Ruben Loftus-Cheek

[OhForAGreavsie 5,773]

Was really hoping we'd get a cushion last night so RLC might get some minutes. I can't remember the last time he started a game at any level. Maybe more than a month ago. The lad needs a run out somewhere.

[supporter 3,088]

I think Ruben Loftus-Cheek will be important next season. As Jose said, right now it is very difficult for a young boy playing with us.

Right now we fight for everything and the very high level of demand and any our fault is a global drama. Each draw or defeat of Chelsea is as if the world was disintegrating. Right now bet on a young boy is very difficult.

Ruben Loftus-Cheek has only 19 years old. We do not have to become crazy with it. Also they said that Zouma would fail us and is now an important player for us and will be our Centre-Back for the next decade.

Jose is involved for betting on young boys. At Real Madrid he had to Varane on the bench for a year and half. During that time Jose Varane was teaching the basics of his football and when Varane was prepared Jose put him in his starting eleven.

Varane and Zouma are similar cases. And Ruben Loftus-Cheek is following a similar path to them. I'm sure he will be important for us in the very near future.

[DH1988 1,193]

If Nathan did not perform to the standards that Jose thought he would or develop as Jose thought he would then thats down to Nathan, not Jose, and to be honest can anyone say its a travesty that NC has not been called back and slotted into the first team? Not really, hardly pulling up trees, its give and take with loans, loanees, so many factors not saying its DIRECTLY NC's fault or his attitude but.. somethings got to give.

RLC bossed City in pre-season years ago, kept his head, made his CL debut, hopefully plays a bit more this season 10 minutes here and there with a view to being in the CM next season. Can't fault that integration really, training with the first team for a year, slowly bed him in.

Looking forward to it but not holding a mass amount of hope either. Time will tell.

[RoyalBlues 4,050]

There you go another Matic backup

[stroey 2,525]

There you go another Matic backup

Think he's more a Ramires back up, no?

[RoyalBlues 4,050]

Think he's more a Ramires back up, no?

Yes, you could said that too. With RLC, when we play 433 there will be enough cover for our midfield 3.

[Rom2013 446]

That's exactly why I can't see RLC playing for Chelsea regularly. We have Matic, Fábregas, Ramires and Obi, four great and experienced player.

He doesn't need to play regularly. He needs to do 10 games here, and another 10 or 15 in the under 21... and that's perfect for him at this age.

And every year start playing more.

If he improves a lot and he is better than Ramires, Cesc , he will play more...He is so differnt when compared with Cesc that he will have also opportunities based on that if he does things well.

if not he needs to improve and wait for is great chance.

I have no doubt he will have his chance... obviuosly for doing a Zouma in the CM he needs to play really well and impress a lot since we have more quality there than in CB.

[nyikolajevics 2,420]

I have no doubt he will have his chance... obviuosly for doing a Zouma in the CM he needs to play really well and impress a lot since we have more quality there than in CB.

I agree. Also, Zouma had already played more than 70 matches for St. Étienne when we signed him and Ligue Une is a top championship. He had experience against world class players, he won a League Cup with his side.. Ruben have only played about 10 minutes of professional football so he needs to make a huge step.

[iseah100 5,612]

Names with hyphens are cool.

[lionsden 4,689]

http://talksport.com/football/he-will-be-big-surprise-mourinho-hails-chelsea-teen-sensation-150305138608#JGwSTapB4ZyVGSlh.99

Mourinho on RLC.

He said: “I had Ruben Loftus-Cheek on the bench and I have to say that, in my opinion, next year, this kid will be a big surprise in the Premier League

“This season, if I was not playing for the title and we were not playing with the pressure we have, this kid would already be on the pitch.”

I feel Ake is more ready. But RLC and Ake are different midfieldplayers. Ake is a DM, while RLC is a CM not a DM.

I think Mou played Zouma instead of Ake because of his a physically. RLC is not a DM so couldn't really play that role especially given the profile of the games.

I feel Ake should/should have been given few a apps even as a sub. I rate him very highly. He is tactically mature, good tackling, has energy.

He also said this about Chalobah in 2013.

http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11668/8836629/jose-mourinho-to-send-chelsea-teenager-nathaniel-chalobah-out-on-loan

"He is a very, very good player. I like him very much - very, very much. I am very impressed. For sure, a Chelsea player (in future), for sure. We think he is there".

I'm just saying Jose isn't neccessarily a man of his words and I will only believe it when I see it.

[chrismada9 1,948]

Names with hyphens are cool.

They've been pretty good for us too...

[Blue Colored Sky 1,807]

If Ruben is THE ONE to make it, then I think that's a very good pick. He's in top3 in terms of potential from our current crop. The only thing that's concerning me is that I don't know where he would play ? It's obvious that we need one world-class midfielder in the summer. Assuming that Mikel is off (and that's is very likely since it was reported that he stays because he was waiting for his British passport) there's a room for Matic direct backup and I think there's only one space we can promote youngster. I don't think currently Ruben is the best for that role, Chalobah would be better for me. But when Mikel first joined Chelsea he was supposed to play as a number 10 only to be converted to DM. But overall I don't give much shit if Ruben fits or not because I'm desperate for youngster to break through.

Ruben strikes me as a player who is very professional. I remember watching his short Youtube video when he for example did sprints at midnight and couple of more things. Of course I very much like the look of him as a player. Big man, two-footed with that kind of technique, I like that. He's very, very good when motoring through the middle. Not so much when he passes but we get there. Considering that his sheer size may attract Jose as the youngster to develop since Mou likes big youngsters.

