Ex Player Matt Taylor

[The mighty Aldo]

I would say Taylor is at his best when we are passing the ball well and knock into his feet.
He is very good at holding the ball up and bringing the other players into the game
Where he struggles is when other teams press us and we have to hit long balls which are not accurate enough. This says more about the rest of the players than Taylor. But when the ball is aimed at his chest rather than his head he either holds it up or gets a foul against him
Have to say that when he played with Baldock he was at his best

 

[Paul Cannell]

Taylor's just fine. Showed how good he would be with decent support when Baldock played. Whole-hearted team player, too. Top lad.

 

[RyanioBirdio]

Personally I would much prefer Dan coming off the bench for the last 10 or 15 minutes in a game to give Taylor a rest than Winnall in recent games against Plymouth, Morecambe and Sunderland where we desperately needed to get something from the game.

That was always the entire point. He offered more than Mackie, he offered more than Winnall, and all he got was bunged out on the wing because he had a bit of pace. It was never anything more than that. As usual, though, most people can only operate via extremes where if you don’t think someone is shockingly bad then you must think they’re Ronaldo. He was never the worst option in his preferred position but was always kicked to the bottom of the well, and playing him out of position never did anything but make the team play worse. It’s funny seeing people who seem so bothered that not everybody hated him like Robinson. He scored some important goals including a winner at the skip. That alone gets you drinks for life.

Re Crewe, he’s been injured since the first week of March and won’t play again this season. He needs to have a good season next year in L2 or he’s done for. He got a raw deal here but if he doesn’t shake it off he’s finished, and that will be on him. If it were up to him (and the club) he would’ve left six months before he did, but he had to be kept around because Winnall can’t put the shopping away without putting his back out. More textbook squad building.

As for Taylor, he’s arguably the best centre forward in the division. I don’t think anybody playing his role would’ve scored more goals than he has in a yellow shirt the last three seasons. I love him and if anybody has a problem with him, we can take our shirts off and sort it out.

 

[Essexyellows]

The addition MT needs is a partner upfront in the realms of Baldock, maybe not always, but on those hard days against a bunch of lumping great centre-halves.

Apart from that, he`s amongst the very best strikers we`ve had in the last 40+ years.

 

[DevilsAvocado]

Would agree that Taylor is good at defending corners
I think he looks jaded in some games because until he played with Baldock he has to play on his own up front

As to two up front at corners KR has adressed this and says great in theory but in a penalty area that isn’t crowded it gives the opposition centre half’s more room to make a run at the ball

Yea, i can see the reason why but the cons outweigh the pro`s imo, fair enough if its against a team that have a significant
height advantage but not all the time, the problem i have with it is that with no outlet its an invitation for the oppostion to
put us under seige and get into their rythm, its not great.

Agree about Taylor, done a fair few miles for a player on the wrong side of thirty, an excellent player that would have got
my vote for player of the season if it wasnt for the fact that i voted for Brannagan, couldnt choose between them and in
the end it came down to the fact that CB has a choice to make next season and showing him a bit of love from the fans
is no bad thing.

 

[The mighty Aldo]

Yea, i can see the reason why but the cons outweigh the pro`s imo, fair enough if its against a team that have a significant
height advantage but not all the time, the problem i have with it is that with no outlet its an invitation for the oppostion to
put us under seige and get into their rythm, its not great.

Agree about Taylor, done a fair few miles for a player on the wrong side of thirty, an excellent player that would have got
my vote for player of the season if it wasnt for the fact that i voted for Brannagan, couldnt choose between them and in
the end it came down to the fact that CB has a choice to make next season and showing him a bit of love from the fans
is no bad thing.

