Vesper

weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

fuck the pikeys!!!

lol, Mbappe looking at him like he is crazy Diego Costa and Rudi were world class wind-up artists

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https://www.vipleague.pm/epl/west-ham-united-vs-Chelsea-1-live-streaming https://www.vipleague.pm/epl/west-ham-united-vs-Chelsea-2-live-streaming https://www.vipleague.pm/epl/west-ham-united-vs-Chelsea-3-live-streaming

England. Premier League. Wеst Hаm Unіtеd vs Сhеlsеа 21 September 2024 at 12:30. Browser Links 99% Web 99% Web 99% Web 99% Web 99% Web 99% Web 99% Web 99% Web 99% Web 99% Web 99% Web 99% Web 99% Web 99% Web 99% Web 2700kbps 95% Aliez 95% Web 95% Web 95% Web 95% Web 95% Web 95% Web 95% Web 95% Web 95% Web 95% Web 2500kbps 95% Aliez 2700kbps 95% Aliez 2700kbps 95% Aliez 95% Web 95% Web 95% Web 95% Voodc 95% Voodc 95% Web 95% Web 95% Web 95% Web 95% Web 95% Web 95% Web 95% Web 95% Web 95% Web 95% Web 95% Web 95% Web 95% Web 95% Web 95% Web 95% Web 95% Web 95% Web 95% Web 95% Web AceStream Links 8000kbps 95% 8000kbps 95% 8000kbps 95% 95%

Always a blue! Conor Gallagher shares special moment with Chelsea academy stars in Madrid after helping Atletico to Champions League victory Some of Chelsea's young academy players stopped by to watch Conor Gallagher and Atletico Madrid in the Champions League on Thursday night. https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/conor-gallagher-Chelsea-academy-madrid-atletico-champions-league/blt517fc2a81ea57938 Gallagher left Chelsea for Atletico this summer Blues academy players watched UCL win Players set to compete in Madrid tournament WHAT HAPPENED? Gallagher's loyalty to Chelsea was on full display this week after the midfielder took a photo with the club's academy players after Atletico Madrid's win over RB Leipzig in the Champions League. The Blues youngsters were preparing to participate in the Madrid Football Cup alongside some of Europe's best academies and made sure to get a quick snap with the Cobham graduate. WHAT GALLAGHER SAID Posting on Instagram, Gallagher said: "Great to see some of the academy boys in Madrid. Appreciate you coming to watch me and the team last night. Good luck in the tournament." THE BIGGER PICTURE Gallagher always left his blood, sweat and tears out on the pitch for Chelsea and his latest social media post proves he will always have a strong bond with the London club. He has hit the ground running with Atletico but looks like he will always remain a Blue at heart. WHAT NEXT FOR GALLAGHER? Following Atletico's Champions League win against RB Leipzig, Diego Simeone's side will return to La Liga action on Sunday when they travel to Rayo Vallecano. Gallagher netted his first goal for the Spanish side last weekend against Valencia.

Because he is behind Ollie Watkins, a CF who only has 7 (soon 6 I wager) actual true CFs valued more than him atm on the planet: Erling Haaland Lautaro Martínez Victor Osimhen Harry Kane Julián Alvarez Alexander Isak Darwin Núñez (surely soon lowered in valuation I wager, as he doesnt start anymore, and is not producing, he has zero goals, zero assists this season) If Watkins were here at Chels he would instantly be our starting CF Watkins produced 40 total goals last season 27 goals, 13 assists this season 4 (2 + 2) in around 3 and a half full games worth of minutes plus he is a pressing machine

