Loftus-Cheek vows to improve after shining in Germany stalemate
RUBEN Loftus-Cheek insists he can still improve after making an impressive England debut in the entertaining goalless draw with Germany.
The first friendly in the buildup to the World Cup in Russia could have been thrown off kilter by the withdrawal of seven players, yet a youthful Three Lions side took their chance to impress against the World champions.
Loftus-Cheek was pivotal to the endeavour, creativity and steel displayed by England’s inexperienced side at Wembley.
“If we’d won it would have been better, but I’m really happy,” Loftus-Cheek, currently on loan at Crystal Palace from Chelsea, said. “It was good for us young players and I learned a lot so it’s been a good night.
“To go to the World Cup, it is still a long season and I’ll look to improve.”
Midfield partner and captain on the night Eric Dier felt a youthful side had offered a promising glimpse of the future.
“I think we did very well against a very well-oiled machine in Germany,” he said. “We also had our periods where we controlled the game.
“We need to continue to build — not just against Brazil (Tuesday’s friendly) but for the future.”
England manager Gareth Southgate hailed Loftus-Cheek as a player who can achieve “anything” after the game.
“He did everything that I know he can do,” Southgate said. “I think it took him 10 minutes to realise, ‘I’m okay here, I can play’. I think he needs that confidence because he’s capable of anything.
“He’s been a top performer in our junior teams for a long time, as have some of the others, and England: Pickford, Trippier (Walker 72), Jones (Gomez 25), Stones, Maguire, Rose (Bertrandat 71), Loftus-Cheek, Dier, Livermore (Corkat 86), Abraham (for Rashford 60), Vardy (Lingardat 86)
Germany: ter Stegen, Ginter, Hummels, Rüdiger, Kimmich, Ozil, Gundogan (Rudy 86), Halstenberg, Draxler (Canat 67), Sané (Brandtat 87), Werner (Wagnerat 73). Referee:Pawel Raczkowski
Man of match: Ruben Loftus-Cheek Attendance:81,382
they showed they can step up.”
On his side’s overall performance, Southgate added: “We created a couple of really good chances and I felt our use of the ball was excellent.
“We have room for improvement but I felt it was a really healthy performance.”
The match saw Germany join England in wearing black armbands bearing the poppy before a rendition of the ‘Last Post’.
A classy moment of solidarity was followed by a friendly far more entertaining than any of England’s recent matches.
Leroy Sane was proving Germany’s biggest threat. A thrashed strike in the early stages was followed by a stunning 20th-minute attempt that hit the woodwork.
Germany were looking sharp on the break but Jordan Pickford was proving a sturdy last line of defence. Antonio Rudiger’s longrange strike was easy enough but his one-handed save from Timo Werner was far more impressive.
England returned well after half-time and Loftus-Cheek was pulling the strings as they pushed for a goal, including feeding captain Dier to get away a cross that Mats Hummels had to hack behind his own goal.
Jesse Lingard lashed over with the last action of the game.