The former Chelsea and now AC Milan midfielder freely admitted that he had ‘forgotten’ about getting another chance to play for his national team. Unlike Gareth Southgate, Tuchel is clearly more willing to give those playing abroad a call.
Loftus-Cheek makes the squad for the first time in six years, coming in to replace Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton who had to withdraw due to an adductor injury. Here is why Tuchel was right to give him a second chance.
What Ruben Loftus-Cheek said about England recall
“It’s been a long time,” said Loftus-Cheek, who watched England reach the final of the European Championships twice during his time away having been part of the squad that reached the 2018 World Cup semi-finals.
“I felt part of the squad (back then) and even the season after I was called up but had injuries all the time.
“I ruptured my Achilles at the end of that season (2019) and it took me a year-and-a-half to feel alright again. So a lot of that period was tough, mentally, for my head, because of the injury and trying to come back and feel good again.
“After that I felt myself again and was playing well for Chelsea. Then the time came to move on, to AC Milan, which I’ve been enjoying.
“When I ruptured my Achilles, because I was on such a high, it was a very hard time. But I was still young.
“I still had time to come back, so I wasn’t too low. But then being away from the squad for so long, you kind of get used to not going, even though you still want to play well and push in club football, hoping of maybe getting a sniff. But I just forgot about it and became a fan for the England games.
“We were so close in 2018 and the boys have been incredibly close in the years after. It was nerve-wracking watching those games.”
Where does he fit in under Thomas Tuchel?
Now 29-year-old, Loftus-Cheek will be considered one of the older heads in the England squad. He’s been playing at an elite level European side for the past two seasons and becoming a much better player because of it.
He enjoyed some of his best years at Chelsea under Tuchel, who made it one of his personal missions to help the player who was so often compared to Michaal Ballack reach his immense potential.
Tuchel used him mostly as a rotation option, often deploying him as a right wing-back. Then, the German was sacked, and his time at his boyhood club came to an end. Now under the tutelage of Max Allegri, he’s been playing a little further forward than he used to, in one of the hybrid number ten roles in the new 3-4-2-1 formation.
That tactical versatility and perhaps just as importantly, willingness to play where he’s needed, is exactly why Loftus-Cheek got his second chance. He’s not particularly creative, but he is determined, strong in one-on-one situations and a dynamic ball-carrier who can get the ball forward quickly.
Does it indicate Thomas Tuchel wants to try new things?
Tuchel has one job as England manager; win next year’s World Cup. It would appear the 3-1 defeat to Senegal, along with the overall performance, has forced the former Chelsea and Bayern Munich boss to have a bit of a re-think.
During his short time, Tuchel hasn’t exactly come across as a manager that is fixed on a philosophy. England have played 4-2-3-1, 4-3-3, and 4-4-2, during his four games, although they do tend to put an emphasis on keeping the ball.
Essentially, you don’t have Loftus-Cheek on the pitch if you want to play heavily possession-based football, you have him there because you want to progress the ball quickly next to someone like Declan Rice who can do the dirty work.
It’s not just Loftus-Cheeks recall that would imply he’s thinking about moving towards a more direct style of play. Elliot Anderson is a similar profile, adding more muscle in the centre of the park.
Verdict
It remains to be seen just how much he will actually feature, he does have to compete with the likes of Morgan Gibbs-White, Eberechi Eze, and the aforementioned Anderson for a spot in the line-up.
Games against Andorra and Serbia offer him the perfect opportunity to make an impression. If he’s able to stay fit, there’s no reason he can’t make the squad next summer, but unfortunately, it’s a big if.