delete, wrong poster replied to

Ben Chilwell pushing for Chelsea exit amid Crystal Palace links https://thehardtackle.com/transfer-news/2024/09/21/ben-chilwell-pushing-for-Chelsea-exit-amid-crystal-palace-links/ Crystal Palace has been handed a major boost in their pursuit of Ben Chilwell’s services as he is pushing to leave Chelsea. According to a report from Fichajes, Crystal Palace are keen on acquiring the services of Ben Chilwell as they look to reinforce their backline. The Eagles have received a boost in their pursuit of the English international as he seems keen on parting ways with Chelsea when the transfer window reopens in January. Chilwell made a name for himself at Leicester City. He then secured a big-money move to Chelsea in the summer of 2020. The Blues forked out a massive fee of around €50 million to sign the English full-back. He was an integral part of their first team in the initial years and played a big part in their success. The 27-year-old left-back was their vice-captain last season and he even led the team in quite a few fixtures in the absence of Reece James. But, even he struggled to stay fit and could only manage 21 appearances throughout the seasons. Chilwell is no longer an important part of the Chelsea While he still has close to three years left on his deal at Stamford Bridge, the English defender is no longer considered to be an important part of their setup. The arrival of Enzo Maresca and his recent injury struggles have seen him go down the pecking order. The Blues were looking to get him off their books in the summer. While quite a few clubs were linked with him, Chelsea couldn’t strike a deal for his departure. Even after the end of the transfer window in England, the London club were pushing to get him off their books. Ben Chilwell could join Crystal Palace in January Unfortunately, they couldn’t find him a new club. The 27-year-old is well aware of the fact that he might not get any game time at Chelsea. As a result, he seeks a new challenge away from the club and Crystal Palace have emerged as a potential destination for the English defender. The Eagles want to reinforce their backline and they could get reliable full-back in Chilwell who can contribute in both ends of the pitch. His experience and his abilities could significantly bolster the Palace squad. With the player keen on leaving Chelsea in January, Oliver Glasner’s team have a massive advantage in the race to his signature. Palace Fullbacks atm 3 Tyrick Mitchell Left-Back Sep 1, 1999 (25) €25.00m 12 Daniel Muñoz Right-Back May 26, 1996 (28) €23.00m 17 Nathaniel Clyne Right-Back Apr 5, 1991 (33) €1.50m 2 Joel Ward Right-Back Oct 29, 1989 (34) €1.00m

Chelsea edge past Aston Villa to make winning start under Sonia Bompastor in the Women's Super League https://www.eurosport.com/football/barclays-wsl/2024-2025/wsl-sonia-bompastor-womens-super-league-Chelsea-aston-villa_sto20038865/story.shtml Match report: Chelsea 1-0 Aston Villa https://www.chelseafc.com/en/news/article/match-report-Chelsea-1-0-aston-villa

Maresca can drop Disasi & unleash “magnificent” Chelsea star in a new role https://www.footballfancast.com/maresca-must-drop-disasi-unleash-Chelsea-star-moises-caicedo-in-a-new-role/ Chelsea have averaged 59.4% so far this season (the sixth highest in the league), scoring eight goals in their opening four games, only bettered by Manchester City’s 11 goals. Six of those goals came against Wolves in their second game, with Noni Madueke scoring a hat-trick, Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson also grabbing one, while João Félix also got on the scoresheet on his return to Chelsea blue. However, they have also conceded five goals in the opening four games, still showing signs of defensive vulnerability, something Maresca will need to work on further if Chelsea want to solidify a spot in the top four. As such, a change in the backline could be warranted this weekend for the trip to face London rivals, West Ham United. Axel Disasi's game in numbers vs Bournemouth In Chelsea's most recent game away at AFC Bournemouth, Axel Disasi was hooked after 62 minutes, having lost both of his two duels as well as losing possession nine times playing in an unnatural right-back position. The Frenchman showed a lack of composure on the ball, often booting it long instead of getting it down, and looking to play out from the back. Disasi made 44 appearances for the Blues last season in all competitions, scoring three goals, contributing to ten clean sheets, and totalling 3,690 minutes played. Eight of those appearances came as a right-back (filling in for Reece James and Malo Gusto when injured), whilst the other 35 appearances were in his natural central defence role. The 26-year-old lacks the recovery pace and ball manipulation qualities to play at right-back, especially in a system like Maresca's, which requires him to circulate possession under pressure, looking to break the lines and find passes into the midfielders. With this being said, Chelsea have the perfect solution to their James and Gusto injuries, which can avoid putting Disasi in this unnatural position, and it comes in a creative form. Chelsea's unorthodox solution at right-back Described as "magnificent" by Jacek Kulig, Chelsea's all-round midfielder, Moises Caicedo, has many strings to his bow, one of them being the ability to fill in at right-back. This is something the Ecuadorian did on three occasions for Brighton during the 2022/23 campaign, inverting from right-back into midfield for Roberto De Zerbi's side. This would allow Chelsea to continue inverting their right-side fullback (as they had with Gusto), keeping the team dynamic familiar. Caicedo has all the required qualities, including ball retention, passing ability, and recovery speed, allowing him to get back into shape from the inverted role. Caicedo adds progressive passing when inverting into midfield, the ability to take the ball in tight areas and play through the lines under pressure. But he also offers defensive security, making 3.42 tackles per 90, and 2.11 interceptions per 90, showing his willingness to get his hands dirty. By playing Caicedo in this role, it will allow Chelsea to field another midfielder/attacker, with the Ecuador midfielder inverting centrally alongside Enzo Fernandez for example, potentially allowing for the inclusion of Christopher Nkunku as an advanced number eight. While it remains to be seen if Maresca will actually adopt this approach on Saturday, this tactical tweak is certainly something to consider for the clash at the London Stadium.

