JOSH MURPHY DIVIDES 'FAN' OPINION, BUT...
Thu Jan 06, 2022 7:43 am
The Cardiff City star who splits the fans more than anyone else and the huge January transfer decision set to be made
The Bluebirds have made their intentions clear in the early throes of the January transfer window but there are more decisions which have to be made - and one involves £11m man, Josh Murphy
Cardiff City have started their January transfer window by recalling two players from their loan spells away from the club.
It is a sign of their intentions this month, with clubs looking to pack their squads owing to the surge in Covid-19 cases in recent weeks.
That has also worked against them, of course, with Wolves this week recalling Ryan Giles, who had been excellent since arriving on loan from the Molineux club in the summer.
However, Cardiff have acted swiftly to bring back Max Watters and Ryan Wintle from MK Dons and Blackpool respectively.
The question remains, then, will Josh Murphy or Gavin Whyte get the recall?
Murphy is an interesting case. His loan spell at Preston has not gone according to plan, but many believe he can still offer something in the back half of the campaign.
So, with Cardiff in desperate need for something, or someone, to spark them in the latter half of the season, is Murphy the man who could help to get City out of this mess?
Let's look at the pros and cons....
The case for
Need for pace and X-Factor : There is a real dearth of pace in this Cardiff squad, something which has been exacerbated by the club's fastest player, Ryan Giles, leaving.
When you think back to the breakaway, counter-attacking goals that the club has scored in recent seasons, with Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, Sheyi Ojo and Murphy himself at times hurtling down the field and hitting the opposition quickly, that has disappeared.
Cardiff's attack can be so laboured and while there is an attempt to shift to a new, more passing-based system, there still needs to be that counter threat and speed is needed to give teams something else to worry about.
There is a distinct lack of X-Factor in this squad, too. With no Harry Wilson or Lee Tomlin to lean on to create something, the weighty burden of creativity has fallen on the shoulders of teenager Rubin Colwill, a player very much still learning his trade.
Murphy, on his day, does have the ability to create something from nothing and can worry defenders. In form and high on confidence, Murphy can dribble, get in behind and also chip in with goals - however his output has been below what was expected, it must be said.
New system suits : It's probably fair to say that the brands of football implemented by Neil Warnock, Neil Harris and Mick McCarthy have not been conducive to Murphy's strengths.
Steve Morison has attempted to change things slightly, although it is a slow shift and there is still some way to go before they are considered a particularly aesthetically-pleasing side to watch.
But there is no doubt that this is perhaps the best system so far at Cardiff in which Murphy could actually thrive. There has been more emphasis placed on actually trying to spread the ball wide and use the flank players, such as Giles and Perry Ng, but further up the pitch there has been a lack of real quality on the wing.
If there was a brand of football Cardiff which could coax somewhere near his best football out of Murphy, this is it.
Lack of experience: Beyond Kieffer Moore and James Collins, Cardiff's forward options look extremely thin on the ground. Isaak Davies, Rubin Colwill, Kieron Evans, Chanka Zimba and even Mark Harris to a certain extent, are all academy products still trying to find their feet and are doing so at different rates.
That is fine if they are used sparingly, but these players quickly became important members of the squad, despite their lack of experience and inconsistent performances.
Morison looks to his bench when he is trying to change a game and he is often greeted by youngsters who are yet to establish themselves as Championship players.
Murphy, by contrast, especially at the start of his tenure with the Bluebirds, did not look out of place as a Premier League player. Granted he has not done nearly enough as a Championship player (more on that later), but at least he knows what it takes to do it at the higher levels.
Club record signing : This is hardly the player's fault, but there was a time when Murphy was an £11million player. That, of course, is no longer the case, but how can a club's record signing really be allowed to see his time peter out on loan with a Championship rival?
He has just months left to run on his Cardiff contract, which can be a plus and a minus, I suppose, but at the very least he would be playing to put himself in the shop window for a new club in the summer.
For a few months in the Premier League, Murphy looked a top player. Indeed, a forward line which included Murphy, Nathaniel Mendez-Laing and Bobby DeCordova-Reid looked set to rip the Championship apart the following season. None of those players are currently at the club, though.
But Murphy could be. He still has the quality to rip apart the defences of Barnsley, Peterborough, Reading, Hull City, the teams around Cardiff who they need to beat if they are to propel themselves up the table.
He is £11m worth of talent, which has been completely wasted, who could yet have a say on where this club is playing next year. It is the ultimate opportunity to win back the thousands of fans who have consigned him to the 'flops' category.
