Thomas Tuchel gives Chelsea outcasts something they never had

Chelsea’s Ruben Loftus-Cheek didn’t work at Fulham. That, of course, was never the entire point as he was there to get the minutes he needed to recover from his injury fully. Even still, many expected him to make more of an impact at Fulham than he ever did.

Ross Barkley found himself in a somewhat similar situation. He started brightly at Aston Villa while Jack Grealish was injured, but he quickly faded into a non factor. Like Loftus-Cheek, he was set to be loaned again or sold this past summer.

No move materialized for Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Ross Barkley. Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel did something unusual and gave them a chance. And, against all odds, they have taken that chance to varying degrees.

These two aren’t the first Chelsea players to see a move fail to materialize. They may be among the first to actually still be treated as equals with the club however. Most Chelsea managers will have decided on a squad and they’ll stick tightly to those players even if more are around. Tuchel, however, kept an open mind and it has only benefitted him.

Most managers do have their favorites and then players they want nothing to do with. Maurizio Sarri almost immediately wrote off Gary Cahill. Frank Lampard would eventually write off Marcos Alonso. But Tuchel has never written anyone off. Everyone has a chance if they are going to do what is necessary to take it.

Some might be asking about Tammy Abraham at this point and that is a fair point. Abraham never really got the same chances as others that weren’t really earning it on the pitch. But, if nothing else, Tuchel’s standards are clear off it. There is simply no other way Loftus-Cheek or Barkley would have gotten the chances they have gotten without meeting whatever bar Tuchel has set. Abraham is clearly a fantastic player but there was something that didn’t click in Tuchel’s mind in regards to him.

Look no further than Saul Niguez’s situation. He was brought in to be the club’s fourth midfielder and perhaps earn a transfer. After a sole league appearance, he already seems to have failed to reach whatever bar Tuchel has set. The simple fact that both Loftus-Cheek and Barkley have now come on over Saul is evidence of that. Loftus-Cheek even has more minutes than the Spaniard now.

It harkens back to the Abraham situation. Perhaps Saul has the talent, just like Abraham did, but others are showing Tuchel more of what he wants to see. Fans have suggested something similar with Callum Hudson-Odoi, Christian Pulisic, Hakim Ziyech, and Kai Havertz at various times in Tuchel’s short tenure. However Tuchel is making his selections, it is hard to say that there isn’t some form of merit when two outcasts can play a part within the span of a few weeks of nearly leaving.

Even the Kepa Arrizabalaga situation plays into this. Tuchel has few reasons to play the Spanish keeper outside of lower level cup matches. Yet he does anyways. Whatever the keeper does in training is enough to earn his chances.

Loftus-Cheek and seemingly Barkley have also earned those chances. That should give hope to several Chelsea players who have found themselves on loan or sold with a buyback. Tuchel’s selection process may not always be the clearest, but he has at least made it evident that there is a way into his side for everyone. Exile and superstar alike.