Billy Gilmour expressed his excitement after being back on the pitch in the 2-0 win over Fulham despite rusty first minutes and his pleasure to play alongside Mason Mount.
It was the 19-year-old first Premier League appearance under Thomas Tuchel.
He certainly had to wait for the opportunity, having last featured in the 2-0 FA Cup quarter-final win over Sheffield United in March.
Unsurprisingly, Gilmour struggled a bit at the start of the game to cope with Fulham’s intense pressing game.
“They [Fulham] pressed you tight and did not give you a lot of time, so you had to be sharp,” the former Rangers academy star told Chelsea TV after the game.
“I found out in the first couple of minutes. I had to be on my toes and be ready.
“It’s been a long time since I played. [But] it was good to be out there, enjoyed it.”
Tuchel experimented with different system
Tuchel opted for a slightly different formation in this game, a 3-5-2 with a midfield three with Gilmour at the base and Mount and Hakim Ziyech in front of him.
In his pre-match interview, Tuchel said the decision was to put Gilmour “in a position where he feels really comfortable” (via 5th Stand app).
While Mount did not play as a No.6, as usual, he still did very well defensively, making joint-most tackles in the game (five, alongside Reece James).
It is pretty obvious why Gilmour enjoys playing alongside the England international.
“It’s always good to play with Mason,” Gilmour added.
“It’s very easy [playing with him]. We link up well.
“I thought the boys in the team played really well today — a top performance.
“We worked really hard [despite] not having a lot of rest.”
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