The case against
Had enough chances : This is the big one for many. How many chances do you give one player? Why have three Cardiff managers been unable to get the best out of him?
So many times fans have watched on, head in hands, as the winger got knocked too easily off the ball or lay prone on the floor for too long as the opposition broke away.
Supporters waited the best part of two years for it to click with Murphy in the Championship and it just never came. Under Mick McCarthy, when Murphy was deployed as a second striker, that looked to have ignited something within him, but it burned brightly and quickly and fizzled away, too.
In 60 Championship appearances for Cardiff, he has contributed to only 15 goals. He has scored seven and assisted eight. Considering he is considered an attacking threat who can create and score, those numbers simply aren't good enough.
There are mitigating factors, of course, such as the style of play as mentioned above. But Harry Wilson also played in that system and in just 37 Championship games, he contributed to 19 goals - seven of his own and 12 assists.
Has barely played : Murphy has played just 70 minutes of Championship football across two clubs this season. It started with him being unable to get into Cardiff's side before a similar problem arose at Preston. He has struggled with injury since the end of October.
He is said to close to a return to action, but there is a feeling that his loan up at Deepdale is benefiting nobody, well, unless getting his wages off the book is seen as a benefit to Cardiff, of course.
But he isn't playing, the manager who got him to Preston, Frankie McAvoy, is no longer with the Lilywhites and Murphy is seeing a season in which he should be in his prime fly past him.
Who knows what sort of form he is in at the minute? And lest we forget, he is hardly struggling to get into a big-hitting Championship club, Preston have had their own struggles this season, too.
Low on confidence: An expansion on the point above, really.
All footballers are 'confidence players', we are told, but Murphy, perhaps more than most, appears to thrive in purple patches. Often in his Cardiff career he has hit rich veins of form and will hit a flurry of goals in quick succession.
They have proved to be false dawns, though.
Warnock was perhaps the manager who showed the most faith in him and it is probably not a coincidence that his best performances came under him in the Premier League and very briefly back down in the Championship.
Harris preferred the likes of Junior Hoilett, Mendez-Laing, Sheyi Ojo and Harry Wilson, while McCarthy also opted for the latter two over Murphy.
Even McAvoy, his old coach at Norwich, didn't start him in a single league game this term. That must have been a real kick in the chops.
If Murphy does get recalled, Morison will have a big job on his hands if he is to restore that confidence and eke the best out of him.
Cardiff trying to move in new direction : It is no secret that this summer is going to be big for Cardiff City.
There are nine players out of contract and a squad rebuild will take place. It is thought that many of the players heading out of their deals will leave the club.
Murphy will likely be one of those, save a ridiculous back end of the campaign which would see City offer an unlikely new deal. Even if they did, would Murphy even want to stay, given how his Cardiff career has gone to date? It's a tricky one.
But the club are cutting costs and changing their recruitment policy and Murphy is likely to be one of those who will leave in a few months' time. That being said, would Cardiff gain much from playing him instead of players who are going to be part of the club's future in the longer term?
There is an argument to say that Cardiff must be in the Championship, thus regardless of future plans the best players need to be picked to ensure second-tier status is consolidated.
However, should Cardiff pretty much ensure they are in the Championship by the spring, those whose contracts will not be renewed will likely see little game time in the remaining matches, which would beg the question; would paying all of his wages really be worth it ahead of a summer rebuild?
The Bluebirds have made their intentions clear in the early throes of the January transfer window but there are more decisions which have to be made - and one involves £11m man, Josh Murphy
Cardiff City have started their January transfer window by recalling two players from their loan spells away from the club.
It is a sign of their intentions this month, with clubs looking to pack their squads owing to the surge in Covid-19 cases in recent weeks.
That has also worked against them, of course, with Wolves this week recalling Ryan Giles, who had been excellent since arriving on loan from the Molineux club in the summer.
However, Cardiff have acted swiftly to bring back Max Watters and Ryan Wintle from MK Dons and Blackpool respectively.
The question remains, then, will Josh Murphy or Gavin Whyte get the recall?
Murphy is an interesting case. His loan spell at Preston has not gone according to plan, but many believe he can still offer something in the back half of the campaign.
So, with Cardiff in desperate need for something, or someone, to spark them in the latter half of the season, is Murphy the man who could help to get City out of this mess?
Let's look at the pros and cons....
The case for
Need for pace and X-Factor : There is a real dearth of pace in this Cardiff squad, something which has been exacerbated by the club's fastest player, Ryan Giles, leaving.
