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**Peadar** · 10/09/2003, 9:10 AM

...not sure what it is but David Connolly should bottle it and share it around the dressing room. I've slated Connolly after every game he's played for Ireland but last night he proved me wrong. Turkey are the best team we've played since the World Cup Finals and he put in a "Man of the Match" performance. I hope this is the start of a new era for Connolly. He was outstanding last night and took his goal very well. Prior to that he was going deep into midfield and making great runs off the ball. Anyone watching on TV would have missed a lot of his good running as there were a limited number of cameras at the game. Doherty was terrible alongside him. Connolly won headers even though he was the smallest man on the pitch. He made tackles where other players were wimping out of the challenge. It certainly suits Connolly to play deeper than his strike partner but it doesn't suit Doherty to play in that sort of game.
He has to be favorite to start with Keane up front aginst the army knives with Duffer in a free role?
All this from Connolly begs the questions, why hasn't he ever played like this for Ireland before?
Can he play like this for Ireland again?

I love being proved wrong!

**elroy** · 10/09/2003, 9:36 AM

Have to agree he was superb last night- and watched again on tv later and he looked even better. His goal was very well taken and if Doherty had looked up for the chance straight after the goal, Connolly was free in the middle he would have scored again.

My only worry is that like Keano, Connolly likes to drift out to the wings a fair bit so whether himself and keane are a good partnership i dont know.
Plus I know hes a limited player but Kilbane is playing well recently, would be hard to drop him.

**pete** · 10/09/2003, 9:41 AM

Originally posted by Peadar
...
He has to be favorite to start with Keane up front aginst the army knives with Duffer in a free role?
All this from Connolly begs the questions, why hasn't he ever played like this for Ireland before?
Can he play like this for Ireland again?

I love being proved wrong!

No way will Connolly start up front against Switzerland - one good game in a few years doesn't an international striker make.

Yeah Connolly good last night but he has disappointed so many times before that I just can't see him continuing like that - was going to say maybe starting the game suited him more but he has also started friendlies in the past.

**Peadar** · 10/09/2003, 9:58 AM

Originally posted by elroy
My only worry is that like Keano, Connolly likes to drift out to the wings a fair bit.

Well the idea would be to force Keane up front as the out and out striker. Of course he can drift out of position but he would need to work that with Connolly pushing inside to provide an option for the ball over the top.

Niamh_GalwayGal · 10/09/2003, 11:54 AM

they're too small and too alike to play together, we've seen that already. Morrisson and Keane from the start with connolly on the bench. By October Morrisson should have a fair few games under his belt - wasn't the game on saturday his first competitive start for something like 5 months? He's a fox in the box, very good for getting rebounds. Keane and Connolly play much deeper

**tiktok** · 10/09/2003, 7:06 PM

Originally posted by pete
No way will Connolly start up front against Switzerland - one good game in a few years doesn't an international striker make.

Yeah Connolly good last night but he has disappointed so many times before that I just can't see him continuing like that - was going to say maybe starting the game suited him more but he has also started friendlies in the past.

it's fine to say that, but he was great yesterday, he's been flying with West Ham and he's match fit.
it was clear yesterday that he was the sharpest and fittest striker available, his work rate was excellent.
he may be similar to Keane in some ways, but as we've not been getting crosses into the box, why not go with ball to feet into two fast strikers that will drag the swiss defence around.
if Morrison doesn't start getting games with b'ham, on yesterday's display connolly should start with keane.