Bit fearful about the Portugal game. Don't think they underestimated us in the last game but they'll up their game again knowing a win means a draw against Serbia is good enough to top the group.
Bit fearful about the Portugal game. Don't think they underestimated us in the last game but they'll up their game again knowing a win means a draw against Serbia is good enough to top the group.
Ireland squad announced too.
Connolly an obvious omission, but I'm not sure he's a loss really. I'm not yet convinced he (or Idah for that matter) will be a player for us going forward. I think they're more likely to be this generation's Dave Savage or Curtis Fleming.
No Clark again, so obviously the talked-about talks didn't happen or didn't work. Arter also left out, but meh on that one.
Keane back in the squad but didn't make the bench last time - so is he an option or not?
That Portugal squad is serious quality, yet they're underperforming (as we saw in Portugal). Though we've been a bit lucky in recent games (the farcical equaliser v Serbia when we should have been dead and buried, Ronaldo choking on his penalty, Bazunu's unmentionables ). So are we both due a mutual reversal of fortunes? That would look ugly.
But the Luxembourg one is the key one for me here.
Not one bit surprised on Connolly being omitted but we'll probably hear how he's carrying a knock.
Ronan Curtis another omission actually - I don't really rate him massively, but it's interesting because last week he went public saying he'd had it out with Kenny over being omitted from the last squad, and he's still out.
We all know League One isn't really the standard we want, but is he really worse than Keane or Parrott? He's outscored both between this year and last, all at the same level.
I see Will Keane has been called up but Connolly hasn't. Wow. Interesting.
Fair point I guess. Maybe it stands out more when we're really stuck for players, but Kenny does seem to have his favourites, and then others who he's happy to ignore, even if it mayn't necessarily be the best thing.
(In this case, I'm not entirely fussed between the lot of the options, but it's interesting given the bit of media coverage around it lately)
not sure that anyone could claim horgan is a better option than connolly so i wonder is SK using this squad as an opportunity to fire a warning shot at connolly
I'd probably favour Connolly, but Horgan getting game time at club level so understandable pick. But otherwise I think it's a good squad, players picked complement each other and there's a versatility there for different approaches.
there may be more to it than meets the eye as it relates to Connolly's omission but even leaving that to one side, he has been in every Kenny squad. It could be argued that Kenny has dropped one of his favourites. This would support my take on him that he is an extremely pragmatic and systems-focused manager who picks the best players available to cover most bases well in the 2 - 3 systems that he has committed to. While i am sure he has his trusted foot soldiers, i do think he is far more pragmatic than many of our previous managers when it comes to formation and squad selection (where previous managers tended to pick the bunch of players that were playing - or not - at the highest level and squish them into a variation of 442. Not wrong, per se, just different).
This is really important and what i was getting at earlier in the thread. We have to stop comparing players that shouldn't be compared because they play in very different positions as it relates to the systems i mention above. We need to ask whether he has picked the best player available in a specific position. Curtis v Ogbene v Horgan v Elbouzedi is a fair debate. Keane v Curtis (and even Connolly v Keane) are not.
I think at this stage it's becoming very clear that Kenny is looking to keep a balance to the squad, and that's not just in terms of players for certain roles, it's personalities etc. too. We hear a lot about how good the atmosphere is in the squad and how good training is from the players, if there's bad attitudes or bad trainers in the mix, I get the feeling he's willing to risk losing a small bit of individual quality in the interest of a better team dynamic. It's risky, but understandable at the same time. We all know we probably don't have the individual talents to compete at the very highest level, but eleven players all on the same page can really compensate for some of that lack.
Tallaght Stadium Regular
I know. But thanks for that anyway.
Neither Connolly nor Keane got any minutes (Keane was dropped) during the last window. We have named one less "forward" and one more "midfielder" in this squad so Connolly is essentially losing his spot to a midfielder. Keane is probably behind Robinson, Idah and Collins in terms of the number 9 spot. I'd be surprised if he were being selected for one of the two positions behind the 9 or wide of a 9.
I don't think the need is that great for either player (should be even less great for Daryl Horgan), as the evidence bears out, so I think it's indicative of something that Keane has been called up and Connolly not.
Maybe it is indicative of a Connolly injury and all this is irrelevant.
Connolly wasn't in the last Brighton squad for the game against Liverpool so may have a knock.
Reading the Brighton Forum North Stand Chat their fans do not in general hold a high opinion of him or his attitude but he is young.
Just on the Curtis references earlier. My understanding of Curtis' comments was that he had it out, and that Kenny explained the reasons for his omission from the last squads (i.e. areas to improve on, or reasons why he won't be considered) and that Curtis appreciated that, rather than "they had it out, and he'll back in the next squad" or whatever spin.
Arter out, and Molumby in, and Connolly out - there can be zero complaints. If there's a complaint to be made, it's from Zach Elbouzedi, and perhaps Obafemi given he scored midweek (it's pathetic that one goal scored can influence these things, but such is life), but I reckon Kenny will wait until March/June to bring in Zach.
Here they come! It’s the charge of the “Thanks” Brigade!
Bookmarks