SIT DOWN. EVERYONE SIT DOWN AND STOP WHAT YOU'RE DOING. RUBEN LOFTUS-CHEEK HAS PLAYED HIS FIRST MATCH SINCE GETTING INJURED. THIS IS NOT A DRILL.
Chelsea's fans haven't seen the midfielder since he picked up a nasty Achilles injury back in May 2019. He may have returned to training, but it's no secret that recovering match fitness is an entirely different battle.
His first test, as noted by The Athletic, was a behind-closed-doors friendly against Brentford B on Tuesday, in which Loftus-Cheek managed 60 minutes of action for the development side.
Most importantly, he encountered no problems during the game and is said to have been feeling fine after his first hour of action in around nine months.
Now, let's not get ahead of ourselves. A return to senior action is still a long way off. That is to be expected, given the severity of the injury, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel. A recovery is in sight.
“Where we are having a bit of time off for the players, he won’t, he’ll be working,” manager Frank Lampard said of Loftus-Cheek.
#FridayFeeling pic.twitter.com/UGlnUTehRf
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) January 24, 2020
“He’ll be with the Under-23s to try and get some minutes – he’ll have to get some minutes. He’s had a full week of training with us for the first time and he has come through it.
“It’s great to see him but he looks short, he knows he’s short. You couldn’t not be after he has been out for so long. So yes, Under-23s progression and hopefully after the break we can talk about him more when he is going to come back into the squad.”
Obviously, a return to action cannot be rushed, but Chelsea need Loftus-Cheek now more than ever.
The 24-year-old is a real do-it-all kind of midfielder. He's powerful, yet deceptively agile, and he is capable of making things happen out of nowhere. Basically, he's the kind of player Chelsea have been crying out for recently.
The Blues' midfield has been so stationary at times. There has been a startling lack of movement, urgency and creativity, but that's exactly what Loftus-Cheek is about.
When in possession, he can run with the ball. He can beat a defender and make something happen. Capable of both scoring and creating, he gives Chelsea another dimension going forward.
His role is similar to the one Mason Mount has filled with varying levels of success this season. The 21-year-old has been involved in plenty of positive moments, but his lack of versatility and composure has often been exposed.
Three years his senior, Loftus-Cheek has proven to boast both those qualities, and his presence should only make Chelsea better.
However, despite all the excitement and anticipation, it is important to temper your expectations in the short term.
Suffering such a serious injury will have undoubtedly taken its toll on Loftus-Cheek. Even when he feels physically fit enough to perform, he will be a long way away from finding any sort of groove or rhythm.
It might take a while, but Loftus-Cheek is coming back.
For more from Tom Gott, follow him on Twitter!
Source : 90min