest to savour.