Connolly and Balogun

Watmore coming on for knackered defenders must be a nightmare - we just need a bit more from whichever 2 are starting. Can’t fault the effort though which is pleasing compared to the likes of Fletcher / Britt / Gestede
 
Alzi said:
Watmore coming on for knackered defenders must be a nightmare - we just need a bit more from whichever 2 are starting. Can’t fault the effort though which is pleasing compared to the likes of Fletcher / Britt / Gestede
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Watmore definetly does seem to do better from the bench. But the lads starting aren’t doing a great deal so I get the argument for Watmore to start too. I would probably start him on Tuesday. Not sure who to partner him with though, probably Sporar as he is fresh.
 
The problem I have with Connolly is he isn’t as quick as I thought he was, when he first came into the scene at Brighton he looked really quick and energetic. He’s still a hard worker but without that electrifying pace I thought he had he does look fairly average. Still think he’s shown more than Balogun so far.
 
I don't think there's a huge reason to panic with either of them really, both fit or pressing style and both are contributing, apart from goals of course.

What I did think was interesting was that Sporar didn't get a run out, but then I suspect Wilder was trying to tap into the fact that Coburn scored the winner the other night.

If there's a weak part of the team is always been that the strikers don't score enough goals and its an area that will see a major overhaul in the summer.
 
parmoboy said:
What did we make of their performances today?

Balogun did well to win the penalty but I still feel he needs to keep it simpler at times. He seems to struggle to get the ball out of his feet.

I thought Connolly improved as the game went on but a lot of the time the ball wasn't sticking up front because he'd control the ball with a heavy touch, or was just unable to hold it up. It did seem a bit nonsensical playing high balls up to him at times though. He had no chance up against their CB.

They're both working hard and you can see they're trying to link with each other but it just isn't clicking.
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I think they will both come good, home and away both have had chances but no real luck and both have a good work ethic unlike our recently departed strikers. Interesting that no one has drawn comparisons to the CW set up when at Sheff. Unt.
It has it's ups and down sides but for sure CW likes a busy player up front and Connolly fits into the Billy Sharp mould but is on a learning curve, for Ollie Norwood read Howson and for the big man McBurnie ( not one of his best signings) read Crooks. Balogun is the dilemma but I am sure he will come good, he has all the touches (too many at times) but undoubted skill enough to panic any defence if he runs at them as yesterday proved.
It will be interesting to see how it plays out on Tuesday it will be a great atmosphere and for sure CW will get a great reception from the Blades fans but maybe they will not be so happy after 90 mins. UTB.
 
I think they are OK, I even thought Connelly was effective yesterday. The Arsenal lad will go back without changing the world.

We are in the playoff places, beaten ManU and Spurs, the formations Wilder is playing is working and fun to watch.
 
parmoboy said:
What did we make of their performances today?
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Mixed. Connolly worked hard but you feel that he could play every match until the end of the season and not score again. Balogun feels like he's a good year away from being able to hold his own in the Championship. They are part of a successful team and are contributing but you do feel that they are not even close to where they ought to be and where we need them to be. A striker needs to be a complete package and that includes scoring goals. Connolly occupies space. Balogun has at least managed two assists and won a penalty after good interplay with Jones.

By comparison, Coburn is even more junior but every time he has started in the league this season (twice), he's scored. I can't help thinking that if Coburn had had the same game time as these two that he would have scored more and linked up better. At the moment, the only truly effective strikers we have are Watmore and Coburn. Wilder has seems to have figured that 30 minutes of Watmore at 100% is better than 90 minutes of him at 70% and that's probably right.

We have a whole bunch of away games coming up against strong opponents and this is where we need a top class, clinical striker who can carry a threat at all times. I hope that at least one of Connolly and Balogun seizes the day but there's not much to say that they will. I have more hope for Balogun than Connolly; I think Connolly's career is on the slide while Balogun may toughen up enough to make the grade.
 
