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Murph: I Should Have Scored More
Friday, 26th Feb 2016 06:00

Daryl Murphy has admitted that he never believed he would repeat last season’s amazing achievement of scoring 27 league goals to become the Championship’s leading marksman.

Murphy’s sizzling form in front of goal fired Town to the play-offs but it has been a vastly different story in the current campaign, with a meagre eight goals to his credit and the team struggling to maintain the promotion pace.

Speaking about his own form, he admitted: “I think it’s been up and down. I never thought for one minute that I would repeat what I did last season but you obviously want to set yourself goals and targets.

“I haven’t scored as many as I would have liked but there are still a few games left to play.

“There has probably been a bit more pressure on me this season but I don’t mind the pressure part because that comes as part and parcel really.

“I know myself that at this stage of the season I should have scored a lot more goals than I have done. That’s something I need to work on as well in training and hopefully I’ll get it right.

“I look back on a few games, ones that stick out in particular. I know I should have had a hat-trick at MK Dons, for example, because I had three really good chances to score.

“Last year they probably would have gone in but you can’t get too down about it because, as I said, I never thought I was going to score another 27 goals this season. I just need to be realistic and hopefully start scoring very soon.”

Murphy, 32, admitted experience prevents him from allowing the disappointment of not scoring as regularly to become too great a burden.

He added: “There’s no point in getting down because I’ve been through it all before and in the past I might have been kicking myself and worrying about it too much. I need to make sure my performances are right and the goals will come.

“The manager has kept faith in me and I am very grateful for that. The gaffer knows that on my day I can be a handful for any defence so when I play I need to show that in order to repay the faith he has shown in me.”

Murphy is in line to make his 200th career start for the Blues at Huddersfield but conceded there have been occasions this term when he feared the axe and being named in boss Mick McCarthy’s starting line-up came as a pleasant surprise.

He added: “Maybe I have felt that I didn’t deserve to play but the gaffer has given me the nod.

“It’s up to me to show a bit more than I have done. Confidence is an issue for any player. If you are scoring goals you are flying and you always believe that you are going to score.

“When it’s not going well for you it’s not nice but I’ve still been getting chances and that’s the main thing. I think if I wasn’t getting chances in games, that’s when I would be worried.”

Murphy failed to find the net in his first 14 appearances for Town this season before getting off the mark in spectacular fashion with a hat-trick in the 5-2 win at Rotherham in November and he is currently without a goal in his last five outings.

He said: “I just need to get that first goal again and hopefully it will happen at Huddersfield if I’m selected.

“The rest of the lads are fine with me but they are obviously down about our recent results. We’re a tight squad and we all look out for each other. We know we have to up our performances if we want to finish in the top six.”


Photo: Action Images



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prebbs007 added 06:17 - Feb 26
Really Really should have taken the £5m from boro. Has been truly useless this season. Proved that last season was a exception to the normal and gone back to being very very average. Suits McCarthy's style of hoofball but lacks pace, touch, guile, and quality required at the top of this league. Nowhere near our best forward but it doesn't matter, another of MM's love children and he could probably commit treason and still get selected. Yet another example of Micks incompetence!!!
-5

jas0999 added 06:32 - Feb 26
Oh dear. Not good. Clearly didn't believe in himself from the off. Service to him has been poor though. However, he hasn't looked good this season unfortunately. I heard he wanted a move in the summer, regardless of what he says. Perhaps we will never know. His effort hasn't been the same as last year either.
1

hogster1970 added 06:53 - Feb 26
well i believe half the problem is you havent had the combanation of murphy and sears as a front two and fraser out wide, esp if we are playing hoof ball, as if he does win the ball sears use to win the second ball and either runs on goal himself of then feeds murphy, sears has been stuck out wide which has left murphy isolated, also has been starved from quality ball from the midfield, as last year we had the bish in there helping out.

if he was missing sitters then we can understand he is of form but half the problem is lack of quality ball, i think its time to bring niles back on right wing and push sears back up front then we may see some better play.

how ever like alot i think niles has found it hard going, but he has had a rest and i feel he needs to start the game
6

VulpineBlue added 07:17 - Feb 26
Hogster 1970- spot on. Our forward line is one of the best in this division- but none have been scoring prolifically. Murphy is generally excellent and strong on the ball and his touch has been good when the ball is PLAYED TO HIS FEET. As the match against Hull showed, the rest of the team are only giving the front line 2 or 3 chances in a whole game. They would need to sink 100% of these chances to win games- not even Neymar does this.. Not the strikers fault in my opinion.
3

TR11BLU added 08:52 - Feb 26
Headline should read

'I shouldve played less'

Has not deserved to start every week, but will as long as his 'Dad' is manager - shouldve been sold in the summer.

Move on Mick and take him with you.
-6

theipswichman added 09:10 - Feb 26
The reason Murph hasn't got that many goals is because we lack creativity massively. Last season we got decent crosses into the box which Murphy would feed on.
1

raycrawfordswig added 09:39 - Feb 26
Did naff all in Euro qualifiers .was tired at start of season .Dont think he will make squad for euros in the summer.Think he needs a few weeks off .
1

Stato added 10:12 - Feb 26
I'm glad we kept Murphy but with him being out of goal scoring form all season why hasn't Mick shaken it up. Why has Murph been the right choice for EVERY opposition home and away ? He would be my number one choice away but at home why haven't we tried Sears and Pitman as a front 2 ?
2

BlueNomad added 10:25 - Feb 26
Prebbs does anything make you happy?
0

algarvefan added 10:30 - Feb 26
What are the coaches doing wrong that this guy does not believe in himself!!!!

