Aaron Connolly F Millwall b.2000

[Stuttgart88]

Don't share the opinion "he's not good enough" but can agree he's (currently) not good enough in the position he is playing. He needs a wider starting position. A highlights reel of Connolly will surely show him at his most dangerous on the left.

[youngirish]

A highlights reel of Connolly will surely show him at his most dangerous on the left.

If that's the case play him instead of McClean against the Slovaks.

[Stuttgart88]

A highlights reel of McClean under Michael O'Neill before the WBA game was actually very impressive!

[seanfhear]

A highlights reel of McClean under Michael O'Neill before the WBA game was actually very impressive!
You kinda knew that if there was a manager that could get the best out of McClean it was Michael O’Neill . Yet again Michael O’Neill showing again how good a manager he is . Hopefully down the line he will be a Prime Candidate for the Republic of Ireland Manager job.

[Charlie Darwin]

I posted on another forum yesterday what the general consensus from Brighton fans is is that he's either regressed or the starting games were one offs. They're becoming less convinced by him by the game...maybe needs to start coming on as the impact sub. Like James McLean :D
I don't know how many times I've had to tell you people that you should never listen to anything fans say on message boards. Animals, the lot of them.

[DeLorean]

No need for that.

[Fixer82]

Last comment is a little OTT alright

[John83]

Seeing as he's a fan on a football forum, I suspect it's a little tongue-in-cheek.

[DeLorean]

Seeing as he's a fan on a football forum, I suspect it's a little tongue-in-cheek.

It was the deleted comment that was a little rough around the edges, not CD's. :)

[Fixer82]

Not on bench today

[DeLorean]

Not on bench today

Good to see them lose and fail to score then, albeit undeservedly. :) I read that Duffy had a family bereavement and therefore not involved either.

[tommy_c12000]

20 minutes appearance today, didn’t do anything until the winner. A delightful flick to Maupay for the winning assist. Hopefully it will give him some confidence back

[Razors left peg]

20 minutes appearance today, didn’t do anything until the winner. A delightful flick to Maupay for the winning assist. Hopefully it will give him some confidence back

Might be my green tinted glasses, but I thought there were times that he made some very good runs and got himself into space and the ball didnt come his way for one reason or other.

Touch for goal was excellent.

[Closed Account 2]

Brighton just easing towards safety now. Hopefully this, combined with the number of games in quite a short space of time, will see him start a few more matches.

[livehead1]

Brighton just easing towards safety now. Hopefully this, combined with the number of games in quite a short space of time, will see him start a few more matches.

Looks very lively.

How would our young striking prospects be ranked?

I'd go - obafemi, parott, Idah, Connolly, but damn all between them

[Bungle]

Think Parrott has world class potential but not sure will he reach that level.

The other three look like great prospects. All seem to have a great attitude too.

[Razors left peg]

Hes looks a lot sharper after the break. Might have lost a bit of weight, doesn't look quite as stocky

[tricky_colour]

I thought I heard he won a penalty, is that correct?

[tricky_colour]

18:12
PENALTY - Brighton

Leicester 0-0 Brighton

Ooff!!!

Aaron Connolly does well to get his body in front of James Justin and the Leicester defender just doesn't deal with it.

There's a handball outside the box but it's when Justin slides in on Connolly that he clips his back heel.

So sort of.

[Razors left peg]

I thought I heard he won a penalty, is that correct?

Yeah long ball over the top and he was fouled

[Eirambler]

Connolly looking very sharp in the first half. Livelier than Vardy so far. Won the penalty but Maupay missed it.

Saw a few tweets suggesting that the lockdown will have done wonders for him because it will have kept him out of the pubs of Brighton every weekend but I don't know how true those stories are.


Looks very lively.

How would our young striking prospects be ranked?

I'd go - obafemi, parott, Idah, Connolly, but damn all between them

Long term I'd go Parrott, Connolly, Obafemi, Idah in that order. Not much between any of them though and it's Connolly and Obafemi that have shown the most in the Premier League so far. We might have to wait a couple of years for Parrott to reach his potential. I'm hopeful that Idah will get a good run in the Championship next season with Norwich.

[Olé Olé]

I read your post and I probably agree with your rankings of the four lads but it is so unpredictable. Any one of the four could go onto be the best. It is great now. Once they all kick on, get some luck and reach their potential.

[Razors left peg]

Parrotts lack of 1st team football when the other 3 are playing could have a big impact on his development

[Olé Olé]

Parrott is a full year younger than the next youngest of the quarter (Idah) so I don't think that is a legitimate concern for now.

[Eirambler]

Maupay hooked on 55 minutes and they've gone with Connolly on his own up top. Good to see that he wasn't the one taken off, when I saw three subs coming on I was sure he'd be the one to go off based on Maupay being the more senior player of the two.

