[Albion] Hopefully the end of Connolly

[John Byrnes Mullet]

I think he would score 20 goals plus in The Championship next season. WiIl be perfect for us next year with Pottyhead still in charge

 

[portlock seagull]

This is exactly why people having a pop at Connolly shouldn’t be, he’s trying his best, it’s not his fault at 20 he’s starting up front for a PL team, we can’t loan him out because we have nowhere near enough no options up top. If we loaned him out we’d have 2 first team strikers, Welbeck, who’s had injury troubles in the past & Neal who is woefully out of form.

If anything, point fingers at recruitment as to why we are in the position where Connolly is having to start games and not being able to develop out on loan or in the u23, and by the way I’m aware a big money striker signing in the COVID financial situation isn’t straight forward, but it’s a gamble we are going to have to take at some stage.

I like Connolly make no mistake. If he’s not up to the job though I don’t have an issue people saying so as many evidently think. It’s dammed fine margins after all at this level. He may just not be good enough an we won’t survive on hope and ‘positive thinking’ alone as quite a lot of posters seem to think we will. Need some skill too and the ability to put the ball in the back of the net, often from just a couple of feet or less which seems beyond most of the squad including AC. Things got to improve on that front. It is ridiculous how appalling we are in front of goal. Beyond comical really. I can’t remember an Albion team this bad at finishing. Forget the level we’re at, we can’t seem to score inside/outside the box, from the spot or on the line even.

 

[dazzer6666]

Does look like he needs a spell in the Championship - doesn't seem to have really learned his craft sufficiently to operate at the very top level (heading technique yesterday was awful for example, and his miss v Liverpool). He's strong, quick and clearly has an eye for goal, but isn't taking the decent chances he's getting which will potentially send him backwards, at least in term s of his confidence. Of the goal he has scored in the PL they are mostly pretty similar too - cut in, curl ball to far corner. If we could get a Welbeck-type (ie more experienced) striker in in January, then a half-season loan at a alcub where he'll get loads of game time and loads of chances might be a good idea. As ever, our problem is we don't have sufficient cover to let that happen unless Zeqiri is deemed suitably ready perhaps

 

[maltaseagull]

Take the Spurs game out of it and he has 2 league goals in 19 starts + 14 appearances as a sub.

or, take out the Spurs game and he's got 2 in 40 games in all competitions.



...and we took the piss out of Benteke

He is 50% better than that!
Scored against Newcastle so it's 3 in 19 league starts and 14 subs

 

[dejavuatbtn]

He has an air of Duffy about him (that’s Alan, not Shane). I don’t think he will quite cut the mustard at this level, although I think he believes he does, if you know what I mean.

 

[Lethargic]

Like most of our situations there are a number of factors at play here -
1. He is not ready as a Premier league player week in week out, not that he's bad he is just not ready for that level of pressure and responsibility.
2. The club gambled that he was good enough now, rather than buy another striker, this is not his fault but he then gets some of the fallout from that decisions.
3. We are not playing to his strengths (or Maupay's) he/they need quick balls played through at pace on the floor or over the top to run onto they are not target men to aim at in the box surrounded by giant defenders.

If we continue to play him as we are I fear we will not see the improvement we should.

 

[sydney]

He really is absolute pony. How many goals has he scored now? 3? He's leauge 1 level. Can't think of anyone more shit than him since Leon Best.

He's 2 foot from goal and the ball is on a plate for Welbeck and he blunders his way in and manages to backwards header it in the opposite direction to goal.

I hate to agree but I do. He simply isn't up to the required standard. Whether he needs a loan or something, I don't know. But him taking up a squad place is a total wast at the moment, unfortunately.Same for Ali.

he's young , a raw talent ...some might say he's another Rooney , similar type of player without the natural instinct , try not to be a **** , if you can help it , they are all getting in each others way at the moment , it's like watching under 14 's ......it's ****ing rubbish ...no one player deserves to be pilloried .

 

[Farehamseagull]

He is 50% better than that!
Scored against Newcastle so it's 3 in 19 league starts and 14 subs

No it's not, he's only scored 2 after the Spurs game - Burnley and Newcastle. In the premier league:

Including the Spurs game, he averages a goal every 449 minutes (7.5 hours).

Without the Spurs game, he averages a goal every 858 minutes (over 14 hours).

He averages an assist every 599 minutes (10 hours).

Like Ryan, the stats really don't look good for him and he doesn't offer enough in open play to make this productivity deficiency worthwhile.

