“Unless I’m dismissed, he won’t feature in Chelsea’s starting lineup again,” says Mauricio Pochettino, as he attributes their loss to Brentford, despite dominating the game, to certain Chelsea players.

Former Chelsea player Joe Cole has raised concerns about the club’s decision to allow Romelu Lukaku to leave and their struggles with goal-scoring as they were defeated 2-0 by Brentford. Chelsea’s goal-scoring woes have been evident this season, with just 13 goals in 10 league games. Nicolas Jackson, who led the line against Brentford, failed to make a significant impact. With Armando Broja as the only other striking option, Chelsea might consider adding another striker in the January transfer window, despite substantial spending on transfers.

Joe Cole, who once donned the Chelsea jersey, questions the club’s summer decision to part ways with Romelu Lukaku. Lukaku had returned to Chelsea in a £97 million transfer in 2021 but left for Roma on a season-long loan in August. While Lukaku has been in prolific form for Roma, scoring eight goals in ten games, Chelsea’s goal-scoring issues persist.

In Cole’s view, Romelu Lukaku should have been a reliable option for Chelsea, given his track record of success at Inter Milan and previous stints in the Premier League with Everton and West Brom. He expressed confusion over why Lukaku couldn’t replicate his goal-scoring prowess at Chelsea and what might have been the issue with the player. This sentiment is echoed by many fans who have been left puzzled by Lukaku’s departure.

Looking ahead, Cole suggests that Chelsea may need to assess their options for a mid-season striker acquisition. He mentioned Napoli’s Victor Osimhen and Brentford’s Ivan Toney as potential choices to bolster Chelsea’s attacking force. The club’s lack of attacking prowess is clearly a concern, and addressing this issue is vital if Chelsea hopes to achieve their goals for the season.

While Cole is quick to praise Chelsea’s manager and coaching staff, he believes there is something fundamentally wrong with the club beyond just the players’ performance. He highlights the need for introspection to identify the root causes of Chelsea’s struggles, despite the club’s substantial investment in transfers and a talented squad.