Chelsea head coach Frank Lampard has defended his decision to bring on Billy Gilmour at a key point in the Blues’ clash with Sheffield United yesterday.
While we all want to see our most promising young talents be given opportunities in the team, while leading by a single goal and under pressure from a tenacious Sheffield United side might not have been the best time for young Gilmour to enter the fray.
Chelsea conceded after Gilmour’s introduction, through no fault of his it has to be said, but naturally people are going to ask whether Lampard would have been better of bringing on someone more senior. Frank insists he had no choice, however.
Lampard is quoted by Football London saying:
“It wasn’t bold because it was one for one in both positions. Kovacic was on his haunches, tired, Billy Gilmour is a midfield player I have on the bench and Batshuayi on to bring some energy for Tammy, who had been our best player, clearly, in the game. Other people can make what they want for that, but we were trying to see the game out.
I have faith in Billy coming through, I think he is going to have a big future. But we obviously have an injury with N’Golo, we all know he is a fantastic player for us. Billy is on the bench, as simple as that. We know we have a ban, the squad is what the squad is.”
Perhaps Andreas Christensen could have filled in for Mateo Kovacic in midfield, but if Sheffield United didn’t equalise then we would hail it as a good decision from Lampard to show faith in a player like Gilmour at that stage of a Premier League game.
Hindsight is 20-20, as they say…
