Daniel Farke and Norwich City’s return to the Premier League at the first attempt made for impressive viewing. His side played some magnificent football, spearheaded by possibly the greatest individual Championship season of all time produced by now-Aston Villa winger; Emiliano Buendía. They scored the second-highest number of goals in the division (only behind Brentford) on their way to the title.
This side, though, was built upon solid foundations. They only conceded 36 goals in 46 games, again second-best (this time to Watford), thanks to the hard work of Oliver Skipp in midfield, who did a fantastic job as a mobile defensive midfielder who screened the backline superbly. In this scout report, we will detail why Billy Gilmour is the perfect evolution for what this role in the team can provide.
In this tactical analysis, we will look at his limited minutes for Chelsea at senior level, uncover why he is a man of the match machine, and why Farke has picked out him as the ideal midfielder for his system.
Player profile
As a young kid, Billy Gilmour was raised on the west coast of Scotland, in a little town called Ardrossan. A town rife with a drinking culture (as are many across the UK), Gilmour did not follow that tradition and instead spent that time working hard on his craft. Even now, he is a humble young man who enjoys heading back home when he can to keep himself grounded, to keep himself in an environment where he is not surrounded by choirs of praise. It is part of why his rise to the top has been so unwavering.
He always wanted to be a football player ever since he was in his early years, and later on into his teens, he discovered it was going to take sacrifice. At the age of 16, Gilmour moved 433 miles away from his family to Cobham, home to Chelsea’s prestigious training ground and academy. He initially shared a room with then-new signing, Daishawn Redan, (now at Hertha Berlin) in digs near the academy itself. It would not take long for Gilmour to settle himself down and make an immediate impression.
Two seasons in the youth team preceded a pro debut against Liverpool in the EFL Cup during the 2019/20 season, where an 18-year-old Gilmour produced a man of the match display. He would get used to receiving those in the year to come. Ten appearances but well under 500 minutes would follow for the rest of the season, and in the 2020/21 season, he gained marginally more time on the pitch. Arguably less than he deserved based on his performances versus the likes of Mateo Kovačić at the time.
At 5’6” / 170cm, Gilmour is a player who does not let his petite figure adversely affect his performance. In fact, he uses his small frame to his advantage, as he is incredibly difficult to dispossess off the ball, with even players such as Fabinho of Liverpool struggling in this case. He has a footballing brain that enables him to be a step ahead of his opposing man at any time. He actively invites pressure, knowing he will not succumb to it. Once he is past them, his passing range and accuracy are not bad either.
Billy Gilmour’s player profile, created by the wonderful Sathish Prasad, so are the fantastic radars further down the piece. Check out his Twitter @SathishPrasadVT.
World-class ability on the ball
Now, this comment is no hyperbole, it is something that the folks over at Norwich truly believe; Norwich see Gilmour as a world-class talent on the ball. This is a statement that is evidence-based as well, and his most recent man of the match performance, a Euros debut against England, was a testament to what Norwich were saying about him behind the scenes. He’s got flair and tenacity.
