Is Conor Gallagher a generation too late? In an era when roles are so defined, when most head coaches prioritise finding players to perform within systems over moulding the shape around the talent, it is rare to have a midfielder who can do everything so well and leave analysts wondering what he is best at.
The Chelsea player, thriving on loan at Crystal Palace, is not just surpassing expectations this season but defying contemporary categorisation.
He is an old fashioned box-to-box player in a world of pivots and trequartistas and the benefit of guidance from Patrick Vieira, who must see echoes of his own game in the 22-year-old, is undeniable. It is also irresistible not to imagine what Gallagher would have been like if he was operating when his current manager was in his pomp.