Hicktonville said:
I think they will both come good, home and away both have had chances but no real luck and both have a good work ethic unlike our recently departed strikers. Interesting that no one has drawn comparisons to the CW set up when at Sheff. Unt.
It has it's ups and down sides but for sure CW likes a busy player up front and Connolly fits into the Billy Sharp mould but is on a learning curve, for Ollie Norwood read Howson and for the big man McBurnie ( not one of his best signings) read Crooks. Balogun is the dilemma but I am sure he will come good, he has all the touches (too many at times) but undoubted skill enough to panic any defence if he runs at them as yesterday proved.
It will be interesting to see how it plays out on Tuesday it will be a great atmosphere and for sure CW will get a great reception from the Blades fans but maybe they will not be so happy after 90 mins. UTB.
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“I think they will both come good, home and away both have had chances but no real luck”

Connolly’s solitary goal came from a double deflection of a shot he hit straight into the body of a defender.

They don’t come much luckier than that.

I was surprised that it was actually credited to him.
 
Bruce said:
By comparison, Coburn is even more junior but every time he has started in the league this season (twice), he's scored. I can't help thinking that if Coburn had had the same game time as these two that he would have scored more and linked up better.
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Maybe, but it's a team game, and I'm not so sure our results would have been any better. Coburn makes decent runs and seems a good finisher, but his work rate without the ball isn't anywhere near Connolly or Watmore. Those two allow us to win back possession quickly and keep our players higher up the pitch. If your forwards aren't pressing when out of possession, then you have to drop your players back to cover runners
 
Hicktonville said:
I think they will both come good, home and away both have had chances but no real luck and both have a good work ethic unlike our recently departed strikers. Interesting that no one has drawn comparisons to the CW set up when at Sheff. Unt.
It has it's ups and down sides but for sure CW likes a busy player up front and Connolly fits into the Billy Sharp mould but is on a learning curve, for Ollie Norwood read Howson and for the big man McBurnie ( not one of his best signings) read Crooks. Balogun is the dilemma but I am sure he will come good, he has all the touches (too many at times) but undoubted skill enough to panic any defence if he runs at them as yesterday proved.
It will be interesting to see how it plays out on Tuesday it will be a great atmosphere and for sure CW will get a great reception from the Blades fans but maybe they will not be so happy after 90 mins. UTB.
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Agree with this.

His style of forwards is very similar to those employed at Sheff U. In effect a deeper lying player to assist in build ups, play off the midfield and (crucially) drag at least one centre half forward with him. Coupled with an "on the shoulder" type making runs in behind and being the focal point for counters.

I do think that Sporar largely fits the bill for the first role. His touch, awareness and technique are probably the best of any of our strikers. Watmore being the quickest and the one who makes the most intelligent runs is probably his best partner for that style of play.

Connolly is definitely the Watmore alternative but I am struggling to see the role for Balogun.
 
Hicktonville said:
Connolly fits into the Billy Sharp mould but is on a learning curve,
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He really doesn't. Billy Sharp has 262 career goals and a further 74 assists, in 638 matches.
Connolly has 9 in 64 matches, with 3 assists.

Balogun has at least been a bit unlucky hitting the woodwork twice.
Connolly could play for the rest of the season and not score again, he just doesn't look like it. One massively deflected goal in 609 Championship minutes for us.
 
Both good players regardless of the lack of goals. Will continue to improve over the next few years and sure the goals will follow. Experience in this league is underestimated I think.

Very different to where they e come from despite it being a level above

If we didn't go up and we kept them I think they'd have a much more productive season after the 5 month's experience of this one.

I'd rather keep them than bring in a new loan striker from the prem.
 
indeedido said:
He really doesn't. Billy Sharp has 262 career goals and a further 74 assists, in 638 matches.
Connolly has 9 in 64 matches, with 3 assists.
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Sharps first 60 odd games were in League Two and League One. 60 prem league games, mostly as sub is like comparing apples and oranges. Billy wouldn't have got on a single prem league bench in his first couple of seasons.
 
Having seen what the management have seen since they have arrived would we sign them again? I am not so sure, not on the basis that they won’t eventually come good but on the basis we need goals now and can’t really afford the lack of return they are offering.

I was really optimistic about Balogun, hopefully he comes good and gets us at least into the play offs.
 
Angus said:
Having seen what the management have seen since they have arrived would we sign them again? I am not so sure, not on the basis that they won’t eventually come good but on the basis we need goals now and can’t really afford the lack of return they are offering.

I was really optimistic about Balogun, hopefully he comes good and gets us at least into the play offs.
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I think they would. They haven't got the goals yet, but they've done a lot of the heavy lifting to run the legs off sides.
 
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