Life is full of mysteries.
Why are we all here in the first place?
What came first, the chicken or the egg?
Who commissioned Sharknado?
One unsolved storyline that has been on the mind of many Chelsea supporters for some time surely links to Romelu Lukaku.
Ahead of his club-record return to Stamford Bridge last summer, Lukaku was heralded as the answer to Thomas Tuchel’s Premier League title charge.
He appeared to be the final piece of a puzzle that was nearing completion.
A definitive number nine who knew how to find the back of the net.
After four goals in five games, it seemed everything had fallen into place.
Life in South West London looked very promising for Lukaku.
But things turned very sour, very quickly.
Lukaku looks lost
The centre-forward went on a run of 11 straight games without scoring following that scorching start.
A large chunk of this baron streak was taken over by a month-long injury absence.
Goals have since been restored to the Belgian’s CV, yet only on a hit-and-miss basis.
Lukaku now looks cut adrift from the squad, as highlighted by his ghostly performance against Crystal Palace last weekend.
His regrettable interview with Sky Italia certainly hasn’t helped matters on the pitch.
From around that period onwards, the striker has regularly stood separate from his colleagues, often completely overlooked in passages of play.
Some have argued this is the team’s fault; others lay blame on Lukaku himself.
This particular question will remain unanswered until a solution can be found for the faltering attacker.
Thomas Tuchel could try removing the player from the spotlight for a few matches and see how the side fares.
Or, the German boss may want to switch systems to accommodate Lukaku.
However, after defending his own methods last weekend, the latter option is highly unlikely.
Perhaps it is the personnel around the frontman that is the problem.
Chelsea’s attacking trio changes pretty much every fixture, meaning connections and relationships are difficult to maintain.
Whilst Lukaku probably knew a few of the group beforehand through international contests or Premier League bouts, he entered Cobham without many affiliations with the current crop.
Apart from one figure, of course.
Ross x Romelu
Ross Barkley shared an Everton dressing room with the Belgian international for four seasons before the pair went their separate ways.
They formed a good bond at Goodison Park, one that was concluded when Lukaku joined Manchester United.
“If Ross fulfils his potential, you are talking about the best player in English football. He has got everything,” said Lukaku on his former Toffee teammate in 2016.
Combined with their fleeting appearances for Chelsea, the pair have played 146 times together, more than either have managed with anyone else in their careers.
As well as appreciating one another, both have shared rather similar stories since joining the European champions.
Barkley has never truly established himself as Chelsea regular after leaving Everton in 2018.
This could be his final campaign as a Blue, with reports frequently linking him with a move away.
The 28-year-old’s parting gift could be to get the best out of Lukaku again, permitted he is given a chance by Tuchel.
Lukaku needs love around him; few adore him more in the Chelsea changing room than Barkley.
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