However, I just ponder over this. I remember his words about Chalobah too good. And why Jose is telling something like that out of the blue ? Through his 18month spell here he reminds us every 1,5-2 months that he's here to develop and promote our youngsters, that this one crop are going to be Chelsea players "for sure". Jesus, he's teasing us. And why saying things like that out loud ? Other managers doesn't have to inform whole world what they're going to do but Jose ensures that everyone knows that this miracle, as we can call Chelsea integrating youth product, will happen. Maybe he wants to get his message to Ruben himself to push him another bit further with his efforts but it may be wish-thinking from me.

And also, we're going to be midtable team next season, right ? Because fighting for the title is a big pressure, but so is fighting for top4. Just look at the situation right now. We're actually in more comfort zone than let's say Liverpool or Arsenal. Yet LFC can promote and play Jordan Ibe without hurting their results and chances to get to the top4. The same about Arsenal's Bellarabi for example. We fought for top4 in 2012 and 2013 and you cannot tell me that it was much less pressure than it is now with us.

Anyway maybe Jose wanted to say that Chelsea and him drop the burden off theirs shoulders with finally getting this title ? And maybe he's saying that we're gonna have another 3 or 4 brilliant players in our team next season to make brilliant team so it will be easy to squeeze one youngster in ?

I'm sceptical but would love to see Ruben getting 15-20 games, about 800-900 minutes, that would do for the beginning. I can't believe anyone who says that it is not possible. Forget about other youngsters, I hope that Jose will pick the one, who is "his youngster" and mould him.

[jasonlol 154]

he was beyond horrible today for the u-21's today; mind you whole team was rubbish

[Blue Colored Sky 1,807]

It's normal. He hasn't played for weeks and he's not experienced enough to slot easily without games. I didn't watch the game but I read that Ake was shit too and he's the one also without gametime for weeks and weeks. Jeremie Boga came on against Spurs in FA Youth Cup and also looked out of depth after over a month break.

While I was wondering why Jose came out of the blue with comments about RLC not even being questioned about it I just reminded myself that is the usual time when Jose prepares next season. It was about February last year for example when he started speaking more openly that they're going to sign a proper striker next season. I read books about it, articles about it how Jose always prepares next season about half-time into current season. About February he prepares with his team who they need to sign next season, who they're going to play in the summer, what they have to improve, in what areas, a complex gameplan going forward. When he was at Spain they talked about it extensively. It was also the case with Inter when he sat after the defeat against Man Utd with Moratti to talk what moves they're going to do in the summer and what areas to improve. So seems that Jose deducted and concluded that RLC will be part of his plan next season I guess. Anyway, first step is being made already because he talks about him in person, calling his name instead of speaking broadly "youths" or "kids" like he used to do.

[Gilvorak 3,734]

So RDM just sent out a team with an average age of 22 to the Bernabeu in a CL knockout tie and they completely outplayed Real. Today's game just killed two birds in one stone for me.

1. "The Bundesliga is weak". No PL side atm could put in a performance like that. Wasn't too long ago Rodgers had Liverpool fans celebrating a 1 nil loss.

2. "Youngsters can't be trusted against good teams"

Sane who was one of Schalke's best players was only just playing U19 matches a few weeks ago. Loftus-Cheek did this to him in our game against Schalke

But apparently he isn't good enough to get more than garbage time minutes in a game.

[OneMoSalah 8,611]

So RDM just sent out a team with an average age of 22 to the Bernabeu in a CL knockout tie and they completely outplayed Real. Today's game just killed two birds in one stone for me.

1. "The Bundesliga is weak". No PL side atm could put in a performance like that. Wasn't too long ago Rodgers had Liverpool fans celebrating a 1 nil loss.

2. "Youngsters can't be trusted against good teams"

Sane who was one of Schalke's best players was only just playing U19 matches a few weeks ago. Loftus-Cheek did this to him in our game against Schalke

But apparently he isn't good enough to get more than garbage time minutes in a game.

Lets be honest it was hardly a great performance by Real Madrid, they looked out of ideas at times and individual mistakes helped Schalke but yes it was a very good performance.

Its different to play for Schalke at age 17 or 18 than is it to play for Chelsea and you know this. Lets be honest what team in the PL right now is currently playing a 18 year old or 19 year old from their academy regularly in their first 11 that are in the top 6? Nobody is. Sterling at Liverpool and Wilshere at Arsenal have been the only exceptions players I can think of who at that age came through and played regularly in the last 4 or 5 years. Perhaps throw Ross Barkley into that list because of Everton's high finish last year and maybe Jon Flanagan too but still its only 4 players then.

[mikeholiday 209]

lets get mou fired then

[Rom2013 446]

So RDM just sent out a team with an average age of 22 to the Bernabeu in a CL knockout tie and they completely outplayed Real. Today's game just killed two birds in one stone for me.

1. "The Bundesliga is weak". No PL side atm could put in a performance like that. Wasn't too long ago Rodgers had Liverpool fans celebrating a 1 nil loss.

2. "Youngsters can't be trusted against good teams"

Sane who was one of Schalke's best players was only just playing U19 matches a few weeks ago. Loftus-Cheek did this to him in our game against Schalke

But apparently he isn't good enough to get more than garbage time minutes in a game.

We are taking about the team that lost 0-5 against us right?.