There was a rare start for Chelsea midfielder Billy Gilmour on Saturday as he helped the team beat Fulham 2-0 in the Premier League.
The 19-year old has largely had to make do with a spot on the bench if he is lucky so far under Thomas Tuchel, with Jorginho, Mateo Kovacic, and N’Golo Kante the serious talent ahead of him in the pecking order right now.
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Gilmour started the game against Fulham and it was no surprise to see him looking a little rusty with a lack of regular game time playing a part in that.
But it didn’t take him long to settle into the game and show the quality that he brings, and he turned into an important player in the game helping Chelsea keep the lead and keep control of the game.
The young Scot has admitted this himself via the Chelsea website, and he has also been detailing just what it is like in training under Tuchel.
“It was a tough game [vs Fulham]. I’ve not played in a while so it was good to be back out there and playing football again.
“The first couple of times I needed to find my feet again and get used to the pace of the game but eventually I got my rhythm and I done okay.
“I’m working hard at the training ground, doing a lot and whenever I get the call I’m ready. Towards the end of the game I did feel a bit tired but that’s usual when you’ve not played in a while.
“He’s [Tuchel in training] very hands on, very intense and demanding of the players but he keeps you on your toes. You need to work hard in this team. I’m sure he is proud of the result and the performance from the boys.
“We know our jobs in the team. We know we want to play forward quick, break the lines, get behind teams and punish them. We’re working on that every day at the training ground so it becomes second nature.
“It was an important game because we know we need to keep pushing to get in the top four. We have big teams coming up so it was a big three points and a hard-fought win.
“We’re taking it a game at a time. We had Madrid last week, we had Fulham and now we’re focused on Madrid again. All the boys are working hard and you can see the results.
“There is a good buzz around the camp. We know we’re in an FA Cup final, we’re in the second leg of the Champions League semi-final against Madrid, so it’s all down to us. We’re ready to go, we’re up for any challenge, so it’s going to be interesting towards the end of the season.”
