🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Fikayo Tomori

[lucio 5,418]

I’d consider starting him over Zouma at this point 

[Vesper 30,178]

Wednesday October 21 2020 Matt Law's Chelsea briefing

Could Thiago Silva be the ideal partner for promising Fikayo Tomori? By Matt Law, Football News Correspondent It is just over a year since Fikayo Tomori made his England debut against Kosovo following an impressive start to last season, but many Chelsea fans have been left wondering what has become of the intelligent central defender. Tomori has not started a Premier League game since February and almost joined Everton and West Ham United on loan during the summer transfer window. The 22-year-old would be riding high at the top of the table as part of Carlo Ancelotti’s Everton side had Antonio Rudiger not fallen out of favour with Chelsea head coach Frank Lampard. Rudiger’s situation meant that Lampard blocked a season-long loan switch to Everton for Tomori and by the time it became clear the German would not be leaving, the Merseyside club had signed Ben Godfrey instead and a potential move to Fulham was blocked by Ruben Loftus-Cheek’s loan switch to Craven Cottage. West Ham made a last-minute move for Tomori, but the former Derby County loanee did not want to be rushed into something he was unsure about and West Ham manager David Moyes did not give him any guarantees over playing time. That has left Tomori on Chelsea’s substitutes’ bench for now, but the way in which Chelsea conceded three goals against Southampton once again raised questions over whether or not he should be given a chance from the start. This column was written before Chelsea’s Champions League game against Sevilla, but, even accounting for the fact Thiago Silva may be emerging as Lampard’s first-choice defender, there is a case to be made for Tomori. Statistics do not provide an exact science and it should be pointed out that Opta, who crunched the numbers for this newsletter, could not differentiate between when Lampard has played a back four and switched to a back three. But it is interesting that, since the start of last season, Tomori has been part of two of Chelsea’s three most successful partnerships, whether it be as part of central two or a three at the back.   He has only played four games with Rudiger, but Chelsea won three of them, losing once, giving them the club’s best central defensive win percentage of 75 per cent. In terms of goals conceded, the duo score slightly lower together with an average of 1.3 per match. Tomori has played with Kurt Zouma most regularly (17 times) and, in the same team, the defenders have a win percentage of 58.8 per cent and rate as Chelsea’s second best in terms of goals conceded with 20 working out as average of 1.2 per game. In his six games with Andreas Christensen, Tomori also has a goals-against ratio of 1.2 per game and that is only bettered by Zouma and Rudiger, who, in 14 games, have only conceded at a rate of one goal per game with a win percentage of 64.3 per cent. These statistics do not account for the quality of opposition or other in-game factors, but they do suggest that Tomori has every right to feel he deserves another opportunity from the start and that was underlined by his performance as a substitute against Liverpool after Christensen had been sent off. He also kept a clean sheet on his one and only start with 36-year-old Silva so far, and, while it may have come against Championship club Barnsley in the Carabao Cup, many Chelsea fans would like to take a look at how the pair’s youth and experience might complement each other in the Premier League. As ever, feel free to get in touch at [email protected].   A Telegraph Sport subscription is only £1 a week, or £40 for 12 months   Get unlimited access   The week at Chelsea Catch up with former Chelsea left-back Graeme Le Saux, now working at Real Mallorca, in this exclusive interview Sam Dean was impressed with Edouard Mendy and Thiago Silva against Valencia: can the clean sheet be a turning point? European Super League: Sam Wallace on why the English clubs should be wary of an expanded competition Dissecting Chelsea's defensive record: How much is Kepa's fault and how much blame should Lampard take?   Football Nerd | Don't miss our regular weekly Premier League newsletter

[Jase 43,479]

Lampard on Tomori...

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2020/nov/06/frank-lampard-says-fikayo-tomori-remains-part-of-his-chelsea-plans

“I think there’s arguments on both sides,” Chelsea’s manager said. “Fikayo is our contracted player. We know that West Ham were interested. Fikayo took the decision not to go and that’s well within his rights. That had no bearing on my thoughts at all. He’s still a developing player.

“When I say developing, he’s had a great two years. He got himself in the England team, was one of the best defenders in the Championship and then played 20-plus games for Chelsea. It’s normal for a young player sometimes, in a squad as competitive as ours, where there are periods where you maybe aren’t playing every week.”

