The ' Should Ruben Loftus-Cheek Leave Chelsea' Thread

[Dave]

The debate about Ruben Loftus-Cheek's lack of game time is not new but he turns 23 in the January transfer window and younger men have been seizing their opportunities elsewhere. James Maddison, Lewis Cook and Harry Winks have had more game time. Then you have Reiss Nelson and Jadon Sancho impressing in the Bundesliga and Mason Mount earning an England call-up. Even Dele Alli is younger than Loftus-Cheek and was behind him in the England set up at youth level. So maybe it is time for all this talk of a Rolls-Royce of a player to end.

If you were in his position, what would you do? It's not been a shabby fortnight for him as he produced another good performance in Chelsea's 3-2 win over Derby. He looks to be in fine form so can he now become a regular starter? Or should he leave for more game time elsewhere?

[carefreeluke]

His biggest problem was that he spent 2-3 years just making up first team squads and those years should have been spent on loan elsewhere. He acted as a poster boy for the academy for too long, at Chelsea we actually treat our very best young talents the worse. These are the talents that get promoted to the first team, play the odd cup game and come on for the odd short period in games that have finished. The majority of youngsters go out on loan but 1-3 of the best ones are kept in the squad. The managers will talk about their potential for most of the season, make a few comments that may get the fans excited while at the same time ultimately just suggest that these players aren't ready. Get them out on loan then! The same has happened this season with Hudson-Odoi and Ampadu. The best of the crop get escalated to the first team and start to make up matchday squads but are rarely used. Chelsea fans went into the season expecting Hudson-Odoi and Ampadu to get significant playing time in the Europa League and it hasn't happened. If you're not going to use them, get them out on loan. This is what happened to Ruben Loftus-Cheek previously. The player themselves should do more to demand the move but the club as a whole should take more responsibility. Every manager at Chelsea has made the same cycle of comments but all the manager and the club are doing is halting the development of this particular group of players.

"What we found out, the reason for the loan programme is that these players need to provide the manager or coach at the club with a memory bank of performances that they can go to, to make them feel trusted to put them in games that matter. It's not fair to (young kids) to expect them playing for so many years in games in the academy that really don't test you that much and to go from there at the right old age of 18-19 years old and to go in and compete in a club that wants to win and wants to win trophies." This is from Michael Emenalo last year, Chelsea's former director.

That's all fair enough. I actually agree with it. The biggest problem we have with our young players is not the loan system, it's the fact that every season for ages now our best young players which can range 1-3 at a time are kept in the first team not actually doing in much. Michael Emenalo actually goes on in that interview to say that Ruben before the Palace move had wasted three years at the club, this is coming from a senior club official. Why are they kept here then? Intentionally or unintentionally it seems to act as a propaganda type move but part of it also is because of squad depth reasons but history suggests that these players (no matter how bad injuries and things are) do not get the significant amount of playing time needed anyway. It's very rare the squad is stretched that much. And if it is? Make arrangements where players can be called back from their loans.

Ruben is in a different situation this season has he now has that 'memory bank' of performances from Palace to call back on and he now also has some good international experience under his belt. He's more trusted at the club now and there's a place for him in this team if he works hard. Sarri has constantly said Ruben needs to improve tactically and hinted recently that he has improved in this aspect but ultimately there's still work for him to do. He said the same about Barkley most of the season but more or the less said the other day that Barkley has adapted and is ready and this is shown with Barkley making up Sarri's first choice eleven at this moment in time. Barkley has pushed Kovacic out of the team. The same can happen to Ruben if he knuckles down and works hard but the problem at the moment for him is the competition for places but Sarri is the perfect manager I feel for his development at this moment in time.

[Honey Honey]

He should look at De Bruyne, Salah, Lukaku etc and just get the fuck out of there.

 

[carefreeluke]

Michael Emenalo talking about Ruben's time at Chelsea before the Crystal Palace loan move.

"Ruben Loftus-Cheek has realised that it was three years wasted for him"

Why Ruben didn't do everything to demand a loan move I'm not sure, but why the club let their brightest young talents coast a long like that is the biggest problem with our club with regard to youngsters really. Ruben still isn't playing regularly in his best position either.

[Spike]

He has proved himself with four goals in two games. If he doesn’t get minutes now, he should leave.

[Cicero]

Has he not been getting minutes?

[6666]

He's not a big part of Chelsea's plans and I don't think they'll consider him a big part anytime soon. Man Utd should make a move for him after selling off Pogba.

[Guest]

@The Palace Fan would you like him at palace permanently? 

[Danny]

Correct me if im wrong but wasn't he injured beginning of the season? And now he's been eased back into the side, Europa League, guessing League Cup too?

Should have left long ago yes but on the plus side his body won't be fucked when he's 28/29/30 because he's not been playing at a high level so young.

[Cicero]

When fit, he's played every game in the Europa league and league cup, he's also made several appearances in the league. 

 

[Bluewolf]

On 04/11/2018 at 11:19, Harvsky said:

He should look at De Bruyne, Salah, Lukaku etc and just get the fuck out of there.

 

Seems to me that we have a decent enough scouting network to spot the talent..... then fail miserably to actually use it wisely, In all he years I have followed the club they have never really stood out as a youth promoting side, When you think of all the potential talent that is on the books you would have hoped one or two might have made a break through by now...  

The club will never change, it can talk and talk all it wants season after season but I don't see any of our decent youth product getting any decent playing time anytime soon.. Still beats me why they continue to sign for the club? It stunts their growth coming to us, sad really, as others have shown once they get sold to other clubs they tend to do well for themselves.. 

[True Blue]

Sarri uses him to be fair, the crowded quality midfield isn't helping him. However i think he will have a great season at the club if he doesn't leave on loan in January.