The curious case of Jack Taylor 11:01 - Jul 21 with 4217 views | _clive_baker_ | Not that curious to be fair, just sounded like an appropriate thread title. What do people make of his future here? Couldn't get in the side in the Championship, couldn't get much of an opportunity last season either. In fact he's only started 11 league games in his town career so far, and 3 of those were after the PL season was done. I'm not really sure what he is, he's not a 6, he's been used at times in a more advanced 10 role but I'm not convinced he's suited to that for us. On paper he's a box-to-box conventional #8, but not in our system. We're talking about an Ireland international (yeah, I know) in the prime years of his career. One that seems to threaten to break through and is generally neat and tidy, but never really stakes a big claim when he does play. I wonder if he'll move on this summer if the recruitment goes to plan? Or maybe stick around and see more of the same in terms of opportunities until he leaves on a free next summer? |  | | |  |
The curious case of Jack Taylor on 12:30 - Jul 21 with 1000 views | Nutkins_Return |
The curious case of Jack Taylor on 12:02 - Jul 21 by itfcjoe | 27 year old international who doesn't really fit with how we play or has been able to make a mark here - all things being equal you don't let him run his contract down so probably sell him now. But Morsy's unexpected departure may have scuppered that as leaves us too much to do in CM so he ends up a casualty of that and we lose out on a few million quid we could have potentially got for him |
I could see him signing a new contract. If we go up I think he'll move on. He's an excellent squad CM for us. Doesn't cause a manager any problems and has the ability to come on and get us a goal. |  |
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The curious case of Jack Taylor on 12:43 - Jul 21 with 961 views | BarcaBlue |
The curious case of Jack Taylor on 12:30 - Jul 21 by Nutkins_Return | I could see him signing a new contract. If we go up I think he'll move on. He's an excellent squad CM for us. Doesn't cause a manager any problems and has the ability to come on and get us a goal. |
I think that's pushing it a bit. He's scored 3 league goals for us in 2 seasons. Admittedly he's been limited in starts but that's not a great return for a player considered "box to box" even if we don't exactly play him that way. Maybe it's because of his style, preferred position or midfielders ahead of him but it's been an underwhelming couple of years really. As with the op I'm not sure where he fits in here. |  | |  |
The curious case of Jack Taylor on 13:28 - Jul 21 with 912 views | Durovigutum |
The curious case of Jack Taylor on 11:06 - Jul 21 by Blue_Moses | To me a 6 is a defender and a 10 is a striker |
I’m glad it’s not just me. 5&6 are centre backs and 4 is your holding midfielder. |  | |  |
The curious case of Jack Taylor on 14:55 - Jul 21 with 847 views | Juggsy | Taylor plus cash for Hackney anyone? |  | |  |
The curious case of Jack Taylor on 15:10 - Jul 21 with 808 views | Kieran_Knows | I think it's unfortunate for him as he came in that summer where we all expected him to start alongside Morsy given the money we paid for him, and yet Morsy & Luongo kicked on again in the Championship and didn't look back. I like him as a player, but have always felt he doesn't particularly suit our number 8 role, neither does he suit the 10 role. Similar to Broadhead, going in the last year of his deal and do we view them both as long term solutions should we go back up again? Either get relatively decent money for them this summer, or see them go for nothing next summer. |  |
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The curious case of Jack Taylor on 17:31 - Jul 21 with 700 views | Nutkins_Return |
The curious case of Jack Taylor on 12:43 - Jul 21 by BarcaBlue | I think that's pushing it a bit. He's scored 3 league goals for us in 2 seasons. Admittedly he's been limited in starts but that's not a great return for a player considered "box to box" even if we don't exactly play him that way. Maybe it's because of his style, preferred position or midfielders ahead of him but it's been an underwhelming couple of years really. As with the op I'm not sure where he fits in here. |
It's not pushing it really is it. He's always had a goal in him. 22 for Peterborough including 10 in his final season and anyone with eyes can see he's a threat. That's not the issue with him. He's technically not as strong as we need to hold down a starting birth. Think he's worked on his game though and will be interesting to see how he's goes this season. Certainly toward end of the season he was talking like he was staying and wanted to force his way as a starter this year. Just think he's a good squad player and rather will save us spending. If we got a good offer I'm fine with it either way. |  |
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The curious case of Jack Taylor on 19:12 - Jul 21 with 633 views | Smoresy | As a conventional #8 on paper he brings some versatility. He was first choice sub midfielder in a team that won automatic promotion. He overtook Luongo in the pecking order last season, coming on from the bench most games again. Put the above together and I don't think we've been short-changed for our £1.5m, but maybe it is curious how McKenna monitored and chased him for as long as he did. Was it a misstep or did we identify someone who would improve the 16 or 20, rather than the starting 11? Whatever the answer to that, we definitely need a deep squad to do positive things this year. As long as Jack's happy to continue helping from the bench, I don't see a great argument for shifting him on. I can see us offering him an extension next year. |  | |  |
The curious case of Jack Taylor on 19:25 - Jul 21 with 608 views | HungryLikeTheWoolf |
The curious case of Jack Taylor on 11:12 - Jul 21 by _clive_baker_ | Yeah I think it'll go 1 of 2 ways, 1) we recruit well and he moves on towards the end of the window. Or 2) we still need his presence, he sticks around and continues to not get many opportunities. Bit of a shame for him, on the plus side he can say he's achieved back to back promotions and played in the premier league. On the downside I would've thought he would want to be playing every week at this stage of his career. Can't see that with us. |
He joined us in June 2023 so only(!) got one promotion with us, but he still played his part! |  | |  | Login to get fewer ads
The curious case of Jack Taylor on 22:10 - Jul 21 with 511 views | Blue_Heath | Nothing curious had our pants pulled down by Peterborough.....again. |  | |  |
