Nathaniel Mendez-Laing’s injury has left many fans uncertain of Derby County’s promotion hopes but one player must now step up in the run-in.
Promotion to the Championship is still in Derby County‘s hands as we enter the final six games. The Rams are four points clear of third place Bolton Wanderers, although that deficit can be slashed to just a point if Ian Evatt’s side win their game in hand.
During a pivotal period, Paul Warne will need to use every tool in his locker, and with Nathaniel Mendez-Laing suffering an injury, this has only heightened the need to unleash Corey Blackett-Taylor.
Signed for £300,000 from Charlton Athletic in January, Blackett-Taylor has had a difficult introduction to life at Pride Park. A niggling hamstring strain, allied with the team’s form, has restricted him to just a handful of appearances.
However, there was enough evidence from his cameo appearance against Northampton to suggest that he can leave his mark on this Derby side and now is the time to step up.
The statistics that show Corey Blackett-Taylor can prove his worth to Derby
With Mendez-Laing suffering an injury and Warne expected to revert to his trusted 4-3-3 formation, Blackett-Taylor can slot into his preferred position on the left flank.
The Englishman flourished as a left-winger at Charlton and blew the league apart with eight goals and seven assists for the Addicks this season.
Blackett-Taylor was a potent force in South London, combining his pace, power and precise dribbling to wreak havoc against opposing defenders.
A dribble-happy wide player, whose first thought is to drive at his opponents, the 26-year-old is excellent at manipulating the ball in tight spaces.
Remarkably, despite hardly featuring for the Rams since joining, the jet-heeled winger ranks first in League One for most dribbles completed per game (2.6), placing him above Peterborough’s dangerous duo, Ephron Mason-Clark and Kwame Poku.
Transferring his statistics from his time at Charlton, Blackett-Taylor also ranks fourth in the Derby squad for big chances created (6), only beaten by Mendez-Laing, Conor Hourihane and Tom Barkhuizen.
Blackett-Taylor’s time to shine
At his best, Blackett-Taylor is one of the best wingers in the league and upon arriving in Derbyshire, he was lauded as “dangerous” by journalist Josh Bunting.
He tore up the division in a mediocre side because he was awarded the freedom to express himself. Warne has to cultivate a similar plan at Derby by playing him off the left flank, encouraging the left back to overlap which will allow him the space to cut inside.
There’s a reason why the club spent big on him in January and if given an extended run in the team, he can shine in the final six games and prove to his manager they were right to spend the money on him.
Blackett-Taylor’s run in a Derby shirt could start on Good Friday as a huge game against Blackpool awaits.