Kudus and Bowen versus Disaster 🤬

ffs 😪

Champions League table after match day one:

AEK Athens https://thedailybriefing.io/i/149090213/aek-athens Anthony Martial signs in as a new AEK Athens player, formal steps completed.

Mudryk’s full focus remains on Chelsea https://thedailybriefing.io/i/149090326/mudryks-full-focus-remains-on-Chelsea There's absolutely zero truth in the story that Mykhailo Mudryk wants to leave Chelsea. Mudryk has not made any decision to leave, and there are no talks taking place with any club. Full focus remains on Chelsea and on doing his best under Maresca, while Chelsea also hope to see him at his best soon. So there's really nothing in this ‘story’ - I don't even know where this is coming from to be fair.

Marcus Bettinelli, Chelsea’s bridge between players and staff: ‘I am just part of the puzzle’ https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5773403/2024/09/19/marcus-bettinelli-Chelsea-interview/ Who would you include on your list of most influential players in the Chelsea dressing room? Reece James is bound to get a lot of votes as captain of the club, as will Cole Palmer because of his extraordinary abilities on the ball. Then there is the growing vocal presence of Levi Colwill. But third-choice goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli, surely not? Bettinelli has made just one appearance for Chelsea since joining as a free agent after his contract ran out at Fulham in 2021. His only competitive action came in the 5-1 FA Cup third-round win against Chesterfield in January 2022 and there seems little prospect of game time soon. Robert Sanchez and Filip Jorgensen are both ahead of him in the pecking order. This is hardly the criteria most would associate with an important figurehead. When the club agreed to extend his contract until 2026 last year, the news was greeted with surprise more than anything due to his lack of minutes, but Bettinelli’s contribution to the cause is far greater than anyone realises because a lot of his best work goes on behind the scenes, away from the gaze of a TV camera. Bettinelli has become the link between the dressing room and senior staff, the man each side can go to communicate with about any issues and to pass messages on. It may sound rather straightforward, but having someone everyone trusts is vital for dynamics and maintaining morale. When former head coach Mauricio Pochettino took to the field to acknowledge his players after the final game of last season against Bournemouth, one of the warmest and longest exchanges was with Bettinelli. “I am just a part of the puzzle,” Bettinelli tells The Athletic with more than a hint of modesty. “As I do not play as much, it is a lot easier for me to maybe have conversations and talk on behalf of people. It is important to have that trusting relationship with the players and the staff, whoever that may be. If I can make one of the lads’ lives easier by helping, then that is what I am here for. Everyone has their own relationships, but I am there to help in any capacity I can. If that means having conversations with people that the lads don’t want to have, it is not a problem. It is definitely easier for me to have those kind of talks. “When I joined the club as third choice ’keeper behind Kepa and Edouard Mendy at that time, I sort of knew my role and my responsibilities. I probably learnt a lot in that first year of doing it. The club has been through a change and I have been a part of it. I am thankful that I am still here and I am really enjoying my new role. It is something I am getting better at and it’s nice that people recognise it. “I had a fantastic relationship with Mauricio, the same with Graham (Potter) and Thomas (Tuchel), who brought me in. I have known Enzo Maresca for only a short time, but I really enjoy working with him. Hopefully, I can also build on that because I am looking to be that bridge. As much as I enjoy what I contribute off the field, I am still training really hard as a goalkeeper, I want to improve and develop. You can learn so much from everyone. We have a great goalkeeping corps and coaches, too. It is finding the right balance of doing both.” Every club has a bit of an unsung hero in their midst. What makes Bettinelli’s presence so crucial is that at 32, he is one of the oldest players in the first team building. According to TransferMarkt, Chelsea’s transfer strategy under the Todd Boehly-Clearlake consortium means the club have fielded the youngest starting XI in all four Premier League games this season. Having an older voice around is very much required and appreciated. “It is all about Chelsea winning games and if I can help in any capacity, by taking the weight off peoples’ shoulders, I am more than happy to do that,” he explains. “For example, it will be like making sure players are on time. The manager is also huge on respect, respecting each other and the members of staff. We have a great bunch of lads, they are still young and learning. If the staff want to introduce a certain way of doing things, it is maybe a case of me telling the lads, ‘This is how we are going to do stuff from now on, this is what the staff want’. I have no say in what goes on, but I can definitely be the comfort blanket for the lads to have a moan about things, too.” Perhaps the best way to look at Bettinelli’s responsibilities is that he has filled the void left by former captain Cesar Azpilicueta’s departure to Atletico Madrid in 2023. The veteran defender acted in the same way Bettinelli is now. He was also chosen to be Chelsea’s representative with the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) — the trade union for all current and former footballers — a role that Bettinelli was then asked to inherit. Duties for a PFA rep can vary from the serious to the fairly mundane. For example, Bettinelli will be the point of contact to get team-mates to back various PFA charity initiatives and fill in forms with their vote for PFA Players’ Player of the Year and Team of the Year. “When Azpi left, there was a discussion in the changing room over who would take it over and I was happy to do it,” Bettinelli adds. “If I can take the weight off, say someone like the captain, Reece, who was thinking of stepping in, then that is fine by me.” Bettinelli, who was omitted from Chelsea’s squad for the group phase of the Conference League, is keeping himself sharp in case Maresca has to call upon him. Thoughts of retirement are still some years away, but taking on a leadership position has got him thinking about what he wants to do next. He said: “I definitely don’t want to go into management, I have seen how hard it is! Over the past year I did my UEFA B coaching badges with Thiago Silva and Marc Cucurella, which I really enjoyed. I will definitely do my UEFA A goalkeeping badges soon. It is probably where I am heading towards. I really enjoy helping young goalkeepers. That, for me, is the best. “I helped people like Eddie Beach (20 years old, now on loan at Crawley Town) and Ted Curd (18 years old, now on loan at Hampton and Richmond Borough) last season. That is what I love doing, seeing young lads improve. I can give them tips and share the experiences of what I have done.”

