Thomas Tuchel's passionate Ruben Loftus-Cheek rant should send the Chelsea academy an alarming wake-up call. The Blues boss insisted that the Cobham graduate must begin to translate his innate gift into consistent performances, should he look to finally cement a role in the side.
The German boss has never doubted Loftus-Cheek's natural footballing ability, but it seems that his true 'breakthrough' remains in question. The 26-year-old midfielder has often shown flashes of brilliance in a Chelsea shirt but he's never quite reached boiling point and Tuchel is looking to change that.
"We knew the player all the time," the Blues boss said during his pre-match press conference ahead of Chelsea's FA Cup semi-final against Crystal Palace. "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."
