[Albion] Arsenal vs Brighton & Hove Albion *** Official Match Thread ***

[Icy Gull]

We were given a football lesson today, the only other team that has done this all season is Leicester

Our shitness in front of goal cost us any chance of a result. Dreadful in attack today and when we did get chances they were squandered.

Bad day at the office and I hope Connolly is in no way seen as an answer to our striker problems

 

[heathgate]

No disgrace to get beaten by Arsenal but it is to not compete at all. Arsenals easiest win of season. Very strange to take off our one player that can create. Even stranger to bring Connelly on and not Zeqiri. There is no way a championship club will take Connelly on loan. National league is more his level. By playing 4 at back meant we have Burn and White as full backs. A position they are both very poor at.

Well Burn was simply poor all round,.. central to all our defensive lapses and provided next to nothing when we got forward

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[Mo Gosfield]

We were given a football lesson today, the only other team that has done this all season is Leicester

Our shitness in front of goal cost us any chance of a result. Dreadful in attack today and when we did get chances they were squandered.

Bad day at the office and I hope Connolly is in no way seen as an answer to our striker problems

Pointless exercise in bringing on Connolly. Its Zeqiri and Tau we need to look at. We all know about the horizontal Irishman. As usual, he had a gift wrapped opportunity and it ended up nearer the corner flag. The whole team went through the motions and were outplayed from start to finish. I still don't get this ' easing off ' when there was an opportunity to finish 14th and earn another £4m.

 

[Mo Gosfield]

Well Burn was simply poor all round,.. central to all our defensive lapses and provided next to nothing when we got forward

The BDB fan club won't see it that way but I agree, he was terrible today.

 

[Pavilionaire]

I think you hav to give Arsenal credit. They played like a side that had won their previous 4 matches and were intent on overtaking Spurs and qualifyjng for Europe.

Pepe looked like a £70 mill players and Arsenal were intelligent in making runs in between our centre backs and wing backs.

Without Welbeck and Maupay - and coming straight after the Man City match - this always had the makings of a bridge too far.

 

[Hugo Rune]

Without Welbeck and Maupay - and coming straight after the Man City match - this always had the makings of a bridge too far.

This is a good point. We don’t have any other strikers on their level (although perhaps Andone). They were really missed.

In addition, the Arsenal full backs pushed up on us really effectively. We lack players like Lamptey & March who can take the fight back to them. Arteta had us worked out so well down to him.

 

[Super Steve Earle]

This is a good point. We don’t have any other strikers on their level (although perhaps Andone). They were really missed.

In addition, the Arsenal full backs pushed up on us really effectively. We lack players like Lamptey & March who can take the fight back to them. Arteta had us worked out so well down to him.

Quite right. Yet somehow some posters seem determined to label it the Connolly shitshow. Adding a little poke at the lad to any other point they care to make. They'll see off another Ashley Barnes if they aren't careful.

 

[AlbionBro]

Arsenal at full strength, with something to play for, in front of their fans for the first time. & then us with multiple injuries, little to play for, and probably feeling the effects of the City game. I am not at all surprised by the result. A draw might have been possible, but a win was certainly hopeful thinking.

Very much my thoughts.

I am looking forward to another season in the top division, it will be a pleasure to watch these lads and whoever we recruit to keep us there.

 

[Taybha]

Writing 21 year old Connolly off already ....... Kinel

 

[Rinkmaster]

Poor showing today don't care that we lost but do care very much that we didn't seem to even compete. Apart from a few players we were not even in the match

 

[nicko31]

Arsenal at full strength, with something to play for, in front of their fans for the first time. & then us with multiple injuries, little to play for, and probably feeling the effects of the City game. I am not at all surprised by the result. A draw might have been possible, but a win was certainly hopeful thinking.

Arsenal played well, we our fund last Tuesday. Roll on summer...

 

[heathgate]

Writing 21 year old Connolly off already ....... Kinel

I like him, he hasnt shone but of course we DO know what he is capable of, I vote he stays. I suspect he'll be loaned out, I hope to a team on the continent, removed from home distractions.

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[Icy Gull]

Pointless exercise in bringing on Connolly. Its Zeqiri and Tau we need to look at. We all know about the horizontal Irishman. As usual, he had a gift wrapped opportunity and it ended up nearer the corner flag. The whole team went through the motions and were outplayed from start to finish. I still don't get this ' easing off ' when there was an opportunity to finish 14th and earn another £4m.

Burnt out after the last few weeks I imagine. We met a team who are much better than us player for player, with fans behind them with something far more important than us to play for, even if it ended up being in vain. They were good very good imo. Their pace murdered us and they scored two very good goals from a player we can only dream of. We also got more luck than we’ve had for most of the season. Played off the park by the end. We had two very good chances to score but not taking them killed any chance we may have had. Ali J’s chance was just as good as Connollys.

I am disappointed but in no way disheartened and no I have no idea why he brought Connolly on. Maybe to give him a last chance, which he blew?

 

[Mo Gosfield]

Quite right. Yet somehow some posters seem determined to label it the Connolly shitshow. Adding a little poke at the lad to any other point they care to make. They'll see off another Ashley Barnes if they aren't careful.

Ok....give my your assessment of Aaron Connolly.
To my mind, he lacks the strength and cleverness of Barnes. He can't hold the ball up in forward positions and Barnes is a much superior finisher and was at the same age. If you play Connolly in 38 games next season, I would expect about 4 goals. If you believe him to be the long term answer, fair enough. I have to disagree.

 

[Super Steve Earle]

Ok....give my your assessment of Aaron Connolly.
To my mind, he lacks the strength and cleverness of Barnes. He can't hold the ball up in forward positions and Barnes is a much superior finisher and was at the same age. If you play Connolly in 38 games next season, I would expect about 4 goals. If you believe him to be the long term answer, fair enough. I have to disagree.

Before I answer, can you just remind me which division Ashley Barnes was in when he was just turned 21? Just in case it's relevant to a discussion about Connolly making his way with a few appearances so far in the toughest League in the world?

 

[Mo Gosfield]

Before I answer, can you just remind me which division Ashley Barnes was in when he was just turned 21? Just in case it's relevant to a discussion about Connolly making his way with a few appearances so far in the toughest League in the world?

Yes....he was at a lower level but capable of scoring 15 -20 goals a season. If Connolly gets loaned out, lets see what level he is and what he produces.

 

[Dick Head]

Such a shame the match thread has so much Connolly bashing. An incredibly tough game against an in form team with Europe to play for. It was a match for defenders to shine with mostly scraps for the forwards. NSC can be a harsh judge at times.

Writing 21 year old Connolly off already ....... Kinel

He was a bit fally overy.

 

[Lifelong Supporter]

Am I the only one who thinks Sanchez has struggled a bit in the last couple of games. A fair few unforced handling errors. Still an improvement on Ryan but not as big as I had hoped for based on last 2 games.

Very much so. It will ensure he stays with us for next season though !!!

 

[Luke93]

A lot on Aaron Connolly has already been said, but I will add this. The amount of times Connolly flings himself to the ground is embarrassing. He’s fooling no one (okay, he won that penalty vs Everton) and needs to work on this. The PL isn’t the place for developing young strikers. There are exceptions, but how often is it successful for a team in our position? A team in the bottom half should not have a player of Connolly’s current skills as third choice striker. It is not his fault though, he was thriving before the failings of senior strikers forced him in to the first team.

 

[NooBHA]

Maybe old teammates.

They could very well have been part of the same Footballing Academy which identifies and schools young talented African Footballers and finds Clubs for them around Europe. There are four or five different Academy's and one specific to French Speaking players.