Chelsea considering 2025 move for 17-year-old Portuguese full-back prodigy https://thehardtackle.com/transfer-news/2024/09/20/Chelsea-eyeing-up-a-move-for-geovany-quenda/ Chelsea are eyeing a move for Sporting CP’s emerging teenager Geovany Quenda in 2025 as they begin the search for a new right-back. According to TBR, Chelsea are interested in Sporting CP teenager Geovany Quenda ahead of 2025, as a move for the 17-year-old could be on the cards. The Blues are set to begin the search for a new right-back in the future and could have links with some notable stars in the market. Chelsea are in Geovany Quenda chase Sporting CP might have their next breakout star emerging from nowhere as Geovany Quenda continues to impress Ruben Amorim this season. Before the start of the current campaign, the 17-year-old Portuguese full-back prodigy had never played for the club and now is starting every game for them. He reportedly signed a new contract with Sporting CP after a successful progression to the first team and after some impressive showings for the youth sides last season. Amorim has not hesitated in making Quenda a crucial part of his plans in an instant, as the teenager started all six of the club’s games this season, including the opening victory over LOSC Lille in the Champions League. He reportedly has a €100 million release clause, and under current circumstances, Sporting are unlikely to sell him for pocket change. Moreover, he has age on his side, and Amorim considers him to be very important on first viewing, meaning the likes of Chelsea may have no chance as they are keen on the 17-year-old Portuguese full-back prodigy. Chelsea could consider Quenda a part of their shortlist of new right-backs ahead of 2025 and feel the Sporting CP star has the quality to play for them. There are complications in being the teenager considering his reported release clause, as they might be better off targetting other names on their list, such as Michael Kayode, among others. Chelsea are keen on a new right-back Kayode and Quenda aside, Chelsea also have Freiburg’s Kiliann Sildillia on their list, while there are some big names like Jules Kounde and Jeremie Frimpong in their sights. There’s a clear need to strengthen that side of the pitch, as the constant injury issues to skipper Reece James are not helping them plan for the present and future. Moreover, James’ deputy Malo Gusto has proved inconsistent with his displays, while there are significant doubts about Axel Disasi’s long-term prospects at the club. Hence, should Enzo Maresca bring some success this season and show promising signs, he could be allowed to pick a top right-back option to strengthen the squad.

