"They won't wait" – Tony Cascarino sends Chelsea warning to Romelu Lukaku amidst worrying run of form

Former footballer Tony Cascarino believes Chelsea could just move on from Romelu Lukaku if he doesn't start firing soon.

Lukaku has endured a below-par campaign so far. While he missed a chunk of the season due to injury, the Belgian has struggled to impress consistently since returning to action.

The 28-year-old has recorded just ten goals from 28 matches across all competitions this term. Half of that tally has come in 17 Premier League matches, which is worrying for both Lukaku and the Blues.

Cascarino believes that Thomas Tuchel's side could start looking for ways to survive without the striker's goals if his barren run continues. He told talkSPORT (via Express):

"When it's going well for you somewhere and you've done brilliantly well and then you have a move and it's not quite the same and you haven't got the same relationship with the players, and you're a big earner, Chelsea don't wait for strikers. They won't wait for Lukaku either."

The 59-year-old added:

"It just feels Lukaku's very isolated a lot of the time and with that I think the frustration for Chelsea fans is that he's not quite pulling his weight as well. They sense that he's not buying into what's really required of him."

Lukaku was virtually anonymous once again during the Blues' hard-fought 1-0 win against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park over the weekend.

He recorded just seven touches, completed four of six passes, and had no shots despite playing all 90 minutes of the Premier League contest.

---

Chelsea need Lukaku to start firing ahead of crucial few weeks

There's no doubt that Chelsea were excited to bring Lukaku back for a club-record fee in the summer. However, they need him to start scoring as early as possible as we approach the final months of the season.

The Blues have multiple important fixtures coming up in the next few weeks. Tuchel's side take on LOSC Lille in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League Round of 16 tie tomorrow (February 22).

This will be followed by the Carabao Cup final on Sunday (February 27), where they clash horns with Liverpool.

After starting off as title contenders, Chelsea are just about peeping over their shoulders in the Premier League. They are currently third with 50 points from 25 matches and are just four points ahead of fourth-placed Manchester United.

With the likes of Arsenal, West Ham and Tottenham Hotspur all gunning for a top-four finish, the Blues need to keep winning games to keep hold of third place.