Roy Hodgson lauds West Brom ace Conor Gallagher ahead of Palace clash
Roy Hodgson has praised West Brom for the signing of Conor Gallagher ahead of their clash with his Crystal Palace side on Saturday.
Albion head to Selhurst Park in dire need of a win to ignite their slim chances of achieving Premier League survival this season and their Chelsea loanee will have to be on top form if this to be made a reality.
As reported on the football.london website former Baggies boss Hodgson has been impressed by his old club’s movements in the transfer window with the 21-year-old the pick of the bunch.
“Well I think the loan signings they’ve brought in have all been very good ones, I think they’ve all been very helpful,” he said.
“Conor Gallagher was there even when we played them in the first game of the season, he’s a player that I’ve admired for a long time, so I thought then ‘that’s a tremendous signing that you’ve made there’.
“And then of course Sam’s managed to add another three or four signings to that, all of whom I think are good players, and all of whom I think are improving the standard of the team.”
Gallagher the go-to guy
In an Albion team devoid of confidence and frankly, talent, Gallagher has often stuck out like a sore thumb this season and it might be one of the only good things our technical director Luke Dowling has done this season.
Before the February deadline-day signings of Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Okay Yokuslu he was often forced to fend for himself in midfield.
With the languid duo of Jake Livermore and Romaine Sawyers behind him offering no defensive protection or attacking thrust it fell on his young shoulders to drive the team up the pitch.
Gallagher’s desire and boundless energy has been a rare bright spark in our dismal season and he has also impressed with his talents on the ball.
According to Wyscout his average pass completion in the Premier League this season is 82.9%, a very respectable total and one that has seen an upturn in late as well with figures of 90% and 86% v Everton and Brighton respectively.
He also recorded ten recoveries in our last encounter against Newcastle United and seems rejuvenated by the arrival of Yokuslu and Maitland-Niles alongside him.
How different things might have been if that was our midfield trio for the entire season.
As it is we will likely say goodbye to him at the end of the current campaign and will leave with his head held high, something that can’t be said for many other players in this team.
In other West Brom news, our Super Fans are split on potential return of Saido Berahino.
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