Western Morning News (Saturday)
Taylor wants to get Law involved again for Exeter’s clash at Walsall
EXETER City manager Matt Taylor admits it has been a frustrating time for Nicky Law, but hopes the gifted playmaker will be ready and available to play a big part for the Grecians in the coming weeks.
Through no fault of his own, the 32-year-old has not started yet this campaign and made late substitute appearances in only four games. Last week, he came down with an illness which forced him to go into isolation while he awaited the result of a Covid test, which thankfully returned a negative result.
Now, Law is back in training and Taylor says that it is time to get him back on the pitch, although he stopped short of saying he will start at Walsall this afternoon.
“I had a chat with Nicky today and I think it has been a really frustrating start to the season for all involved in relation to Nicky, through no fault of his own,” Taylor said. “He just hasn’t played the game time you’d expect from arguably your best player in the last two seasons.
“I think it’s time we got Nicky on the pitch. It’s time we see the best of him and he will only be able to do that if he is fully fit because he has had a couple of bouts of illness and waiting for test results and so on and so forth. He’s had a calf injury and was even back a little bit late for pre-season because he was in isolation having been in Spain when that lockdown came!
“It’s a combination of bits and pieces for Nicky but, as it stands, we are going into a run of games now where there are three a week and you want Nicky Law on that pitch as much as you possibly can, so I am hoping we get him on the pitch more often than not in the next few weeks. “
City grabbed stoppage time equaliser through Alex Fisher’s sensational long range strike at Southend United last time out, but that late drama did little to lift the mood of Taylor, who was not happy with what he saw from his side at Roots Hall.
The Grecians have conceded too many goals so far this season – 14 in their eight games played – while a lack of cutting edge has also left Taylor frustrated. When games are won and lost in both penalty boxes, it is an obvious source of frustration. So which is worse?
“Both!” Taylor said when asked which issue frustrated him more. “The goals were frustrating and this is with no disrespect to Southend, but we were dominant in both halves in possession and field position. The goals came too easily.
“That allowed Southend to sit deeper and it was harder to break them down, but our end product and use of the ball was really poor. We created some half chances, but not enough in terms of their centre halves and goalkeeper being under real pressure.
“Generally, we have been defending better than we have been, but we are still conceding goals, so that is something we have looked at as well.”
Taylor took the opportunity to watch Walsall in midweek when they beat Leyton Orient 2-1. They were the last opposition Exeter played before lockdown in a game where City felt hard done by having turned a poor first half performance around, only for a controversial refereeing decision to go against them.
That was in disallowing Ryan Bowman’s goal – minutes after he had equalised – and the Saddlers went on to add two more to rub salt into City’s wounds and win 3-1.
“It’s a difficult place to go at any time of year. They have started well and I went to watch them in their game on Tuesday night and they were the dominant team against Leyton Orient,” Taylor said.
“They were really aggressive in their style of play and got some really good attacking players.
“I cast my mind back to last season, it was our last game before lockdown and we were poor and on the back foot and couldn’t get out of our half in the first half. We will have to use the ball when we have got it and take pressure off ourselves at times and pack a punch in an attacking sense.”