Agree about leaving two up front,it’s KR that is loath to do it. Remember when Ramon Diaz was here we used to leave two up then constantly and it did pay dividends
As I recall Davies was the one with pace and maybe Hackett but the counter attack was effective

 

[The mighty Aldo]

Yea, i can see the reason why but the cons outweigh the pro`s imo, fair enough if its against a team that have a significant
height advantage but not all the time, the problem i have with it is that with no outlet its an invitation for the oppostion to
put us under seige and get into their rythm, its not great.

Agree about Taylor, done a fair few miles for a player on the wrong side of thirty, an excellent player that would have got
my vote for player of the season if it wasnt for the fact that i voted for Brannagan, couldnt choose between them and in
the end it came down to the fact that CB has a choice to make next season and showing him a bit of love from the fans
is no bad thing.

Agree about leaving two up front,it’s KR that is loath to do it. Remember when Ramon Diaz was here we used to leave two up then constantly and it did pay dividends
As I recall Davies was the one with pace and maybe Hackett but the counter attack was effective

 

[horseman]

Unfortunately Dan was not allowed a poorer performance and on some occasions was immediately taken out of the side when he did well.

I went on record as saying his link up play with Matty was superb in just a few brief minutes they were on the pitch together, I still believe that could have been worked on and at least tried in the Papa Johns as a minimum to see if it could be the answer. of course we always went for the lone striker option until very recently.The partnership with Sam Baldock worked and for this poster there will always be that what if where Dan and Matty are concerned
there was also excellent play down the right with Long Sykes and Henry.

Like all strikers Matty has his barren spells and misses of Guilt Edged chances but he has proven to be a leading striker at League 1 Level.

 

[Oufcrealist]

Would agree that Taylor is good at defending corners
I think he looks jaded in some games because until he played with Baldock he has to play on his own up front

As to two up front at corners KR has adressed this and says great in theory but in a penalty area that isn’t crowded it gives the opposition centre half’s more room to make a run at the ball

But if you don't leave at least one up the ball just comes straight back when it's cleared. Why not leave Gav or Holland up. They're not going to be very effective at defending in a crowded box. Opposition would have to leave two back because of their pace

 

[Sarge]

But if you don't leave at least one up the ball just comes straight back when it's cleared. Why not leave Gav or Holland up. They're not going to be very effective at defending in a crowded box. Opposition would have to leave two back because of their pace

Agree 100%

 

[Foley]

Agree about leaving two up front,it’s KR that is loath to do it. Remember when Ramon Diaz was here we used to leave two up then constantly and it did pay dividends
As I recall Davies was the one with pace and maybe Hackett but the counter attack was effective

I like the idea of especially leaving Whyte up for corners.
Very few teams leave so anbody up and I guess that it us all to do with reducing the chance of conceding in a more busy penalty area.

Shosho I expect has the stats and logic on that?

 

[The mighty Aldo]

But if you don't leave at least one up the ball just comes straight back when it's cleared. Why not leave Gav or Holland up. They're not going to be very effective at defending in a crowded box. Opposition would have to leave two back because of their pace

KR seems reluctant to do this, but it makes sense to me.

 

[OUFC OX3]

Agree about leaving two up front,it’s KR that is loath to do it. Remember when Ramon Diaz was here we used to leave two up then constantly and it did pay dividends
As I recall Davies was the one with pace and maybe Hackett but the counter attack was effective

Had Mooney, serval other wingers. Diaz junior and few other South American drug smugglers posing as professional footballers. Yet, that centre half, left footed was ace? Took a yellow card per match.

 

[tonyw]

Personally I would much prefer Dan coming off the bench for the last 10 or 15 minutes in a game to give Taylor a rest than Winnall in recent games against Plymouth, Morecambe and Sunderland where we desperately needed to get something from the game.

I think most people would.

The problem was, though, that it was much likely easier to find a taker for Dan.
Quicker, pacier and cheaper than Winnall.....worth a flyer for a club like Crewe. Finding someone to take Winnall off our hands, when he's clearly a long way past his best but still presumably on a decent wage, was probably impossible in January.

