Matt Connolly

[Bigdave]

Hard to single anyone out but i thought the boy had a stormer, the best game ive seen him have, imo.
Got booked and rightly so but sometimes a defender has to take one for the team.

[BennyBoyRs]

I've always rated him, and I genuinely feel he'll do a job in the Prem for us.

Top performance.

[Ric-Roc]

At times this season he's looked a liability, giving away pens & sending offs and lucky not to have had the same against Cardiff with Bothroyd at the end. BUT what a performance last night, he won absolutely everything & looked the business.

16 clean sheets this season & 3 in a row now says it all.

[kingy10]

Played well last night but disagree he could cut it in the Premiership. Poor positional sense, slow and too weak. Allows forwards to dominate him. Drogba would eat him for breakfast.

[HammersmithR]

Another top game. Big part of the reason why we have kept 16 clean sheets.

Very intelligent footballer. Doesn't waste possession. Shittu would just lump it!

[kingy10]

Played well last night but disagree he could cut it in the Premiership. Poor positional sense, slow and too weak. Allows forwards to dominate him. Drogba would eat him for breakfast.

[BennyBoyRs]

Played well last night but disagree he could cut it in the Premiership. Poor positional sense, slow and too weak. Allows forwards to dominate him. Drogba would eat him for breakfast.

Even second time around, I still disagree with you in cutting it it the Prem.

And picking one of the most powerful forwards in world football isn't a fair way to try and judge that. Not many CB's have the better of him.

[kingy10]

Even second time around, I still disagree with you in cutting it it the Prem.

And picking one of the most powerful forwards in world football isn't a fair way to try and judge that. Not many CB's have the better of him.

He has cost us numerous goals this season. Look at the Marlon King goal, loses the header, loses his position and doesn't block the cross. Look at Bristol City goals involved in both.

He has also been sent off at least once. Just not quite good enough.

If you look at PL centre halfs they all dominate. Huth, Vidic, Terry, Upson, Ferdinand, Dawson, King etc. Connolly too weak.

Still young though

[Youvebeenrangered]

Another top game. Big part of the reason why we have kept 16 clean sheets.

Very intelligent footballer. Doesn't waste possession. Shittu would just lump it!

Totally agree. Very carm on the ball, he is our best defender.

[Scarlet pimple]

He has cost us numerous goals this season. Look at the Marlon King goal, loses the header, loses his position and doesn't block the cross. Look at Bristol City goals involved in both.

He has also been sent off at least once. Just not quite good enough.

If you look at PL centre halfs they all dominate. Huth, Vidic, Terry, Upson, Ferdinand, Dawson, King etc. Connolly too weak.

Still young though

Agree, thought he made a step up, apart from the reading game has been dodgy slow to turn,giving away penaltys, sending off's imo would be a complete liability in the prem.
Hope he goes on to prove me wrong as he seems to be a nice lad.

[HammersmithR]

Only gave one pen away at Pompey. Took one for the team.

Can't be blamed for getting sent off at Norwich as their striker handled it and pushed the ball ahead of him. Should have been our free kick.

[Scarlet pimple]

Only gave one pen away at Pompey. Took one for the team.

Can't be blamed for getting sent off at Norwich as their striker handled it and pushed the ball ahead of him. Should have been our free kick.

Sure he gave away a penaty at home to Burnley.
Was very lucky not to against Cardiff, that was a penalty missed by the Ref.

I like the boy, but being a good header of a ball just isn't good enough for the prem.

Afraid he is slow and liable to be turned by a striker who runs at him, lucky to get away with what happened against eastwood for coventry.

[James1979]

Connolly was good last night and is excellent centre half....though do think Gorkks is the main man for us

[stanley75]

I never saw this thread first time round and what an odd one it is!. He has inarguably done a fantastic job for us this year (there is enough reason to cut him slack) and shows signs of being able to take it to the next level (there is another).

[Scarlet pimple]

Dont agree, neither center backs will be good enough for us if we make it too the prem, we'll get sloughtered with Gorkks and conners imo.