A perfect opportunity for Josh Murphy
By Glen Williams
Wednesday 8th July 2020
When I saw the team sheet, Josh Murphy's name jumped out as the perfect selection for the perfect game and it was a big boost to have him back in the ranks.
Neil Harris predicted that Blackburn would come to play and they certainly did that.
The visitors had nothing to lose and as such employed a full-on attacking system, which created the perfect environment for an open, expansive game.
In truth, the game could have finished 10-10, it was so open, especially the second half which was end to end, but it was Tony Mowbray's side who eventually came out on top.
But that was the perfect type of game for Murphy to thrive in and he just couldn't produce when City needed it most.
There were no fans, no-one could get on his back, and that Rovers defence was inviting pressure given how advanced their full backs were.
The winger produced a few glimpses of quality, the reverse pass to Joe Bennett for Robert Glatzel's goal was cute and he fired off one or two decent efforts from range, but as the game wore on, the difference in the two sides' wingers was telling.
Armstrong and Dominic Samuel were sublime for Rovers, they were the two most dangerous players on the pitch in my opinion, and it paid dividends for them. The each scored and could have had more, truth be told.
Cardiff's wingers, though, just lacked that goal threat, especially in the second half. Most of the positive play came through the midfield as the game wore on, when it needed to be stretched to create the gaps.
It was a golden opportunity for Murphy, a player with genuine quality, to be the matchwinner in a game like that, but it wasn't to be.
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