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Chelsea news: Ruben Loftus-Cheek reveals which Blues player he obsessed over at academy
CHELSEA ace Ruben Loftus-Cheek has admitted he based his style entirely on former Blues midfielder Michael Ballack.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek was a big fan of Michael Ballack when he was at Chelsea
Ruben Loftus-Cheek came through the youth ranks at Chelsea and saw a lot of big-name players come and go over the years.
But the one who stood out above the rest for the Crystal Palace loanee was Germany international Michael Ballack.
And Loftus-Cheek has admitted he would obsess over his performances, analysing them on special laptops at the club.
“Ballack is a player that inspired me when I was growing up at Chelsea,” he told the London Evening Standard.
"I used to watch him playing with the likes of [Frank] Lampard and [Michael] Essien in midfield.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek would analyse Michael Ballack's performances on specially-equipped laptops
"I left Chelsea to get game time" admits Ruben Loftus-Cheek
“I was coming through the Academy and my coaches always used to say to me, ‘Watch the games, watch Ballack'.
"At the time they brought in a type of analysis which was quite new. It tracked players individually.
"You could go on a laptop, click on a name and watch all their plays from the game. I used to click on Ballack's name a lot.
"He was a guy that would boss the midfield. It is what my dad used to say to me as well, that I need to boss the midfield too.
“Ballack was a player that ran the game, while Lampard kind of worked off him.
"I took his style into the way I play, especially when I played as a No 8 all the way through the academy and sometimes play now."
And Loftus-Cheek admitted he even went as far as attempting to mimic the German physically, hitting the gym to gain a “Ballack frame”.
“I have always been quite tall since the age of 13-14, but I wasn't powerful with big muscles," he added.
"I have had to develop that Ballack frame and power over a period of time.
“My physicality is a big part of my game. It was a strength that he used and it is something you can compare us with."
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