Conor Gallagher’s Progress at Chelsea
Conor Gallagher has had a mixed couple of years with Chelsea and he has regularly been linked with a move away during this period. This season, he has been a mainstay of the team under Mauricio Pochettino and it now looks like he will have a long term future at Stamford Bridge. He has started all nine matches and he has performed consistently. At the weekend, his energy was key in helping Chelsea control the game for long periods.
Role and Interactions on the Pitch
There was a freedom in the role that Gallagher was asked to play. The midfielder was in a more attacking role alongside Cole Palmer. He regularly interchanged with Palmer, while he also dropped deep to support to the central midfielders. Chelsea did dominate the midfield area and Gallagher’s energy was central to that.
More impressively, Gallagher offered support in attack and did cause problems for Arsenal with his incisive passing. The England international made four key passes during the game. No player made more on the pitch. He managed to get the assist for Mykhailo Mudryk’s goal. Although the strike from his team-mate was more than fortunate, it was a positive forward pass that released him in the first place.
Past Performances and Skills Assessment
During his loan spells, Gallagher was praised for his energy. His work rate allowed him to standout, but there were doubts about whether he would ever have the technical quality to regularly play for a team challenging at the top of the league. Very few would still hold those doubts about him. Against Arsenal, he frequently had the ball in the attacking half and was good with it. He had a pass success rate of 86.1%.
This was slightly down from his season pass success rate of 90.4%. Gallagher has stepped up his game and is relishing his role as a regular starter at Chelsea. This has always been his motivation.
Despite it seeming like the Blues were happy to sell their academy graduate, he has never looked for a move away. He is now getting the chance to develop at Stamford Bridge. Pochettino looks like he is the right coach to help Gallagher fulfil his potential.
In his more advanced role, Gallagher is permitted to press high and that helps to get the best from him. The midfielder is excellent when his team doesn’t have the ball and thrives in a team that plays high-pressing football. Pochettino is slowly stamping his style on the squad and it is one that will benefit Gallagher.
Chelsea’s Direction and Champions League Ambitions
This weekend suggested that Chelsea will be able to compete at the top of the table this season. They still have a lot of work to do in order to return to the Champions League, which will be the club’s ultimate goal. However, it is clear that they are moving in the right direction.
Gallagher won’t have been the first name on the team-sheet for many. A lot of the supporters would have accepted his departure. However, he has stayed at the club and he is now consistently delivering on the pitch. He doesn’t grab the headlines, but he is a very important player for Pochettino.
