Chelsea expendable can be Spurs’s ultimate Dembélé successor

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“Something that is at once frightening, yet strangely familiar,” was how Sigmund Freud defined the psychological experience of “the uncanny” in his 1919 essay, Das Unheimliche. What Freud ’s pioneering criticism omitted, however, was that the uncanniest uncanniness was to occur 99 years later in Kaliningrad Stadium. In Russia. In the Fifa World Cup. In a Group G dead rubber.

For what was the moment if not the ultimate epitome of uncanny when, in the second-half of England’s limp defeat to Belgium, Ruben Loftus-Cheek inherited possession past the halfway-line, surged forward into the final third, and — in Mousa Dembélé-like fashion — danced and evaded opposing players with Fred Flintstone twinkle toes and strength of shimmy, only to be cynically fouled by — whadyaknow! — Mousa Dembélé himself.

If there was ever a time to use the “Spider-Man pointing at Spider-Man” meme, this was it. Mousa had just been Mousa’d. The sight was jarring; an incongruous phenomenon had played out right before our eyes. And at the same time: had we witnessed the passing of the baton; the young, Arthurian candidate pulling sword from stone? For the fantasists among us, Ruben Loftus-Cheek had just overthrown the king of close control, proving himself the heir apparent to the (soon-to-be departing) Mousa Dembélé.

Calm yourself, I hear you say: one nimble act of silky skill does not make a Dembélé. Yet those who have followed Loftus-Cheek’s career closely would wager him being the ideal successor to the Belgian at Spurs, period. When profiling the player in 2014, The Guardian’s Barney Ronay earmarked the “intriguing” Loftus-Cheek’s “long-striding grace [with] shielding, covering, deep-playmaking presence with a calmness in possession and a naturally telescopic reach”. While, more recently, the story of Michael Ballack “gawping in amazement” at Loftus-Cheek’s ability during a Chelsea youth team match has been doing the rounds.

Now having finally been given the opportunity to fulfil his promise, this summer will be the most important yet in the 22-year-old’s career — and that’s ignoring the small matter of the World Cup. A regular for Gareth Southgate’s Youngsters but on the periphery of [insert Chelsea’s next ephemeral managerial appointment here]'s Pensioners, it’s been reported the midfielder is to be sent out on loan again next season. It’s got the player considering his long-term future at Stamford Bridge.

“We’ll see what happens [in the transfer window],” said Loftus-Cheek, when asked about his club career. “I’m confident in my ability and that I can do well, wherever it is. But I’m not thinking about whether I’m going to play at Chelsea right now. I’m only focused on the [World Cup].”

Supporters of a more cynical nature will attest that a deal to Spurs will never happen; with relations between the two clubs so sour — due to the Luka Modrić transfer fiasco of 2011 — that the fixture at Chelsea away is the only Premier League game the Tottenham hierarchy make a point of not attending. (Ouch.)

Never underestimate player power though, and the player’s interest in a move north of London is said to exist. Speaking in November 2017, Loftus-Cheek’s father, Trevor, slammed his son's lack of first team opportunities at Chelsea in an newspaper interview, adding the parting shot: “If Ruben was playing for Mauricio Pochettino, he’d have 70, 80, 90 first-team appearances by now.” After all, parents do know best.

 

Will Never Happen ! Haha

A few pals of mine r Palace boys and they've sung his praises all season, I think he looks decent aswell.
I don't get this love in with the Moose , I respect his talent but he just does nothing imo to warrant the crowing (great you kept possession, ghosted someone on the half way line and passed sideways wow. A skill I know and he's is 2nd to none at but it's non influential imo)
As long as Pochettino plans his move and replacement with regards to team play/set up then we've nothing to worry about, in fact it could up our out put and tempo I think.

 

We don`t do business with the racists. End of.

 

Wow! I thought I was the most pretentious git on this site, but I've not merely met my match, but been blown out of the water, lost with all hands. As for Loftus-Cheek, he's clearly an upgrade on the superannuated Belgian walrus, but whether Chelsea would let us have him for less than Alderweireld, Rose and thirty mill is highly debatable, but transfer speculation is a time-honoured substitute for actual transfers under ENIC, so let's see how long this one runs. I'd love to finish with something suitably erudite, but all that springs to mind is Thomas Hobbes - 'nasty, brutish and short', which describes my post admirably.

