Every time you look at the Sunday papers this season one names crops up more than any other among the goalscorers in the Championship - Ipswich's Darryl Murphy. At this point the Tractor Boy's main striker has notched up 23 goals and has been tipped to get 30 this season. Keeping him quiet is going to be the main job for Tommy Elphick and Steve Cook this Friday and it's not going to be an easy task.
What is so difficult about Darryl Murphy is that he is instinctive. He is always on the move, like good strikers should be and he only needs a small amount of space to be found by his teammates in front of goal. While he is powerful in the air, I wouldn't say he is the quickest forward in the division. So the job for Tommy and Steve is going to need them to be alert and constantly checking to see where Murphy is. At 32, Murphy is experience or streetwise and knows all the tricks to get free of defenders.
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Daryl Murphy has been amazing at leading the line
for Ipswich (no, I don't know what those two on the left
are doing but they seem very good friends!). |
One might hope that the Republic of Ireland's game against Poland might have taken a bit of energy out of him, but he doesn't go that many games without netting and he has a good record against the Cherries. Take away his goals and Ipswich would look more like a team around 14th in terms of goal difference and so his importance to this Ipswich side can't be underestimated. I think AFCB's defenders have their most difficult game in the run-in here and Murphy is one problem that they have get the better of if they are to come away from Portman Road with a smile on their faces.
Of course AFCB also have some strikers that Ipswich will be wary of. while Kenwyne Jones will be looking to get off the mark for the Cherries I wouldn't mind Yann Kermorgant putting in some more goal like the following one against Ipswich earlier in the season.
Finally, I have launched a new Tab feature this morning -
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