Aaron Connolly

[pocco]

I didn't get round to starting this thread after the game, but was anybody else really impressed by him?

It's the first time I've seen him play but I thought it was one of the standout performances from an individual, not already at a big club, that I've seen against us in a while. Obviously he dived a couple of times and that was probably the lasting memory of him for some, but I thought the rest of his game was really polished and he was a real handful for our defenders. I'm a bit reluctant to make this comparison for obvious reasons, but he had a lot to his game that reminded me of a certain Sergio Aguero. Really bullish, low centre of gravity, quick and a good dribbler. A tidy player all round. Works hard off the ball too.

It wouldn't surprise me to see him at a bigger team at some point. I think there'll be managers out there thinking that there's a lot of quality to work with.

 

[POF]

I didn't get round to starting this thread after the game, but was anybody else really impressed by him?

It's the first time I've seen him play but I thought it was one of the standout performances from an individual, not already at a big club, that I've seen against us in a while. Obviously he dived a couple of times and that was probably the lasting memory of him for some, but I thought the rest of his game was really polished and he was a real handful for our defenders. I'm a bit reluctant to make this comparison for obvious reasons, but he had a lot to his game that reminded me of a certain Sergio Aguero. Really bullish, low centre of gravity, quick and a good dribbler. A tidy player all round. Works hard off the ball too.

It wouldn't surprise me to see him at a bigger team at some point. I think there'll be managers out there thinking that there's a lot of quality to work with.

He played well and is at the right club to improve. Brighton look like a really well coached team and you can see a lot of their young players are playing with a lot of confidence.

But, he has a long way to go to even establish himself in the Brighton team. It's far too early to talk about a move to a higher level.

Whatever about Aguero, he seems to have perfected the Vardy penalty winning technique.

 

[The Brown Bull]

He played well and was a pest for our defenders. I don't think he dived I think he should have had a pen for the challenge by Pogba in the 2nd half.
One to watch.

 

[Champagne Football]

Hopefully he can fulfill his potential. Bout time a half decent Irish player came through. Been a real talent drought for a while. Robbie Brady, Hendrick and Jack Byrne were big hopes but none of them kicked on to a higher level.

 

[The Irish Connection]

I like him, but he’s definitely annoying to play against. Reminds me a bit of Rooney too. Would be nice for the Irish team if he really started adding goals to his game.

 

[Robbie Boy]

His general play is fantastic. He just needs to add goals to his game which hopefully in time will come. He's certainly one of those players that'll give defenders a tough 90 minutes.

 

[FootballHQ]

Scored a really nice goal v Spurs last season.

Early days but he reminds me of a Vardy type who can run in behind defences although obviously nowhere near the level of finishing. One to watch I suspect and Republic of Ireland have some interesting young forwards developing all at same time (him, Idah, Obafemi and Troy Parrott).

 

[POF]

Hopefully he can fulfill his potential. Bout time a half decent Irish player came through. Been a real talent drought for a while. Robbie Brady, Hendrick and Jack Byrne were big hopes but none of them kicked on to a higher level.

Hendrick is such an odd player. He seems to have all of the tools to be a quality central midfield player. He has the size and athleticism, is technically excellent, a good passer of the ball and has quality in the final third.

But games completely pass him by. He'll have one good game where he looks genuine quality and then another 10 where he produces absolutely nothing.

 

[King Andow]

Only impressive thing that I saw was him diving twice in a row without receiving a single card. Trossard on the other hand was very good and is one to watch, someone should open a thread about him btw.

 

[TwoSheds]

Only impressive thing that I saw was him diving twice in a row without receiving a single card. Trossard on the other hand was very good and is one to watch, someone should open a thread about him btw.

Yeah have to agree with this. Trossard looks a threat every time I see him. The wee pug not so much.

 

[Morpheus 7]

He was poor, great at falling like a bag if shit in the penalty area though.

 

[sebsheep]

He played well and was a pest for our defenders. I don't think he dived I think he should have had a pen for the challenge by Pogba in the 2nd half.
One to watch.

That was never a penalty.

 

[KiD MoYeS]

I like him, but he’s definitely annoying to play against. Reminds me a bit of Rooney too. Would be nice for the Irish team if he really started adding goals to his game.

