Speaking to the assembled media masses this morning, Eddie Howe singled out his perennial substitute Jacob Murphy for praise and suggested that he’s in line for a rare start.
Jacob Murphy has made 24 appearances for the Howe’s Newcastle side in the league this term, but only five of those were from the kick-off, and of those only once did he complete the full 90 minutes. At this point Google will start suggesting “Murphy” as a synonym for “bench”.
However, that could be about to change as Howe’s comments today (via The Chronicle) suggest he’s got Murphy in mind: “I think he’s done very well off the bench this year but that’s not to say that’s his sole role. He’s done well when he’s come on in the last few games and that’s not lost on me. He’s pushing to start and there’s no doubting his qualities.”
There was a bit of a buzz on Tyneside when Jacob Murphy signed from Norwich for £12million back in 2017. He was seen as a rapid winger and the fact that he was a Newcastle supporter endeared him to fans immediately. However, he was never able to cement his place in the team, even when we lacked any type of quality.
In his 117 Premier League appearances for the club, 66 of them have come from the bench, showing that he’s seen as more of an impact sub than a starter. His pace and tenacity does cause defences problems when he’s introduced late in the game and the opposition is starting to get leggy.
Unfortunately, his stats reveal the big issue. In those 117 appearances, he’s provided just eight assists and scored five goals. He’s not shy about putting in crosses or having shots, they just don’t tend to result in anything meaningful. He’s often criticised for making the wrong decision, shooting when he should pass and vice versa.
I’d hoped that Eddie Howe’s coaching would be able to drill those mistakes out of him, but they still remain. That being said, every other player for Newcastle seems terrified of taking a shot unless it’s within the six-yard box lately, so maybe it is time to unleash Murphy and tell him to shoot on sight. At least that way we could get a lucky deflection or something that could kickstart a change in fortunes.
I still believe that Murphy is one of those players likely to find themselves on the chopping block come the summer as Eddie Howe will start to be more ruthless with regards to who has a future at Newcastle, but while he’s still on the books and with Miguel Almiron is among the misfiring contingent, it could be his time to shine.
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