According to the Chronicle’s Lee Ryder, Jacob Murphy has been ‘left to battle for his place’ at Newcastle United after ‘failing to impress’ Rafa Benitez in training.
The winger has been Rafa Benitez’s most expensive buy since we earned promotion back to the Premier League last summer (costing £10m), however he’s done little to impress so far – and it seems like he’s not pulling up any trees in training either.
He’s failed to make Rafa’s match day squads on four occasions this season and has started just twice – which says a lot given Kenedy, Ritchie and Atsu have all failed to hit top form for the vast majority of our season so far.
Murphy is still young at 23, and Benitez has mentioned recently that we must be patient with him, but there will come a time where he really will need to step it up – with just 1 goal and 1 assist in 35 appearances being nowhere near enough.
He hasn't even been in the squad for the last two games and he's not injured. https://t.co/uL1DGxNZp8 #nufc
— Lee Ryder (@lee_ryder) November 5, 2018
In his defence, he’s never really had a run in the side, however this is bound to happen if he’s struggling to impress Benitez in training and failing to take his opportunity with both hands when the chance arrives.
If something doesn’t change soon, I fear his time may be running out. Does he need a loan move away to rediscover some form, or do you fear he’s not quite up to it at this level?
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Never thought he was the right player to sign. Should have gone for his brother – much more direct and sharper
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