Reminds me of a young Rooney too.

 

[Classical Mechanic]

Against United

13 touches
7 passes
2 dispossessions
4 unsuccessful touches
1 shot
0 shots on target
1 key pass
2 dives
0 successful dribbles
0 tackles
0 interception
0.03 xG
0.04 xA

His only quality is running hard and even against a slow backline he failed to produce anything. People have a low bar for a good performance it seems.

 

[youngrell]

Reminds me of a young Rooney too.

Me too. But a bargain basement version.

And I don’t mean that as a slight. Rooney was the very top level.

 

[VorZakone]

Against United

13 touches
7 passes
2 dispossessions
4 unsuccessful touches
1 shot
0 shots on target
1 key pass
2 dives
0 successful dribbles
0 tackles
0 interception
0.03 xG
0.04 xA

His only quality is running hard and even against a slow backline he failed to produce anything. People have a low bar for a good performance it seems.

Some almost jizzed their pants over Thiago's 45 minute cameo against Chelsea when he gave away a pen against 10 men.

 

[Vault Dweller]

I thought he milked two occasions trying for a penalty, and other than being quite fast didn’t really think much of him.

I was far more impressed by Trossard and the young lad they have at RB. Dunk is a good player too.

 

[Classical Mechanic]

Some almost jizzed their pants over Thiago's 45 minute cameo against Chelsea when he gave away a pen against 10 men.

It was a masterclass in short passing under no pressure whatsoever. Legendary stuff.

 

[Rozay]

He’s rubbish in my opinion. Looks to be one of many many similar strikers who come through and are extremely busy, but will ultimately end up with 5 goals a season. In the team more for nuisance factor than anything else.

 

[Denis' cuff]

Rubbish and a cheating little shite

only the oirish on here could rate him

 

[limerickcitykid]

They’re pinning all their hopes on him on the Irish boards but I don’t see it. He’s got some pace and runs hard but there’s little real quality there. James McClean burst onto the scene similarly. From what I’ve seen of Connolly I don’t see much to take it to the next level. I hope I’m wrong because we desperately need some quality but I see far more Shane Long or James McClean level in him than Aguero or Vardy.

 

[JulesWinnfield]

Against United

13 touches
7 passes
2 dispossessions
4 unsuccessful touches
1 shot
0 shots on target
1 key pass
2 dives
0 successful dribbles
0 tackles
0 interception
0.03 xG
0.04 xA

His only quality is running hard and even against a slow backline he failed to produce anything. People have a low bar for a good performance it seems.

From what i've seen he has the potential to be the next Shane Long, that's about it. A nuisance off the ball, will win penalties through gamesmanship, but generally pretty limited technical ability. With the right work he might make an asset to lower half teams in his career, that's about the limits of his potential I reckon.

 

[pascell]

Rubbish and a cheating little shite

only the oirish on here could rate him

Given your location, you rate him then?

 

[Inigo Montoya]

From what i've seen he has the potential to be the next Shane Long, that's about it. A nuisance off the ball, will win penalties through gamesmanship, but generally pretty limited technical ability. With the right work he might make an asset to lower half teams in his career, that's about the limits of his potential I reckon.

Sums him up perfectly

 

[Adam-Utd]

Aaron CONnolly do you mean?

He's your typical mid table work horse doing a shite Jamie Vardy impression.

Perhaps if he stayed on his feet and tried to score I might have been more impressed.

 

[cyberman]

They’re pinning all their hopes on him on the Irish boards but I don’t see it. He’s got some pace and runs hard but there’s little real quality there. James McClean burst onto the scene similarly. From what I’ve seen of Connolly I don’t see much to take it to the next level. I hope I’m wrong because we desperately need some quality but I see far more Shane Long or James McClean level in him than Aguero or Vardy.

