My concerns for Gallagher when he returns to Chelsea are:

They are always splashing the cash and could well by more midfielders, therefore restricting game time. CG will need to play regularly to get WC place:
Tuchal seems to be talking about him playing deeper. What I have seen he has more impact playing further forward. There again Tuchal probably knows more about football than me

So am i, i would love to keep Gallagher, but i don't want to end up with neither

“That’s a joke son, I say, that’s a joke.” “Nice boy, but he’s sharp as a throw pillow.” “He’s so dumb he thinks a Mexican border pays rent” “ “Son… I say, son, some people are so narrow minded they can look through a keyhole with both eyes.”__ Forhorn Leghorn

Spot on Neillo. I would add that Gallagher and Eze are chalk and cheese. Gallagher is your all round player or as he calls himself a box-to-box player. Eze lacks the defensive skills needed for the Gallagher role, even more so after his nasty injury (understandable until he can trust his body again). IMO, to accommodate Eze in a midfield 3, PV would need to field two DMs and I don't see that happening. He would fit a 4-2-3-1, though, but PV seemed to see that system as a one-off to stifle Chelsea (and perhaps one or two of the other top teams in future? Yes, I know we lost but the system did the job until that 89th minute lapse).

Gallagher's future will be interesting as we don't know what impact the Russia/Ukraine conflict will have on Chelsea's future financing options.

I think a big part of why we play 4-3-3 currently is that it suits Gallagher well and allows us to create those overloads down the right with his forward movement. I don't think it suits too many of the other plays in the squad

Assuming CG is playing elsewhere next season, I think we may move more towards the 4-1-4-1 we did against Chelsea, and Eze becomes much easier to fit into a system like that.

For all his talent, I'm still not 100% where Eze is most effective.

**********Keeper********
New rb*Andersen*Guehi*Mitchell
*****Hughes*****Kouyate/New***
************Eze***************
*Olise***************Wilf/New*
********Mateta/new************

Perfectly balanced team,

Out by sell if possible, Luka, Benteke, Jairo
Contract renewed, McArthur, Kouyate, Schlupp, Tomkins
Contract not renewed, Ayew, Kelly, Clyne, Jach

“That’s a joke son, I say, that’s a joke.” “Nice boy, but he’s sharp as a throw pillow.” “He’s so dumb he thinks a Mexican border pays rent” “ “Son… I say, son, some people are so narrow minded they can look through a keyhole with both eyes.”__ Forhorn Leghorn

Glad to have started your weekend with a smile