Jhon Durán destroys xG https://www.scoutednotebook.com/p/jhon-duran-destroys-xg-amad-does Sharpshooters Some players laugh in the face of Expected Goals. Full disclosure: I think the metric is extremely useful and refer to it often. But I also understand that technique and player quality can make a mockery of it in certain individual cases. You should not dismiss it. You should not live and die by it. Use it to spot anomalies and patterns and then investigate the ‘why?’. For example, if I spotted a player racking up incredible xG per 90 or posting gaping xG-Goal difference tallies, I would drop both names in the SCOUTED chat to see if the analysts have seen them before (the answer is usually yes). Then, the reasons why each outlier might exist would dictate whether I decide to track them further and watch more games. With that out of the way… Fucking hell, Jhon. As per Stathead, Jhon Durán has averages more Non-Penalty Goals per 90 than any player in Premier League history with at least 450 minutes played. Yes, even more than Erling Haaland. Of course, the sample size is very small - he has only started three PL games in his career - but this is your reminder that he is only 20 years old. I repeat: Fucking hell, Jhon. One of this reasons for this incredible scoring rate is a catalogue of xG-busting goals. Since the start of 2017/18 - the season that Stathead’s xG coverage begins - Durán ranks first for Non-Penalty Goals minus Non-Penalty Expected Goals per 90; he is outperforming his NPxG tally by 0.6 per 90 minutes, more than doubling his expected output. In total, Durán has scored 8 NPG from 3.6 NPxG. There are two other metrics that highlight his anomalous goal-scoring: Non-Penalty xG per Shot (NPxG/Shot) and Average Shot Distance. Edinson Cavani ranks first for for NPxG/Shot among all Premier League players with at least 30 shots since the 2017/18 season. El Matador averaged 0.22 NPxG per effort, a testament to the world-class movement that defined his career. Haaland ranks joint-second with 0.20 NPxG/Shot, alongside Ramus Højlund and Taiwo Awoniyi. I can feel this is getting quite heavy so please do let me know if it’s too much for a Monday Night. Alternatively, if you want to discuss any of it further - reach out! So, although all four players take “good” shots, they don’t all get lots of them. Back to Durán. The Colombian averages 0.10 NPxG/Shot, ranking him 91st in this list. This is further highlighted by Haaland’s average shot distance of 12.4 yards (pretty much the penalty spot) compared to Durán’s 16.7 yards - similar to Phil Foden and Bukayo Saka. So, how is he top of the Premier League’s all-time Non-Penalty Goal-scoring charts? Well, to speak quickly on volume, he’s taking 4.4 shots every 90 minutes he spends on the pitch. He’s buying plenty of lottery tickets. And while his shot locations are improving, his shot placement can be fantastic. The secret to this? Ball-striking. Striking gold: Why every team needs a 'Project Nine' Read full story This attribute is often highlighted and discussed at SCOUTED. It features in Stephen’s excellent piece about the Project Nine. Conveniently, Durán was subject to transfer interest of that exact nature in the summer as Chelsea and West Ham battled for his signature. A metric used to help unearth these ball-striking phenoms is Non-Penalty Expected Goals On Target (NPxGOT) minus Non-Penalty Expected Goals. Opta coined the difference between their xG and xGOT values as Shooting Goals Added (SGA). You can read more about it here. xGOT is always used to calculate ‘Goals Prevented’ for goalkeepers. Essentially, this measures how likely a shot will go in based on where it is when it crosses the line, rather than the location it is taken from. Pre-shot vs. Post-shot. “Stats Perform’s expected goals on target (xGOT) model is calculated using a logistic regression model. It is built on hundreds of thousands of on-target shots from our historical Opta data and includes both the original xG of the shot and the goalmouth location of where the shot ended up. “The coordinates are taken at the point at which the shot was expected to cross the goal line to determine the goalmouth location of the shot and the interaction effect between the visible angle of the goal and the point that it crossed the line.” There are limitations - for example, perhaps shot placement matters less the closer to the goal you are? - but this can help identify those killer finishers. I was surprised to learn that Durán’s NPxG total (11.66) is almost-identical to his NPxG total (10.53) during his Premier League career. However, due to the small sample size, this is skewed by some extremely speculative shooting during 2022/23, even by his standard. Looking at the past two seasons, Durán is adding 0.10 SGA per 90. Of his eight Premier League goals, seven have a positive SGA. This is what excites me the most. This is what I will keep a closer eye on. I wish I could continue but I know you are all waiting for the stats. I am also in danger of spending a disproportionately amount of time on an extremely small set of data. TL;DR: Durán’s ability to kick the ball really nicely lots of times at the goal means he will continue score. He won’t maintain the historic rate he is currently operating at, but there is enough quality and quantity to suggest he can keep up with the best.