Lampard took Tomori on loan to Derby in the 2018-19 season and gave him plenty of opportunities last season. “I’ve got no problem with Fikayo,” he said. “I rely on him. That’s clear from when I took him to Derby and how I handled him last year. He’s been a fantastic player for me. He trains very well and when he gets his opportunity, like he had when he came on against Liverpool and in the Carabao Cup, it’s important he takes them.”

[Blues Forever 1,232]

 

[Vesper 30,178]

Chelsea fans have been giving their reaction to the news emerging over the weekend that Fikayo Tomori could be a January target for Newcastle.

The Northern Echo claims that the Magpies could move for Tomori in January, with Steve Bruce set to utilise the loan market as he looks to strengthen his squad at St James’ Park.

[Vesper 30,178]

Nice 'interested in signing Fikayo Tomori on loan' with defender struggling for playing time at Chelsea

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-9047583/Nice-interested-signing-Chelsea-defender-Fikayo-Tomori-loan.html

[Blues Forever 1,232]

 

[Jase 43,479]

1 hour ago, Blues Forever said:

 

Lampard's handling of Tomori is something that hasn't been spoken enough.

[killer1257 3,282]

Lampard's handling of Tomori is something that hasn't been spoken enough.

Probably because big names like Toni start moaning again when they don't play. I don't think that there is a coincidence when Lampard had his talks with Toni, Tomori suddenly became our 5th choice CB.

Gesendet von meinem VOG-L29 mit Tapatalk

[killer1257 3,282]

I did not see him play yet, but I heard that he is doing well in Italy

[Vesper 30,178]

Once a pillar of Chelsea’s future, Tomori could become a champion at AC Milan

https://theathletic.com/2384466/2021/02/15/fikayo-tomori-pillar-Chelsea-future-champion-ac-milan/

Fikayo Tomori left Chelsea for AC Milan in search of opportunity, only for opportunity to find him faster than he ever could have expected.

In the 20th minute of a heated Milan derby that doubled as a Coppa Italia quarter-final at San Siro last month, defender Simon Kjaer suffered a thigh injury and could not continue. Only four days after holding up the famous red-and-black-striped shirt of his loan club for the first time, Tomori was thrown into one of the biggest fixtures in the Italian football calendar.

Circumstances denied him a dream debut as Inter Milan came from behind to win 2-1. But Inter might have turned the tide even earlier had it not been for Tomori, who brought instant commitment and composure alongside Alessio Romagnoli in the Milan defence. With his team still leading, he threw himself in the way of Romelu Lukaku’s goal-bound flick from Achraf Hakimi’s driven low cross.

“He played after two training sessions,” Milan coach Stefano Pioli said of Tomori after the game. “He’s got a lot of desire to learn. From a mental and technical standpoint I think he’s made a good impression.”

Tomori continued to partner Romagnoli in Kjaer’s absence, and Milan didn’t miss a beat in their quest to claim a first Serie A title in 10 years until the Denmark international returned for Saturday’s shock 2-0 defeat against Spezia. In victories over Bologna and Crotone, the Chelsea loanee earned plaudits in the spiritual home of defending for his aggression and anticipation, as well as his ability to be progressive with the ball at his feet.

Those qualities will be very familiar to many at Cobham, where Tomori began his football journey at the age of seven. But the fact that a player who so recently seemed set to be a pillar of Chelsea’s bright future might well end up becoming a champion somewhere else this season will be a source of frustration as well as pride.

---

When he signed a new five-year contract with Chelsea in December 2019, Tomori appeared to have cemented his place alongside Mason Mount, Tammy Abraham and Reece James at the heart of Frank Lampard’s youth revolution. A month earlier he had made his senior England debut as a substitute in a 4-0 win over Kosovo in Euro 2020 qualifying, having caught the eye of Gareth Southgate with a series of assured performances alongside Kurt Zouma in the Premier League and Champions League.

The idea that he would go on to make just six Chelsea appearances in the pandemic-disrupted calendar year of 2020 — followed by 10 minutes off the bench against Morecambe in the FA Cup in the first month of 2021 — despite suffering no serious injuries, seemed absurd.

Tomori lost his regular starting spot less than a month after the ink had dried on his new deal, with sources telling The Athletic that Lampard had become concerned about his level in training. He made only two FA Cup appearances in January 2020 and his next Premier League start, in a 2-2 draw away at Bournemouth at the end of February, proved to be the last time he was seen on the pitch that season.

