Ruben Loftus Cheek hasn’t had much time with Maurizio Sarri. The England midfielder got back from the World Cup late after making it all the way to the third place playoffs with England, meaning that apart from the Frenchmen, he’s had the least face time with his new boss.
It was heartening, then, to see him come on as a substitute against Crystal Palace for the final 15 minutes, indicating that he’s already in the Italian’s first team plans.
And speaking to the Chelsea official website, he discussed working with his new boss on the training ground, and how he fits into his scheme tactically:
‘”Playing in a 4-3-3 in an attacking midfield position is kind of my position really, my suited position, so hopefully I can bring my best football to the team,” the midfielder said.
“The boys are working really hard trying to understand how the boss wants us to play, on and off the ball, and it will only get better,” he added.
At Palace last season he showed he can thrive when played in that slot, and his ability to drive through the middle of the field is perhaps his most impressive.
We’re not expecting him to start against Arsenal this weekend, but you can bet we’d be delighted if he did.