Current Player #23 Josh Murphy

[uptheus]

Was you not watching games before Christmas when he had a number of Man of the Match performances? Or the games at the end of last season when HD was unplayable at times?

But the fact you wanted to rest one of our best players in recent months for Greg Leigh who has looked pretty average during the same period says it all.

You've clearly decided that Murphy isn't good enough and nothing he has done or will do in the next few weeks will change your mind. Fortunately, it's not you picking the team.

In terms of yesterday, I just felt we needed to be more robust as I was expecting it to be a scrappier game, hence playing Leigh further up the pitch with Bennett in behind him. Also felt that Murphy’s more of a flare player than a muck & nettles type of player, so felt he’d make more of an impact coming on rather than starting, but Port Vale almost rolled over and died easier than I thought.

In terms of extending Murphy’s contract, like I said, yes he has been more available than he’d been in the previous 16-18 months or so, and he can be very good at times, but just feel the overall return on investment has not been good enough (not whether he’s good enough), so I’m not sure whether I’d risk it further. I’m not sure why Murphy was not available for such a long period of time previously either for mental or physical reasons. If it’s the former (mental) then I’m not sure if he’s just become more available because he now feels like it or he’s being managed better or a combination of both. I do find it ironic though that with his contract expiry at the end of this season that he’s suddenly become more readily available for whatever reason, but I’ll take it for now, and see how these next 7/10 games goes. I just don’t want us to have another Markus Browne on our hands e.g. a player who when they are on it which can be rare are obviously a good player, costs a lot of money etc, and don’t get a real return on that investment. I would rather spend that money on an Owen Dale type player, who may not be as good as Murphy when he plays at his best, but is more likely to be available on a regular basis and would give you a 7+ rating most games, than an 8/9 every now and then followed by a series of 3/4 or not be available because the winds blowing in a different direction.

I guess Murphy’s a marmite type of player!

And who the hell is HD?

 

[uptheus]

I’ve seen easily at least 5-6 chances which Murphy has quite figuratively ‘put on a plate’ for his teammates, who somehow contrived to miss them, during his time at Oxford. There’s probably way more but that’s a conservative estimate.

Examples off the top of my head are the Rodrigues one during the loss against Cheltenham when Murphy, on the left, beats his man and puts a great ball in straight to Ruben who is unmarked inside the box and yet puts it over, or how about the Bolton debacle when Murphy manages to break down the right hand side and fizzes a great ball in across the face of goal which Harris is too lazy/slow/sluggish to properly attack and so is inches away from turning in.

With better finishing Murphy could easily have an extra, say, 5 assists for us this season. Easily.

Are you saying 5 or 6 times in nearly 2 seasons? If so, I’d be expecting that in one or 2 games.

I just think his end product had been really poor, and has improved, but still needs to be better, especially as he gets into good positions to deliver a much better ball/pass e.g. rather than whacking across the box at a 100mph he just guides it across/finds a player giving them a better chance of getting on the end if it. It’s just frustrating when he’s done all the hard work, but then fluffs the easier bit.

 

[uptheus]

I’d offer him something like a two year deal but would want it to be on significantly lower wages, I wouldn’t want to be paying over say £4k a week.

Or one based upon appearances.

 

[RyanioBirdio]

I’d offer him something like a two year deal but would want it to be on significantly lower wages, I wouldn’t want to be paying over say £4k a week.

You’d be happy to commit another £420,000 to him?

 

[bazzer9461]

I don't think he is reliable enough to offer a new contract .
We need players that are available over 46 games .
I think he will move on .

Tbf he wasn’t afforded that opportunity to play regularly yes I know he has been injured but there have been times where he could have started and given us what we are seeing now. If he continu s his form through m to the end of the season and by some luck and good fortune we get promoted even if we don’t but have shown what we are capable of and with a real here and there including giving a contract to Murphy, then surely it has to be worth it.

 

[bazzer9461]

You’d be happy to commit another £420,000 to him?

If he continues his form which has been improving week in week out, then yes

 

[Sheik djibouti]

Are you saying 5 or 6 times in nearly 2 seasons? If so, I’d be expecting that in one or 2 games.

I just think his end product had been really poor, and has improved, but still needs to be better, especially as he gets into good positions to deliver a much better ball/pass e.g. rather than whacking across the box at a 100mph he just guides it across/finds a player giving them a better chance of getting on the end if it. It’s just frustrating when he’s done all the hard work, but then fluffs the easier bit.

I actually think the way he whips the ball into the box is more a symptom that he's played at a higher level, where a quick whipped cross against more able defenders is more likely to bring you success....that works if you've got a more able striker who can get on the end of it.

Still, he's been one of the few bright sparks in what has been a very dreary few months. I'd he can consistently produce this going forward, the he does deserve a new deal, but maybe with more of a performance/appearance relat d element to it.

The more you think about it, the more you realise he was appallingly managed by KR, along with Jodi Jones and Dan Agyei.

