‘Surprised by what I’ve seen’ – Bilic claims West Brom youngster has makings of a ‘great’ player
Slaven Bilic has heaped praise on Conor Gallagher after his goal gave West Brom a first league win of the season against Sheffield United on Saturday.
Gallagher has been simply brilliant since he arrived at The Hawthorns on loan from Chelsea and he has already endeared himself to the Baggies faithful.
Bilic has explained how he tracked Gallagher after encountering him last season and detailed just how impressed he has been with the 20-year-old.
Bilic is quoted by Express and Star as saying, “I wanted him, I knew him from last season. I did my homework through Frank Lampard and a number of other people, I am surprised by what I’ve seen.
“Twenty-year-old guys have ups and downs. They have flair and quality, they can score a free-kick or do a dribble but then they are gone for a couple of games or four 10 minutes, they don’t like to do the dirty work.
“But that is other people. He is doing all the dirty work and managing the game but then he’s got quality in his locker as well and that, for a young boy, is not usual. I’ve seen it before with great players and he reminds me of them. So much quality but so mature at such a young age. You can see big things in him.”
Gallagher proved that he can be a match-winner with his performance against the Blades at the weekend but it wasn’t just his goal that was vital in the club’s first league win of the season.
According to Wyscout, Gallagher registered a 92% pass completion rate and 100% of his long passes found their intended targets.
100% of Gallagher’s passes to the final third were also successful and he completed 100% of his attempted dribbles.
Baggies fans had seen the Chelsea loanee used as an enforcer in the games against Fulham and Tottenham but in a slightly more advance role, Gallagher ran the show.
He certainly seems as if he could be Albion’s key player this season and if he keeps up his good form there is no doubting that he will go on to become a great player.
It is just a shame that he probably won’t be a Baggies player after this season, but like Harvey Barnes, let’s enjoy him while we can.
In other West Brom news, a different Baggies midfielder’s brilliant performance against Sheffield United has seemingly gone under the radar.
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