The Chelsea Academy graduate has often played higher up the pitch, but Thomas Tuchel has deployed him in a deeper role this season.
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Chelsea midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek enjoyed an impressive outing in the midfield during the narrow 1-0 victory over Brentford on Saturday in the Premier League. The English international has said that he relished playing in a deeper role for the Blues. The Chelsea Academy graduate, who played alongside the pair of N’Golo Kante and Mateo Kovacic in the Blues midfield, spoke about his role change. Loftus-Cheek has revealed that this position is not alien to him, as he used to play a similar role during his early days. The 25-year-old has been on loan at Crystal Palace and Fulham in the past few campaigns. On the back of a positive pre-season back at Cobham, he has forced his way into head coach Thomas Tuchel’s plans for the current campaign.
Following the crucial victory at the Brentford Community Stadium, Ruben expressed his satisfaction with being involved in the starting XI. Despite having to adapt to playing a deeper midfield role than he usually would, the English international is happy to help the team in whatever way possible. “I am enjoying all my time on the pitch,” he was quoted as saying by the club’s website. ‘It is not somewhere I have played a lot in my career. I started deeper, but under different managers I have just moved up the pitch.
“I’ve played as a number eight, a number 10, winger, even as a striker and now back to deeper midfield. It’s where I have played a lot in my career in the younger days, the number six or eight [position]. So it is not something too foreign to me. Anywhere I play, especially in the midfield, is just fantastic. I love being back at this club. I had full intentions of staying after my Fulham loan so I am really happy to play and help the team.”
Loftus-Cheek had to adapt to the demands of a new position, as different areas across the midfield require different skills and attributes. After playing the recent years in more advanced positions, Ruben has insisted that he has no problems in playing this role.
“At times, when opponents press it’s intense and difficult,” added the midfielder. “I have to use my body and be aware of what is behind me, I think I am quite good at that. Sometimes when teams press like that and everyone is forward, I can then beat the press myself. It is just a big advantage for the team if I can do that and we have got an overload to go forward.
“It’s a position where you have to be safe a lot of the time, dictate the play, it’s hard sometimes as I want to run with it a lot more, but I had to be disciplined in this role. I could run forward only three or four times, but I picked the times. I enjoy it either way.”
He also revealed what Tuchel had expected from him before the 1-0 victory over Brentford. “He said if I play this position, then be strong,” said Ruben. “Use my body, dominate physically, and just play how I play.
“I think if you overthink stuff, things can go bad. I have played football my whole life so it is just about playing and not overthinking. Play football the way you normally do and have fun is the main thing. I think we forget sometimes with all the pressure and having to win, we have to enjoy it as well.”
