Jacob Murphy enjoyed such an excellent 2024/25 campaign that fans started to wonder whether he was the true mastermind behind Newcastle United‘s Carabao Cup win and not Alexander Isak, as the latter struggled at Liverpool.
Two years later, what looked set to be the rebirth of a player who had finally found his golden touch has proven to be an impressive purple patch and that’s an issue for Matthias Jaissle.
Why Jacob Murphy is becoming a problem for Jaissle
When a leadership group crumbles and heads for the exit door, the most experienced players left in the building simply have to stand up and be counted for. That is Murphy’s role amid a new, young squad with a manager tasting Premier League experience for the first time.
Now more than ever, Newcastle need the winger at his best; they need the player who was involved in 23 goals in all competitions in the 24/25 campaign. Instead, however, the 31-year-old is beginning to show evidence that he’s past his best and that’s the last thing that Jaissle needs.
The new manager is yet to trust new signings like Bazoumana Touré with Premier League starts, instead keeping faith in the experienced Murphy. Not much changed in terms of quality from wide against Hull City, however, and a decision has to be made.
|
Jacob Murphy vs Hull City |
|
|---|---|
|
Minutes |
90 |
|
Successful dribbles |
1 |
|
Touches in opposition’s box |
1 |
|
Chances created |
1 |
|
Duel success |
5/5 |
Out of possession, Murphy’s duel success shows that he still has plenty of use for Jaissle, but the rest of the numbers expose why he is so upgradeable.
Newcastle need a winger with greater conviction in the absence of Anthony Elanga. To that end, Murphy’s one take-on and one chance created are simply not enough.
Newcastle reject is now better than Murphy nine years on
Life with the 31-year-old becomes even more frustrating when considering the player that Newcastle decided to sell nine years ago. Nearly a decade on, he would thrive under Jaissle.
The name Florian Thauvin continues to haunt St James’ Park. If ever there was a case of what could have been, it is the Frenchman, who is still going strong in Ligue 1.
The truth is that Thauvin could not have picked a worse time to join the club. He arrived in the same campaign that the Magpies suffered relegation to the Championship, before two loan moves back to Marseille followed.
By the time that his Tyneside career came to an end, he had made just 16 appearances in two years for Newcastle. To say that he didn’t get a fair crack of the whip would be an understatement.
Thauvin came away a transfer flop, nonetheless, but has thrived ever since. The natural order of things suggests that it’s usually the player who has his career halted after a difficult move.
In this instance, however, it’s been Newcastle who have been forced to live with their regret ever since.
|
Thauvin stats by club |
Games |
Goals |
Assists |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Marseille |
281 |
86 |
62 |
|
Udinese |
73 |
15 |
10 |
|
SC Bastia |
51 |
10 |
4 |
|
Lens |
44 |
19 |
12 |
|
Tigres UANL |
38 |
8 |
5 |
|
Newcastle |
16 |
1 |
3 |
|
Grenoble |
3 |
0 |
0 |
At 33 years old, Thauvin would inject some much-needed attacking quality into this Newcastle side.
Whilst Murphy has struggled for output ever since the 24/25 campaign, the Frenchman has already been involved in seven goals in seven games in all competitions for Lens this season. He is ageing like fine wine, despite threatening to turn spoiled on Tyneside.
It’s not just his own output that he’s producing, either. Thauvin has created one big chance per 90 so far this season and enjoys more than six touches in the opposition’s box per 90. His game is less about work off the ball and more about magic in possession.
If the likes of Yoane Wissa and Matias Fernandez-Pardo had a player like the Lens star next to them, then Jaissle’s attack could look so much different.
