View: 100% ace Josh Murphy a catalyst for Portsmouth improvement
Josh Murphy has come into his own since returning to full fitness for Portsmouth, and was the standout player against Swansea City.
Murphy – claimed to be the “outstanding” first-team squad member by head coach and former teammate John Mousinho in the summer – appears to be at his free-flowing best now he has been fully fit for a number of weeks.
The winger scored and set another goal up for Matt Ritchie to put the Blues 2-0 ahead at Swansea [30 November] and despite the team passing up the advantage to draw 2-2, the 29-year-old masterminded everything good about his side.
Josh Murphy absolutely key to Portsmouth survival aims
Portsmouth were much improved in certain spells against Swansea; other moments let them down and denied the visitors all three points from west of the border.
Murphy, however, drove Pompey on – particularly in the first half – and put in an experienced Championship performance of which the side need more, executing 100% of his three dribble attempts and firing both of his attempted shots on target, scoring once [Fotmob].
The hustling winger well outperformed his non-penalty xG of 0.09 by doing wonderfully to bag the second goal on the day, after providing Ritchie to make it three goals in four, and three assists for the campaign [WhoScored].
Murphy’s WhoScored ratings away from home have much improved in recent weeks, as he becomes a key player on the road against the most hardened of EFL opponents. A classic-inspired wide man who looks to make things happen, Sofascore shows Murphy has averaged 34.8 touches per game to drive a team up the pitch who have regularly been on the ropes in the second tier.
Where the former Oxford United player falters is in his pass accuracy, a direct consequence of his often direct action down the left-hand channel. Rarely electing to take the “safe” option, Murphy’s pass success of 59.8% in the past year [Fotmob] is considerably worse than many peers in his position; this is down to just 47% this season when in the opposition half [Sofascore].
However, the last analysis of Murphy comes via his defensive contribution, which is absolutely vital for a struggling side navigating the Championship for the first time in over 12 years.
Mousinho’s view on his left-winger leans heavily on this capability, which FBRef illustrates as a rate of 0.69 interceptions per game over the past 12 months; 1.38 defensive blocks per game, and 1.12 tackles per 90 minutes.
As long as Murphy remains fit, the numbers he is registering ensure Pompey will always be in with a chance of maintaining their second-tier status for the longer haul.
In other Portsmouth news, Jay Sadler makes some honest admissions after his Pompey Women side were beaten again in the South Coast derby.
For more Portsmouth news, follow us on Facebook or join our brand new WhatsApp Channel for instant updates to be sent straight to your phone.