Chelsea trailed 2-1 by the time Tomori was substituted in the 64th minute at the Vitality Stadium. His performance had been punctuated by errors and at one point Lampard could be heard shouting from the dugout for him to “wake up”. But it was a poor team display, and there was nothing else on the day to suggest that he would pay a particularly high price.

Those who know Tomori insist he has never been anything less than totally professional in his approach to training, and that any suggestion to the contrary is unfair. When no explanation was offered as to why his first-team minutes had dried up, he did not go to Lampard and ask for one. Sources have told The Athletic that Chelsea’s former head coach had also developed doubts about the academy graduate’s ability to impose himself in the air compared to the other centre-backs in the squad — a view supported by the numbers.

By the end of 2019-20, Tomori was keen to leave Chelsea on loan. Clubs in England and Europe made their interest known, and Everton — who were poised to take him a year earlier until David Luiz’s sudden departure for Arsenal — held particular appeal to the player. Lampard, however, was adamant that he did not want Tomori to go, insisting that he would get more opportunities even after Thiago Silva was acquired on a free transfer after leaving Paris Saint-Germain.

Lampard’s preference was to offload Antonio Rudiger, who had struggled for form and fitness throughout the previous season but was still held in high regard by the Chelsea hierarchy. The issue became a point of tension between the board and the head coach, and it quickly became clear that no club was prepared to offer director Marina Granovskaia significant value for the Germany international in a transfer market decimated by the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The impasse remained until the final days of the transfer window and Tomori paid a high price. Many of his most attractive loan options disappeared and Everton moved on, signing Ben Godfrey from Norwich City. By the time all parties accepted that Rudiger would not be leaving Chelsea, the only options for Tomori were to stay and fight for his place at Stamford Bridge or accept an 11th-hour loan offer from West Ham.

Tomori chose the former. Sources have told The Athletic that he turned down West Ham in part because the late nature of the approach didn’t afford him the time he and his family have always taken to weigh up big career decisions. The strength of Lampard’s desire for him to stay, implying that he would be given a chance to work his way back into his favour, also played a key role.

Three wasted months followed. Tomori was a spectator for the final stretch of the Lampard era, watching Zouma partner Silva for the first half of the 2020-21 season. Then, when defensive solidity fell away with the team’s form in December and January, Chelsea’s embattled head coach turned to Rudiger in search of a solution. By then Tomori had already resolved to make another push to leave, and this time he was open to a permanent move away.

---

Tomori only became a priority target for Milan in January but they had been tracking his progress and monitoring his situation for much longer than that. As highlighted by Antonee Robinson’s aborted move to San Siro in January 2020, the Italians giants’ recruitment network covers the Championship and they were familiar with Tomori’s impressive performances for Lampard’s vibrant Derby County side in 2018-19.

The other centre-backs on Milan’s radar were Strasbourg prospect Mohamed Simakan — who suffered a knee injury in January and has since agreed a move to RB Leipzig — and Ozan Kabak, who ultimately joined Liverpool on loan from Schalke. But once they set their sights firmly on Tomori they put their best foot forward, led by technical director Paolo Maldini.

As well as heading up Milan’s recruitment structure, Maldini’s iconic status within football means he is regarded as a formidable “closer” when it comes to convincing players to join the club. One phone call was all it took for him to make the desired impact. “The best defender to ever play football was talking to me and asking me to come, so from there I knew that this is where I wanted to come and play football and to learn from him as well,” Tomori told Milan’s official website after completing the move.

Milan had more to offer Tomori than the charms of a legend. As had been the case in the previous window, clubs in England and across Europe had signalled their interest in taking him on loan, with French club Rennes particularly enthusiastic suitors. But the lure of joining the team leading Serie A, playing for a club with a glorious history and challenging himself in a totally different football environment was too strong to resist.

Not all footballers would relish the possibility of moving countries and plunging themselves into a foreign culture during a devastating pandemic, but the 23-year-old Tomori backed himself to make the adjustment. He is a smart, strong-willed and open-minded young man who threw himself into learning Italian virtually on arrival, and he is determined to make the most of this new experience.

It is tempting to wonder how events might have transpired if the timing of Chelsea’s coaching change had been different. Lampard was sacked three days after Tomori joined Milan, and his successor Thomas Tuchel has so far favoured a system that features three centre-backs rather than two — even if Cesar Azpilicueta, a nominal right-back, has frequently occupied one of those spots.

