[Albion] Hopefully the end of Connolly

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HastingsSeagull

Well-known member
Jan 13, 2010
9,314
BGC Manila
Looked average early on but didn't score many so we hoped he'd improve. Doesn't seem to have. Needs time excelling in league 1 or grinding away for a bad championship team as sadly don't think he'd start for many good championship sides (where he'd have a better chance of scoring).
 




OzMike

Well-known member
Oct 2, 2006
13,006
Perth Australia
He needs to be loaned out to get more experience, his one decent game has thrown him in at the deep end which isn't helping him or the team.
He could end up as a great but will need to learn his craft first.
 


One Teddy Maybank

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Aug 4, 2006
21,833
Worthing
Exactly. People calling him shit are either trolling, have poor memories or simply don't have a clue. There are very few Brighton squads EVER that would not benefit from having him them. Is he a prolific premier league scorer? No. Does he have huge potential to be one? Yes. The kid needs time and support and is WAY too young to write off as not being good enough for the top flight.

Don’t always agree with you Plooks, but spot on with this.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 


DJ NOBO

Well-known member
Jul 18, 2004
6,423
Wiltshire
Connolly going on loan...,I remember that being suggested several times before. But several wise sages of NSC aggressively shouted the idea down.
The big mistake was made in Summer 2019.
Connolly talked himself up to Potter and said he was ready for the Prem, and shouldn’t go on loan. Potter effectively said “ok then”.
We got away with it last year when he was a surprise package, but this year he is struggling.
I feel sorry for the player. He must look at White and Sanchez and feel he’s diddled himself out of some development steps.
He’s not too old for a loan now but atm we need him for numbers and his harrying style. But while he can’t score goals, he’ll always have a shelf life.
Best case scenario now, is next season Connolly is properly given the chance to develop on loan at a lower level. It’s too late for him to get back on track.
 


Swansman

Pro-peace
May 13, 2019
22,320
Sweden
Connolly going on loan...,I remember that being suggested several times before. But several wise sages of NSC aggressively shouted the idea down.
The big mistake was made in Summer 2019.
Connolly talked himself up to Potter and said he was ready for the Prem, and shouldn’t go on loan. Potter effectively said “ok then”.
We got away with it last year when he was a surprise package, but this year he is struggling.
I feel sorry for the player. He must look at White and Sanchez and feel he’s diddled himself out of some development steps.
He’s not too old for a loan now but atm we need him for numbers and his harrying style. But while he can’t score goals, he’ll always have a shelf life.
Best case scenario now, is next season Connolly is properly given the chance to develop on loan at a lower level. It’s too late for him to get back on track.

What is the source for this?
 




DJ NOBO

Well-known member
Jul 18, 2004
6,423
Wiltshire
What is the source for this?

He spoke about it a few times after Connolly’s breakthrough in the first few months of the 2019/20 season.

This is one example, although it’s a diluted version of what he said in a TV interview which isn’t online it would seem.

Potter may have been better saying “sorry buddy, but you need to go and score some goals somewhere else before you get in my team”. Essentially, the strategy they took with white.

Imagine Connolly after six months under Bielsa’s tutelage....

https://www.theargus.co.uk/sport/17933326.graham-potter-explains-aaron-connolly-earned-big-chance/


Oh, and I just noticed I missed an important word on my initial post.
Meant to say....
It’s NOT too late for him to get back on track (!)
 
Last edited:


Marshy

Well-known member
Jul 6, 2003
19,768
FRUIT OF THE BLOOM
Exactly. People calling him shit are either trolling, have poor memories or simply don't have a clue. There are very few Brighton squads EVER that would not benefit from having him them. Is he a prolific premier league scorer? No. Does he have huge potential to be one? Yes. The kid needs time and support and is WAY too young to write off as not being good enough for the top flight.

Spot on, I like him a lot.
 


Jolly Red Giant

Well-known member
Jul 11, 2015
2,615
He spoke about it a few times after Connolly’s breakthrough in the first few months of the 2019/20 season.

This is one example, although it’s a diluted version of what he said in a TV interview which isn’t online it would seem.

Potter may have been better saying “sorry buddy, but you need to go and score some goals somewhere else before you get in my team”. Essentially, the strategy they took with white.

Imagine Connolly after six months under Bielsa’s tutelage....

https://www.theargus.co.uk/sport/17933326.graham-potter-explains-aaron-connolly-earned-big-chance/


Oh, and I just noticed I missed an important word on my initial post.
Meant to say....
It’s NOT too late for him to get back on track (!)
It was reported in the Irish media that Potter intended sending Connolly out on loan after he became manager but was persuaded against this by David Weir after he saw Connollly playing in the U-21 Toulon tournament for Ireland (Connolly was excellent in the tournament).
 




