‘Scream at Marquis... he should rip Daniels’ head off' - former Wolves, Sunderland and West Ham United man's withering assessment of Portsmouth

The former Blues striker feels Danny Cowley’s players should be doing more to call out their team-mates and demand more of them, after witnessing the 3-1 loss to the rock-bottom Robins on Tuesday night.

Connolly was part of the BBC Radio Solent team commentating on the game at the County Ground, and the man who spent two years at Fratton Park from 2013 wasn’t pleased with what he saw.

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He told Radio Solent: ‘You can talk a good game, but then you have to get out on the pitch and show that.

‘When you talk about being positive, bright and the right language you use, you know what? It’s done with the football.

‘Punching the ball into midfield, turning, getting forward and taking risks and chances.

‘If you lose the ball you get it back, demanding more of your team-mates and everyone doing their game to the best of their ability.

‘John Marquis getting hold of the ball, and if he doesn’t scream at him so he knows the next time he will get a rocket.

‘Be more sure with their passing and Daniels dealing with things.

‘If he doesn’t deal with it, Sean Raggett should be ripping his head off.

‘Charlie gives the ball to Ben Close in midfield and then doesn’t want it back. Ben would give the ball back because he’s unsure to take a touch and play forward.

‘Maybe he’s worried about losing possession or making the wrong decision, so he plays safe. There was too much of that.’

Connolly picked up on the sentiment aired by Cowley after the defeat to MK Dons on Saturday, that he wasn’t pleased with some of the things he witnessed in the 1-0 defeat.

The former Republic of Ireland international felt that mood would have deepened after the Swindon reverse.

He added: ‘He (Cowley) said after the MK Dons game it’s the first time he’s seen things he didn’t like. I’m sure he’s seen similar things here.

‘Looking at Portsmouth, in depth and with fresh eyes, I was pretty positive at the start of the game.

‘I thought it could be a comfortable victory with the quality Portsmouth had on the pitch.

I’m always trying to find the positive way the result could be, but as it turned out the performance was pretty poor.

‘I’ve got to be honest, I’m very disappointed.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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