 

[macbeth]

he's young , a raw talent ...some might say he's another Rooney , similar type of player without the natural instinct , try not to be a **** , if you can help it , they are all getting in each others way at the moment , it's like watching under 14 's ......it's ****ing rubbish ...no one player deserves to be pilloried .

He's not being pilloried. I'm just saying I don't think he's up to the standard required. Nothing personal, but he just isn't good enough. Whether that can change with a loan or not isn't for me to say, I don't know.

 

[sydney]

He's not being pilloried. I'm just saying I don't think he's up to the standard required. Nothing personal, but he just isn't good enough. Whether that can change with a loan or not isn't for me to say, I don't know.

he's a kid and the management are on a long one expecting him to deal with the some of the best defensive units in the game particularly with Maupay , evidently having some sort of onion bag phobia ....the whole team is out of sorts , it's not down to one player although Connolly does tend to get in the offing way a fair bit .

 

[DJ NOBO]

.
If you can get past his inability to score (yes, I know this sounds ridiculous for a forward) there is value. His constant harrying of defenders is effective.

 

[Wozza]

he's young , a raw talent ...some might say he's another Rooney , similar type of player without the natural instinct , try not to be a **** , if you can help it , they are all getting in each others way at the moment

Forget "at the moment" excuses. Connolly's had 30+ first team matches to prove his abilty!

 

[macbeth]

he's a kid and the management are on a long one expecting him to deal with the some of the best defensive units in the game particularly with Maupay , evidently having some sort of onion bag phobia ....the whole team is out of sorts , it's not down to one player although Connolly does tend to get in the offing way a fair bit .

Yeah I do feel sorry for him, he has been thrown in at the deep and and seems a tad out of his depth to me. That's no one's fault but the clubs. I want to believe that Potter can turn things around but so many of the players have gone backwards this season. Maupay, Propper, Ryan, Alzate, BDB, Connolly to an extent. I have to ask why, and if the management is at fault. But it's clear that Tony wants to stick with GP, and tbh I support that, I think sacking him now would open a whole can of worms that would totally wreck any squad harmony left. But if he's going to stick with him then he needs to give him some money and get him a new striker, so that we're not relying on Connolly and Maupay, neither of whom can score for toffee atm. Threads like this wouldn't appear nearly half as commonly if the club had recruited properly in the summer, because we wouldn't be overly reliant on players who aren't currently of a standard to which they can be relied on, a la Connolly

 

[Wardy's twin]

This is exactly why people having a pop at Connolly shouldn’t be, he’s trying his best, it’s not his fault at 20 he’s starting up front for a PL team, we can’t loan him out because we have nowhere near enough no options up top. If we loaned him out we’d have 2 first team strikers, Welbeck, who’s had injury troubles in the past & Neal who is woefully out of form.

If anything, point fingers at recruitment as to why we are in the position where Connolly is having to start games and not being able to develop out on loan or in the u23, and by the way I’m aware a big money striker signing in the COVID financial situation isn’t straight forward, but it’s a gamble we are going to have to take at some stage.

Agreed and let's be clear spending big money counters the club's existing sustainability strategy of bring through youth Some people are saying buy big well Joelinton 3 goals in 48 apperances , Haller 7 in 44. Both cost £40+ million and on I would guess near to £100k a week. rather have Connolly at least he plays and contributes to the team.

 

[Pavilionaire]

It's a bit much to expect kids to score the goals to keep you up.

Tammy Abraham was mediocre at Swansea in a poor side that got relegated, yet has gone on to play for England and keep Giroud out of the starting XI. Rhian Brewster is finding even more challenging at Sheff Utd.

I reserve judgement on Connolly because I think he could become a decent player if he gets the right guidance and plenty of football, but that would have to be in a lower division.

 

[vagabond]

This thread title is an utter disgrace and an embarrassment to our fan base. It should be renamed.

 

[Hamilton]

This thread title is an utter disgrace and an embarrassment to our fan base. It should be renamed.

"Hopefully the end of playing Connolly"

Does that work for you?

 

[vagabond]

"Hopefully the end of playing Connolly"

Does that work for you?

But why such an angry negative title against a good honest young player who’s just starting his career?

 

[Worried Man Blues]

I am still trying to work out what he or how he was trying to head the ball for that miss, it was bizarre. Hopefully he will get a couple of goals soon and boost his confidence.

 

[Ding Dong !]

Just seen the miss again..........even Billy ( Big yin) would have buried that.......awful miss along with Jahanbhaksh sitter !!!!

Barn door both of them