Connolly not taking a penalty

[futureboy]

Watmore only went 6th or 7th, didn't he? I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw Bamba step up for the fifth pen, ahead of BOTH strikers.

Who was the other player left to take one apart from him and Joe?

The other remaining player was Dijksteel, who I can't imagine is the most amazing of penalty takers - but then again I'd have said the same about Bamba, Fry and Pelts, as I'm sure we all would!

 

[morrissey]

I was there last night and if not taking a penna was pretty poor, particularly 8 pens in, his general lazy looking sauntering around the pitch was not well received at all by the Boro fans near me and,I had to agree.
He looks lost, confidence shot and worst of all, disinterested. Obviously, there's still time for it to work out, but we cannot afford him more games to gradually get there...completely underwhelming.

 

[Cress]

Is the chap in the parka on here?

Watch this story by Lucinda Strafford on Instagram before it disappears.

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[Emmersons_BrazillianDong]

Wilder said they’d practiced penalties didn’t he? He might just not have been as good as the other takers in training.

He said the opposite bud. They hadn't done any practicing other than smashing a couple after training the day before.

A huge surprise given the quality of those taken. I was worried about 2/3 of our takers and they totally dominated it.

 

[Humpty]

Connolly would’ve been crucified had Peltier, Bamba or Fry missed their penalty. He owes them a pint.

 

[allied_assault]

He plays for the Boro - support him
He will come good

 

[JM14]

Don’t think he will play many games, Balogun did enough against Coventry and Watmore did enough last night to show they are in front of him at the moment

 

[JM14]

Connolly would’ve been crucified had Peltier, Bamba or Fry missed their penalty. He owes them a pint.

Let’s hope they have that pint in the house or you’ll be opening another thread criticising him for going out…

 

[Oooo]

If he doesnt play many more games it will have been a big waste of money. I would presevere but in small times, bringing him on maybe for last 20

 

[TeessideCleveland]

Not really, hes building up his confidence, the last thing he wabts to be remembered for is missing a vital penalty

To me it doesn't matter what pisition on the field a penalty taker should be, nothing to make a big deal of

Remember the great Liverpool team with forwarss to score at will yet Phil Neal, right back, was theur main penalty taker, who incedently had a penalty saved by Jim Platt

Wasn't there a game where Platt saved a penalty by McDermott, but they got another that Neal converted?

 

[Laughing]

I am surprised that a player not taking a penalty has been given this much attention. It never even crossed my mind. I don't know the criteria Wilder used, nor do I care that much, if I am honest. Whatever it was, it worked quite nicely. Every one of our penalties were good.

 

[RedAsABeetroot]

He's not been great so far so probably the correct decision
.

 

[dribble]

I am surprised that a player not taking a penalty has been given this much attention. It never even crossed my mind. I don't know the criteria Wilder used, nor do I care that much, if I am honest. Whatever it was, it worked quite nicely. Every one of our penalties were good.

It may be nothing but it did stand out that on the final miss he just stood still, seems to be on the periphery of things, let’s hope he gets a goal and starts to gel with the squad.

 

[Laughing]

It may be nothing but it did stand out that on the final miss he just stood still, seems to be on the periphery of things, let’s hope he gets a goal and starts to gel with the squad.

I didn't notice that. Maybe he is struggling settling in. It could be he is just shy, or doesn't understand the funny accents. My youngest daughter doesn't understand a word my dad says to her.

 

[jonny_greenings_sock]

Oh yeah true, didn't occur to me.

I must admit I generally have little sympathy with strikers who can't/won't take penalties. You'd hope attacking players would be the best technically on the team and the best at handling pressure.

It is a different skill though, striking a dead ball cleanly, different technique to open play. I was most confident about Tav and Payero in that shootout because they take set pieces. And of course it's 99% mental, any professional footballer asked to kick a ball at a goal from 12 yards in training would smash it in 10 times out of 10.

Fair play if he didn't back himself and we got the right result in the end. But yeah... letting Peltier go before you says a bit about his confidence.

 

[alanmoodysdog]

I don't know at what point you wonder whether it is in our interests to rebuild Mr. Connolly's "confidence"? Four games in and I don't see anything to suggest that he is about to go on a run to blast us into the PL. In fact I see Watmore and Balogun who look more positive and dangerous sitting on the bench while he wanders around the football field trying to find his mojo.

I've seen enough. Start Watmore and give Connolly time on the pitch when he earns it. I noticed that he hadn't stepped up to take a pen after eight takes, who was the other player left to take one apart from him and Joe?

Dijksteel

 

[Moreno]

I'm glad he didn't. I'm pretty sure he would have missed and that wouldn't have helped his confidence...... if that's the problem.

I watch the warm ups at the home games and in both game he's played he's never hit the target once when they're taking shots at the keeper. High or wide every time. Early days but I'm beginning to wonder if there is a player in there. The training staff need to do some work with him.

btw. Josh Coburn absolutely lashes the ball in

You can’t watch it that closely as he scored a few last weekend

 

[festa5]

I used to play up front, and I used to score a lot of goals. (Over the years) If my teams ever used to get penalties, if there wasn't a regular penalty taker, everyone would assume that I'd step up. I almost never did, because I hated penos. Better to have someone who really fancies it.

That said, I was surprised how late Watmore was in our order, but I guess it's the same sort of thing.

Exactly.

There's been plenty of strikers over the years who didnt fancy pens or who just weren't great at them. Its not as simple as you're a striker so you must be good at pens. Dont think Messi's record is great is it? Yet hes a fantastic finisher and set piece taker. Didnt Camsell also refuse to take them during his record season? Would probably have scored more than Dixie Dean if he'd taken (and scored) them.

also of course been plenty of defenders over the years with a knack for taking them. David Unsworth, Leighton Baines, Dennis Irwin, Ian Harte, Julian Dicks etc etc.

 

[Mwelolo]

Exactly.

There's been plenty of strikers over the years who didnt fancy pens or who just weren't great at them. Its not as simple as you're a striker so you must be good at pens. Dont think Messi's record is great is it? Yet hes a fantastic finisher and set piece taker. Didnt Camsell also refuse to take them during his record season? Would probably have scored more than Dixie Dean if he'd taken (and scored) them.

also of course been plenty of defenders over the years with a knack for taking them. David Unsworth, Leighton Baines, Dennis Irwin, Ian Harte, Julian Dicks etc etc.

I will be very disappointed if Connolly starts the next game.

He’s shown very little here and there is nothing in his record to suggest he will be a clinical finisher.

Let him gain experience as a sub, we can’t afford to carry passengers if we are going to make the playoffs.

 

[viv_andersons_nana]

He's low on confidence. You can see that. You have to want to take a penalty. Look at some of the quality players who haven't stepped up to take one for England in big tournaments, for example. And look at some of the players who have, players you wouldn't necessarily choose to take one but feel confident enough to do it. Imagine Connolly took one and missed, he'd be shattered. You could say imagine if he took one and scored, how he'd feel, but that's confidence for you. I dare say if he'd scored for us before Friday night he'd have stepped up(that's without knowing his background re taking pens for Brighton/Ireland).

It never even crossed my mind that he hadn't taken one TBH. Just shows what you can find when you really want to find something I suppose.