Why do Chelsea have the Loftus-Cheek to ignore England hero Ruben?
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Updated 25/06/2018 at 10:50 GMT
It speaks volumes that he has starred for England in a record World Cup win, yet still waits for his Chelsea breakthrough. Dan Levene on a big summer for Ruben Loftus-Cheek.
England's midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek (L) and Panama's midfielder Armando Cooper compete for the ball during the Russia 2018 World Cup Group G football match between England and Panama at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium.
Image credit: Eurosport
Striking from distance, it was only poacher Harry Kane who could by-chance deny the 22-year-old midfielder of his place on the scoresheet.
Loftus-Cheek will calmly take that episode in his stride: as he seems to do with every development both on, and off the pitch.
To be truthful, it had been a mixed full competitive England debut for him.
But he grew into the game, and it was notable that boss Gareth Southgate felt enough confidence in him to negate the need to take precautions following the player's first-half caution.
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Jesse Lingard of England celebrates with teammates Harry Kane and Ruben Loftus-Cheek after scoring his team's third goal during the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia group G match.
Image credit: Eurosport
To breakthrough for England in a World Cup, while still waiting for a convincing Premier League performance for one's parent club, is a strange way of going about things.
But it says a lot about the way Chelsea have handled the development of Loftus-Cheek.
Plenty has been written about how tricky a place Chelsea is for young, homegrown talent.
And for Loftus-Cheek things have been made all the more difficult by that strangest of obstacles: his own versatility.
That he has a huge talent is not a matter for contention.
How to use it, however, is.
There were complaints about the way he was deployed for England: wide right, when many fancy his abilities in a more central role.
But it is that versatility which was among the key factors in him making the flight to Russia.
An injury to Dele Alli and he is able to step in. While a similar prang to any number of other men in Southgate's preferred XI may have also seen him take stand-in duties.
One of the problems the young Londoner has experienced at Stamford Bridge, particularly under Antonio Conte, is the difficulty in finding a role where he can deliver from the word 'go'.
He has been tried in the middle, out wide, up-front; and, occasionally, further back.
But with Conte preferring a settled, rarely changing XI; and with the pressure heaped on him to deliver game after game; chances have been rare.
When they have come, Loftus-Cheek has tended to be underwhelming at Premier League level. He does, like no lesser a talent than Frank Lampard, seem to benefit from a little run in the same role.
And that is what we have seen at Crystal Palace this season just gone: a midfield presence that has grown as the campaign has developed.
Chelsea have managed to keep him on ice. Until now.
But it has become impossible for other clubs to ignore what is happening over in Russia.
And for the player himself: expectations will rightly be escalated by his experience on the international stage.
Already, there is reported interest: headlines in the aftermath of the romp over lowly Panama focusing on a likely bid from Marco Silva's Everton.
And for these reasons, this will be a make or break summer for Loftus-Cheek at Chelsea.
The club is desperate for him to deliver in blue. The investment of time, development hours, and cash has been no small outlay.
There has been years worth of talk about how to transfer youth dominance into first team places: and Loftus-Cheek is the subject of the lion's share of conversation right now.
But he needs a manager who, like Southgate or Roy Hodgson, sees the value in his sort of player.
Right now, he remains only a pawn in the game to find a new boss who fits: keeping Eden Hazard happy, for example, sits far higher up the criteria when Chelsea are writing any job description.
Which is not to say those two ends are mutually exclusive, of course. Just that there are many competing interests at play here.
Loftus-Cheek has had his England breakthrough. Now is the time for his Chelsea one.
Or else he will be making that breakthrough as someone else's player this coming season.
Dan Levene @danlevene
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