When you think back to the breakaway, counter-attacking goals that the club has scored in recent seasons, with Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, Sheyi Ojo and Murphy himself at times hurtling down the field and hitting the opposition quickly, that has disappeared.
Cardiff's attack can be so laboured and while there is an attempt to shift to a new, more passing-based system, there still needs to be that counter threat and speed is needed to give teams something else to worry about.
There is a distinct lack of X-Factor in this squad, too. With no Harry Wilson or Lee Tomlin to lean on to create something, the weighty burden of creativity has fallen on the shoulders of teenager Rubin Colwill, a player very much still learning his trade.
Murphy, on his day, does have the ability to create something from nothing and can worry defenders. In form and high on confidence, Murphy can dribble, get in behind and also chip in with goals - however his output has been below what was expected, it must be said.
New system suits : It's probably fair to say that the brands of football implemented by Neil Warnock, Neil Harris and Mick McCarthy have not been conducive to Murphy's strengths.
Steve Morison has attempted to change things slightly, although it is a slow shift and there is still some way to go before they are considered a particularly aesthetically-pleasing side to watch.
But there is no doubt that this is perhaps the best system so far at Cardiff in which Murphy could actually thrive. There has been more emphasis placed on actually trying to spread the ball wide and use the flank players, such as Giles and Perry Ng, but further up the pitch there has been a lack of real quality on the wing.
If there was a brand of football Cardiff which could coax somewhere near his best football out of Murphy, this is it.
Lack of experience: Beyond Kieffer Moore and James Collins, Cardiff's forward options look extremely thin on the ground. Isaak Davies, Rubin Colwill, Kieron Evans, Chanka Zimba and even Mark Harris to a certain extent, are all academy products still trying to find their feet and are doing so at different rates.
That is fine if they are used sparingly, but these players quickly became important members of the squad, despite their lack of experience and inconsistent performances.
Morison looks to his bench when he is trying to change a game and he is often greeted by youngsters who are yet to establish themselves as Championship players.
Murphy, by contrast, especially at the start of his tenure with the Bluebirds, did not look out of place as a Premier League player. Granted he has not done nearly enough as a Championship player (more on that later), but at least he knows what it takes to do it at the higher levels.
Club record signing : This is hardly the player's fault, but there was a time when Murphy was an £11million player. That, of course, is no longer the case, but how can a club's record signing really be allowed to see his time peter out on loan with a Championship rival?
He has just months left to run on his Cardiff contract, which can be a plus and a minus, I suppose, but at the very least he would be playing to put himself in the shop window for a new club in the summer.
For a few months in the Premier League, Murphy looked a top player. Indeed, a forward line which included Murphy, Nathaniel Mendez-Laing and Bobby DeCordova-Reid looked set to rip the Championship apart the following season. None of those players are currently at the club, though.
But Murphy could be. He still has the quality to rip apart the defences of Barnsley, Peterborough, Reading, Hull City, the teams around Cardiff who they need to beat if they are to propel themselves up the table.
He is £11m worth of talent, which has been completely wasted, who could yet have a say on where this club is playing next year. It is the ultimate opportunity to win back the thousands of fans who have consigned him to the 'flops' category.
The case against
Had enough chances : This is the big one for many. How many chances do you give one player? Why have three Cardiff managers been unable to get the best out of him?
So many times fans have watched on, head in hands, as the winger got knocked too easily off the ball or lay prone on the floor for too long as the opposition broke away.
Supporters waited the best part of two years for it to click with Murphy in the Championship and it just never came. Under Mick McCarthy, when Murphy was deployed as a second striker, that looked to have ignited something within him, but it burned brightly and quickly and fizzled away, too.
In 60 Championship appearances for Cardiff, he has contributed to only 15 goals. He has scored seven and assisted eight. Considering he is considered an attacking threat who can create and score, those numbers simply aren't good enough.
There are mitigating factors, of course, such as the style of play as mentioned above. But Harry Wilson also played in that system and in just 37 Championship games, he contributed to 19 goals - seven of his own and 12 assists.
Has barely played : Murphy has played just 70 minutes of Championship football across two clubs this season. It started with him being unable to get into Cardiff's side before a similar problem arose at Preston. He has struggled with injury since the end of October.
He is said to close to a return to action, but there is a feeling that his loan up at Deepdale is benefiting nobody, well, unless getting his wages off the book is seen as a benefit to Cardiff, of course.
But he isn't playing, the manager who got him to Preston, Frankie McAvoy, is no longer with the Lilywhites and Murphy is seeing a season in which he should be in his prime fly past him.
