Ruben Loftus-Cheek

[Eddie McGoldrick's tash]

Originally Posted by Shipp Ahoy!

I guess you missed all the games he missed earlier in the season too?

No, you are right. He did miss a few and as I said I may have forgotten something. They were only short absences though, right?

20 appearances so far this season (including two for England). It isn't too bad. I can understand the concern but most of the games he has missed were from one injury.

[Shipp Ahoy!]

Originally Posted by Eddie McGoldrick's tash

No, you are right. He did miss a few and as I said I may have forgotten something. They were only short absences though, right?

20 appearances so far this season (including two for England). It isn't too bad. I can understand the concern but most of the games he has missed were from one injury.

Fair enough, but I disagree 18 appearances for the club isn't too bad. Especially as one of those was in about the 88th minutes last week.

Even if he features in every game from now until the end of the season that is 25 out of 38. Or 1/3rd of the season.

He has had several injuries while at Chelsea too. There was a point in which he actually started getting the odd game, but again injury caused him problems.

If you are spending the kind of money we would have to (at least £15-£20m at a guess) you want a player that will play a good 90% of games.

[MonsterMunch]

Originally Posted by Shipp Ahoy!

Fair enough, but I disagree 18 appearances for the club isn't too bad. Especially as one of those was in about the 88th minutes last week.

Even if he features in every game from now until the end of the season that is 25 out of 38. Or 1/3rd of the season.

He has had several injuries while at Chelsea too. There was a point in which he actually started getting the odd game, but again injury caused him problems.

If you are spending the kind of money we would have to (at least £15-£20m at a guess) you want a player that will play a good 90% of games.

If the fee for RLC was around 15-20m I think we would possibly take the gamble. I think he will cost in excess of 25m, particularly if he gets in any more England squads.

[Frisky]

Fitness, his (lack of) willingness to track back/defend from the front and his disappearance in some games are his weaknesses - and probably mean he’s better suited to better clubs where he’d be in and out of the team and a class player when his team is dominating possession? His natural abiliies - his touch, his acceleration with the ball, his physique and his ability to shield the ball are exceptional. He could be a brilliant player and far too good for us or a frustration (like Sakho this year). Overall, a decent loan but would be a expensive gamble and I would question whether we have the strength in depth to cover for the inevitable spells he’d have out of the team.

I hope we get a chance to see him flanked by Wilf and Andros in a 4-2-3-1. I would love to know why Roy hasn’t fancied him there.

[Eddie McGoldrick's tash]

Originally Posted by Shipp Ahoy!

Fair enough, but I disagree 18 appearances for the club isn't too bad. Especially as one of those was in about the 88th minutes last week.

Even if he features in every game from now until the end of the season that is 25 out of 38. Or 1/3rd of the season.

He has had several injuries while at Chelsea too. There was a point in which he actually started getting the odd game, but again injury caused him problems.

If you are spending the kind of money we would have to (at least £15-£20m at a guess) you want a player that will play a good 90% of games.

Yep, but it is too early to say if that is a pattern of injury or just one season. I don't really know anything of his injury record prior to him joining us. But you have to weigh up any injury against how good a player any potential signing is too and I think he is one who would be worth that gamble. Tremendous potential and some versatility too. Anyway, I very much doubt we will be able to sign him - I would just really like it if we did. Can add some real creativity to our side.

[SeaEagle]

Originally Posted by Frisky

Fitness, his (lack of) willingness to track back/defend from the front and his disappearance in some games are his weaknesses - and probably mean he’s better suited to better clubs where he’d be in and out of the team and a class player when his team is dominating possession? His natural abiliies - his touch, his acceleration with the ball, his physique and his ability to shield the ball are exceptional. He could be a brilliant player and far too good for us or a frustration (like Sakho this year). Overall, a decent loan but would be a expensive gamble and I would question whether we have the strength in depth to cover for the inevitable spells he’d have out of the team.

I hope we get a chance to see him flanked by Wilf and Andros in a 4-2-3-1. I would love to know why Roy hasn’t fancied him there.

It's an old cliché, but if he didn't have the aforementioned faults then we would not have a chance as he would be a big 6 regular.

Agree that seeing him at the top of the midfield three, flanked by Wilf and Townsend would make us extremely difficult to play against and would make the most of his strengths while negating the impact of his weaknesses. I don't think that Roy has particularly avoided this formation - he just hasn't had the luxuries of having all of the players fit and the league position to allow more expansive football.

In any case, I think that the price will be too steep for us to make the move permanent.

