Barkley maybe go out on loan, since he's had a year out with one injury or another. I can see him going to West Ham.

Barkley should of just stayed at Everton to be honest.

The wide role I think suits him well. He doesn't have as much running to do and he can influence the game where it matters. He doesn't play as a winger by any means more as a wide midfielder. 

If a Jardim or Simeone came in you could see him having an impact from a similar spot next season.

10 hours ago, Strider6003 said:

Still here and according to my profile two days running get the award of the most likes.

Bizarrely I only discovered this award by chance yet secondly as equally bizarre can't make out why people think I was banned, did I miss that too?

Think the Mods just like to flex their muscles now and again - the power goes to their heads. Just a reminder they can ban who they want when they want. BEWARE!!!

I would love to see us play a 3 man midfield of RLC-Kante-MVG/Mount in future

18 hours ago, ForeverCarefree said:

RLC getting some big praise from The Guardian today following his performance at the weekend. 

Considering he missed 3 months of football sounds like he's come back strong. He's either got to be given the chance to impress with us next year or be sold, he's 22 now and at an age where he's probably needing to play regularly if he has any hopes of kicking on as a player. 

"Loftus-Cheek presses claim for England World Cup squad
The focus was drawn inexorably towards Wilfried Zaha, whose switch to Ivory Coast will always have the England setup cursing. Yet another in Crystal Palace ranks excelled in the M23 derby on Saturday to suggest he could yet have a role to play in Russia. This was Ruben Loftus-Cheek’s best performance at senior club level, the Chelsea loanee driving the hosts forward in a dominant opening period. After more than three months out with ankle trouble, the 22-year-old has swiftly recaptured form. “He has qualities,” said Roy Hodgson. “He was very good at screening, keeping the ball. He’s very good at beating players. His workrate has been very good. If he can play regularly for the last part of the season, then we will see him doing more and more as a player.” A place in the World Cup squad is far from outlandish."

Highlighted above is the most telling thing. Everyone always spouts the same rhetoric that The Deluded One used to say when he was in charge about RLC not having the work rate to get forward and back. If you actually watch his game he gets up and down the pitch with a very strong defensive workrate. 

12 hours ago, jack_super_class said:

I want him to stay next season but im still not sure where is best to play him, same with Barkley.

For both I would have thought as part of a 3 man midfield with either of them given license to get forward. 

Barkley would probably suit playing in the #10 position if we went back to playing a 4-2-3-1. 

I don't think either is suited to playing in a midfield 2 (neither is Fabregas really) that we are currently playing and they're not suited to the wide positions in the front 3 either. I think we need to have a serious rethink about our formation for next season if we want to get the most out of some of our squad. 

If the reports of Sarri are indeed true and he does become our new manager then I could could RLC thriving in the position Hamsik currently players under Sarri

2 hours ago, RIP Mourinho said:

Highlighted above is the most telling thing. Everyone always spouts the same rhetoric that The Deluded One used to say when he was in charge about RLC not having the work rate to get forward and back. If you actually watch his game he gets up and down the pitch with a very strong defensive workrate. 

mourinho tried too hard to make him a defensive player. it totally negates what he is good at. a more offensive thinking manager would really help him i reckon

His defensive work has improved massively this season. I think if we play him on the left of a midfield three with Kante on the right and a holding player in the middle, we would have a very balanced midfield and one that looks very similar to Napoli's. 

What people miss with RLC is what a fantastic loan this has been. He's got more minutes, he's worked on his defensive aspect of his game (he's had to) and improved significantly. Without the loan he wouldn't have got a look in this year.

Shame he got injured midway through the season, I wouldn't mind him staying at Palace for another year to keep improving and getting minutes. 

Edited April 17, 20188 yr by benjsross

2 hours ago, Sparkz said:

If the reports of Sarri are indeed true and he does become our new manager then I could could RLC thriving in the position Hamsik currently players under Sarri

I agree although he would have to add more goals to his game if he was to make that position his own. He's certainly capable, as he has shown he can time those runs into the box well. 

RLC's last match

 

Not the best performance, but at least he kept going and kept trying after mistakes, it would be easy to go into your shell and start playing very safe, so he's got the confidence to keeo trying to play. One notable difference from a few years ago is he's much better using his body and strength now and generally shields the ball well. But he needs a Chelsea manager with the confidence to give him a real chance, not a few cup games and 5 min sub appearances. 

2 hours ago, Zeta said:

Not the best performance, but at least he kept going and kept trying after mistakes, it would be easy to go into your shell and start playing very safe, so he's got the confidence to keeo trying to play. One notable difference from a few years ago is he's much better using his body and strength now and generally shields the ball well. But he needs a Chelsea manager with the confidence to give him a real chance, not a few cup games and 5 min sub appearances. 

The whole game was awful. Watford fouled him every time he started dribbling past their players, he spent most of the game trying to bring down over hitting long balls and Watford sat deep and compressed the space. His passing was poor admittedly but other then that he had a good game. If he had passed a bit better he would've had a great game.

Had a good game at the weekend apparently. 

Took his goal well and was involved in a couple of the others too. 

I think he deserves to be involved in the squad next season. Personally I would let Drinkwater leave, recoup what we can for him and put RLC in there. 

He's clearly got talent. We're wasting money on mediocrity in Drinkwater and Bakayoko. Barkley isn't getting a sniff and you have to wonder how he fits in in general anyway. Let RLC play all the Europa League group games if we're in it next season and I'm sure he'll be pushing for a place. 

Clearly talented but has a ways to go in learning how to use that talent. He is bit irresponsible with the ball and some the things he is trying to do under pressure. 

He has to learn to take what's there and keep the special stuff for the rights moments. Yes he can shield the ball well but too often he exposes the ball to the defender and has it stripped similar to Bakayoko. 

With more playing time he can refine all that and become a Patrick Vieira type player.

RLC's touches vs The Foxes - FYI, there is a lil' surprise at the end of the video

 

Loftus-Cheek reminds of those footballers that just naturally glide up the pitch. The type of player that will eat up yards in seconds with his control of the ball from midfield.

He must be given a chance with us next season.

14 hours ago, Scott Harris said:

Loftus-Cheek reminds of those footballers that just naturally glide up the pitch. The type of player that will eat up yards in seconds with his control of the ball from midfield.

Prime Yaya Toure.

One of the biggest mistakes we made was wasting 30 odd million on Drinkwater. Hes a shambles of a CM.

We should have kept our money and RLC, hopefully next season we right that wrong.

Bakayoko is another who I think we wasted money on but thes only performed well in about 5 games and shown glimpses of his Monaco form.

If we got that Bakayoko back in the summer we'd have a formidable CM with Bakayoko, Kante RLC and Cesc coming on to control the tempo of a game late on.

I think rlc deserves a shot next season, hopefully in a 3 next to kante and a new playmaker. 

He could very well come back to us off the back of a starting role in the world cup, since ox and lallana are both injured. 

He still has a lot to improve on, but he looks ready to step up. 

47 minutes ago, Delnino said:

One of the biggest mistakes we made was wasting 30 odd million on Drinkwater. Hes a shambles of a CM.

We should have kept our money and RLC, hopefully next season we right that wrong.

Bakayoko is another who I think we wasted money on but thes only performed well in about 5 games and shown glimpses of his Monaco form.

If we got that Bakayoko back in the summer we'd have a formidable CM with Bakayoko, Kante RLC and Cesc coming on to control the tempo of a game late on.

RLC needed the season away to be first team quality for us.

6 minutes ago, benjsross said:

RLC needed the season away to be first team quality for us.

RLC was already first team quality. He just needed minutes to show what he was capable of.