Look at Jamie Vardy, he looks like he will score everytime he goes forward, confidence is the key and obviously not enough is being done at ITFC!
1

JewellintheTown added 10:43 - Feb 26
Well, I'll give him 10 out of 10 for stating the obvious. Can't improve on that score.
Hopefully you'll get your mojo back this weekend, Murph.
1

MattinLondon added 11:23 - Feb 26
Murphy is a very good striker and much more than a target man. If the ball is played to his feet, if he is allowed to run directly at goal or attack good crosses then he would have scored a lot more. He can't create all by himself — or if the ball is simply hoofed aimlessly up to him.

Yes we could have received 4-5 million for him but when each club is guaranteed 100 million next season it was a gamble worth taking. And we're still in the play-off mix so who knows what can happen.
4

hogster1970 added 11:55 - Feb 26
Like stated above several times its getting the ball to feet. How many times has out midfield provided quality ball from.deep.postions and slotted through the defence for murphy and sears ect to run onto. Yep hardly any. That's because when the defence do give the midfield the ball they just pass it back and then it just gets hoofed up field. They can play it on the deck but not enough in the game. We need that rocky the rottweiler aka like hyam in there or Scuse but we defo need either bru to up the anti in forward play or the bish when he is fit to link it all together. As every time teddy boy gets the ball with back to goal he use to take a touch and turn with the ball and either run or look for the forward pass.
2

DaneITFC added 12:02 - Feb 26
@algarvefan, comparing Murphy to Vardy? Complete different players in all aspects, we simply haven't got the creativity in midfield/out-wide to supply those chances, our attacking threat is mostly Knudsen crosses and Sears' runs? That for me comes down to the tactics we play and lack of quality.
0

prebbs007 added 12:05 - Feb 26
Pragmatic ... Yes... Seeing some entertainment and not being lied to. I was a big supporter of Mick and the work he has done for the club but no one can honestly say they enjoy watching this hoofball cr&p played by players with little ability out of position and terribly out of form. And either Mick Marcus (or probably both) are lying to us.

If all that makes you happy you're easily pleased. I apologise if I have upset you by being upset !!!
0

DoobDude added 12:14 - Feb 26
Drop him McCarthy.
Or at least stick him on the left and try Sears up front.
Oh and stop hoof..... oh god it's never going to happen is it!
1

Gingerblues added 12:28 - Feb 26
What most have missed on here is that almost every team has doubled up on him this season. Not his fault. Teams have worked us out, stop the long ball to Murphy and stop us scoring. What MM has failed to do is use the space created wisely. I really feel this is the only difference from last season. The midfield is still lacking in creativity so once the long ball to the big man is gone, we've got nothing else.
4

Pilgrimblue added 14:08 - Feb 26
Correct Ginger but sadly MM is too set in his ways to either notice or find a solution. Putting freddie out wide has proved to be a disasterous move and giving BP more games should be no brainer. I agree with lots that midfield is pretty poor with noone prepared to turn and see what are best options. Thats why we've missed Bish and McG and fit Bru.
Strangely Brentford used Douglas in attacking role which is mainly why he hasnt scored much for us.
I'd be interested if someone took count of passback/hoof percentages at next game, it would be very revealing!
1

DannyITFC added 18:49 - Feb 26
A lot of frustration shown on here with Murphy not getting anywhere near his amazing form of last season.

Let's put things into perspective..... The biggest cause of this dip in form is down to Sears being made to play out on the wing. When Murphy plays alongside Sears it looks a decent partnership, although Pitman has scored a lot of goals he is very slow therefore makes a better impact off the bench replacing Murphy late on.

MM has totally cocked up this season by playing people out of position along with not playing Jonny Parr at fullback so it's no wonder he went.

Murphy is a top player who holds the ball up and has a great eye for goal but he needs better service from midfield with no creative CM in other than Bishop and Bru however one is injured and the other does n't get used enough.

Scuse/Hyam and Douglas will not provide Murphy with the quality service needed however Bishop could plus Bru.

In my opinion with the current state of injuries I think Murphy would get better service with this line up:

Bart

Foley Chambers Berra Kenlock

Toure Bru Douglas Pringle

Sears Murphy

2

Les57 added 19:55 - Feb 26
Give me Murph's work rate and will to win any time. We all know he was never going to score as many as last season but that has not stopped him from giving 100% every match. It must be frustrating for him and others not being able to play a settled side with them all in their best positions. The fact is we don't have a squad good enough or big enough to tear up this league or even consistently make the play offs. MM and TC have done wonders on a limited budget and considering the injuries we have had all season. If we had sold Murph to Middlesbrough I have no doubt he would be on at leat 15 goals so far and would finish nearer 20 at the end. The fact is they have a better squad overall and can afford to buy when they see a player available who will improve them.
1

tractorshark added 13:30 - Feb 27
If we'd sold Murphy, all the moaners would have accused the club of lacking ambition, selling our best assets etc.
Murphy hasn't been at his best but, as others point out, the service has been poor. He's also been marked tighter.
Our best XI is better than last season's but we lack strength in depth and that has been cruelly exposed by injuries.
0


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