Chelsea may have beaten Liverpool – easily – but everyone was talking about teenage midfielder Billy Gilmour.
The 18-year-old was the heart of the Blues’ engine room and gave Fabinho a scorching heat as Premier League leaders lost the FA Cup fifth-round match 2-0 at Stamford Bridge.
Gilmour, who joined the Rangers for around £ 500,000 in 2017, was the man of the match and won all the applause.
Cesc Fabregas, the former midfielder for Chelsea, Spain and Arsenal, clearly liked what he saw and tweeted to say he thought it was fantastic.
“The personality on the ball, the intelligence in its decision-making, always make angles to offer itself and has this little aggressiveness in it which is very important especially in the Premier League,” he said.
Former English captain Alan Shearer was another to greet the youngster.
“Jorginho is now suspended for the next two games, so he made a performance that said to the manager,” You have to keep me on this team, “” he said, while Tony Cascarino said his tenacity Roy Keane reminded him. .
The emergence of Gilmour symbolizes the new dawn at Chelsea under Frank Lampard, a manager who is not afraid to trust the young players at his disposal.
But what else do we know about him?
1. It caught the attention of the big boys
In 2016, many elites in Europe noticed Gilmour, who shone among young people at the age of 16.
Manchester United, Man City, Real Madrid and Barcelona are thought to be following the youngster’s progress, but a trip to Chelsea’s training complex in Cobham persuaded him to join the West London club.
“He will be and is already a very, very exciting talent,” said former Chelsea and Scotland ace Pat Nevin. “Chelsea fans will certainly see it more in the years to come.
“In Scotland, however, its capabilities are not unknown. In fact, there was a lot of desperation among the Rangers and Scotland in general when it was brought to Chelsea.
“There was a fear that he might get lost in the huge talent churn that is here and indeed the Premier League as a whole.”
Chelsea will now have to feed him to make sure he realizes his potential.
2. He often plays above his age group
Gimour was promoted to the Rangers’ under 20s when he was just 15 and after his talent became apparent, he was quickly sped up for the senior team.
He appeared in the Rangers’ provisional teams of the day and also played regularly for the under-21s in Scotland.
He crowned his first season with a victory in the FA Youth Cup final and was rewarded with a summons to the Scottish U21 team for the 2018 Toulon Tournament – even if he didn’t was only 16 years old.
Not only that, he received the young player’s award from the tournament while Scotland finished fourth.
Gilmour enjoyed a lot of playing time with the under 23s at Chelsea and made his senior and Premier League debut on August 31, 2019 against Sheffield United before making his full debut less than a month later against Grimsby Town in 7-1. Carabao Cup victory.
3. He is a creative diamond
As Fabregas sprang, Gilmour is a player with good game intelligence and a good conscience. It is very versatile as it is comfortable both in a deep role, as a box-to-box midfielder or in slot # 10.
One of the most impressive characteristics of the midfielder is his composure on the ball. He has the ability to choose the right passes under pressure, while dictating the tempo of the game.
He could become a useful member of the Lampard team, if any of Chelsea’s other options failed to impress in the midfield.
4. He’s not just a playmaker
Although Gilmour will certainly have to swell if he wants to shine in the Premier League, the youngster is not afraid to put his body at stake to regain possession.
He is by no means N’Golo Kante, but he will never shirk on the physical side of the game and will do everything possible to recover the ball for his team.
His desire to have the ball at his feet may see his temper take over from time to time, but the faithful of Stamford Bridge will appreciate a player who gives everything for the team and is not afraid to show his passion on the ground. .
Against Liverpool, he was thrown to the bottom without any problem.
“In the first 15 minutes, he just set the standard for the game, just stepping on it, having that inner conviction and setting the pace for the midfielder,” Tony Cascarino told talkSPORT.
“Without wanting to go over it, because I’m as guilty as everyone else of doing that and being excited by what you see, but I remember Keane was very similar at that age.
“Roy Keane demanded the ball, he was a fearless footballer.”
5. He has a goal in football
Breakthrough in the first team is often a rarity for young Chelsea, but Gilmour has the ambition and the will to rise to the top – just like his boss.
The Scot once told BBC Sport that he had only one goal in football; to join Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo and become known as the best in the world.
“I think every child’s dream should be that.
“If someone is better than me, I want to be better than them. I have always had a winning mindset and I hate losing, so when I see someone doing better, I have to match them. “
It is clear that Gilmour is not satisfied with winning matches. He wants to play on the field and do things that really stand out from the crowd at Stamford Bridge.
Lampard is top scorer of all time at Chelsea and Gimour hopes to emulate the success of his favorite player
6. He ranks Lampard compared to Steven Gerrard
Gilmour wasted little time choosing Lampard as his favorite player, and he did so long before the Englishman was about to be appointed the new manager for Stamford Bridge.
And while it’s not surprising that he thinks Lampard is a better player than Liverpool legend Gerrard, it will no doubt delight Blues fans.
He now has the chance to work alongside his hero Lampard, who will no doubt be able to pass on some of his vast football knowledge.