Brian Murphy-too short for a keeper?

A very good shot stopper but he is too small for a keeper when the opposition have a striker who is about 3 inches taller than anyone on our side and who dwarfed Murphy. Second half QPR cottoned on to this and there was a barrage of long throws into the box. The only surprise was that it took QPR that long to work it out. For the equaliser from where I was standing it looked like Matt Smith was virtually centre of the goal and just outside the six yard box. Call me old fashioned but to me that should always be the keepers ball. Don't really blame him as he doesn't have the height and he did make some good saves, just very surprised Warnock choose this game to drop Etheridge.

i dont think the problem is height..he is 6ft 1....same height or taller than Banks..Shilton..Pat Jennings and our own Neville Southall..it seems the game has moved and keepers are expected to be taller these days without them necessarily dominating crosses any more than their predecessors did..

1st goal totally the fault of defending players if you remember bristol goal was exactly the same long high throw strait on head of player.

i dont think the problem is height..he is 6ft 1....same height or taller than Banks..Shilton..Pat Jennings and our own Neville Southall..it seems the game has moved and keepers are expected to be taller these days without them necessarily dominating crosses any more than their predecessors did..

Would be very surprised if he was 6ft 1in, you only got to look at him next to the others. It might say that on the stats but they often overestimate things like that. If he is the same height as the other keepers mentioned they played in a generation when all players were slightly smaller, so its relative.

As I said he is a very good shot stopper and I wouldn't attach blame to him for yesterday, but the fact that he has barely played 50 lower league first team games throughout his career must mean some managers have a doubt about him, and as far as I can see it its his height.

i dont think the problem is height..he is 6ft 1....same height or taller than Banks..Shilton..Pat Jennings and our own Neville Southall..it seems the game has moved and keepers are expected to be taller these days without them necessarily dominating crosses any more than their predecessors did..

Would be very surprised if he was 6ft 1in, you only got to look at him next to the others. It might say that on the stats but they often overestimate things like that. If he is the same height as the other keepers mentioned they played in a generation when all players were slightly smaller, so its relative.

As I said he is a very good shot stopper and I wouldn't attach blame to him for yesterday, but the fact that he has barely played 50 lower league first team games throughout his career must mean some managers have a doubt about him, and as far as I can see it its his height.

my point was more about the height obsession than Murphy himself..the taller they get the less you see them comming for crosses, at least thats how it seems..i certainly dont remember Marshals strong point being taking crosses either..
as for Murphy ..his height is given as 6ft 1 or 6ft and half an inch in a number of various places..i pressume just like you ,myself and everyone else your height is your height measured quite regularly in Doctors.hospitals.in club medicals etc..

Can he touch the crossbar? Then he’s fine

Who was that so-called short guy who played sp well for a great Ipswich side alongside Paul Mariner, Alan Brazil, etc.? Was it Paul Cooper?

He was pretty good and I don't recall his supposed lack of height working against him and don't se it as a major issue for Murphy...although personally I wouldn't have dropped Etheridge!

Who was that so-called short guy who played sp well for a great Ipswich side alongside Paul Mariner, Alan Brazil, etc.? Was it Paul Cooper?

He was pretty good and I don't recall his supposed lack of height working against him and don't se it as a major issue for Murphy...although personally I wouldn't have dropped Etheridge!

Be careful when you mention the vertically challenged. I'm sure a member of the PC brigade will find something to complain about if you talk about a short guy.

Definitely Murphy's fault for the first goal!! Came for the throw and then went back to his line! Bamba didn't know if he was coming or going!!

Etheridge - decent shot stopper, good on one v ones. Shocking at crosses and kicking.

For me Murphy's a 3rd choice keeper in any other championship team. He nearly let Smiths soft header go in first half when he pushed it onto the post.

Need Camp desperately and another keeper in the window!!!

Definitely Murphy's fault for the first goal!! Came for the throw and then went back to his line! Bamba didn't know if he was coming or going!!

Etheridge - decent shot stopper, good on one v ones. Shocking at crosses and kicking.

For me Murphy's a 3rd choice keeper in any other championship team. He nearly let Smiths soft header go in first half when he pushed it onto the post.

Need Camp desperately and another keeper in the window!!!

i thought he was in 2 minds too...i dont buy all this comunication stuff though, those are experienced defenders in front of him { and Etheridge } unless they get a call to LEAVE it they should clear it..

Height is not a problem here.

Billy The Fish was only five feet above the ground and was a fantastic GK plus he was half-fish. Murphy is much taller than that and to the best of my knowledge is not half-fish.