Conor Gallagher interview on feeling ‘wanted and appreciated’ at Atletico Madrid after Chelsea limbo https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5773872/2024/09/18/conor-gallagher-Chelsea-atletico-interview/ “It was definitely worth the wait,” says Atletico Madrid midfielder Conor Gallagher, with the sun shining on their training ground in the leafy suburbs of the Spanish capital. The Athletic has just asked Gallagher how he feels after scoring his first goal for his new club in Sunday’s 3-0 La Liga win against visitors Valencia at the Estadio Metropolitano. “The wait” was a reference to a tough few weeks for Gallagher in August, when his €42million (£35.5m/$47m) move from Chelsea hung in the balance. There was a real possibility the 24-year-old England international could find himself excluded from any first-team football for the 2023-24 season. GO DEEPER Inside Conor Gallagher's chaotic wait for his Chelsea future to be resolved When it’s put to Gallagher that he has taken a step up in his career and arrived at a place where he is truly appreciated, he agrees. “I’ve felt very wanted and appreciated, which is important for any footballer,” he says. “Chelsea are a huge football club, one of the biggest in the world, along with Atletico. But I have taken that exciting step of playing Champions League football and challenging for trophies. It just builds me with even more confidence and happiness to play my best football.” That wait to become an Atletico player feels like a long time ago now for Gallagher, who speaks glowingly about his start to life in Spain. “I’m really happy to be here and I’m settling in well,” he says. “I’ve loved my first few weeks. I knew Atletico was always a massive club, a top club in La Liga and doing well in the Champions League. So I was excited to join. “It was really good to win against Valencia and score my first goal. Hopefully, we can build on this and I can gain more confidence.” Gallagher was earmarked early this summer as one of Atletico’s top midfield targets, with his box-to-box style fitting the profile coach Diego Simeone wanted to add to his team. Chelsea offered him a stark choice — sign a two-year contract extension, agree to join Atletico or stay but be excluded from the first-team squad. He arrived in Madrid on August 8 and Atletico even posted images of him training with some of his new team-mates — but the agreement with Chelsea required 20-year-old striker Samu Omorodion to move the other way. When Omorodion’s transfer fell through, Gallagher returned to London, and Atletico explored other options, including Valencia’s Javi Guerra and Mikel Merino, who at that point had yet to join Arsenal from Real Sociedad. During the hold-up, Valencia’s sporting director Miguel Angel Corona made the explosive claim that Atletico had tried to “get out” of a deal to sign Gallagher — a version of events disputed by both the Madrid club and Chelsea. It was close to a fortnight before the deal was revived by Chelsea agreeing to buy Joao Felix from Atletico for €60million. It can’t have been an easy time for Gallagher — was his final feeling the wrench of leaving the club who had formed him after 15 years or relief that his time in limbo was over? “It was just (being) full of excitement to be joining Atletico,” Gallagher says. “When I look back at my memories at Chelsea, I’m very proud and honoured to play for the club. It was time to move on and Atletico is the perfect club to make the next chapter in my career. I feel very lucky and fortunate to be in this position.” During that period of uncertainty, Gallagher could not train with Chelsea’s first team, so had to work individually at their Cobham base. This was not exactly ideal preparation for Simeone’s physical and intensive pre-season training, which Gallagher had been warned about by England team-mate Kieran Trippier, a 2020-21 La Liga title winner at Atletico. “Kieran said that training was very intense, very hard,” Gallagher says. “But he knows me well from England and said it’s perfect for me, for how I am as a player and what I am like at training. “It was tough at the start, the weather was very hot, but I’m quite a fit player, I’m able to adapt to the conditions and the intensity that the manager likes me to play at. That’s no problem and it’s only going to get better.” Hours after being flown to Madrid by Atletico for the second time, Gallagher was unveiled alongside fellow new arrivals Julian Alvarez, Robin Le Normand and Alexander Sorloth at a spectacular presentation event at the Metropolitano. Thirty-thousand Atletico fans cheered as Gallagher was escorted from the players’ tunnel by a convoy of Harley-Davidson riders, with Guns N’ Roses’ Welcome To The Jungle blaring out and fireworks sparking across the night sky. “It was all a bit of a surprise,” Gallagher says with a smile. “I didn’t think it would be as good and