Eric Youngs Contact Lens

Well-known member
Dec 9, 2020
583
East Sussex
I'm not sure the retrospective view of the decision of not sending him out on loan last season was a mistake. In that context, Maupay, Andone were lining up to be the 1st choice pair, Murray as back-up. The notion that Connolly could compliment them, gain experience with us, learn from Murray etc without having the burden of being No.1 would have made some sense. Andone's quick exit may have changed that context, and Connolly's impact absolutely looked encouraging. It look more risky now because we feel we are more reliant on him - Maupay is off form, Welbeck a late addition that needs looking after physically. In this new context we are lined up to rely more heavily on Connolly than was maybe ever envisaged and he is capable of. He got selected for Ireland, got the opportunities and is struggling to maintain the momentum he picked up and it is now for the Club to decide what's best for him or why that is.. attitide, ability, confidence (all 3) .. depending on the diagnosis, a loan may suit or the notion that he will be one of 3 or 4 strikers if we do any business in January
 




DJ NOBO

Well-known member
Jul 18, 2004
6,423
Wiltshire
It was reported in the Irish media that Potter intended sending Connolly out on loan after he became manager but was persuaded against this by David Weir after he saw Connollly playing in the U-21 Toulon tournament for Ireland (Connolly was excellent in the tournament).

It’s not like it was a massive boob on Potter’s part to put him in the first squad, and not send him on loan. There was positive noise about him at the time.
But it would be a mistake not to make changes now.
Connolly, for his own good, needs to drop down a level, score some goals and then come back,
He’s still young enough for a full reset.
The danger is that he becomes a at best a poor man’s Shane Long - a busy striker who scores 12 goals in 150 appearances or whatever.
He can do better, but may need to take a step back first and reinvent himself.
I really hope he does this and makes good on his potential at the Albion, and not somewhere else.
 




amexer

Well-known member
Aug 8, 2011
6,304
Great if he scored some goals but biggest problem nothing else to his game. In the few minutes Ali has played he has laid on more goal scoring opportunities then Connelly
 




Danny Wilson Said

New member
May 2, 2020
584
Palookaville
There are clubs where they love to see home-grown kids come through the youth system and give them all the support they need, understanding that young players are not the finished article.

There are others where nothing a home-grown player does can ever be good enough, because the fans think that only a big fee is any form of validation. They get on their back for any mistake, even if that player has scored goals at every level and it's surely only a matter of time before he relaxes and starts banging them in for the first team. .

Just saying.
 




The Wizard

Well-known member
Jul 2, 2009
18,383
The more I think about it the more I can’t believe the OP, it has 16 thumbs up as well.

Whether or not Connolly is good enough at this stage of his career, just how much of a shit stain do you have to be to hope it’s the end of a 20 year old striker rushed into the first team? Absolute waffle.
 


GT49er

Well-known member
Feb 1, 2009
47,022
Gloucester
There are clubs where they love to see home-grown kids come through the youth system and give them all the support they need, understanding that young players are not the finished article.

There are others where nothing a home-grown player does can ever be good enough, because the fans think that only a big fee is any form of validation. They get on their back for any mistake, even if that player has scored goals at every level and it's surely only a matter of time before he relaxes and starts banging them in for the first team. .

Just saying.
Hear hear!


Although perhaps it might be more accurate to say some people rather than some clubs that don't think home-grown players are ever any good.
 




SCassidy

New member
Dec 2, 2020
83
What a ridiculous thread. AC clearly isn't the finished article, but he's young, has potential, and has performed well at Premier League level - though not consistently enough.

He ran Liverpool's defence ragged and won us a penalty. He also missed a 1 on 1 with their keeper. His performance against Sheffield United? Terrible.

But we should be developing young talent that show potential, not baying for their demise when they hit a bad patch.

Drop him? Maybe. Loan him out? Maybe still. But I want him playing for the Albion when he hits his golden years.

Some 'supporters' need to give their heads a shake.
 




Worthing exile

New member
May 12, 2009
1,219
I think what we are forgetting was that when the OP started his first job, he was perfect, had tons of experience and knew it all.

Well he seems to think he knows it all now.
 


Frankie

Put him in the curry
May 23, 2016
4,200
Mid west Wales
Welbeck should of made that his ball , he's vastly experienced and there was enough time for him to let Connolly know he was right behind him .

Saying that , Connolly's goal tally doesn't exactly look good no matter how you cut it .

I'm not sure he should be starting ahead of anyone but he's a good squad player who gives everything on the pitch .

Some of the replies to a poorly worded thread surprise me as wanting shot of a Academy product at the age of 20 is ridiculous.

I've a feeling Connolly will come good and hopefully it will be as a Brighton and Hove Albion player.
 


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