Chelsea need to find a run of form if they are to win the FA Cup as Romelu Lukaku looks like a player on his way out of the club, according to former Dundalk boss Vinny Perth.
Thomas Tuchel's side earned a last-minute 1-0 victory over West Ham on Sunday. However, prior to that win, their form has been up and down at best, most recently losing 4-2 to Arsenal in the Premier League.
Tuchel's men are preparing for the only silverware that they can still win when they take on Liverpool in the FA Cup Final in May.
With their inconsistency, Perth feels that Tuchel's men will need to play their best football between now and then even though there is nothing else to play for before that clash.
Speaking to OTB Sport's Stephen Doyle after performing commentary duties, Perth discussed Chelsea's lack of consistent form.
"If the FA Cup final was next week, you'd fear for Chelsea," Perth said. "You can't switch your form on and off. You can play well on the day, but it is very difficult to turn your form on and off.
"It is not helped by a lot of empty blue seats in the stadium for obvious reasons. Chelsea just need to go on a run building momentum.
"Players need find a little bit of form. Goal scorers need to score, defenders need clean sheets, etc, as they build towards the FA Cup final.
"They have very little to play for between now and then. With all of the off-field stuff, the wheels can come off your form very quickly.
"I think Tuchel is a world class manager, he is one of the best around. He will be well aware of that. That is why the results over the next couple of weeks are really important.
"They have to find form, get back into a rhythm if they are going to have any chance against one of the best teams in the world in Liverpool."
Romelu Lukaku looks like he's on his way out
One of the most inconsistent performers for Chelsea of the season has been Romelu Lukaku. In spite of the £100 million signing at the start of the season, Tuchel has found little space for the Belgian in his best XI.
Perth feels that the signing has not worked out as well as he thought it might at the start of the season.
"I thought at the start of the season that it was a great signing, because he gave that Chelsea team a focal point with their system," Perth said.
"It just hasn't worked. Watching him in the flesh he seems a little bit heavier than he did the last time he played. His fitness levels don't look like what they once were.
"He has had a lot of niggles and injuries, I understand that. But he has got to do more."
The next thing that Tuchel and Chelsea need to look at is getting rid of Lukaku, according to Perth. Especially since the club needs to make up for a financial hole left by the sanctions on Roman Abramovich.
"You would wonder would he still be at the club next year," Perth said. "He doesn't look happy. He has done that ridiculous interview earlier in the season, when he spoke about his love for Italian football.
"He came on, did really well for the penalty. That is what he likes to do, get close to people, but he's struggled so much that you would have to say that Chelsea's best team has probably not got him in it.
"That is a terrible indictment of somebody that cost £100 million!"
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