Opinion: How Conor Gallagher could fit into the Tottenham starting XI vs West Ham this weekend

Tottenham are back in Premier League action this weekend with a home clash against West Ham, and Conor Gallagher could be involved.

After moving fast over the last week, Gallagher is now a Tottenham Hotspur player and he can’t wait to get started with his new team.

Both Gallagher and Thomas Frank have expressed their delight at the fact that the deal got done, and we are now just waiting until the weekend to see if the midfielder will play a part against West Ham.

Indeed, there are a few options for how Gallagher could fit into the team, especially given the absences in the Tottenham midfield right now.

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Conor Gallagher could partner Joao Palhinha for Tottenham

Obviously, Thomas Frank likes to use a two-man pivot in the deeper midfield positions. Joao Palhinha has the main anchorman role locked down, but he will need a partner.

Rodrigo Bentancur will miss a lot of games through injury, and so it would appear most likely that Gallagher will step into that second midfield role to support Palhinha.

How that would look: Guglielmo Vicario; Pedro Porro, Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Djed Spence; Joao Palhinha, Conor Gallagher, Wilson Odobert, Xavi Simons, Mathys Tel; Randal Kolo Muani.

The Portuguese midfielder likes to do the dirty work, which would give Gallagher freedom to roam forward a little as a number 8. It’s probably his ideal role, and the one we expect Frank to utilise Gallagher in the most.

Will Thomas Frank play Gallagher in a more advanced role?

However, Gallagher’s stats prove he can contribute in attack, too. He has an eye for goal and his creativity could make him a good option to push higher up the pitch in the Tottenham number 10 role.

We would assume Xavi Simons would be the preferred choice there, especially after bagging an assist against Bournemouth.

How that would look: Guglielmo Vicario; Pedro Porro, Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Djed Spence; Joao Palhinha, Archie Gray, Wilson Odobert, Conor Gallagher, Mathys Tel; Randal Kolo Muani.

Given the Dutchman has played the full 90 in the last two games, he may be in need of a rest, and that’s where Gallagher would come in.

• READ MORE: Where Conor Gallagher’s £35m move ranks in list of Tottenham’s all-time biggest transfer deals

Lucas Bergvall experiment could end thanks to Gallagher

Interestingly, one of the positions Gallagher could play for Tottenham is in a wider role. It’s certainly not ideal, but he has done it in the past.

We’ve already seen Lucas Bergvall used on the right-hand side recently, and it could well be that Frank decides the more mature and experienced Gallagher would be a better fit for that makeshift role.

How that would look: Guglielmo Vicario; Pedro Porro, Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Djed Spence; Joao Palhinha, Archie Gray, Conor Gallagher, Xavi Simons, Wilson Odobert; Mathys Tel.

He could also play on the left and allow Mathys Tel or Wilson Odobert to play on the right. As we say, it wouldn’t be the preferred choice for Gallagher’s debut, but it may be a necessity.

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