Alex Murphy D Newcastle b.2004

[Eirambler]

Slightly different when it's an outfield player. If they felt he was going to be good enough longer term I think we'd see more of him for their first team than we do. He offers them a solid backup option in case of emergency, but he's probably not developing much as a result.

[Demesne Lad]

Starts at left-back in the Champions League play-off home leg v Qarabag tonight.

[rebelmusic]

Great timing for one of ours to making champions league starts

[Eirambler]

Nice for him to get a run out at this level, he has certainly had to bide his time. I'm guessing there's a shop window element to this and he may be moved on in the summer.

[Plib]

Am I right in thinking he's probably going to be the only irish involvement in the knock out rounds of the champions league this year?

[tetsujin1979]

Not just the knock out rounds, the champions League proper

[SkStu]

Watching it and he’s doing fine too. No messing, nothing fancy. Qarabag pressed a few times and he stood firm.

Still young too. Great to see.

[Eirambler]

I think we need to see where he lands after the summer to know when or if he becomes anyways relevant to our senior squad. Will a Championship team take a punt on him after seeing him play Champions League? Would that even be a good thing if they did or would it risk him ending up not playing regularly and becoming the next Conor Masterson? Would he be better off going to League 1 or Scotland (or somewhere like the Eredivisie) where he'd get a game week in week out at the right club? But would that place him any higher than MacNulty, who can't make our squads, if he did that?

It looks like his best position is centre back, and we're already stacked with those. He could maybe play left back in a four, but we don't currently set up that way. I don't think he can offer what Manning or Brady can offer at LWB. He's probably still one for the Under 21s for the foreseeable.

Edit: I've just noticed that our two first choice left wing backs share the same surnames as two of the most famous NFL QBs of all time. Not sure how I've never spotted that before. Anyway, as you were...

[rebelmusic]

Very tidy game from him last night. The versatility is a plus for us. Hard to know if it was shop window or development, he did leave him on for the 90 and swapped his position after 60 so that smells a bit of shop window to me.

Either way it's a positive. I know we think we have a ton of depth at CB bit with Collins being dropped recently and O'Brien rarely playing there I think it's more precarious then we generally think. Scales and O'Shea the only squad players getting regular game time at CB at the moment

[Eirambler]

I'd say, if Newcastle genuinely thought he had a future at the club, we'd have seen a lot move of him in the last year or two than we have.

[MeathDrog]

I'd say, if Newcastle genuinely thought he had a future at the club, we'd have seen a lot move of him in the last year or two than we have.This is true unfortunately. Newcastle had extensive injuries at the back earlier this season and he never got a look in.

[elatedscum]

This is true unfortunately. Newcastle had extensive injuries at the back earlier this season and he never got a look in.this, in general, is true. however, first team football is sink or swim and if he's capable of showing he belongs at that level then Newcastle will quickly reevaluate. there's plenty of players who got a chance due to an injury and totally outdid their club's expectations of them

[rebelmusic]

this, in general, is true. however, first team football is sink or swim and if he's capable of showing he belongs at that level then Newcastle will quickly reevaluate. there's plenty of players who got a chance due to an injury and totally outdid their club's expectations of them

Great point and the occasion didn't get to him at all the other night. If he regularly makes the bench over the next while and gets subbed on then things could change quickly for him