 

[uptheus]

Tbf he wasn’t afforded that opportunity to play regularly yes I know he has been injured but there have been times where he could have started and given us what we are seeing now. If he continu s his form through m to the end of the season and by some luck and good fortune we get promoted even if we don’t but have shown what we are capable of and with a real here and there including giving a contract to Murphy, then surely it has to be worth it.

If you had to choose between Murphy or Dale who would you choose?

 

[chromeyellow]

Yes… we have no idea what the situation was under Robinson. What we can say is that in the most recent period since he has been regularly picked and played he has been our standout player - regularly voted man of the match on here and now has 4 in 8

 

[Bicester Yellow]

You’d be happy to commit another £420,000 to him?

Probably not but I’d imagine he’s on far more than that now. I probably wouldn’t offer him a new deal in the grand scheme of things if there’s better more reliable options out there. Like others have suggested I’d offer him a deal less on guaranteed wages and more on performance based ones.

 

[Twiggy85]

If he continues his current form then we won’t be the only club offering him a contract. It looks like he has turned a corner - if we offer him a deal
Based on appearances I think another club would be willing to take a gamble on him
Like we did last time and push the boat out for him. (Which I don’t think we should).

 

[Scotchegg]

You’d be happy to commit another £420,000 to him?

Absolutely. That's chicken feed at this level and alongside Dale he is showing the value of two out and out wingers.

If we can get Goodwin fit and playing like he was for Cheltenham earlier in the season then he will score bucket loads with the supply for both flanks.

 

[Joey]

I’ve seen easily at least 5-6 chances which Murphy has quite figuratively ‘put on a plate’ for his teammates, who somehow contrived to miss them, during his time at Oxford. There’s probably way more but that’s a conservative estimate.

Examples off the top of my head are the Rodrigues one during the loss against Cheltenham when Murphy, on the left, beats his man and puts a great ball in straight to Ruben who is unmarked inside the box and yet puts it over, or how about the Bolton debacle when Murphy manages to break down the right hand side and fizzes a great ball in across the face of goal which Harris is too lazy/slow/sluggish to properly attack and so is inches away from turning in.

With better finishing Murphy could easily have an extra, say, 5 assists for us this season. Easily.

Murphy has been good since Des came in but this isn't the case, he smashed it towards the keeper who didn't do all that well with it, palming it straight to Rodrigues. The fact it ended up at his feet was fortune more than great play from Murphy and he certainly didn't pick him out. That's not to say he's not been good but (although I hugely dispute egg's claim that he was really good at the end of last season) but as a rule of thumb making things up is never a great argument.

I was one who was very critical of Murphy throughout his time here and I stand by that, for 18 months he was a complete waste of a wage who had an excellent 30 minutes against Charlton and then a few months later a very good 60 against Cheltenham with next to nothing in between. That said I'm on the fence about about giving him a new deal when I was dead set against it previously. He enjoys playing for Des (the absolute shining light of his reign amongst mostly dross) and when he's on it he's excellent for this level but I'm a long way from being convinced that will stick going forwards, he certainly represents some risk and it's very naive to suggest that because he's had a few good months he's fixed and ready to go.

 

[Scotchegg]

If you had to choose between Murphy or Dale who would you choose?

Why is that a choice when both play together on opposite wings?

It's bizarre how hard some are working to try to convince others that Murphy is not up to scratch when the rest of us are watching a player tear up the opposition week in and out!

 

[billyturleyscurlywurly]

Funny what happens to players form when they’re soon out of contract.

Asa Hall 2.0

 

[Osleroad]

Agree, but lest we forget it was Robinson who gave him a ridiculous contract in the first place, when it was widely accepted (iirc) he was a bit of a gamble, given his injury record and previous clubs.

I guess he will be feeling pretty pleased with himself that Murphy has come good though what effect it had while he was ruling the roost who knows.

 

[billyturleyscurlywurly]

Absolutely. That's chicken feed at this level and alongside Dale he is showing the value of two out and out wingers.

If we can get Goodwin fit and playing like he was for Cheltenham earlier in the season then he will score bucket loads with the supply for both flanks.

You must smoke crack if a front 3 of Murphy Goodwin Dale gets you excited for getting out of League 1.

 

[chromeyellow]

Funny that some players play better when they are selected than when they aren’t.

For some reason (laziness probably) Murphy never scored when he wasn’t on the pitch

 

[TailsWeWin]

Why is that a choice when both play together on opposite wings?

It's bizarre how hard some are working to try to convince others that Murphy is not up to scratch when the rest of us are watching a player tear up the opposition week in and out!

It’s bizarre to see how hard you are working to
convince people Murphy has been worth the swathes of money he has been paid over some considerable time.
Even considering his form over the last few games.

 

[Scotchegg]

You must smoke crack if a front 3 of Murphy Goodwin Dale gets you excited for getting out of League 1.

Do you even watch games?

Murphy and Dale have been the stand out performers in the last few weeks and have pretty much had their fullbacks on toast at will.

Goodwin is not up to speed yet, which is why I spoke of him recapturing his form from earlier this season. If he does that then he will thrive off the service these two will provide.

I would also like to see Goodrham in the number 10 role which is where he is most effective. That as a front four would absolutely get me excited for next season.