Hes quick, mobile, can play across the lines, excellent at making runs or using the ball to bring others into play, and presses veey well from the front.
I think he'll develop into a very good player but its 2020 and im reading how being excellent at forward press is downgraded as running around a lot. Thats such an outdated, offhand jibe that its actually insulting to him.
I think Connolly can be a very good squad option for a top side, hes only 20 after all. He has a lot of scope for improvemnt in him

 

[limerickcitykid]

Hes quick, mobile, can play across the lines, excellent at making runs or using the ball to bring others into play, and presses veey well from the front.
I think he'll develop into a very good player but its 2020 and im reading how being excellent at forward press is downgraded as running around a lot. Thats such an outdated, offhand jibe that its actually insulting to him.
I think Connolly can be a very good squad option for a top side, hes only 20 after all. He has a lot of scope for improvemnt in him

Shane Long is faster, more mobile, has played across the lines, is excellent at making runs, is better in the air, is good at hold up play, and has fantastic work ethic to press from the front. Nothing you just said can’t be applied to Shane Long at his best too. As much as I love Shane, he isn’t a top player and shouldn’t be compared to Aguero and Vardy.

It doesn’t matter what year it is. He’s done nothing to show top level quality. Get your knickers out of a bunch, he’s shown average talent and works hard pressing. This isn’t unique. His decision making and finishing have regularly been terrible.

These exact things have been said of countless players before and none have improved on it.

 

[cyberman]

Shane Long is faster, more mobile, has played across the lines, is excellent at making runs, is better in the air, is good at hold up play, and has fantastic work ethic to press from the front. Nothing you just said can’t be applied to Shane Long at his best too. As much as I love Shane, he isn’t a top player and shouldn’t be compared to Aguero and Vardy.

It doesn’t matter what year it is. He’s done nothing to show top level quality. Get your knickers out of a bunch, he’s shown average talent and works hard pressing. This isn’t unique. His decision making and finishing have regularly been terrible.

These exact things have been said of countless players before and none have improved on it.

What knickers? Im arguing against downplaying being excellent at forward pressure as running about a bit.
Hes 20. He can improve. He has got the tools to be a very good player. Not many 20 year olds leading the line in EPL sides

 

[Acole9]

Spent more time on his ass than he did playing football.

 

[golden_blunder]

Little terrier. Do well at Leicester

 

[The Brown Bull]

That was never a penalty.

BS. Watch it again.

 

[Djemba-Djemba]

Diving prick.

 

[izec]

Yeah, apart from diving around like a twat.

Trossard was really impressive and unlucky.

 

[Antisocial]

Hes 20. He can improve. He has got the tools to be a very good player. Not many 20 year olds leading the line in EPL sides

Genuinely shocked that he's only 20 from the look of him, but I don't know anything about his life so won't comment on that any further.

He was very threatening, but the constant diving, trying to con the referee and then running his mouth at him when the referee wasn't buying his crap wasn't a great look.

We'll see how he does tonight.

 

[Champagne Football]

Rubbish and a cheating little shite

only the oirish on here could rate him

Well yeah considering we've looked to James McClean and Jonathon Walters as our main spark of creative inspiration to win us games in the past few International campaigns, any player coming in above that level for the national team is seen as a bonus. Not to mention we had a CEO who for 14 years siphoned off the cash to develop the grassroots levels into his own piggy bank, so starting from square 1 really right now.

 

[JosDeVos]

I didn't rate him at all based only on the game against United. He could start with actually staying on his feet and trying to do/show something instead of flopping to the ground, praying for a pen.

 

[Adam-Utd]

BS. Watch it again.

Never ever a penalty.

He runs into the box, slows down then moves to the side and throws his ass into Pogba then hits the deck.

Pogba is running behind him and doesn't even put his arms on him and you're telling me that's enough to take him down? not a chance.

Luckily the VAR saw straight through the little con man.

 

[Classical Mechanic]

To be fair, that first dive was a really good one as there was body contact with Pogba. I was surprised they walked back on it but it was a dive. The second one was pretty pathetic and obvious though.

He's kind of set up for the nickname 'The Con Man'

Loads of players dive, Timo Werner is brilliant at it.

 

[The Brown Bull]

Never ever a penalty.

He runs into the box, slows down then moves to the side and throws his ass into Pogba then hits the deck.

Pogba is running behind him and doesn't even put his arms on him and you're telling me that's enough to take him down? not a chance.

Luckily the VAR saw straight through the little con man.

Pogba clattered into the back of him, knocking him over in other words.

 

[Varun]

Pogba clattered into the back of him, knocking him over in other words.