Tomori, however, will not concern himself with such hypotheticals. He is fully focused on making as significant a contribution as possible to Milan’s bid to return to the Champions League and knows that achieving that target will only help his chances of returning to the England picture in time for the delayed Euro 2020. Aspirations of playing in that tournament were a significant factor in his desire to leave Chelsea on loan at the end of last season.

---

“From a physical standpoint we believe he’s a guy who can make the difference,” Maldini said of Tomori last month. “He has this ability to be aggressive and defend in a back four. Football is headed more and more in the direction of teams playing man to man. Within that, though, it’s still important to stay compact (and not lose your shape). Tomori is able to do both of these things very well.”

There have already been plenty of flashes of what Milan saw in Tomori. Here, in the first half of his first start against a dangerous Bologna side, he steps up to confront Musa Barrow as the striker leads a threatening transition attack.

Tomori’s aggression forces Barrow into an early decision, and he intercepts the striker’s attempted pass through to Nicolas Dominguez.

Here, in the first half against Crotone, Tomori seems to be in a vulnerable position as he steps up to confront Adam Ounas after the Algerian winger beats Theo Hernandez with a slick piece of skill.

But having successfully avoided committing himself, Tomori manages to stop Ounas in his tracks and forces him to turn his back on the Milan goal, before eventually poking the ball away.

Later in the same game, a similar situation plays out on the opposite flank, where Eduardo Henrique manages to beat Davide Calabria and gets a clear run at the Milan defence.

This time Tomori is more conservative, allowing team-mate Rade Krunic to confront Henrique first and only committing himself once Henrique cuts inside and unleashes a shot, which he successfully blocks.

Tomori’s speed has also proved valuable to the Milan defence. Here, in the Coppa Italia match against Inter, he steps up in an attempt to play Lukaku offside, unaware that Diogo Dalot has remained deeper behind him.

But by the time Inter work the ball to the feet of Nicolo Barella and are ready to involve Lukaku, Tomori is back in position and prepared. He beats the striker to the ball and recovers possession for Milan.

This recovery pace was even more crucial in the 2-1 win over Bologna, who created several promising transition opportunities and frequently looked to attack space in behind Milan’s defence. Early in the match Danilo advances and hits an inviting low pass into the left channel for Barrow to chase.

Tomori shifts into top gear, gets to the ball first and protects it from the striker, eventually playing it back to the feet of Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Shortly before half-time, a poor touch from Calabria puts Tomori in the nightmare situation of having to worry about Barrow and Dominguez as Nicola Sansone prepares to play the ball to his right.

Sansone finds Dominguez in a glorious position, but Tomori manages to readjust his body and scramble brilliantly to ensure his eventual shot is taken under severe pressure. Donnarumma makes the save.

Tomori’s only notable mistake for Milan came in the Bologna game. Midway through the second half he opts to clear Andreas Skov Olsen’s cross with his right foot rather than his left, and slices the ball straight up in the air. Barrow is close to latching onto it, but Donnarumma reacts quickly to smother the ball.

Overall though, Tomori has proven himself a capable deputy for Kjaer despite having precious little time to build chemistry with Romagnoli or the rest of his new team-mates.

---

Kjaer was always likely to regain his place in the starting XI once he returned to full fitness, considering the huge influence he has had as a player and as a personality on the team’s startling rise under Pioli this season.

“He’s one of the best centre-backs in Serie A,” Milan chief scout Geoffrey Moncada said of Kjaer earlier this season, “a really important player for the team. OK, (Zlatan) Ibrahimovic has changed lots of things but Simon has also given his contribution. He’s important to the project.”

Tomori faces an uphill battle to break up the defensive pairing that has helped propel Milan to an unlikely Serie A title challenge. But his early performances have put him in prime position to capitalise should the 31-year-old Kjaer suffer any further injuries or a drop in form. While not ideal, it is a markedly better situation than wasting any more time as fifth in the central defensive pecking order at Chelsea. It also carries with it the possibility of playing a real part in a historic achievement and winning his first senior trophy.

When the loan deal was announced, many Chelsea supporters were dismayed to hear that Milan have an option to buy Tomori for £25 million, plus £5 million in add-ons. Their best hope is that the proposed fee is deemed unfeasible by the Italians, who reached a similar conclusion about Tiemoue Bakayoko in 2018-19. If that happens, there is no reason why he can’t return to Stamford Bridge more ready to succeed at his boyhood club than ever before.

