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[Albion] Aaron Connolly







Barham's tash

Well-known member
Jun 8, 2013
3,729
Rayners Lane
Really deserved it as his work rate and movement doesn’t always get noticed by some. We look very dangerous when we go direct to feet and have those 2 running up front running off...

That’s the key. Hopefully having one of Lallana, Trossard or MacAllister trying to find them all 90 minutes long in that manner can only be a good thing aesthetically.

We still need more pace in the side to help them. Hopefully overlapping pacy full backs is the order of the day.
 


Uh_huh_him

Well-known member
Sep 28, 2011
12,137
I understand why it's there but I am giving the 'he needed that' aspect of this a slight side eye.


He didn't need that goal.
He needed time, patience, injury free, released from relegation pressure.

I don't know how much can be read into that goal v Burnley, on the last game of the season, with them only playing their greatest hits.
In much the same way I don't know how much can be read into him steamrolling a Championship at best Spurs.

The player we want, hope, expect has always been there, we might just have to ...






... wait.


Yeah fair (if a little pedantic) point.

I think what we meant to say was, that goal will help his confidence and with his continued development, rather than something he specifically needed.
 


Stat Brother

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 11, 2003
73,888
West west west Sussex
Yeah fair (if a little pedantic) point.

I think what we meant to say was, that goal will help his confidence and with his continued development, rather than something he specifically needed.

It's not as if I'm prepared to die on that particularly small hill, just a slight observation around context.
 


Napper

Well-known member
Jul 9, 2003
24,455
Sussex
Connolly is easily capable of getting 8 + goals a season which combined with what he brings to the side makes him very crucial to us.

Age 20 , i reckon a lot of prem clubs would love to have him on their books. Think this kid will have a career in the top league
 






Seasidesage

New member
May 19, 2009
4,467
Brighton, United Kingdom
The goal does highlight that his threat at this point at least comes where he can run at players in wide areas. I think a more physical option upfront would give is the chance to play 4-3-3 and get Connolly running at people rather than playing off his back as he does now in a front two. I also think it would suit Maupay better too.
 


jackanada

Well-known member
Jul 19, 2011
3,510
Brighton
Well he's got pace and attitude, two things you can't really develop so that's a big plus.
The rest of his game needs development.
See him being a consistent sub and occasional starter next season presuming one more striker in. I don't see a loan being particularly useful to anyone. Realistically if he was at a bigger club then we're the sort of outfit you might be looking to loan him out to.
 








DJ NOBO

Well-known member
Jul 18, 2004
6,819
Wiltshire




dejavuatbtn

Well-known member
Aug 4, 2010
7,574
Henfield
If we do get Lallana then he is more than capable of putting balls through for him and Maupay to dart on to. It’s what we are missing - that speed of joined up thought and action.
 


West Hoathly Seagull

Honorary Ruffian
Aug 26, 2003
3,544
Sharpthorne/SW11
We've only had 9 wins this season and despite his low number of games he has been critical in 4 of them, scoring, winning penalty, key assist

Tottenham, Everton, Arsenal and Burnley? You could have added Leicester if Maupay had put his penalty away and the Leicester defender hadn't made a fine block. I don't know whether we would have won that game, though. Also Chelsea had he got more on the shot that Kepa saved.
 


West Hoathly Seagull

Honorary Ruffian
Aug 26, 2003
3,544
Sharpthorne/SW11
We've only had 9 wins this season and despite his low number of games he has been critical in 4 of them, scoring, winning penalty, key assist

Tottenham, Everton, Arsenal and Burnley? You could have added Leicester if Maupay had put his penalty away and the Leicester defender hadn't made a fine block on his later shot. I don't know whether we would have won the game, though. Also Chelsea had he got more on the shot that Kepa saved. I still think we need a replacement for Murray, and remember we effectively have only two fit strikers, assuming Murray will only play a bit part if he stays, and we don't know what will happen with Gyokeres. However, that goal should have given Connolly a massive boost of confidence. Let's hope he can build on it next season. I agree, it would not be a good idea to loan him out.
 




mreprice

Active member
Sep 12, 2010
690
Sydney, Australia
I think Connolly is easily our best finisher. But he he doesn't do enough else to play up front in his own.

We needed him this season as our second choice striker bit the big question is what do we do if we sign a better striker and he is third choice. Do we keep Connolly as a back up and to come on as sub? Of do we give a season or even a half a season playing every week in the Championship.

I think playing every week would be better for his development. But we still could use him in the short term. Tough call.

Sent from my Mi 9T Pro using Tapatalk
 


Marshy

Well-known member
Jul 6, 2003
19,955
FRUIT OF THE BLOOM
I think Connolly is easily our best finisher. But he he doesn't do enough else to play up front in his own.

We needed him this season as our second choice striker bit the big question is what do we do if we sign a better striker and he is third choice. Do we keep Connolly as a back up and to come on as sub? Of do we give a season or even a half a season playing every week in the Championship.

I think playing every week would be better for his development. But we still could use him in the short term. Tough call.

Sent from my Mi 9T Pro using Tapatalk

Not a tough call at all. We may well play with 2 up top. He will get plenty of game time with us even if we sign another striker.
 


Bold Seagull

strong and stable with me, or...
Mar 18, 2010
30,465
Hove
Just me or did he look noticeably tougher and more robust against Burnley than I've previously seen him? Perhaps mentally he prepared to be roughed up a bit by Burnley's back line, and he looked like he was giving back more than he got back.

It was good to see, his goal for me was a defender (Long I think it was) who perhaps thought physically Connolly wasn't up to it and he could just man handle him off the ball. Connolly showed great strength, balance and then composure to provide a finish that to be honest looked like someone on 15+ goals for the season and full of confidence, than someone who hadn't scored since last autumn.
 






Jim D

Well-known member
Jul 23, 2003
5,268
Worthing
Just me or did he look noticeably tougher and more robust against Burnley than I've previously seen him? Perhaps mentally he prepared to be roughed up a bit by Burnley's back line, and he looked like he was giving back more than he got back.

It was good to see, his goal for me was a defender (Long I think it was) who perhaps thought physically Connolly wasn't up to it and he could just man handle him off the ball. Connolly showed great strength, balance and then composure to provide a finish that to be honest looked like someone on 15+ goals for the season and full of confidence, than someone who hadn't scored since last autumn.

He wasn't favourite to get the ball from Maupay's through pass and he wasn't favourite to get around Long. After that he still had to beat one of the best keepers in the league - which he did with some ease. In his previous starts he didn't seem up to a battle with a physical defender but that has all changed and the confidence he'll get from that will do him well for next season. I think we can expect a lot more that 3 goals next term.
 


Wardy's twin

Well-known member
Oct 21, 2014
8,872
Tottenham, Everton, Arsenal and Burnley? You could have added Leicester if Maupay had put his penalty away and the Leicester defender hadn't made a fine block. I don't know whether we would have won that game, though. Also Chelsea had he got more on the shot that Kepa saved.

and the newcastle game when Shar(?) got it off the line with a overhead clearance.
 


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