Who is Alfie Gilchrist? That will be the question on the minds of Chelsea fans after the youngsters cameo appearance off the bench in the 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace on match week 19.
Gilchrist was afforded just a couple of minutes of action as he made his senior Blues debut and he didn’t disappoint, with his efforts affording praise from a former captain and club legend.
The west Londoners win means they are on 25 points at the halfway stage of the 2023/24 Premier League season and currently occupy tenth spot ahead of the trip to Luton Town on Saturday.
Many will be hoping Gilchrist is given more game time by boss Mauricio Pochettino and a loan move is also a viable option, especially with the January transfer window on the horizon.
Who Is Alfie Gilchrist?
Alfie Gilchrist is a 20-year old centre-back who has been on the books with Chelsea since 2014. Born in Kingston-upon Thames, Gilchrist started his career with Old Isleworthians before joining Queens Park Rangers’ academy.
When he made the switch to the Blues, Gilchrist was a midfielder but they re-trained him as a defender and he hasn’t looked back since.
This season, Gilchrist has captained Chelsea’s U21 side on eight occasions and he was also nominated for the Premier League 2 Player of the Season award in 2022/23.
A tough-tackling old fashioned centre-back, Gilchrist has been compared to John Terry and the Blues legend himself couldn’t hide his delight at his performance against Crystal Palace.
Delighted for Alfie.
Congratulations mate 💙⚽️ https://t.co/CYrbdZZh6D— John Terry (@JohnTerry26) December 27, 2023
John Terry On Alfie Gilchrist
“He’s a really really good player. He’s got an unbelievable attitude. He’s been at the club since the age of eight. He performs so well on a daily basis, does everything right. I think he’s got a good chance,” Terry explained.
“I think we spoke about the young players going on loan and I think Alfie’s next step is to go on loan next season and then you should see how he does.
“I’m expecting big things from Alf, expecting him to play hopefully a game or two as the season goes on,” Terry went on to add. Not bad praise from one of English football’s finest ever players.
On the Palace victory and Gilchrist’s debut, Terry posted on X, formerly Twitter, “Delighted for Alfie. Congratulations mate.”
Alfie Gilchrist Future
Alfie Gilchrist’s future at Chelsea certainly looks very bright indeed. When a club legend such as John Terry affords praise then you can be sure you’re on the right track.
Against Palace, Gilchrist threw himself in at the deep end by crunching in to a tackle and then trying to block a clearance with his head. Something of which Terry can relate to.
Mauricio Pochettino will potentially be in two minds as to how to utilise Gilchrist for the second half of the season. Should he be sent out on loan or bedded straight into the first team?
A temporary move to another Premier League side or top half EFL Championship side would make sense but if Pochettino believes he is good enough now, keep him in SW19.
Gilchrist certainly has the attributes to make it to the very top. He definitely has the potential to be a future Chelsea and England captain, just like Terry.
Alfie Gilchrist X Reactions
Unsurprisingly, a number of Chelsea supporters shared their admiration for Alfie Gilchrist’s commitment in the dying embers of the victory over Roy Hodgson’s side. John Terry even used an expletive to describe Gilchrist’s heroics.
Here is a selection of the best Gilchrist reactions on X, formerly Twitter:
Propa CHELS 🥶💙 pic.twitter.com/xmq9NNCJwK
— 𝐓𝐎𝐁𝐈 🕸️ (@tobisznn) December 28, 2023
Just need 10 more like Alfie @ChelseaFC 😉
— David Burton ⭐️⭐️ (@DavidBurton1971) December 28, 2023
Man is so determined to win the ball💪🏼💪🏼
— CFC_Bella💙 (@bellaziizjunior) December 28, 2023
Alfie Gilchrist’s cameo vs Palace pic.twitter.com/H5c8flQfsu
— Vᴅʏᴋ (@VdykCFC) December 27, 2023
Alfie Gilchrist – Chelsea Future Captain 🔒 pic.twitter.com/98HFSAbRuZ
— Yimzy (@oyimzy) December 28, 2023
Alfie Gilchrist 💙 pic.twitter.com/n1RjMvqxKI
— The Chelsea Spot (@TheChelseaSpot) December 27, 2023
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