Tomori isn’t thinking that far ahead. After a nightmare 2020, he’s more focused on making up for lost time.

[OneMoSalah 8,886]

9 minutes ago, Vesper said:

Once a pillar of Chelsea’s future, Tomori could become a champion at AC Milan

https://theathletic.com/2384466/2021/02/15/fikayo-tomori-pillar-Chelsea-future-champion-ac-milan/

Fikayo Tomori left Chelsea for AC Milan in search of opportunity, only for opportunity to find him faster than he ever could have expected.

In the 20th minute of a heated Milan derby that doubled as a Coppa Italia quarter-final at San Siro last month, defender Simon Kjaer suffered a thigh injury and could not continue. Only four days after holding up the famous red-and-black-striped shirt of his loan club for the first time, Tomori was thrown into one of the biggest fixtures in the Italian football calendar.

Circumstances denied him a dream debut as Inter Milan came from behind to win 2-1. But Inter might have turned the tide even earlier had it not been for Tomori, who brought instant commitment and composure alongside Alessio Romagnoli in the Milan defence. With his team still leading, he threw himself in the way of Romelu Lukaku’s goal-bound flick from Achraf Hakimi’s driven low cross.

“He played after two training sessions,” Milan coach Stefano Pioli said of Tomori after the game. “He’s got a lot of desire to learn. From a mental and technical standpoint I think he’s made a good impression.”

Tomori continued to partner Romagnoli in Kjaer’s absence, and Milan didn’t miss a beat in their quest to claim a first Serie A title in 10 years until the Denmark international returned for Saturday’s shock 2-0 defeat against Spezia. In victories over Bologna and Crotone, the Chelsea loanee earned plaudits in the spiritual home of defending for his aggression and anticipation, as well as his ability to be progressive with the ball at his feet.

Those qualities will be very familiar to many at Cobham, where Tomori began his football journey at the age of seven. But the fact that a player who so recently seemed set to be a pillar of Chelsea’s bright future might well end up becoming a champion somewhere else this season will be a source of frustration as well as pride.

---

When he signed a new five-year contract with Chelsea in December 2019, Tomori appeared to have cemented his place alongside Mason Mount, Tammy Abraham and Reece James at the heart of Frank Lampard’s youth revolution. A month earlier he had made his senior England debut as a substitute in a 4-0 win over Kosovo in Euro 2020 qualifying, having caught the eye of Gareth Southgate with a series of assured performances alongside Kurt Zouma in the Premier League and Champions League.

The idea that he would go on to make just six Chelsea appearances in the pandemic-disrupted calendar year of 2020 — followed by 10 minutes off the bench against Morecambe in the FA Cup in the first month of 2021 — despite suffering no serious injuries, seemed absurd.

Tomori lost his regular starting spot less than a month after the ink had dried on his new deal, with sources telling The Athletic that Lampard had become concerned about his level in training. He made only two FA Cup appearances in January 2020 and his next Premier League start, in a 2-2 draw away at Bournemouth at the end of February, proved to be the last time he was seen on the pitch that season.

Chelsea trailed 2-1 by the time Tomori was substituted in the 64th minute at the Vitality Stadium. His performance had been punctuated by errors and at one point Lampard could be heard shouting from the dugout for him to “wake up”. But it was a poor team display, and there was nothing else on the day to suggest that he would pay a particularly high price.

Those who know Tomori insist he has never been anything less than totally professional in his approach to training, and that any suggestion to the contrary is unfair. When no explanation was offered as to why his first-team minutes had dried up, he did not go to Lampard and ask for one. Sources have told The Athletic that Chelsea’s former head coach had also developed doubts about the academy graduate’s ability to impose himself in the air compared to the other centre-backs in the squad — a view supported by the numbers.

By the end of 2019-20, Tomori was keen to leave Chelsea on loan. Clubs in England and Europe made their interest known, and Everton — who were poised to take him a year earlier until David Luiz’s sudden departure for Arsenal — held particular appeal to the player. Lampard, however, was adamant that he did not want Tomori to go, insisting that he would get more opportunities even after Thiago Silva was acquired on a free transfer after leaving Paris Saint-Germain.