[Old Bill]

One of our biggest problems is that top-quality players don’t want to play for us, they prefer more glamorous teams. If RLC would like to join us (and I have no idea whether he would) it would be foolish to turn him down if the price is reasonable.

[Tim]

Originally Posted by Eddie McGoldrick's tash

Yep, but it is too early to say if that is a pattern of injury or just one season. I don't really know anything of his injury record prior to him joining us. But you have to weigh up any injury against how good a player any potential signing is too and I think he is one who would be worth that gamble. Tremendous potential and some versatility too. Anyway, I very much doubt we will be able to sign him - I would just really like it if we did. Can add some real creativity to our side.

SP has a good history of making loans permanent i.e Wilf & Sakho. I can see this one happening if we stay up & he can claim it’s what the fans wanted.

[red&blue_moomin]

Originally Posted by Frisky

Fitness, his (lack of) willingness to track back/defend from the front and his disappearance in some games are his weaknesses - and probably mean he’s better suited to better clubs where he’d be in and out of the team and a class player when his team is dominating possession? His natural abiliies - his touch, his acceleration with the ball, his physique and his ability to shield the ball are exceptional. He could be a brilliant player and far too good for us or a frustration (like Sakho this year). Overall, a decent loan but would be a expensive gamble and I would question whether we have the strength in depth to cover for the inevitable spells he’d have out of the team.

I hope we get a chance to see him flanked by Wilf and Andros in a 4-2-3-1. I would love to know why Roy hasn’t fancied him there.

I don't think this is true but he's inexperienced and not the worlds best tackler if you actually watch his match contributions back (they are on Youtube) he does contribute to this side of the match certainly about as much and as well as you'd expect a number 10 to do so. Hence why we effectively play him as a left sided midfielder in a 3 man midfield............

[red&blue_moomin]

Originally Posted by Yoda

Yes, he dropped out of several matches earlier in the season. It was a match or two here and there, which gave the impression that he struggles to play more than a couple of matches in quick succession.

He also gave an interview in which he said his body was finding it tough.

The most recent injury was the longest so far, but not the only one.

It's depressing everyone seems to have decided that he's an injury prone liability at the age of 22. The lack of ambition on here to improve the club with a young hugely promising player that is four years off his prime is staggering. He's exactly the type of signing we should be making if we want to stop being threatened by relegation every ******* year because we can only play Championship standard football with a large proportion of our squad.

Yet JW is still hailed as the messiah when unfortunately he needs to stay in the championship and get at least a season under his belt again. He's made a damn sight more appearances per season than JW in the prem already and crucially we know he's prem class and potentially as dangerous as Wilf. We should be doing everything possible to sign him IF he decides he won't get on Chelseas bench before some other club in the top 7 or 8 swoop in and get him cos we sat on our hands like ****wits. We are highly likely to lose Cabaye in the summer AND Punch is coming back from what used to be a career ending injury so we will have very few 'creatively inclined' midfielders. Getting one in that knows the team, works well with our attacking players, knows the club and crucially has played for us and the manager is a no brainer.

All that said he'll end up at Everton or Arsenal probably while we sign some clogger from the Championship.

[Yoda]

Not sure why you chose to quote my post, when others have been much more vocal. I was answering another person who’d mistakenly thought RLC had only had one injury.

Anyway, my view is that it’s understandable there are questions about RLC’s injuries because if we wanted to try to buy him, he’s going to be expensive. We aren’t a club that can spend our biggest sums on players who might be a gamble. So whilst there is much to admire in RLC, I agree with others who’ve said they’d like RLC for a fair price only.

As for linking this with Johnny Williams and how fans feel about him, I think most now feel he’s v unlikely to feature in the Prem. But if he did, that’d be a bonus. And he’s not going to cost us millions in a transfer fee or anything like the salary that RLC is on.

[SA Eagle]

Originally Posted by red&blue_moomin

I don't think this is true but he's inexperienced and not the worlds best tackler if you actually watch his match contributions back (they are on Youtube) he does contribute to this side of the match certainly about as much and as well as you'd expect a number 10 to do so. Hence why we effectively play him as a left sided midfielder in a 3 man midfield............

A lot of that’s true and it’s right to challenge the lazy cliche that he’s not willing to track back; his biggest shortcoming in his defensive duties is a lack of awareness (possibly experience) meaning that he sometimes lets players drift off him and by the time he realises it’s too late.

