Hakim Ziyech insists ‘it’s just a matter of time’ before £98m striker Romelu Lukaku finds his best form after only netting four times since September – as Chelsea winger says team will adapt to get the summer signing firing
- Hakim Ziyech says Chelsea will adapt to bring out the best in Romelu Lukaku
- Belgium striker has struggled since £98m move in the summer from Inter Milan
- Ziyech backed Lukaku to come good in his second spell at club after slow start
Hakim Ziyech says that Chelsea will adapt to bring out the best in Romelu Lukaku after the record signing Belgium striker has struggled since his £98million move in the summer from Inter.
Ahead of tonight’s World Club Cup semi-final against Al Hilal from Saudi Arabia, Ziyech backed Lukaku, who has scored just four goals for Chelsea since mid September, to come good in his second spell at the club.
‘He has shown it for years, there is no question of his quality. In the beginning, it was all good. He came back from injury, he caught Covid. Is there any question about his quality or whatever? He showed it for the last few years. It is just a matter of time,’ Ziyech said.
Hakim Ziyech (right) says that Chelsea will adapt to bring out the best in Romelu Lukaku (left)
Striker has scored four goals for Chelsea since September with his last coming on January 8
‘Everybody [has to adjust]. That is something we have to work on and we still work on. Sometimes in games it’s really good and sometimes a bit less. I think there is still a lot of space to improve.
‘If you look at some teams we are playing against, they play in a back five. He is by himself against three defenders. Is that not hard? It doesn’t matter who you are, if you have three defenders of course it is hard to find your space or whatever it is.
‘For example, he makes an action against one, but the other one is coming as well. He also needs his space for his runs or whatever. It’s quite normal if every time you play against three defenders. It is really difficult at a time when we play football right now. It is hard.’
Ziyech, Ross Barkley (centre) and Lukaku train in Abu Dhabi ahead of the Club World Cup
Ziyech says the players in Abu Dhabi are motivated to seize the opportunity to make history this week and win the Club World Cup, a trophy Chelsea have never previously won.
‘It is one of the biggest cups you can win club wise,’ he said.
‘You’re not coming here without winning the Champions League. That’s how we see it and if you want to achieve such a big trophy or cup, you know what is coming.
‘The Champions League was a big one. This one will be a little bit shorter because it is two games, but it will be intense because you have all the best teams of all over the world. You also know that not a lot of players play for this kind of trophy. If you are here, like us now, there is only one thing, you want to win it.’
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