Lampard’s preference was to offload Antonio Rudiger, who had struggled for form and fitness throughout the previous season but was still held in high regard by the Chelsea hierarchy. The issue became a point of tension between the board and the head coach, and it quickly became clear that no club was prepared to offer director Marina Granovskaia significant value for the Germany international in a transfer market decimated by the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The impasse remained until the final days of the transfer window and Tomori paid a high price. Many of his most attractive loan options disappeared and Everton moved on, signing Ben Godfrey from Norwich City. By the time all parties accepted that Rudiger would not be leaving Chelsea, the only options for Tomori were to stay and fight for his place at Stamford Bridge or accept an 11th-hour loan offer from West Ham.

Tomori chose the former. Sources have told The Athletic that he turned down West Ham in part because the late nature of the approach didn’t afford him the time he and his family have always taken to weigh up big career decisions. The strength of Lampard’s desire for him to stay, implying that he would be given a chance to work his way back into his favour, also played a key role.

Three wasted months followed. Tomori was a spectator for the final stretch of the Lampard era, watching Zouma partner Silva for the first half of the 2020-21 season. Then, when defensive solidity fell away with the team’s form in December and January, Chelsea’s embattled head coach turned to Rudiger in search of a solution. By then Tomori had already resolved to make another push to leave, and this time he was open to a permanent move away.

---

Tomori only became a priority target for Milan in January but they had been tracking his progress and monitoring his situation for much longer than that. As highlighted by Antonee Robinson’s aborted move to San Siro in January 2020, the Italians giants’ recruitment network covers the Championship and they were familiar with Tomori’s impressive performances for Lampard’s vibrant Derby County side in 2018-19.

The other centre-backs on Milan’s radar were Strasbourg prospect Mohamed Simakan — who suffered a knee injury in January and has since agreed a move to RB Leipzig — and Ozan Kabak, who ultimately joined Liverpool on loan from Schalke. But once they set their sights firmly on Tomori they put their best foot forward, led by technical director Paolo Maldini.

As well as heading up Milan’s recruitment structure, Maldini’s iconic status within football means he is regarded as a formidable “closer” when it comes to convincing players to join the club. One phone call was all it took for him to make the desired impact. “The best defender to ever play football was talking to me and asking me to come, so from there I knew that this is where I wanted to come and play football and to learn from him as well,” Tomori told Milan’s official website after completing the move.

Milan had more to offer Tomori than the charms of a legend. As had been the case in the previous window, clubs in England and across Europe had signalled their interest in taking him on loan, with French club Rennes particularly enthusiastic suitors. But the lure of joining the team leading Serie A, playing for a club with a glorious history and challenging himself in a totally different football environment was too strong to resist.

Not all footballers would relish the possibility of moving countries and plunging themselves into a foreign culture during a devastating pandemic, but the 23-year-old Tomori backed himself to make the adjustment. He is a smart, strong-willed and open-minded young man who threw himself into learning Italian virtually on arrival, and he is determined to make the most of this new experience.

It is tempting to wonder how events might have transpired if the timing of Chelsea’s coaching change had been different. Lampard was sacked three days after Tomori joined Milan, and his successor Thomas Tuchel has so far favoured a system that features three centre-backs rather than two — even if Cesar Azpilicueta, a nominal right-back, has frequently occupied one of those spots.

Tomori, however, will not concern himself with such hypotheticals. He is fully focused on making as significant a contribution as possible to Milan’s bid to return to the Champions League and knows that achieving that target will only help his chances of returning to the England picture in time for the delayed Euro 2020. Aspirations of playing in that tournament were a significant factor in his desire to leave Chelsea on loan at the end of last season.

---

“From a physical standpoint we believe he’s a guy who can make the difference,” Maldini said of Tomori last month. “He has this ability to be aggressive and defend in a back four. Football is headed more and more in the direction of teams playing man to man. Within that, though, it’s still important to stay compact (and not lose your shape). Tomori is able to do both of these things very well.”

There have already been plenty of flashes of what Milan saw in Tomori. Here, in the first half of his first start against a dangerous Bologna side, he steps up to confront Musa Barrow as the striker leads a threatening transition attack.

Tomori’s aggression forces Barrow into an early decision, and he intercepts the striker’s attempted pass through to Nicolas Dominguez.

Here, in the first half against Crotone, Tomori seems to be in a vulnerable position as he steps up to confront Adam Ounas after the Algerian winger beats Theo Hernandez with a slick piece of skill.

