Thomas Tuchel has never doubted the natural footballing ability of Ruben Loftus-Cheek. Not when he was in Germany. Not when he was at Paris Saint-Germain. Yet that innate talent hasn't proved enough for the midfielder to cement his spot at Chelsea and Tuchel insists that must change. It's time, the German coach says, for the 26-year-old to understand just how influential he can be.
"We knew the player all the time," Tuchel said this afternoon during his pre-match press conference ahead of Chelsea's FA Cup semi-final against Crystal Palace, the club that Loftus-Cheek spent the 2017/18 campaign at on loan. "It was so promising, but it was always like, will he have his breakthrough? Now, will he have his breakthrough? He is at a certain age now, and he's never had his breakthrough, everybody is still waiting, still waiting for the next step and the next step.
"So for him, it's crucial, crucial, crucial to focus on the very day he is in. It can be a huge distraction to think a week ahead, two weeks ahead, or a month ahead about what can be. There could have been so much more, and it does not make sense to worry because he is where he is.
