For the last two games of the season, Big Sam was facing a dilemma as George McCartney’s injury absence forced him to put the left-sided midfielder at left-back, a position the experienced left-sided player had played at before in his Bolton days.
As a result of the six points gained from the Leicester and Hull City games and impressive attacking displays on show, Sam Allardyce decided that it was sufficient to continue this strategy, with the flexible choice of putting Jack Collison or Ricardo Vaz Te out on the left flank to provide various attacking options.
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With the relief of the first leg play-off victory in Wales, there was a distinct lack of coverage on Sam’s decision to keep Taylor in the this position for the first leg, with many assuming possibly that McCartney was still not 100% match fit.
However, another fantastic performance of supporting runs, great tackling and inch perfect corners and crosses from the rejuvenated Taylor in the left-back role has thrown up the possibility of using him as a permanent left-back over the more defensively-minded McCartney.
Against teams Big Sam knows he will be able to start out on the front foot and go for goals against (like Cardiff, Brighton or particularly Blackpool!), it seems to be a great idea with the unpredictable and mazy dribbling ability of Collison or Vaz Te just in front on the left-wing.
Defensive duties may on the odd occasion be neglected from Matty T, as the attacking left footer takes so much enjoyment from targeting right back opposition’s and this is a duty that must be addressed if he finds himself starting at Wembley in the left back role with a pacy winger like Nathan Redmond to contend with.
However, as shown in many games against teams around play-off region this season, most fans may well believe that our best chance of beating teams like Blackpool (or even Birmingham when you bear in mind the 3-3 draw) is by outscoring them. If Sam agrees, he may well stick with Matty T at left back, to open options up on the left hand side that will leave defences stretched and far more open to attack.
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In the final, if things are going our way after an hour, an attacking midfielder or a striker may well be sacrificed for George McCartney, a international full back who brings security to the left side of the defence, allowing Taylor to sit in front ready for any counter attacking ploys when West Ham win the ball back if under pressure.
Big Sam has a week and a half to make the important decision, but one can’t help think that momentum will be continued from the two perfect Cardiff performances if the starting line up is maintained as it was for the two semi final legs, without interruption or rotation!
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I completely agree with this. He has looked much more effective at left back bombing forward and providing perfect crosses for Cole and Collison arrving late at the back post from the right flank.
By luck or judgement we look far better balanced side with him in this postion. he as to much in his locker for most in this league-but in the prem if we get past blackpool we will see. but also What about Demel, at first I thought what have we here. he looked right out of sorts. but each game he as got better and looks a bit of class, reads the game,got a pass, strong in the tackle. I was thinking we may need at least 3 new players across the back,but these 2 may reduce that to 1 good center back. and allow us to bring on the likes of potts etc.
George mcartney was named player of the year by fellow profs so no, We have looked better because we have been playing two up front, vaz te and cole with vaz te allowed to roam.
What happend to the comment I posted yesterday??? It wasn’t offensive in any way, so why would it have been deleted? All I did was state that there was areas of this article that didn’t make sense or were factually inaccurate.
…’the attacking left footer takes so much enjoyment from targeting right back opposition’s’…an example of a sentence that doesn’t make sense.
…’this is a duty that must be addressed if he finds himself starting at Wembley in the left back role with a pacy winger like Nathan Redmond to contend with.’….. and this is factually inaccurate, Nathan Redmond plays for Brum not Blackpool!
If you are going to post drivel like this as an article without doing any research or proof reading it first, then I should be entitled to point out any errors without my comments being deleted!!