Coventry City's first choice goal keeper under Andy Thorn has been Joe Murphy, but his howler at Fratton Park last Saturday that led to their opening goal and subsequent 2-1 defeat that condemned City to bottom place in the Championship league table, is now in doubt.
Murphy accepts he was at fault and should have dealt with the situation better when a mix up between himself and Richard Wood and led to the penalty which Portsmouth scored.
He now faces an anxious wait to see if he will be dropped for the visit of Hull City on Saturday.
Murphy, speaking to the CT, said, “It was poor and we watched it through again this week and the gaffer had a go at me and rightly so because it was poor.
“He has said in interviews that it was schoolboy stuff and it was, and the second goal was no better because everyone was switched off but that’s just summed it all up how things have been going. It’s not acceptable and we all realise that and I am my own worst critic. I analyse my game a lot and I am massively disappointed.”
Murphy explained the error that led to the penalty in the 19th minute of the game.
He explained, “It was just a misunderstanding. Initially I thought Woody was going to deal with it and then as it got closer to me, to be fair, I did call but I made the wrong decision.
"I should have just knocked it out for a throw-in rather than pull it back into the box to pick it up. I waited as long as possible to see if it would come into the box but it didn’t.
"It looks really bad and their lad nipped in and got a touch to the ball and went over my foot so it just looks terrible and as the gaffer says it is not acceptable and I understand that.
“It sums up the manner of the goals we have been conceding over the last six or seven weeks because they are mostly all preventable.”
Murphy also admitted to being disappointed with his effort in the 4-2 defeat at home to league leaders Southampton.
He said, “I was disappointed with the fourth goal against Southampton and the one on Saturday but I have been in this situation before and been at clubs that have been relegated, and mistakes creep in and when they do they are under the microscope, but generally I am happy with myself and feel the best, physically, I have been all my career.
"I feel I am playing well but when you are struggling the mistakes get highlighted. I am a Liverpool fan and I look at one of the best goalkeepers in the world in Pepe Reina and he hasn’t been brilliant this season."He has made one or two blunders but he’s an experienced enough goalkeeper to get on with it, so it happens to the best in the world as well, but because of where we are in the league people probably look at it a bit more.”
Murphy was questioned about whether he was worried about losing his place in the team and he responded by saying, “It’s happened before and I wouldn’t be surprised if I did but I would be very disappointed.
"If the gaffer feels he has to then you have to accept that. I have spoken to Oggy about it and I am experienced enough to know that these things happen. You are not always going to be top of the tree.
“Yes there have been one or two mistakes and they do happen and for me, that’s why I think it is the hardest position to play on the pitch, not maybe physically, but because everything is highlighted, but I am experienced enough just to get on with it.”
He concluded by saying, “We are all disappointed with the situation at the moment and probably no-one is more disappointed them me because the last couple of weeks have been tough and Saturday really hurt.
“It’s tough going and we understand that but we are a small, close-knit squad and we have to stick together and keep going, and hopefully we can get a couple of results before the turn of the year and make that seven point gap a bit smaller.
“Our form was pretty good at home before the Southampton game and hopefully we can get that back on track.
“These next few games are going to be massive for us and hopefully we’ll get that win because you can get used to winning but you can also get used to losing as well and we don’t want to get in that frame of mind.”
Source: FOOTYMAD
