Chelsea: What is Frank Lampard’s plan without Billy Gilmour?
Chelsea’s Billy Gilmour is set to miss the remainder of the season, but what’s Frank Lampard’s plan going forward without the youngster?
Injuries have plagued the Blues since the start of the season. The Coronavirus halt offered an opportunity for Lampard’s men to get healthy, but the injury bug has come back to bite them yet again. Even after the restart, Chelsea is unable to escape the biggest damper on the club’s season.
Reports surfaced on Thursday that Chelsea’s young phenom Billy Gilmour is set to miss the rest of the 2019/20 campaign. While it’s only a few matches, Frank Lampard and his staff are left scrambling for solutions. Luckily, Jorginho has been waiting in the wing since the restart and offers possibly the world’s best ‘Plan C’ for the gaffer.
It seemed as if Jorginho wasn’t going to step foot on a pitch in a Chelsea shirt again after the way Lampard handled his minutes—or lack thereof—upon the resumption of play. However, injuries to both N’Golo Kante and Mateo Kovacic saw the opportunity present itself. Jorginho came on in the 80′ against Crystal Palace. He helped steer the ship and calm play when in possession during his brief time on the pitch. Now, he’ll be given the opportunity to dictate play in the middle of the park going forward.
In Jorginho, Lampard has an experienced option to slot into the base of the trio in the middle. The Jorginho-Gilmour swap is like-for-like in holding midfield, so the Chelsea midfield should hardly skip a beat. The one thing that will be missed is the pace of Kante, Kovacic and Gilmour in comparison to the Italian international.
What the Juventus target does bring to the side is the ability to control play with his intelligent understanding of the game. Jorginho’s passing prowess and sharp mind help create chances when he finds open passing lanes. The 28-year-old makes it look effortless, whereas the former—Gilmour—has been accused of trying too hard at times.
Lampard’s utilization of Jorginho as a benchwarmer since the restart has boiled down to two things; Jorginho’s links with a move away and the gaffer’s emphasis on a quick pace of play. The coaching staff will have to set aside those two viewpoints when Jorginho takes the pitch as a part of the starting XI on Saturday.
Chelsea’s Billy Gilmour and Jorginho have more to worry about. dark. Next
While this may not be Lampard’s favorite option, he’s got no other choice at this point. Let’s give credit where it’s due though; Jorginho has handled the situation better than a majority professional footballers would have. His professionalism and honor may be the difference between Chelsea playing Champions League or Europa League football next season.