So I understand why Agyei was moved on.
The bigger January problem was that the two attacking players we brought in both got crocked (unluckily for Baldock, wholly predictably and preventably for Browne).
Plus of course, we failed to replace Gorrin and got worse in defense (I quite like Brown, but he's not as good as Thornily)

 

[tonyw]

Had Mooney, serval other wingers. Diaz junior and few other South American drug smugglers posing as professional footballers. Yet, that centre half, left footed was ace? Took a yellow card per match.

Mateo Corbo.

Hardest player we've had since the 90s (maybe even the 80s?). Loved watching him work!

 

[unification]

Some odd revisionism for Dan Agyei on here. He arrived a raw ball of talent who didn't know how to use it. He departed as a raw ball of talent who didn't know how to use it. If it's not going to happen for him soon, it may never will. He's 25 in the summer so has to start showing something soon.

That said - winner at the CG and all that. He's a good egg regardless of the many frustrations we had with him.

 

[Northernyellow]

Mateo Corbo.

Hardest player we've had since the 90s (maybe even the 80s?). Loved watching him work!

Completely agree. He appeared unhinged. And he could play. Most frightening player we have had since Briggs & Shotton.

 

[Reynolds97]

Apologies for a new thread but what I would like to address is a general response to posts in a number of threads over the weekend (Fleetwood Matchday, Incoming Players, Robbo Out).

It's part of a trend I have noticed whereby on the roughly 50% of games in which Taylor fails to score there are a few posts suggesting that he doesn't do enough, or other such vague words.
First off, he is the best out and out striker we have had in the 21st Century, by quite some distance (sorry Beano).
How many years have we collectively been crying out for a 20 goal a season centre forward? And now we have one, who does it year in year out. In League One. Oh, and he's an Oxford boy.
And yet on the 50% of games in which he doesn't bag, someone will question his lack of all round game or that he didn't do enough that day? Have we become complacent?
He scores 20+ a season. Every season. In League One. As a lone striker for much of it.

Of course I'm not suggesting he should be immune from criticism - if it's warranted. But I don't think (for the most part at least) that it is warranted. As i say very vague and only happens when he doesn't score. If he doesn't do enough generally that should apply every game no? Otherwise it seems as though if he doesnt score he has to compensate in other ways on those specific games only - as though he should alter his game?
I don't want him running around like a headless chicken. I don't want him defending corners. That's not the nature of his game. He is an out and out goalscorer. He may miss the odd chance, but he scores far more than he misses. That's the nature of his game.

If anyone can be specific in their criticism fair enough, but I'm not really seeing it.

There are plenty of things to fix about this team for next season but Matty Taylor is not one of them.
Along with Cam Bran, first name on the team sheet.

Don't care how many goals he ends up scoring he will never surpass Beano for me. The loyalty and love he showed for the club will never be repeated again.

 

[Coffin dodger]

Don't care how many goals he ends up scoring he will never surpass Beano for me. The loyalty and love he showed for the club will never be repeated again.

They certainly matched each other for being offside too often.

 

[MJB]

Don't care how many goals he ends up scoring he will never surpass Beano for me. The loyalty and love he showed for the club will never be repeated again.

To play devil’s advocate, Beano’s refusal to sign with Bournemouth cost him a move to a better club, and a significant wedge for the club which might have improved the squad significantly.

I love his character (and his turning down of Swindon was commendable) but he was a limited L2 striker and if we take hearts out of the equation, we may well have been better off cashing in and getting improved player(s) in.

All ifs and buts of course.

And in regard to loyalty from Taylor, yes he turned us down for an improved deal with Rovers but let’s not forget that we binned him off as a kid. Loyalty goes two ways. Football is a harsh, harsh place.

And ultimately, he got himself a big move to Bristol City, earned a big salary for a few years and then signed for us, twice.

But both Oxford greats ultimately, who we’ve been lucky to see wear the shirt.