Ruben Loftus-Cheek

[nadavTKL 1,787]

Surprised no one noticed that Brown and Loftus-Cheek are full time squad members right now.

http://www.chelseafc.com/news/latest-news/2015/02/more-academy-graduates-in-first-team-squad.html

[killer1257 3,282]

Surprised no one noticed that Brown and Loftus-Cheek are full time squad members right now.

http://www.chelseafc.com/news/latest-news/2015/02/more-academy-graduates-in-first-team-squad.html

That doesn´t mean anything.Baker was also a full time squad member,but he still did not get even one chance.

[lionsden 4,689]

Surprised no one noticed that Brown and Loftus-Cheek are full time squad members right now.

http://www.chelseafc.com/news/latest-news/2015/02/more-academy-graduates-in-first-team-squad.html

Baker, Ake and Christensen were also full time squad members in the summer, fast forward 8 months later, the former has been shipped out on loan after zero apps while the later two have barely played this season so you can see why some don't give a damn about this news. they have become desensitized to the bullshit/PR stunt.

[DYC. 7,542]

He's 19? He's played like what, 5 min? If you're not already playing some real first team football at 19, you're chances of making it at a top side like Chelsea are very, very slim.

[Waterfall 893]

This kid has incredible ceiling, more so than any other youth player we've had since Terry. I understand the pessimism, but to be so down on a 19 year old world class prospect is baffling.

[blu35_army 551]

i'm really disappointed if mikel has much minutes than him in the rest of season...

[Madmax 9,219]

i'm really disappointed if mikel has much minutes than him in the rest of season...

Prepare to be really disappointed.

[OhForAGreavsie 6,067]

This kid has incredible ceiling, more so than any other youth player we've had since Terry. I understand the pessimism, but to be so down on a 19 year old world class prospect is baffling.

I love RLC and confess that my hopes are up that he will make it but the penny needs to drop with him. He does not impact games in the way he should, at least not often enough. There has been some improvement but he still has a tendency to be brilliant when the game comes to him, but to then stroll about waiting for it to drift back to him again. I want to see Ruben being more proactive, busier, dominating football matches in the way I think that he has the ability to do.

This has been my feeling since before he played against City in the States and I'm a little sad that this still needs to be talked about. Sad because I want this lad to make it. In that regard, I think it's good news that Jose has taken him more under his wing and I was intrigued by what TSO had to say after the Sporting game. The comment about hoping the people around Ruben would allow the coaching staff to do their work and help Ruben's development suggested both that Jose has identified the problem which has been holding RLC back, and the cure.

If Jose can get into Ruben's head the young man will have a heck of a career and we'll have a heck of a player. A good outcome is far from certain though. If Ruben continues to play as he has been doing he isn't going to make it.

Edit: There was a typo in the bit in bold., it originally said is. Slight change in meaning!

[CHOULO19 24,332]

i'm really disappointed if mikel has much minutes than him in the rest of season...

Yeah, and Boga should be starting ahead of Hazard! :lol:

[Tomo 21,751]

Yeah, and Boga should be starting ahead of Hazard! :lol:

Quite amazing that some actually want us to repeat a massive mistake that stagnated the squad and set us back years (replacing experience with untested youth).

[lionsden 4,689]

Quite amazing that some actually want us to repeat a massive mistake that stagnated the squad and set us back years (replacing experience with untested youth).

this is revisionism at its best. We replaced the experienced players that left that season with experience and not with kids.

Ramires replaced Ballack, David Luiz replaced Carvalho, Benayoun replaced deco, Torres replaced Joe cole. The real reason for our slump was because all of these signings bar Ramires (who btw didn't hit the ground running) were poor signings and we were very unlucky with injuries. Most of the senior players were out injured, Drogba, our most reliable striker, battled with malaria while Cech and JT decided to have a slump/run of bad form.

How many games did the youth start that season? I can only recall Kakuta away to Villa where he was subbed at half time anyway for an experienced Zhirhov and Bruma at Home to Villa again.