as big as it was. It was very exciting, a very, very nice welcome. “It was definitely different. In the Premier League, they don’t do welcomes like this. It was very special, and they did it for every new player — the women and the men. It made all of the new players feel at home straight away.” During the ceremony, Atletico’s new No 4 was introduced over the loudspeaker as a “pitbull” who would bring “new lungs” to the team. “I think that (the pitbull nickname) was something Atletico made up,” Gallagher says. “Some people in England call me a dog, because of how I play on the pitch. Sometimes I just run after every ball, like a dog does in the park. It kind of stuck. (Atletico) took it from there. I don’t mind. I take it as a compliment.” The supporters have already warmed to Gallagher’s style of play. On his debut against Girona, he earned his first roars of appreciation for a sequence when he carried the ball towards the opposition box, lost it to Yangel Herrera, but then chased back and upended the Venezuelan midfielder. “Atletico is perfect to showcase my abilities,” says Gallagher. “The fans and the manager and my team-mates appreciate hard work and passion on the football pitch — I can bring a lot of that.” Sunday’s comprehensive 3-0 win against Valencia showcased another side to this Atletico team. Gallagher’s opening goal was a tidy finish set up by Argentina midfielder Rodrigo De Paul’s perfectly timed and weighted assist after a passing move orchestrated by Antoine Griezmann. Fans used to thinking of Simeone’s Atletico as a ‘dogs of war’ team might have been taken aback at the technical quality of the move, but not Gallagher. He says his first memory of Atletico is their 4-1 win against Chelsea in the 2012 UEFA Super Cup, when striker Radamel Falcao scored a hat-trick. “I’m not surprised,” Gallagher says. “Every top club has a lot of technical and talented footballers. The manager has his style of football. It’s brilliant, and I’m really excited to keep working with him and understand more how I can help the team.” Simeone, a 108-cap Argentina midfielder himself back in the day, has been working closely with Gallagher, offering instructions and advice and helping him understand what his role in the team should be. “We need a translator to help the communication, but soon I’ll be able to understand his Spanish,” says Gallagher, who has started language lessons. “He understands my game well, what I’m best at, and what I’m not so good at. The last few games he has told me my strengths, and what I should be doing on the pitch, which has really helped me feel confident and comfortable in my role in my team.” Against Valencia, his first full 90 minutes for Atletico, Gallagher began to the left of a narrow midfield three. He was urged to break forward into the penalty area, as he did when becoming the first Englishman ever to score for the club in La Liga. It was reminiscent of Gallagher’s role on loan at Crystal Palace from Chelsea during the 2021-22 season, when he scored eight goals in 34 Premier League games under another former elite midfielder in Patrick Vieira. “(Simeone) asks me to get in the box when I can,” says Gallagher. “And that’s what I try to do. I was lucky enough to get the good pass from Rodrigo and get my first goal. Hopefully, I can continue to do that, and get some more goals.” Atletico begin their Champions League campaign tomorrow (Thursday) at home against German visitors RB Leipzig. Then there is the first ‘derbi’ of the season against Real Madrid at the Metropolitano on September 29. That could mean a first meeting in La Liga with England colleague Jude Bellingham. “I’ve not seen Jude since I moved to Madrid, but we’ll have a good chat the next time I see him,” says Gallagher. “I’m really excited for (the derby). Jude is an incredible footballer and a top guy as well. Any time I play against him is going to be a difficult game.” That game against the reigning Spanish and European champions will be a tough test for this new-look Atletico. They spent more than €200million this summer on Gallagher, ex-Manchester City striker Alvarez, Spain’s European Championship-winning centre-back Le Normand and Sorloth, the former Crystal Palace striker who scored 23 La Liga goals for Villarreal last season. A window like that brings expectation and pressure for Atletico to win a trophy this season. But Gallagher’s reply of the “partido a partido” (“game by game”) mantra repeated so often by Simeone shows he is quickly settling in. “Winning something is the aim,” he says. “The whole team is confident we can do this. The manager has said we need to take one game at a time. There are a lot of games and we need to stay focused. Every game matters so much. That is what we are focused on now — the next game.” GO DEEPER Champions League Briefing - Kane and Bayern's records, Endrick's impact and two outrageous goals