There’s some players that are always expected to produce an impressive performance. There are others that are seen as inevitably “below par”. However there are also some players who are seen as being amongst the latter category whose impressive performances regularly slip under the radar.
One player who would be seen by many as “inadequate” is Matthew Taylor. The 32-year-old midfielder has not been particularly impressive when it comes to goals and assists since joining West Ham in July 2011. Taylor has scored just three goals in his West Ham career, including a stint in the Championship. This is by no means impressive. So far this season, he has a goal and an assist, both in the Capital One Cup. Overall, certainly not impressive reading.
However, in a side which has hardly been in full scoring form, it is hardly surprising that a sporadic team player has yet to directly contribute to a goal in the Premier League.
Matt Taylor has recently become a player of choice for Big Sam and Taylor has started the last five Premier League games, in which West Ham’s form has certainly increased, with two wins (Cardiff City and Swansea City) and an away draw versus Chelsea. Of course the contribution on these results from the return of Andy Carroll is not to be taken lightly. Regardless, I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Matt Taylor has been involved in West Ham’s best run of the season.
In an extremely tough position in the league and with a subsequent relegation battle on the cards, you can have all the technical ability in the world and get nothing in a game. That is why Big Sam has recently opted for Matthew Taylor, and rightly so. Taylor will most certainly give you 100% and put himself around the pitch for 90 minutes.
You can look at any statistic for Matty Taylor and be disappointed, but not many players with high levels of technical ability will put in anywhere near the amount of effort that Taylor will. I’ll repeat, that is much needed in a relegation battle. In a midfield with Mark Noble, 200% effort is a regular occurrence.
It’s not purely Taylor’s effort, but also his fight for the cause and his willingness to put his body on the line. He is averaging just over one block a game. You may suggest that around 85% of those shots will be on target and any number of those could have ended up in the back of the net. With 10 league appearances, Taylor has quite possibly saved West Ham many goals by putting his body on the line.
Is it plausible to call Matthew Taylor an unsung hero? I’m not sure. He certainly deserves more credit than he gets, which I guess is the definition of an unsung hero. However, Taylor is destined to be under the radar as without contribution of goals as a midfielder, you’ll always be relatively unnoticed. That doesn’t mean that West Ham fans can’t/won’t appreciate what he is doing for our club. He may not be as exciting to watch as Ravel Morrison and Mohamed Diame, but is that really what is needed during the scrap of a relegation battle?
I agree MT has had some good games, but I think your forgetting his shocker against Newcastle appreciate he was played out of position at right back but I was at that game and he was caught out of position and left us exposed and was at fault for both Newcastle’s first half goals
Spot On MT I would take effort over ability all day long in our position.Neil as you say he was played out of position with gouffran and also remy drifting over even world class full back would have struggled with them let alone a left footed midfielder so I think we can forgive him that one and to be fair he made 1 amazing run that carlton cole should have scored from that might of changed the game #coyi
He has done well in recent games. putting in 100% and getting himself forward. … i think he’s good to have in the squad. I dont understand why Sam would put him at right back. i dont lay any blame in Taylor for newcastle, Sam shouldnt have put him there in the first place. Spence was the option to take. … I also dont understand why Taylor is being played in the centre mid 3. …. For me the obvious place would be as a direct replacement for Jarvis, who continues to deceive most fans into believing he’s good. He’s not. Jarvis deserves to be benched and Taylor’s 100% effort down the left offers more imo.
but dont misunderstand me. In January I would have signed an extra wide man, i see Gradel was mentioned on twitter for about a day. Not sure he was the best option…. but we need attacking prowess down the wings if Jarvis isnt doing it, then we need someone who is.
I largely agree with what you have said and can understand where you are coming from. His performances against Cardiff and especially chelski were indeed outstanding. He is a player of limited ability but always gives his all and has punched above his weight for all the teams he has played for. But there lies the dilemma that is mirrored both by the player and the club. He is good at doing a job, solid and perfectly acceptable at keeping you where you are. But, unfortunately he is not the type of player required to move the club onto that next more expansive level. This is where a lot of clubs fail especially newly promoted ones. Defensive safe football will by and large serve you well the first year up.but after that teams will have Sussed out how you play and a different style will be needed. It is then that lesser teams are exposed. By opening up and playing a more expansive games teams are vunerable like they weren’t before when they were keeping it tight the previous season. It is then the big boys pounce and destroy you! It is the same when better teams than the smaller clubs/cannon fodder that win promotion each year, try and move onto that next mid table level. For it is only then do you realise how good the league really is and just how much money is required just to be mid table/hovering around the top ten! Then the finances required to move onto the next level after that, the one below the top six are mind boggling! And to even think about trophies and champions league well, that would even make a billionaire baulk! Although we are nowhere near the upper reaches of the premier league giants we have taken our first tentative steps on reaching that mid table/comfortable top ten level with the OS a major boost along that road! From small acorns mighty oaks grow! COYI!
I agree that Taylor has been fantastic in recent weeks as a holding/destructive midfielder. However, I think your comments about a lack of technical ability are a bit short-sighted. Taylor is not just a workhorse. Youtube some of his goals for Portsmouth and Bolton and you can see he how well he can strike a ball. Although his goals and assist record at West Ham has been poor, I think he offers the team a lot more than just ‘heart’, he can pick a pass and is an intelligent footballer.
I agree he has a great passing range. However that’s only for his past clubs. I’ve yet to witness an outstanding high pass success rate or a high amount of key passes/assists.
He certainly WAS known for his technical ability but I feel he’s lacking compared to most of the league and so his workload is his key advantage.
It is not suprisng that Matt Taylor is a player who splits opinion and the pro-supporters highlight his recent do-or -die efforts in throwing his body at possibly goal-bound shots. But that is the whole problem with current Hammers strategy. Taylor had a poor season last year and in all honesty should have departed and in most clubs he would have. But , of course, he is ex-Bolton and bfs prizes that above all else. A player has to be judged on ability, consistency, concentration and tactical awareness. Unfortunately we haven’t seen much of those attributes during his time here. As with a few others in our current squad Matt is not Premier standard and if we are to survive then surely there must be room for one or two ball-players – or am I guilty of livingi n the past?
Matty Taylor has been terrific lately. Has more work rate than Diame & Morrison put together. Toby Fry – you must have missed that sublime pass over the top of the Cardiff defence to Stewart Downing who subsequently slid the ball across the box for CC to score.
yeah work rate and nothing sell him now just because he puts a couple of good plays how many seasons at our club how many games just another of sam’s men not good