Neil Warnock reveals who can be Cardiff City's Lionel Messi against Tottenham Hotspur - but Sean Morrison doesn't agree -
By Dominic Booth
Friday 6th October 2018
Neil Warnock challenged Josh Murphy to be Cardiff City's answer to Lionel Messi and rip through the Tottenham Hotspur defence this weekend.
The Bluebirds travel to Wembley to face a Spurs side still smarting from their 4-2 Champions League defeat to Barcelona in midweek, in which the Argentine genius was instrumental.
And asked which player in his squad could replicate Messi's stunning performance, Warnock picked out the in-form Murphy.
"When you looked at the (Barcelona v Spurs) game the other night... that's all you’ve got to do to beat Tottenham - have a Messi," joked Warnock.
"I hope Josh Murphy is ours - we’ll have to call him Jessi or something!"
Murphy opened his Premier League account in the 2-1 defeat to Burnley last week with a composed finish from Bruno Manga's cross and has started brightly since joining the Bluebirds.
With Tottenham missing several key players through injury , Warnock is hoping his summer signing from Norwich can take the game to Mauricio Pochettino's defence, after waxing lyrical about Murphy.
"When I first met Josh I thought he was very positive and he was more consistent last week," he added.
"That's what he's got to do now, raise the level of consistency, because if he can do that he can be a threat for us. We need threats, we need goals and he's an important part of that.
"And he’s a good lad as well. He proved to himself last week that he’s more than capable. Irrespective of who we play against, he can do it. We need our version of Messi - I’m sure you’re not going to make a headline of that.
"With people like Josh and Bobby Reid, you can’t just come into a club and settle straight in, it takes a few months.
"Josh is more relaxed and things then become more natural to you when you’re relaxed rather than uptight or nervous. That’s what we’ve got to be like."
Warnock also gave his verdict on the state of the Wembley pitch , which appeared in poor condition in midweek and has come in for criticism.
"It didn’t look good, did it?
"The middle part looked like Blackpool beach, but then it didn’t play that badly. I was really surprised because Wembley in the old days was like a bowling green, it was like playing on a snooker table."
And despite the praise for Murphy Sean Morrison interestingly named fellow new signing Reid as the player most akin to Messi in the Cardiff squad.
"I'd probably say Bobby Reid," said Morrison when asked the same question.
"Bob is probably the most skilful on the ball and dribbling past players, he's incredible with the ball at his feet.
"I'm sure he probably wouldn't like me to say that about him.
"There's no player out there like Lionel Messi but Bob is our most skilful player."
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