(Video): “Passion merchant” former Chelsea favourite gets crowd in a frenzy with double tackle in title race | OneFootball

Conor Gallagher is not starting every week for Atletico Madrid, but he’s made himself into an important squad option for Diego Simeone and a fan favourite, just as he was at Chelsea.

In their huge game with Athletic Bilbao last night, the Rojiblancos had a narrow lead as the game went into added him, and they desperately needed energy and enthusiasm. As ever, Gallagher brought it, putting in one big slide tackle, then chasing down the loose ball to make another.

As you’d expect, Diego Simeone absolutely loved it, leaping into the air to encourage the crowd, who were already gleeful at the sight.

You can see the double tackle in the clip embedded here:

Gallagher showing everything Chelsea miss at the moment

Conor Gallagher playing for Atletico Madrid. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)

Now we know that some fans actively dislike this sort of blood and thunder play – but to those fans we say…. you just don’t get it. You can call someone a “passion merchant” all you want, that just ignores the fact that skill without passion is worthless.

We’d take a player who gets the crowd on its feet and puts their body on the line for their team over a technical genius who gives up the moment they don’t fancy it (we’re looking at your, Mr Felix, and you too, Mr Nkunku) any day of the week.

How is Joao Felix getting on, by the way? Oh, it seems that Milan are already disappointed with his impact and don’t want to buy him permanently this summer. Who could possibly have predicted that?

So not only did we sell a good player who would be very useful for an average player who wouldn’t be useful, we are now going to lose money on the player we bought, further compounding a horrid mistake from a summer of transfers which looks uglier and uglier in hindsight.