Chelsea loanee Ruben Loftus-Cheek was the man of the match for England as the Three Lions held Germany to a goalless draw on Friday.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek is another one of those Chelsea players who have promised so much but been given little chance to deliver. However, a slew of injuries meant that the midfielder made his senior England debut on Friday night, as the Three Lions welcomed Germany to Wembley Stadium. He went on to steal the show and prove to Chelsea that he is made of the right stuff.
Gareth Southgate faced a selection headache as the bulk of his starting eleven withdrew from the England squad. Young players were called up as a result, with Loftus-Cheek being rewarded for a solid run of performances on loan at Crystal Palace.
However, the squad was so thin that the midfielder was given the chance to start the game. Facing a weakened, but still dangerous, German team, this was a real opportunity for Loftus-Cheek to test himself against superior opposition.
Loftus-Cheek stood up to the test and thoroughly impressed. He played with an unjustified air of confidence, sleekly carrying the ball and pulling off nutmegs and Cruyff turns.
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He was voted man of the match, quite clearly standing out amongst his teammates.
Loftus-Cheek has not been one of those players fed into a cycle of endless loans, but he has barely tasted senior Chelsea football either. This season, he was deemed surplus to requirements and sent to Selhurst Park.
However, Friday’s performance showed Antonio Conte that he could have been incredibly useful at Stamford Bridge this season. With Chelsea’s midfield ravaged by injuries, Loftus-Cheek could have filled those gaps and injected the Premier League champions with youth and hunger.
The Blues haven’t exactly made a disastrous start to the campaign, but they are already out of the title race. In the multiple games that Chelsea lacked creativity and cutting edge, it is worth wondering how much Loftus-Cheek could have added. Based on Friday’s performance, the answer is a lot.
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What did you think of Loftus-Cheek’s performance? How impressed were you? Let us know in the comments below!