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At one stage Liverpool looked like pulling it back, anyhow Arsenals fast forwards have not got them anywhere in the Prem for a while. You could also say Arsenal conceeded 3 (4 at one point). Agreed he would have trouble geting a game at Arsenal though.Quote:
Originally Posted by OwlsFan
Weird game alright when is the last time liverpool conceded at least 5 at home
I can't see them failing to get a playoff tbh. Since Keane took over they've been on par with, say, Preston. They've now brought in Stokes and Carlos Edwards. I think they're certs for a playoff place tbh and have a chance of automatic promotion. Derby have to travel to Sunderland and Sunderland should be expected to win that. If they do they've 7 points to make up. Far from impossible.Quote:
Originally Posted by tricky_colour
Liverpool 0-6 Sunderland - 19 April, 1930Quote:
Originally Posted by citizenerased
Stan is a ****in ******, once again he contradicts himself. He came out and said today that he would welcome Anthony Stokes to the team and looks like he will be handing him a call up for the next few games. I thought a few months ago it was "stokes took steps backward at arsenal last season and he is young and inexperienced"
Connolly had a hamstring problem almost all of last season. Sunderland are 3 points off the playoffs thanks to Connolly's recent surge of goals, thank you very much ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by pete
P.S. He is also joint top scorer with Elliott and Murphy. The thing about Connolly is he makes his own goals, unlike most other strikers, he hasnt had one tap in or penalty this season. The point is, recall him :)
P.P.S Hold the next page for rebuttals to this post :o (and I was holding my tongue so well too)
I'd recall Connolly as well.
Still, Doyle & Keane are not quite going to be unseated any time soon.
When Staunton made that comment a few months ago, he was probably right. Stokes was going nowhere and at Arsenal was being overtaken by some of their other younger players.Quote:
Originally Posted by dodgycanadian
However, things have changed dramatically for him since he was loaned out to Falkirk and he has taken several giant steps forward. We still do not know if he is the genuine article. Scoring goals against the weaker teams in the SPL is one thing. If he can continue scoring at the business end of the Championship,then he will be even further forward.
I think he should call up Stokes and Long for San Marino. Give them a run out with 30 minutes to go if we are cruising.
on last nights evidence it looks like it just may!!!!Quote:
Originally Posted by galwayhoop
I'd agree on Stokes, but (going back to a point Stuttgart88 made elsewhere), I think extra members of the squad (say numbers 16-23) should be included on form. They're unlikely to unseat the regular players, but Stan and Bobby can still take a look at them in training and decide if they are worth a place in the matchday 16.Quote:
Originally Posted by shakermaker1982
Long, on recent form, would not get into those 16-23 numbers, but Darren O'Dea (for example) would.
Why recall Connolly? He was never any use for Ireland even when his club form was better than it is now. Also we don't need him anymore we've far more talented up and coming young strikers deserving of a place.
yeah connolly has had his chances - we'd be better off with a young lad in the squad.
we could safely exclude morrison and connolly at this stage IMO , both have had ample opportunities to prove themselves - if a game wasn't going their way you wouldn't be shouting for their inclusion and they are unlikely to start so better off with new faces methinks
Morrisson has been a fantastic servant to Ireland and I for one believe he has been one of our better performers over the past two years.Quote:
Originally Posted by galwayhoop
i don't really think he is up to it but you're entitled to your opinion. i don't even hear of him at club level anymore (is he still at palace??), seems to have gone off the radar big style. he has reached what is supposidly his peak (age / experience wise) at this stage and i feel not shown enough ability to perform at either internaional / premiership level. if i was picking a squad i wouldn't have him in it. alan lee would be before him on current form and then why not have a young lad like stokes in there as the 4th striker (assuming keane and doyle definately start)Quote:
Originally Posted by livehead1
He's their top scorer this season, despite being (reportedly) out of favor with the managerQuote:
Originally Posted by galwayhoop
honestly have heard little or nothing of him except a couple of mnths ago when he spoke of his admiration for keane in an apparant 'come and get me'. btw how many goals / games
Quote:
Originally Posted by galwayhoop
According to this - http://www.soccerbase.com/squad_season.sd?teamid=646 - it's 6 goals in 17 appearances, 8 as a sub. Which amounts to about 1 goal every 3 appearances.
