Conor Gallagher’s man-of-the-match display against Manchester City was another sign of the fantastic season he was enjoying at Crystal Palace. He covered 12.5 miles in 90 minutes and then said “I do not feel my legs”, but it only gets better.
The midfielder, on loan from Chelsea, has all the qualities one wants: he scores and scores goals, fights opponents and has the energy to do the whole game, which makes him a great team-mate and very annoying Opponents. In 15 of his 25 appearances this season, he has covered more ground than anyone else in a palace shirt, delivering energy at the heart of the midfield to lead them to a comfortable mid-table position.
I saw Gallagher last season in West Brom and thought he was struggling and maybe that was a wake-up call for him. I did not think at the time that he had the speed or power for the top flight, so it is great to see that he has improved his physical skills. I do not know how the change came about or whether it is just the natural development of a young player that allows his body to get used to the rigors of the game at this level, but the important thing is that it works for him.
Getting the right loan is essential for players and their parent clubs to ensure that it is helpful for development. A lot of effort and research is put into these things, because if an individual signs for a club with a wrong coach or a wrong style for them, then the deal will not benefit anyone. Gallagher has shown at Swansea and Palace what can be done in the right hands. Parents’ clubs know the quality of their games – they just need to see if they can perform in professional play every week.
Patrick Vieira has changed the palace this season, creating a more dynamic and offensive style with Gallagher at heart. They have gone from being the oldest average player in the Premier League to being a team of young and lively players who, in their day, are capable of offering the best that England has to offer.
Palace took four points from Manchester City taking this term, with Gallagher in the win at the Etihad. He is already used to coming up with great performances and key players against alleged super opposition, showing that nothing suits him, and that is a quality that Chelsea have noticed. These are good characters built on the platform of the desire to get out around those around him. I remember seeing Gallagher at Chelsea because his youth team trained on the field after the ladies team – he is very memorable because his playing (and hair) style was always the same.
Those in the stands can see what a player like Gallagher brings to the team because he is all-action. Sometimes it’s hard to notice what a more subtle player offers, but there’s no mistake about Gallagher’s efforts and that will always upset an audience. Palace fans must be very excited that they will almost certainly not be able to keep him going this season. Gallagher has possibly increased his value fourfold since he moved to Selhurst Park thanks to his eight goals and three assists, which means the palace will most likely be shaped by his purchase.
Chelsea would love to have Gallagher back because every club wants a player like him. It’s easy to see what he could offer Chelsea and – no respect for Palace – how he could improve every day along with better players. Gallagher, however, does not want his progress to be halted by becoming a cadre player, reduced to accepting minutes from the bench, especially with a World Cup at the end of the year. There are plenty of precautionary stories for Gallagher at Stamford Bridge, where talented midfielders like Ross Barkley and Ruben Loftus-Cheek have struggled to find the right path on their journey through Chelsea’s hybrid loan system.
It would be interesting to see where he fits into Chelsea’s start XI. He is certainly not in the Jorginho mold and would offer a different style to Mateo Kovacic. I think he could be perfectly next to the N’Golo Kanté in the center of the park, making everyone able to run at the right time to bring constant energy to the side.
Gallagher made his England debut for Chelsea, which seems strange, and more heads could come his way after a well-deserved call on Thursday. Gareth Southgate will have Gallagher in mind for his World Cup, but he obviously does not fit into the current England system. There are many games ahead of him; You can not ignore what Declan Rice and Calvin Phillips have done with the euro, providing stability and industry Southgate desires in midfield.
I’m sure Gallagher could operate in that role, but he needs to improve his tactical awareness. He likes to come before the ball, which did not happen regularly for the England midfielder last summer. Alternatively, Gallagher could fit into one of the more advanced roles, but I’m not sure he would drive Mason Mount, Phil Foden or Jack Grealish to number 10 at the moment.
Natural desire will ensure that Gallagher continues to improve. He will continue to run, create chances, score goals and put pressure on defenders in a game where pressure becomes increasingly important. All great players, in addition to their qualities, have an exceptional consistency that Gallagher strives to bring to his game as the seasons tick. He just needs to make sure his legs stick out.
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