Who knows what sort of form he is in at the minute? And lest we forget, he is hardly struggling to get into a big-hitting Championship club, Preston have had their own struggles this season, too.
Low on confidence: An expansion on the point above, really.
All footballers are 'confidence players', we are told, but Murphy, perhaps more than most, appears to thrive in purple patches. Often in his Cardiff career he has hit rich veins of form and will hit a flurry of goals in quick succession.
They have proved to be false dawns, though.
Warnock was perhaps the manager who showed the most faith in him and it is probably not a coincidence that his best performances came under him in the Premier League and very briefly back down in the Championship.
Harris preferred the likes of Junior Hoilett, Mendez-Laing, Sheyi Ojo and Harry Wilson, while McCarthy also opted for the latter two over Murphy.
Even McAvoy, his old coach at Norwich, didn't start him in a single league game this term. That must have been a real kick in the chops.
If Murphy does get recalled, Morison will have a big job on his hands if he is to restore that confidence and eke the best out of him.
Cardiff trying to move in new direction : It is no secret that this summer is going to be big for Cardiff City.
There are nine players out of contract and a squad rebuild will take place. It is thought that many of the players heading out of their deals will leave the club.
Murphy will likely be one of those, save a ridiculous back end of the campaign which would see City offer an unlikely new deal. Even if they did, would Murphy even want to stay, given how his Cardiff career has gone to date? It's a tricky one.
But the club are cutting costs and changing their recruitment policy and Murphy is likely to be one of those who will leave in a few months' time. That being said, would Cardiff gain much from playing him instead of players who are going to be part of the club's future in the longer term?
There is an argument to say that Cardiff must be in the Championship, thus regardless of future plans the best players need to be picked to ensure second-tier status is consolidated.
However, should Cardiff pretty much ensure they are in the Championship by the spring, those whose contracts will not be renewed will likely see little game time in the remaining matches, which would beg the question; would paying all of his wages really be worth it ahead of a summer rebuild?
Re: JOSH MURPHY DIVIDES 'FAN' OPINION, BUT...
Thu Jan 06, 2022 2:12 pm
He is injured and will be out for a few weeks so he is not coming back thank God.
That article was a waste of ink.
That article was a waste of ink.
Re: JOSH MURPHY DIVIDES 'FAN' OPINION, BUT...
Thu Jan 06, 2022 3:17 pm
Bakedalasker wrote:He is injured and will be out for a few weeks so he is not coming back thank God.
That article was a waste of ink.
Indeed; but there was a part that asked if (a) Preston might want rid, and (b) if City would be prudent to leave any home-coming to the last possible moment?
Or indeed can City be 'forced' to take him back, Preston having taken a season-long deal with (so fa as I know) City having the recall clause rather than it being an option for both?
Others may know the answer
Re: JOSH MURPHY DIVIDES 'FAN' OPINION, BUT...
Thu Jan 06, 2022 7:03 pm
Think he would do well now with how Morrison is trying to play, Giles was good but Murphy a far better talent 
Re: JOSH MURPHY DIVIDES 'FAN' OPINION, BUT...
Thu Jan 06, 2022 7:15 pm
Get him back. He is our player. More skillful than what we have. Can turn a game. Morison needs to tell him how good he is.
Re: JOSH MURPHY DIVIDES 'FAN' OPINION, BUT...
Thu Jan 06, 2022 7:19 pm
Big Hill Blue wrote:Get him back. He is our player. More skillful than what we have. Can turn a game. Morison needs to tell him how good he is.
He's not coming back; so likely played his last game in a Bluebird shirt...
Re: JOSH MURPHY DIVIDES 'FAN' OPINION, BUT...
Thu Jan 06, 2022 7:32 pm
Sven wrote:Big Hill Blue wrote:Get him back. He is our player. More skillful than what we have. Can turn a game. Morison needs to tell him how good he is.
He's not coming back; so likely played his last game in a Bluebird shirt...
At least we have still got Bacuna
Re: JOSH MURPHY DIVIDES 'FAN' OPINION, BUT...
Thu Jan 06, 2022 10:42 pm
1980s Bluebird wrote:Think he would do well now with how Morrison is trying to play, Giles was good but Murphy a far better talent
Jesus
Re: JOSH MURPHY DIVIDES 'FAN' OPINION, BUT...
Fri Jan 07, 2022 3:10 pm
nubbsy wrote:1980s Bluebird wrote:Think he would do well now with how Morrison is trying to play, Giles was good but Murphy a far better talent
Jesus
Is he a new signing or is that all you add to the debate