The curious case of Jack Taylor on 22:46 - Jul 21 with 455 views | PioneerBlue | I don’t really see the attributes he became famed for showing up. Until now we’ve not been able to manoeuvre him into shooting positions on a regular basis and as others have said he doesn’t seem to have the ball skills and vision to execute in tight press situations. He’s an 8 or box to box and we don’t play that loose to require that, or at least we haven’t until now. That all said, he’s one of few on the books midfielders and we can’t currently let him go because we are extremely light on numbers therefore we hope he improves rapidly. [Post edited 22 Jul 6:19]
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The curious case of Jack Taylor on 23:23 - Jul 21 with 403 views | charlie1 | This could be the season he really shows his ability. Bought from League One so had to develop into a Champ player so was always going to struggle to displace Morsy and Luongo. Then we get promoted and he can’t just consolidate, he has to push on again. If we’re honest he wasn’t bought with the Premiership in mind one year later. In such a key position that’s a huge jump for anybody. If he’s grown as he should have since he’s been here he should walk this league this season. If he doesn’t now then he never will. |  | |  |
The curious case of Jack Taylor on 23:26 - Jul 21 with 399 views | Bellevue_Blue | Some of these responses are really short sighted IMO. Why can't he just be a decent Champ player who is a really valuable part of the squad. He's not slow, he's not 'not technically good enough', he's good on the ball, he's always available, by all accounts a great person and he very very rarely lets the manager, fans or club down with his performances. In my mind, he's pretty much always a 6/10. Last year he went about his business making 32 appearances but didn't jump off the page like Jens and thats ok. Cajuste was a £10M central midfielder who will be playing at the very top of the game for the rest of his career. We don't have an endless amount of money to get multiple Jens Cajuste's and so for now, Taylor is a really really good squad player who knows the system, trains well and will be happy fighting for his role. Going back to the OP, I think he has a really important part to play this year. He's got a role to play in leading that CM group and pushing everyone forward. I think selling him would be a big mistake. Starting a season with four new CM's is a risky ploy. |  | |  |
The curious case of Jack Taylor on 06:22 - Jul 22 with 273 views | Blue_Heath |
The curious case of Jack Taylor on 23:26 - Jul 21 by Bellevue_Blue | Some of these responses are really short sighted IMO. Why can't he just be a decent Champ player who is a really valuable part of the squad. He's not slow, he's not 'not technically good enough', he's good on the ball, he's always available, by all accounts a great person and he very very rarely lets the manager, fans or club down with his performances. In my mind, he's pretty much always a 6/10. Last year he went about his business making 32 appearances but didn't jump off the page like Jens and thats ok. Cajuste was a £10M central midfielder who will be playing at the very top of the game for the rest of his career. We don't have an endless amount of money to get multiple Jens Cajuste's and so for now, Taylor is a really really good squad player who knows the system, trains well and will be happy fighting for his role. Going back to the OP, I think he has a really important part to play this year. He's got a role to play in leading that CM group and pushing everyone forward. I think selling him would be a big mistake. Starting a season with four new CM's is a risky ploy. |
I hope you are right and would be delighted if he proves me wrong but it just feels to me he doesn't suit the way we play. If it weren't for a few goals against Wolves he's pretty much unnoticeable, a good lad, willing runner etc but just doesn't have a position he will make his own for me. |  | |  |
The curious case of Jack Taylor on 07:32 - Jul 22 with 227 views | Len_Brennan | I would agree with a lot of the points already made here. He is a Championship level midfielder who couldn't dislodge Luongo when we were in the Championship, but that was in large part down to the sheer effectiveness of the partnership Luongo had with Morsy, which just clicked immediately, & far exceeded even McKenna's expectations. But the other thing I will defend him on, is that he really isn't the modern day #6 or #8 that we are looking to play in our predominently 4-2-3-1 system (as others have pointed out), he is more suited to being a third midfielder with the licence to get forward, which is different to being the #10 in the centre of the 3 attackers. Last season I thought we had cause to play with 3 defined midfielders at times, but when Taylor did come in it was more as a #10 dropping back to help than as a midfielder pushing on. The Coventry/Lampard shout is a good one. I could see Taylor in a Tommy Miller type role, behind 2 strikers, coming late onto the ball to slot it home from an instinctive Pablo lay off. |  | |  |
The curious case of Jack Taylor on 07:45 - Jul 22 with 211 views | WeWereZombies |
The curious case of Jack Taylor on 22:46 - Jul 21 by PioneerBlue | I don’t really see the attributes he became famed for showing up. Until now we’ve not been able to manoeuvre him into shooting positions on a regular basis and as others have said he doesn’t seem to have the ball skills and vision to execute in tight press situations. He’s an 8 or box to box and we don’t play that loose to require that, or at least we haven’t until now. That all said, he’s one of few on the books midfielders and we can’t currently let him go because we are extremely light on numbers therefore we hope he improves rapidly. [Post edited 22 Jul 6:19]
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When you say we didn't play that loose...or haven't until now I think that is something to recognise. At the back end of last season we seemed easy to beat because we were predictable, McKenna had set up a system for the season (as he did in the promotion seasons before) and its limitations were becoming a little too obvious. But our manager is a smart lad and I don't think we should expect him to leave this problem unaddressed, even if we are playing a division lower for the time being. Taylor may yet become pivotal (sorry, couldn't resist) to a new style of play this season. |  |
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