When you consider that the next highest is James Scowcroft with 4 goals in 17 appearances, including 3 as a sub, it's actually not that bad.
Although it probably says more about Palace at the moment than Clinton
I'm not going to be too critical of Clinton, the goals he scored during our last WCQ campaign were the most important. Scoring away against Israel sticks out for me as a huge goal- to be honest he's been more consistent in competitive games than Keane for me.
There's no question Keane is the better player, but Morrison really stepped it up in the big games for us with some key goals.
He has to be behind Stokes in the pecking order at this point though, and the Sunderland crew of Connolly, Murphy, Elliot are probably on a similar level in addition to Alan Lee make up the fringe of our strikers.
Morrison's a borderline squad member for me at this point.
Are you kidding I was shouting for Connolly when he was hurt. And is everyone saying that because they had their chance they should done? How about who ever is playing best should get in regardless of their past. If Stokes plays up front with Connolly up until San Marino and Connolly scores 3 and Stokes scores 0 and loses his starting role, should Stokes get called up over Connolly just because he hasn't had a chance yet? (The problem is, that is Stan's thinking) I like Stokes fine (That could change soon :o) but I think he would have had a better chance if he stayed with Falkirk and kept banging in the goals up there. Morrison also has been playing decentlyQuote:
Originally Posted by galwayhoop
No, no, no, no. When will people ever learn? HE'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR INTERNATIONAL FOOTBALL. Give someone else a go ffs.Quote:
Originally Posted by theworm2345
that was what i was trying to say. thanksQuote:
Originally Posted by youngirish
Connolly's had various chances with Ireland. He's had more comebacks than Frank Sinatra.Quote:
Originally Posted by youngirish
In fairness, Connolly has started no more than 20-25 games for Ireland and most of them were beside Keane. The majority of his games when not partnering Keane he put in a good shift. The Keane-Connolly partnership has never worked.
He is exactly right (though I have said it before I think) Connolly's best games came with Niall Quinn...he could also work well with Doyle. I cant find exact numbers, but Connolly and Keane are both guys who make their own goals (Connolly more than Keane though, Keane is always there to pounce). I'm not saying Connolly should start. He could work with Doyle if Keane is hurt though. Someone find me a complete list of Connolly's caps w/ time of sub, etc. and tell me its been that bad. Roy Keane said Connolly has been banging them in in training, and who is he playing against in training? Oh yes, defenders like starting Slovakian defender Stanislav Varga and Welsh internationals Darren Ward and Danny Collins...dont we play both of those teams? (not to mention the goals he has scored in the league) I know its training but still.Quote:
Originally Posted by eirebhoy
enough of this though, just read
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Connolly should be consigned to the dark recesses of history. He was never any use for Ireland. You can make excuses till you are blue in the face as to why this has been so and who's fault it is but in my own opinion he's not skillful enough and definitely not strong enough to get goals against top class defenders. Most of his Ireland goals have been against sh*t teams. Even Morrison (who has his critics) has been a far better servant over the years.
Now with his advancing years and the emergence of Doyle, Stokes, Long, Murphy, Clarke and Keogh the arguments for giving him a recall look to hold less weight than ever. Now let us never speak his name again.
I'm not 100% but I'm pretty sure none of his 9 goals were scored when partnering Keane. Considering he played a load of times with Keane and also came on as a sub for plenty of his caps he actually has an excellent scoring rate without Keane beside him. He was excellent in that match against Turkey. Him and Doc played up front. As soon as the Swiss match comes around and he's stuck with Keane again and both were anonymous as usual.Quote:
Originally Posted by theworm2345
Here's the nail, there's the head. BAM! Spot on, we've never had this much young striking talent coming through so why stifle their progress by including someone like Connolly? He's well past it and had his chances. I admit to being short sighted with this opinion but I never liked him, thought he never fulfilled any potential and was a bit of a chancer. That peno against Spain should have sealed his international fate... Awful.Quote:
Originally Posted by youngirish
Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't have Connolly in the squad either.