But having successfully avoided committing himself, Tomori manages to stop Ounas in his tracks and forces him to turn his back on the Milan goal, before eventually poking the ball away.

Later in the same game, a similar situation plays out on the opposite flank, where Eduardo Henrique manages to beat Davide Calabria and gets a clear run at the Milan defence.

This time Tomori is more conservative, allowing team-mate Rade Krunic to confront Henrique first and only committing himself once Henrique cuts inside and unleashes a shot, which he successfully blocks.

Tomori’s speed has also proved valuable to the Milan defence. Here, in the Coppa Italia match against Inter, he steps up in an attempt to play Lukaku offside, unaware that Diogo Dalot has remained deeper behind him.

But by the time Inter work the ball to the feet of Nicolo Barella and are ready to involve Lukaku, Tomori is back in position and prepared. He beats the striker to the ball and recovers possession for Milan.

This recovery pace was even more crucial in the 2-1 win over Bologna, who created several promising transition opportunities and frequently looked to attack space in behind Milan’s defence. Early in the match Danilo advances and hits an inviting low pass into the left channel for Barrow to chase.

Tomori shifts into top gear, gets to the ball first and protects it from the striker, eventually playing it back to the feet of Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Shortly before half-time, a poor touch from Calabria puts Tomori in the nightmare situation of having to worry about Barrow and Dominguez as Nicola Sansone prepares to play the ball to his right.

Sansone finds Dominguez in a glorious position, but Tomori manages to readjust his body and scramble brilliantly to ensure his eventual shot is taken under severe pressure. Donnarumma makes the save.

Tomori’s only notable mistake for Milan came in the Bologna game. Midway through the second half he opts to clear Andreas Skov Olsen’s cross with his right foot rather than his left, and slices the ball straight up in the air. Barrow is close to latching onto it, but Donnarumma reacts quickly to smother the ball.

Overall though, Tomori has proven himself a capable deputy for Kjaer despite having precious little time to build chemistry with Romagnoli or the rest of his new team-mates.

---

Kjaer was always likely to regain his place in the starting XI once he returned to full fitness, considering the huge influence he has had as a player and as a personality on the team’s startling rise under Pioli this season.

“He’s one of the best centre-backs in Serie A,” Milan chief scout Geoffrey Moncada said of Kjaer earlier this season, “a really important player for the team. OK, (Zlatan) Ibrahimovic has changed lots of things but Simon has also given his contribution. He’s important to the project.”

Tomori faces an uphill battle to break up the defensive pairing that has helped propel Milan to an unlikely Serie A title challenge. But his early performances have put him in prime position to capitalise should the 31-year-old Kjaer suffer any further injuries or a drop in form. While not ideal, it is a markedly better situation than wasting any more time as fifth in the central defensive pecking order at Chelsea. It also carries with it the possibility of playing a real part in a historic achievement and winning his first senior trophy.

When the loan deal was announced, many Chelsea supporters were dismayed to hear that Milan have an option to buy Tomori for £25 million, plus £5 million in add-ons. Their best hope is that the proposed fee is deemed unfeasible by the Italians, who reached a similar conclusion about Tiemoue Bakayoko in 2018-19. If that happens, there is no reason why he can’t return to Stamford Bridge more ready to succeed at his boyhood club than ever before.

Tomori isn’t thinking that far ahead. After a nightmare 2020, he’s more focused on making up for lost time.

Going to end up a mistake not keeping him here I feel. Was a poor decision not to make him Silva’s partner more frequently I felt in the first place as he would probably managed to do as well as Zouma did at the start whilst also being more proficient on the ball. Plus if he stayed, when TT arrived he would be a good option for LCB in the back 3 to rotate/challenge Rudiger. Plus his profile in terms of his athleticism and pace, it seems even more strange considering we play a high line. Just hope 25m plus add ons is too much but really think he will continue to thrive in Serie A. 

[Vesper 30,178]

3 minutes ago, OneMoSalah said:

Going to end up a mistake not keeping him here I feel. Was a poor decision not to make him Silva’s partner more frequently I felt in the first place as he would probably managed to do as well as Zouma did at the start whilst also being more proficient on the ball. Plus if he stayed, when TT arrived he would be a good option for LCB in the back 3 to rotate/challenge Rudiger. Plus his profile in terms of his athleticism and pace, it seems even more strange considering we play a high line. Just hope 25m plus add ons is too much but really think he will continue to thrive in Serie A. 

