The Chelsea Liverpool encounter at Stamford Bridge this past weekend ended in a draw but the final result, for many Chelsea fans, was not one which could be measured in terms of goals. The game marked the debut of Ruben Loftus-Cheek, an academy product who had made fleeting appearances off the bench in the past couple of years. Mourinho was finally prepared to name him in the starting line up now that the league was won. It is a momentous occasion because no Chelsea academy player has made it to the first team in the past decade. Chelsea have instead opted for the quick fix and raided other academies for young players.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek has been a Chelsea player since the age of 8 and represented all Chelsea teams up till the U-21s. He has won two FA Youth Cups and one UEFA Youth League. Loftus-Cheek has also been called for England service at all levels till the U18s. He is a huge future prospect for the Premier League and England if allowed under the right circumstances.
Loftus-Cheek Style of Play
Mourinho fielded him alongside John Obi Mikel in a defensive midfielder’s role in the game against Liverpool. Loftus-Cheek has been a natural fit to the demands of the role. It was his preferred position even in the Youth team. His greatest assets are his physicality and his ability to read the game well. In a post-season friendly against Manchester City, Loftus-Cheek matched Yaya Toure physically and was hardly intimidated by the big Ivorian. His other talent is his ability to get rid of the ball quickly and keep possession. He completed all his passes and won all his tackles against Liverpool. A 100% passing and tackling percentage on your debut is not a trivial feat.
Loftus-Cheek displayed many unique traits which managers around the world struggle to find in their defensive midfielders. He put on a veil of calmness which does not usually exude from players of his age and was not quick to take shots succumbing to the pressure of the occasion. Loftus-Cheek gets himself out of difficult situations and is always in open spaces when his team mates need him to take the ball from them. He has a long ranging vision and makes life very easy for the centre backs he shields.
Loftus-Cheek part of Jose’s future plans
Mourinho brought no youngster through the ranks during his first spell at Stamford Bridge but he now looks to take advantage of an academy infrastructure which has been developed in the decade that followed. Jose has declared that Loftus-Cheek is just the first of many players who will make the cut in the near future. The young Englishman will be great alongside Nemanja Matic in a 4-2-3-1 formation. Matic was excellent in the role this season and will rub off on Loftus-Cheek. The duo will be the backbone for Oscar, Hazard and Fabregas while going forward. They could even push forward into more attacking midfield roles and overpopulate the midfield to win possession or grind out results.
If Mourinho cannot give the youngster enough game time this next season, he should loan him out to a mid-table Premier League team. It’s crucial to keep his development progressive and also to retain his services. There is little doubt suitors will come calling but Chelsea will prove to be stubborn hosts. There are rumours that the London club could be making a move for Paul Pogba, a potential £75 million dig into Abramovich’s pocket. This expense could easily be avoided by nurturing Loftus-Cheek who will grow into the same kind of player as the Frenchman. They should not make Lukaku-esque mistake again.