Academy kid plays excellent hour out of position with little notice – Cobham proves its worth again

Alfie Gilchrist was just happy to be on the bench tonight, likely hoping for another late cameo off the bench.

But instead, an injury in the warmup to Levi Colwill meant a reshuffle in defence which saw Gilchrist starting at right back.

It certainly wasn’t set up well for Gilchrist, thrown in at the last minute, out of position. But he performed brilliantly – Chelsea didn’t concede while he was on the pitch, he looked physically more than a match for his opposite number, and while he was never going to be too adventurous in attack, he did what was necessary.

What more can you say about Alfie, and about Cobham in general? It always produces, and it will always be there when we need it most. What an exciting future ahead for this young defender, whose emergence is going to seriously take the sting out of the departure of Trevoh Chalobah when he finally goes.