Tuchel is frustrating Lukaku at Chelsea - Agbonlahor

Former Aston Villa striker Gabriel Agbonlahor has claimed that Romelu Lukaku must be frustrated with starting behind Timo Werner and Kai Havertz at Chelsea. Agbonlahor noted that the former Inter Milan striker would not be pleased with the reduced minutes he is getting at Stamford Bridge especially after being a starter at the Italian club before moving to Chelsea this summer. 

Lukaku recently returned from injury but has been sparingly used by Chelsea coach Thomas Tuchel, picking up only three minutes of action against Leeds United during the weekend. Since he returned from injury, the Belgian striker has racked up only 77 minutes of action across four fixtures all from the bench.

Agbonlahor told talkSPORT that there is no basis for keeping the 28-year-old striker on the bench since he was not out of the team for so long and he could not have lost his early-season form so quick.

The former England international said: “I think Thomas Tuchel needs a kick up the backside as well because I’m looking at Lukaku, a £90million striker, on the bench again today. He’s played 78 minutes in four Premier League games. 

"Lukaku wasn’t out for five months, he was out for five games. I’ve been there, if you’ve been out for five games after one game where you come on for 20 minutes, you’re ready to start."

Agbonlahor also pointed out that the Belgian striker's replacements, Werner and Havertz are not performing as expected when they start. The former Aston Villa striker believes that a striker who was acquired for £90m should not only be brought on in the 87th minute of a match.

"It doesn’t take another four games and you’re playing someone like Werner in front of him who is not a Chelsea player, nowhere near, because he’s been miles off it since he’s come to Chelsea. Not been good enough. The odd game he’ll score a good goal but nowhere near good enough," Agbonlahor explained.

“If I’m Lukaku I’m thinking, ‘I left Inter as a £90m striker to come to Chelsea and I’m only getting brought on today because they need a goal in the 87th minute’. He probably wouldn’t have brought him on if they were winning.

"Lukaku will be fuming. He started off the season as the main man and there was talk of Lukaku needing a rest because he was playing every minute in the Champions League and the Premier League and all of a sudden he can’t get on the pitch and you’re playing Werner and Havertz, who are not performing."

Lukaku has made just 16 appearances for the Blues so far this term, scoring five goals and creating one assist. He went off injured during a 4-0 thrashing of Malmö in the Champions League in early October, subsequently missing six matches before returning to the bench in late October against Juventus.