Conor Gallagher was rested tonight after a couple of gruelling all action showings against Man City and Liverpool.
But he was called for in the second half, with Chelsea struggling. He made the difference in the end, surging the length of the pitch to get into the end of an attack and finishing well.
On BBC 5 Live, former Brighton striker insisted that, on top his other recent goals, this should secure Gallagher’s future. How could he not get a contract now, when he’s shown himself time and again to be such a vital player, and when he’s a home grown fan favourite?
Glenn Murray: "For all the money #Chelsea have spent, it is a home grown talent on the turn hitting the back of the net. Coming off the bench, Gallagher is showing Pochettino what he is missing – massive goal for Gallagher and the club."
— Chels HQ (@Chels_HQ) February 28, 2024
“For all the money Chelsea have spent, it is a home grown talent on the turn hitting the back of the net. Coming off the bench, Gallagher is showing Pochettino what he is missing – massive goal for Gallagher and the club.”
Nobody should have needed this long to be convinced – he’s been our best player for long stretches of the season. But if you want hard stats to sell to those controlling the purse strings, this recent flurry of important goals should certainly tip the balance.
Pay the man!
Kudos to Gallagher, but let’s not forget that he missed a couple of similar chances at Wembley. For anyone who watched the ESPNFC postgame, there was no one in the studio willing to say emphatically that Gallagher has an unassailable place in Chelsea’s future. The most anyone would say is that he’s important to this side (as it’s currently composed).
What was left unsaid but clearly implied is that no one believes he currently has the quality to be Chelsea’s #10 of the future. Leboeuf was kind enough to say that a young Frank Lampard hadn’t impressed him at West Ham but had grown into a world class talent. What he was clearly insinuating is that Gallagher has a lot more improving to do to reach the level we expect from a Chelsea #10 and it’s not entirely clear how high his ceiling is.