Personally I think without a doubt he should be, but Do you reckon Stokes, in reality, will be that 3rd choice striker? (ahead of Clinton and behind Doyle and Keane) Or what will Stan pull out of the bag this time... Exactly, Connolly, no way!
i'd say it would be a close call between elliot agus stokes. exciting that they can compete directly at club level, may well drive each other on. i've always liked elliot and feel he is more deserving of the third spot at the moment
was in the bar of the team hotel after the spain match, the players we're in the restaurant having a meal and from the hallway you could see the players through the glass. every one of the supporters to a man was absolutely gutted and i saw connolly laughing and joking like it was playtime... lost a lot of respect for him then - most of the rest of the squad looked down in the dumps and it didn't knock a dot outta connolly - despite the fact he had missed one of the penalties. lost a lot of respect for him then.Quote:
Originally Posted by republicofwhite
anyway the fact is he has not cut it at international level or in many attempts at premiership level. he is what he is - a decent championship player who has found his level. please don't darken our door while we have so much emerging talent
I knew it...!
Quote from wikipedia on connolly that some may find amusing ; "He is generally considered to be a complete "tw@tface" by most Watford fans. Who regularly sing "You're just a short, greedy basterd" when ever he is encountered."
Last season was his first in the premiership. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by galwayhoop
actually you might be right there eirebhoy, but he has played for a few teams who have won promotion and then been dispatched - meaning their manager don't see him as premiership standard. regardless i think his day has come and gone in an ireland shirt
sorry to nitpick galwayhoop but that has not happened.Quote:
Originally Posted by galwayhoop
last season he didnt seem to get a decent run in the team at wigan, mostly due to injury, but when he did play he looked decent enough. he has always scored goals at his clubs but this is a bit moot as i agree that he probably has had his day, but in my book he deserves some protection from the critics. stokes and elliot are definitely ahead of him but i'd rather see him play in front of clinton and alan lee at the moment
Can't see how anyone could justify having him in the squad. I'd suggest our striker's should be selected in this order if fit:
1. Doyle
2. Keane
3. Elliot
4. Stokes
5. Morrison
6. Murphy
7. Lee
8. Connolly
9. Long
10. Clarke
11. Keogh
I can see Connolly dropping further down this list in the next few months if he begins to be frozen out of Sunderland by the arrival of Stokes which, if we consider his fairly poor goalscoring record, is likely to happen. Long, Clarke, Keogh and possibly Rooney at Stoke (he'll get more time on the pitch with Bangoura gone) also could climb up this table if they progress over the next few months (Clarke and Keogh should continue to get regular football and develop though I'm a bit worried about Clarke's lack of goals since his return from injury).
I just can't see any reason for including him in the squad in future. Needs to be phased out.
I reckon at first Murphy will be the one to make way for Stokes. Keane forked out a big enough wad of cash for Connolly and will want to show that he was right to buy him. He's started scoring again in the last few weeks and has a proven record in the championship. So I'd say Keane will go for a Stokes-Connolly partnership with Murphy waiting in the wings. Maybe I'm wrong but we'll see tomorrow. BTW I also think he shouldn't be in the Ireland squad.Quote:
Originally Posted by youngirish
I wasnt arguing for his inclusion in the squad, just said "i'd rather see him play in front of clinton and alan lee at the moment", in fact i'd prefer long and clarke to be selected, but if it was between connolly or morrison my vote would be connolly- i dont see why you had to argue at length this point in this thread, its pretty much a toss up anyway, start a 'top 10 current irish strikers' thread if you feel strongly