http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/dec/09/ruben-loftus-cheek-debut-chelsea-champions-league-sporting-lisbon

Good read. Yes the sporting game is a dead rubber, but this is most welcome and is encouraging.

It's strange how Jose seems to rate him but when he mentioned future England stars he didn't get a mention. Never seen the lad play but I hope he plays a blinder!

Anyone reckon Jose's reasoning for this is, not just Ruben's potential, but also the news of Man City's new £200 million training facility and talk of their focus on youth development? I am a bit sceptical as to whether Jose would have put those youngsters into the squad if it wasn't for the aforementioned news of City's "youth project" and the pressure for us to do the same. 

Edited December 9, 201411 yr by enigma

He's not very good from the matches I've seen him play.

Hopefully he plays brilliantly and gets a few chance ager this season. Raised in Chelsea, and English. Would be great to see him breakthrough properly

Really hoping this lad fulfils his potential. Just the archetypal modern central midfielder - good on the ball and physically dominant. One of the brightest prospects in the whole youth setup and looking forward to him getting some minutes.

I rate RLC higher than Baker personally.

He seems pretty talented to me. If I he wasn't, I doubt he'd be in the sqaud.

He's not very good from the matches I've seen him play.

It isn't often a youth player is given an opportunity so hopefully he'll be in the starting XI.... maybe too much to ask if Solanke/Boga/Baker/anyone else who deserves a chance is involved at some point?

 

Good luck Ruben!

Edited December 9, 201411 yr by the special one

He is extremely talented. Problem is he knows it all too well. He looks lazy, uninspired and nonchalant when he has a off day which from the games is far top often.

Call me a cynic but I do get the feeling that we'll see Ruben tonight then he'll drop back into obscurity again.

I remember the last teenager from the academy who started a Champions League match. He's now at Vitesse!

Think he struggling a little last year, got subbed in fa youth cup final I think.

By all accounts though, he has got back on track this season and put some fantastic performances in for club and country.

I think we are getting a bit over excited here, I predict he will come on as the last sub in the 88th minute. Jose doesn't want lose this, just imagine how some of the fans will jump on him if we lose 

Dont think they will, the match result means absolutely nothing.

I hope his style doesn't put people off, he's a top talent but glides around the pitch - you won't watch him tonight and think he's really putting in a shift, you won't think he's going out there to really throw everything at this opportunity.  I don't think it's arrogance I just think it's his style of play.  I hope he has a steady and effective game, but I hope he plays his normal game and doesn't try to do something that isn't natural to him.

Spot on Barn, he`s not an all action, run everywhere type of player like Barkley etc, he`s very smooth and calm on the ball, with the ability to run at a defence.

Having seen plenty of RLC playing for the reserves and youth and a few England games, if I had to commit now, I would say I'd be surprised to see him make it at Chelsea.

 

He does have the physical presence, looks some athlete and at times shows some great touches. But he doesn't look like a Mourinho player to me. He lacks urgency, looks too laid back and makes silly mistakes in bad areas. But when these players are so young it is hard to gauge as they develop at different rates and he could improve whereas others look better but then stall or go backwards. Still think both Ake and Baker look to have better all round games but as others have said, I would be happy just to see ONE make it, whoever it is.

Having seen plenty of RLC playing for the reserves and youth and a few England games, if I had to commit now, I would say I'd be surprised to see him make it at Chelsea.

 

He does have the physical presence, looks some athlete and at times shows some great touches. But he doesn't look like a Mourinho player to me. He lacks urgency, looks too laid back and makes silly mistakes in bad areas. But when these players are so young it is hard to gauge as they develop at different rates and he could improve whereas others look better but then stall or go backwards. Still think both Ake and Baker look to have better all round games but as others have said, I would be happy just to see ONE make it, whoever it is.

 

I hope his style doesn't put people off, he's a top talent but glides around the pitch - you won't watch him tonight and think he's really putting in a shift, you won't think he's going out there to really throw everything at this opportunity.  I don't think it's arrogance I just think it's his style of play.  I hope he has a steady and effective game, but I hope he plays his normal game and doesn't try to do something that isn't natural to him.

 

 

Unfortunately, I have to along with Nib's on the this one. every time I have seen him play I have been sitting there waiting from him to take control of a game, show he is a class above, like the top players should be doing at youth level, and like you say Barn, he seems to glide through the game but never really leaves his mark on it. 

 

And like Nibs said, Barker seems to have more about him, a player I am genuinly excited about. Ake has been impressive as of late as well.

 

Always looking to be proved wrong, but at youth level Josh showed me more then RLC and we all know what happened there 

Didn't Jose say that unless one of the academy kids develops into a first time player,he will have failed.

I doubt we will see much of this kid. Its easy to play the kids when you've already qualified..not so easy to really integrate them into the squad. Lets face it, if Schurrle and Salah can't get a game then the kids won't.

Kalas shouldn't have gone on loan either..its a waste of a year. He's ready to be a squad player.

Didn't Jose say that unless one of the academy kids develops into a first time player,he will have failed.

I doubt we will see much of this kid. Its easy to play the kids when you've already qualified..not so easy to really integrate them into the squad. Lets face it, if Schurrle and Salah can't get a game then the kids won't.

Kalas shouldn't have gone on loan either..its a waste of a year. He's ready to be a squad player.

 

Hes not even a squad player at Cologne, not sure why you think hes ready to be a squad player here. 

He is 18 years old, worth remembering.

Because he proved that he is ready to be a squad player?

I haven't seen him play since pre-season, but last year and in pre-seaosn he looked really lazy off the ball, not a Jose player at all. I think Baker is probably our brightest prospect at the moment, he's got an eye for goal and 2 great feet, which is quite rare at that level.

Love that people are writing him off already, even though Jose Mourinho has bought him into the main squad. 

 

He's always looked a class above at the youth level and has an extremely tidy touch. Of course Baker is more eye-catching because (like Boga) he's played in a more advanced role and tends to get amongst the goals. RLC is more of a facilitator, the guy who is a vital cog in midfield linking together defence and attack. Yes he can look a little lazy, but he's very rarely out of position and he has excellent reading of the game which is perhaps why he doesn't need to run around the pitch like a headless chicken.

the guy who is a vital cog in midfield linking together defence and attack. Yes he can look a little lazy, but he's very rarely out of position and he has excellent reading of the game which is perhaps why he doesn't need to run around the pitch like a headless chicken.

 

You've just described John Obi Mikel