This Chelsea TV film portrays Conor Gallagher's time at Charlton: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ix7xD0u0DXs
If he'd stayed the season, we might have stayed up.
Pleased to hear that pitch announcer Brian Cole is back on the road to recovery after being seriously ill in hospital.
Interesting video. Ha was a massive loss for us, I think we would have stayed up with him in the side.
ReplyDeleteStill fail to see why Chelsea recalled him.
Never really been clear to me, the comment in the film didn't explain it, what difference did Swansea challenging for the play offs make?
DeleteCharlton started the season with a relatively attacking team, Gallagher being a vital component. As the injuries stacked up, Connor was playing every game in a predominantly losing team, filled with academy players. We had less possession, less attacking threat and Gallagher looked increasingly leggy (he wasn't being subbed in matches, playing every game and was one of the 'senior players' in most squads). I think when we played Swansea away it was on the box, was one of the last games he played for us. He looked shattered and we were overwhelmed in midfield by Swansea possession. At that point, if I'm Chelsea and I know that Swansea want Gallagher, they play an attractive passing game and their manager used to coach him for England Under 17s, then it's a no-brainer.
DeleteFor what it's worth I think Bowyer was actually a far better manager for Gallagher and got the best out of him. Connor was almost a clone of the young Bowyer who came through at Charlton, is at his best as a box to box midfielder and Bowyer encouraged/specifically trained him to get in goalscoring positions. His goalscoring has fallen off a cliff since leaving Charlton and the positions he now takes up on the pitch are far too conservative for a player with his attacking qualities.
I can see why Chelsea moved him on from Charlton as we were running him into the ground but I'm not sure he's looked the same player since he left.
Excellent points, I very much agree.
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