[palacemetros]

I am alone in thinking that squad/team stability is pretty important for a club of our stature? When you consider Leicester's PL win and so far, the Weeds current league position are both largely due to being injury free and maintaining the same starting eleven, I think it's a valid enough point. In which case, do we really need to be looking at players who may end up being in and out of the starting side due to injuries and niggles? It's not just about them as individuals, it's also how it affects the balance of the side.

[Vince Hilaire's Afro]

Originally Posted by Old Bill

One of our biggest problems is that top-quality players don’t want to play for us, they prefer more glamorous teams. If RLC would like to join us (and I have no idea whether he would) it would be foolish to turn him down if the price is reasonable.

Depends what you mean by 'top quality'.

The 'glamorous teams' have some of the biggest stars in the world playing for them. There are plenty of excellent players out there who are way too far down the pecking order to either stay at or get a move to one of those clubs.

In RLC's case I suppose it depends on where he sees himself in that pecking order.

[Eddie McGoldrick's tash]

Would love to have him permanently. Doubt we will or can but he gives us an extra bit of creativity and threat.

[Crunchie]

Originally Posted by Frisky

Fitness, his (lack of) willingness to track back/defend from the front and his disappearance in some games are his weaknesses - and probably mean he’s better suited to better clubs where he’d be in and out of the team and a class player when his team is dominating possession? His natural abiliies - his touch, his acceleration with the ball, his physique and his ability to shield the ball are exceptional. He could be a brilliant player and far too good for us or a frustration (like Sakho this year). Overall, a decent loan but would be a expensive gamble and I would question whether we have the strength in depth to cover for the inevitable spells he’d have out of the team.

I hope we get a chance to see him flanked by Wilf and Andros in a 4-2-3-1. I would love to know why Roy hasn’t fancied him there.

I agree. He is at best as an AM, but fast and mobile too.

I honestly think the fact Roy hasn't played him there is because McArthur and Cabaye have not been fit enough this "whole" season, (just like RLC hasn't been, in fact, the squad as a whole) to play as a second DM alongside Luka, and the fact we have not had a concrete/solid CB pairing, and confidence in a GK all season.

Sort "the spine" of the team out, and he will be "our Alli/Lingard/Lampard" type player, whatever you like to compare him with, that we've never had in the top flight since Curcic.

Would love us to sign him if possible.

[bodger]

Originally Posted by red&blue_moomin

It's depressing everyone seems to have decided that he's an injury prone liability at the age of 22. The lack of ambition on here to improve the club with a young hugely promising player that is four years off his prime is staggering. He's exactly the type of signing we should be making if we want to stop being threatened by relegation every ******* year because we can only play Championship standard football with a large proportion of our squad.

Yet JW is still hailed as the messiah when unfortunately he needs to stay in the championship and get at least a season under his belt again. He's made a damn sight more appearances per season than JW in the prem already and crucially we know he's prem class and potentially as dangerous as Wilf. We should be doing everything possible to sign him IF he decides he won't get on Chelseas bench before some other club in the top 7 or 8 swoop in and get him cos we sat on our hands like ****wits. We are highly likely to lose Cabaye in the summer AND Punch is coming back from what used to be a career ending injury so we will have very few 'creatively inclined' midfielders. Getting one in that knows the team, works well with our attacking players, knows the club and crucially has played for us and the manager is a no brainer.

All that said he'll end up at Everton or Arsenal probably while we sign some clogger from the Championship.

You make the point for not signing him very well as soon as you mention JW. RLC needs a full season of football or we risk wasting a big part of our transfer budget.

[adrenalin john]

He has a back problem which will inevitably lead to pelvic and hamstring injuries.

However, he may also now know how to manage it and having stopped growing be able to follow a consistent training, strengthening and stretching routine that will allow him to paly week in week out

[aashman12]

Originally Posted by Shipp Ahoy!

Fair enough, but I disagree 18 appearances for the club isn't too bad. Especially as one of those was in about the 88th minutes last week.

Even if he features in every game from now until the end of the season that is 25 out of 38. Or 1/3rd of the season.

He has had several injuries while at Chelsea too. There was a point in which he actually started getting the odd game, but again injury caused him problems.

If you are spending the kind of money we would have to (at least £15-£20m at a guess) you want a player that will play a good 90% of games.

Missed the last England under 21 tournament due to injury too. Guy has played very little football for his age

[Mr Palace]

I wouldn’t go near him due to his injury problems but he’s undoubtedly a very good player and could go on to be brilliant. However, we’ll have to use our summer budget wisely and it would be a risk spending so much of an injury prone player.