AC Milan would be fools to turn the strike price down as too much. I am so pissed. Hopefully Marc Guéhi comes good as Tomori's replacement.

[OneMoSalah 8,886]

2 minutes ago, Vesper said:

AC Milan would be fools to turn the strike price down as too much. I am so pissed. Hopefully Marc Guéhi comes good as Tomori's replacement.

Not much for criticising Lampard for being short sighted with youngsters more so after most of last season but he and club really made a mistake on Fikayo in my eyes.

I thought when it was confirmed we were bringing in Thiago Silva, that this would mean Tomori would become much more prominent in the starting 11 again and that playing with him would bring him on. I couldnt think of anything better for a young CB, both him and Andreas, than learning every week off of a modern day great CB. I mean seeing the effect it had on Kurt originally also I felt very positive and though that those two would also be picking up things and learning but we rarely seen them play or he rarely gave them minutes to see how they’d fair. 

Aye I agree, it looks like Milan will probably end up making it a permanent deal for that price. I think most clubs in the same position with such an arrangement would be fools not to. I hope theres an issue or Tuchel makes it clear to him hes part of his plans because he has a unique skill set in terms of being comfortable on the ball and has good athleticism. Hes also shown improvements in reading the play and as a young CB he will still improve on that with the more games he plays. Plus Serie A and centre backs is a match made in heaven, look at how de Ligt kicked on after a tricky period at Juve at first. Then boys like Koulibaly, Manolas, De Vrij, Skriniar, Romagnoli are very good established CBs. Demiral and Bastoni also are good prospects but still got a bit to go. They learn so much as there is a huge emphasis on being hard to beat, having good tactical understanding and the defensive phase of the game over there. Even some of the older CBs the likes of Bonucci, Chielleni, Acebri, Kjaer, all at reasonably good levels. 

[Vesper 30,178]

6 minutes ago, OneMoSalah said:

Not much for criticising Lampard for being short sighted with youngsters more so after most of last season but he and club really made a mistake on Fikayo in my eyes.

I thought when it was confirmed we were bringing in Thiago Silva, that this would mean Tomori would become much more prominent in the starting 11 again and that playing with him would bring him on. I couldnt think of anything better for a young CB, both him and Andreas, than learning every week off of a modern day great CB. I mean seeing the effect it had on Kurt originally also I felt very positive and though that those two would also be picking up things and learning but we rarely seen them play or he rarely gave them minutes to see how they’d fair. 

Aye I agree, it looks like Milan will probably end up making it a permanent deal for that price. I think most clubs in the same position with such an arrangement would be fools not to. I hope theres an issue or Tuchel makes it clear to him hes part of his plans because he has a unique skill set in terms of being comfortable on the ball and has good athleticism. Hes also shown improvements in reading the play and as a young CB he will still improve on that with the more games he plays. Plus Serie A and centre backs is a match made in heaven, look at how de Ligt kicked on after a tricky period at Juve at first. Then boys like Koulibaly, Manolas, De Vrij, Skriniar, Romagnoli are very good established CBs. Demiral and Bastoni also are good prospects but still got a bit to go. They learn so much as there is a huge emphasis on being hard to beat, having good tactical understanding and the defensive phase of the game over there. Even some of the older CBs the likes of Bonucci, Chielleni, Acebri, Kjaer, all at reasonably good levels. 

Bastoni is already a monster IMHO. Would LOVE him on Chels, but sub zero chance of that.

[Jase 43,479]

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/56075846

[Vesper 30,178]

4 hours ago, Jason said:

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/56075846

he is so gone

he has been superb for AC Milan

FUCK!!!!

[DDA 9,939]

So AC Milan can buy him at the end of the season and we can't stop it?

[Jase 43,479]

Just now, DDA said:

So AC Milan can buy him at the end of the season and we can't stop it?

AC Milan can buy him but ultimately, it comes down to what Tomori wants. He can still reject their offer, assuming they use the option to buy him.

[DDA 9,939]

7 minutes ago, Jason said:

AC Milan can buy him but ultimately, it comes down to what Tomori wants. He can still reject their offer, assuming they use the option to buy him.

Our project looks alot more exciting than theirs but without a garunteed spot in the starting eleven... which I don't think any manager can offer somebody who isn't fully developed yet... my guess is, he will choose to stay there.