How some of you always try to blame the youth whenever they get a rare opportunity for bad result, nevermind bad season is astonishing. Were the youth also to blame for the catastrophe that ensued the following season under AVB?

[Reddish-Blue 2,495]

Quite amazing that some actually want us to repeat a massive mistake that stagnated the squad and set us back years (replacing experience with untested youth).

Could you provide examples of when we replaced experienced players with untested youth from our academy for a prolonged period of time?

[Tomo 21,751]

this is revisionism at its best. We replaced the experienced players that left that season with experience and not with kids.

Ramires replaced Ballack, David Luiz replaced Carvalho, Benayoun replaced deco, Torres replaced Joe cole. The real reason for our slump was because all of these signings bar Ramires (who btw didn't hit the ground running) were poor signings and we were very unlucky with injuries. Most of the senior players were out injured, Drogba, our most reliable striker, battled with malaria while Cech and JT decided to have a slump/run of bad form.

How many games did the youth start that season? I can only recall Kakuta away to Villa where he was subbed at half time anyway for an experienced Zhirhov and Bruma at Home to Villa again.

How some of you always try to blame the youth whenever they get a rare opportunity for bad result, nevermind bad season is astonishing. Were the youth also to blame for the catastrophe that ensued the following season under AVB?

Ramires yes, Benny was injured almost straight away, and Luiz and Torres didn't come in till January.

It became clear in the Newcastle match that Kakuta, PVAand eespecially Bruma weren't any where near ready so Carlo had to burn out already ageing first teamers to the point of stagnation, which is why our squad was in such a mess for years before this season, and even now it's still got a few issue's. The AVB disaster was just a follow on, he had to play a high line else we would hardly create any chances, but then high line exposed our defence, the squad was a mess.

Thankfully Munich happened else we could have gone the same way as Milan.

[Tomo 21,751]

Could you provide examples of when we replaced experienced players with untested youth from our academy for a prolonged period of time?

We tried to trim the squad to make way for Kakuta and Co, only to find out they weren't mentally ready to play first team, leading us to burning out our player's and most were to old to recover aswell as the "panic" of 2011 deadline day.

Don't get me wrong, im all for giving youth a chance, but am I in favour off chucking experience like Mikel and giving a player with less than 10 senior apps the spot behind Matic? Sorry but I draw the line there.

[lionsden 4,689]

Ramires yes, Benny was injured almost straight away, and Luiz and Torres didn't come in till January.

It became clear in the Newcastle match that Kakuta, PVAand eespecially Bruma weren't any where near ready so Carlo had to burn out already ageing first teamers to the point of stagnation, which is why our squad was in such a mess for years before this season, and even now it's still got a few issue's. The AVB disaster was just a follow on, he had to play a high line else we would hardly create any chances, but then high line exposed our defence, the squad was a mess.

Thankfully Munich happened else we could have gone the same way as Milan.

Again this is inaccurate. Below are the list of experienced (Non youth) players at the start of 2010 season and the current season for comparison

2010-Cech, Hilario,Terry,Alex,Cole,Ivanovic,Bosingwa,ferreira,Benayoun,Essien,Lampard,Mikel, ramires,Zhirhov,malouda,Kalou,Anelka,Drogba

2015-Thibo,Cech,Ivanovic,Filipe,Terry,Azpilicueta,Cahilll, ramires,fabregas,Hazard,Oscar,Mikel,Matic,

willian,schurrle,Costa,Drogba,salah, remy

That's 18 for 2010 and 19 for 2014/15 meaning we started the current season with only one more experienced player than the season you were referring to. Is it then safe to conclude that if (according to your statement) we left the squad bare thin and replaced experienced with untested youth, the same should also apply to the current season?

I'm just using your logic against you here. The right conclusion to draw from this is, we bought better players and have a better core and balance now than in 2010 and that amongst other things is the reason for the huge contrast in performance and result between both seasons. The small squad and youth argument does not wash I'm afraid