[Razors left peg]

Parrott is a full year younger than the next youngest of the quarter (Idah) so I don't think that is a legitimate concern for now.
I'd probably agree if he was at least playing football in the u23s but he's played very little football at all this season.

If next season comes and Parrott is still in same situation Id be very concerned

[Olé Olé]

Agree with that. Obafemi and Connolly should stay where they are next season. Norwich should e relegated which suits Idah. Parrott needs a loan unless he makes a significant breakthrough at Spurs. Interesting to note none of the other three had any loans (bar one cut short for Connolly at Luton which is largely irrelevant so short it was).

[Olé Olé]

Anyone see the game? Connolly won a penalty which Brighton failed to score. Consensus on Twitter is that he had a very good game.

[Razors left peg]

Anyone see the game? Connolly won a penalty which Brighton failed to score. Consensus on Twitter is that he had a very good game.

He was very good in 1st half. His movement was excellent and was unlucky not to score after creating a good chance for himself by beating 2 defenders, 1 of them got back to make good last ditch tackle.

In 2nd half he was last sub to made after his strike partner had been taken off about 20 mins before him. He held the ball up pretty well as lone striker but Leicester had more of the ball in 2nd half so he had less impact. He seems to be improving at bringing others into play around him, and as I said previously he doesnt look as stocky so maybe that is helping his sharpness

[irishfan86]

Watched the game, he looked sharp, came close to scoring and obviously won the pen with a good off the ball run. As mentioned by others, his all round game looks better too, in terms of decision making/using teammates when that’s the best option.

[tommy_c12000]

Wonderful end to the season for Connolly. Exposing Longs lack of pace, got in behind him cutting in from left and cooly finished to bottom right corner. He needed this. Delighted for him. Let’s hope he can push on with good preseason and start to next season

[Olé Olé]

Great news.

[Diggs246]

Any link to the goal

[tricky_colour]

1287423665416679430

[Diggs246]

https://twitter.com/i/status/1287423665416679430
Thanks
I hate his hair style, but that was a really good goal

[Eirambler]

Scored cutting in off the left wing again. The left sided forward position in the 4-3-3 system we play looks perfect for him.

[ColourfulPeanut]

Was that Kevin Long he easily skipped by too?

[Kingdom]

Scored cutting in off the left wing again. The left sided forward position in the 4-3-3 system we play looks perfect for him.

It's the position where he stood out as a star in the waiting for Kenny's 21s, for those that saw him.

[tricky_colour]

Thanks
I hate his hair style, but that was a really good goal

Yea so do I, makes him look about 50!

Was a great goal, kind of did not seem possible he could get past the defender and it did not seem he had the angle to score either!

[Eirambler]

Connolly and Obafemi keeping some good company on this list.

https://twitter.com/antoinecrn72/status/1287665539905736705?s=19

[Diggs246]

If we have Connelly, Ofafemi and Long on the pitch at the same time, speed of attack that would be some blitzkrieg

[Stuttgart88]

Idah is no slouch either.

My front 3 would be Connolly - McGoldrick - Long. I know McG isn't an orthodox forward, I'd be using him as a "false 9". It'd be brilliant to watch. We'd have pace in abundance, footballing guile and creativity. We'd just never score :)

[Diggs246]

I think if Ofafemi can stay off the burgers he will be our main sticker, we need an actually goal scorer on the pitch, have mcg behind him as the 10 and I think we will be fine

[zero]

Idah is no slouch either.

My front 3 would be Connolly - McGoldrick - Long. I know McG isn't an orthodox forward, I'd be using him as a "false 9". It'd be brilliant to watch. We'd have pace in abundance, footballing guile and creativity. We'd just never score :)

same front 3 for me if we're going 4-3-3 which I get the impression we will be.

not sure I can find a role for captain coleman given the attacking threat doherty offers but that's for another thread...

[tricky_colour]

Was that Kevin Long he easily skipped by too?

Pretty sure it was!

[Diggs246]

Pretty sure it was!
and more worryingly from longs point of view he was completely outmuscled

[tricky_colour]

and more worryingly from longs point of view he was completely outmuscled


It is weird in that he is on the inside initial then cuts to the outside than back onto the inside.

I think he unbalance Long

But Connolly looks in fine form, fast and sharp.

[nigel-harps1954]

A new 4 year deal for Connolly at Brighton. Fine reward for a decent first full season in the team.

[Eirambler]

Well done to him. Probably the first of our current Under 21 players to sign a mega bucks Premier League first team contract.

[Razors left peg]

I must have the most ridiculously green tinted specs every time I watch Connolly for Brighton. He seems to make good runs into great areas so often and isn't found with a pass. I always have the feeling he could score a ton of goals with right service...but yet he doesn't always start ahead of Maupay who I think is a terrible player.

Do we think Connolly can be a top player or just another guy who will bounce between Premiership and Championship through his career?