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After Chelsea’s 2-0 defeat at Anfield, Ruben Loftus-Cheek rallied the troops and spoke about the importance quickly moving on and not letting the disappointment seep into the collective team psyche.
After Chelsea’s 2-2 draw against Burnley at Stamford Bridge, the young midfielder displayed further wisdom beyond his age in the post-match interview, imploring his teammates to keep their focus in this final few, all-important matches. Of course, Loftus-Cheek’s interview probably won’t be seen by his teammates, but presumably he’s advocating similar thoughts and intentions and attitudes in the dressing room and on the training ground as well.
“I don’t think we are in a bad position but it is just down to us to produce our best football in the run-in to the end of the season. These games coming up are massive and we need to be at our best. The focus has to be really sharp and we have to be really on it because this is where it really matters.”
Despite collecting just 1 point from 6 in the last two weeks, Chelsea have fallen ass-backwards into the top four thanks to even greater incompetence from Arsenal and Manchester United, both of whom have lost two in a row. Suddenly, Chelsea’s destiny is firmly in our own hands, both in Europe and in the Premier League. If that doesn’t engender the proper focus and commitment, it’s unclear what will.
As far as Loftus-Cheek himself, the 23-year-old is enjoying the run of games he’s getting and avoiding the injuries that have plagued him not only this season but in the last several years. We may have lost Callum Hudson-Odoi to a long-term injury on Monday, but RLC is keeping the Academy flag flying high, hopefully all the way into the top four and to the top of Europa.
“That is what I am really pleased about, getting that 90 minutes in which is what I am looking for. It was tough second half, I had a knock as well but I pushed through it so it was disappointing not to get the win but we keep going.”
-Ruben Loftus-Cheek; source: Chelsea FC