 

Nice idea.. but it will be a cold day in hell.. and that's not cynicism

I imagine the Willian fiasco rubbed a bit of salt into that wound too

 

Hehe.. nothing wrong with raising tbe literacy of this address Cheshunt

Josh should be commended for it

 

No no no we are signing Jonjo shelvey...

 

It will indeed be hard to find anyone that will better Dembeles Goals & Assists especially in the Big Games when it counts

 

Couldn't agree more, and regarding Gary Neville's belief that Dembele would be an automatic choice for the national team if he were English, isn't that a sad indictment of England's current midfield, rather than praise for the Belgian lump, who currently ranks alongside no-hopers like Vermaelen and Fellaini in his own country's estimation? Good enough for the World, but not for Belgium?

 

Haha. Doesn't hurt to know the difference between your Freuds and your (Steffen) Freunds

Interesting point regarding Rose and Alderweireld. Can only seeing Chelsea entertaining an offer from us for RLC if we have something they want. Rose and Alderweireld being just that...

 

Watching Brazil slowly put Mexico to the sword today made me wonder.. how on earth did we let Paulinho walk away so easily?

He is a good/very good player.. and I thought that was the case when he was with us

Not a typical holding player but would be an excellent complement to any of our defensive midfielders

Odd that he was not considered good enough for Poch or Spurs but is welcome in Barcelona and the Brazilian national team

 

Coz he was piss poor at Spurs and the shambolic Spending and over Rotation from AvB was no help to anyone.
There are 2 memorable moments for me from Paulinhos time with Spurs -

1 when he completely bottled a challenge Vs Newcastle leading to a goal that won the game

&

2 when him and Adebayor both bottled it in the wall Vs West Ham.

 

Ah the wall.. yes

I recall a backheel winner in injury time as well?

Whether he ever fully settled I doubt it.. he was inconsistent.. and probably for the reasons you mention

But ultimately a good/very good player.. apparent lack of cojones aside

History would suggest Poch failed on this one

 

History would suggest that 'Poch' failed on quite a few - Soldado, Sissoko, Janssen, N'Jie etc etc. We all know the long and lengthening list of home grown and bought players who haven't fulfilled their potential under Pochettino, and yet he continues to get credit for the odd success while dodging blame for the far more numerous failures - Teflon or what?

 

I noticed when chasing a game at 2-0 down Belgium still didn't bring on the best CM in the world to 'carry the ball' last night.
Perhaps carrying the ball on the half way line isn't really that important when it comes to influencing the results of games.

 

I'd suggest his absence.. or someone of his ilk.. was the reason they were down 2-0 against an average side in the first place

Witsel is a good player.. but the Belgians have been woefully open.. it was the same against Tunisia.. this despite playing three at the back.. two of whom we know are very good

You really should make the distinction between a DM.. a CM.. and an AM.. their roles are significantly different

In the simplest terms.. having a guy who can boss the midfield is essentially the difference between your forwards running in circles all day and your centrebacks twiddling their thumbs for much of the afternoon

 

Buying players is one thing (that's another debate.. and not one I was particularly referencing)

Discarding them is another

Of the players that Poch has jettisoned have any excelled well beyond what they achieved here?

Paulinho is one.. you could perhaps say Walker.. but hard to know exactly why he was sold

I can't think of any other examples.. would be happy to hear if some can

 

Can you find a manager that hasn't bought quite a few failures? Ferguson must have had loads in his time!

 

For the record, I don't think Pochettino is a bad manager, and I'm certainly not calling for him to be sacked. On the other hand, he's not shown himself to be fit to rank alongside the true managerial greats, let alone be called 'the best manager in the PL', and I think he gets a very easy ride from the media and much of the fanbase, despite plenty of evidence of serious shortcomings, all of which have been debated here over the past four years.
As for his transfer record, the duds speak for themselves, and while you're quite right to point out that SAF (or Wenger, or Mourinho) all have skeletons in their cupboards, Pochettino's fans can't have it both ways; if he's done so well in competing against the moneybags clubs, aren't his big money failures disproportionately serious, given our limited budget?

 

You're absolutely right in the logical-thinking sense. Certainly hasn't proved to be the best at anything until there's silverware on his cv (PL or CL or FAC minimum).
Do these transfer failures make a difference when we are finishing above teams with net spends over a hundred mill? Don't get me wrong, it makes my eyes water these ridiculous transfer fees whatever the amount and whatever the club (its a tragedy if you ask me), and the money could have been better spent.

Anyway, more importantly now need to see if England-Spurs are going to make me have to book a fight to Moscow in the morning...