Matt Taylor playing Shrewsbury waiting game
Shrewsbury Town will need to see who they have available before deciding what system to play against Burton, according to boss Matt Taylor.
Town switched to a back four in the latter stages of their 2-0 defeat to Cheltenham on Boxing Day, something that did give them some impetus in a game they struggled to create chances in for large parts.
But they lost two players to injury in the game after Dan Udoh and Taylor Perry both had to go off in the second half.
And Taylor says they will need to wait and see who is available before deciding if a back four could solve their goalscoring woes.
Evaluate
“I think what it looks like at the moment. Let’s re-evaluate who the hell is actually fit,” the boss said when asked if a four at the back is something his side might do more of.
“Let’s be frank. We might be two players down from Cheltenham and if we are, it is going to push us even further to the limit.
“We will have to evaluate tomorrow and Thursday who is fit and what is best for the players who are fit and available.
“We cannot run away from the fact that we do not score enough goals.”
Town are the joint lowest scorers in the division – a statistic that is not pretty.
It was Exeter and Cheltenham before, but after both sides won on Boxing Day it now means the Robins have overtaken Town on the goalscoring front and Exeter are now joint with 14 goals.
“The options that we have, that you would argue that are your goalscorers, are on the pitch every week,” added Taylor. “So it is really difficult, we have looked at countless scenarios as a group of staff but we are where we are and it is tough because I know the players are giving everything they have got physically.
“It is our job now, and my job now, to try and give the forward players belief.
“As, what happens when you lose football matches is everyone all of a sudden loses that real belief in themselves, which is normal, and when you win it flips.
“We have got to make sure that on Friday we are better in our box defending, that is what has hurt us at Cheltenham.”
Town have two winnable games coming up against Burton Albion tonight and Fleetwood on New Year’s Day.
They need to produce some positive performances and some results in those fixtures with the pressure starting to ramp up.
The transfer window opens soon and that will give Town some chance in the market. Elliot Thorpe has returned to his parent club Luton, which will give Taylor and director of football Micky Moore the funds to bring some players in.
They will not be able to make an impact, though, until early in January – just in time for the huge FA Cup clash against Wrexham.
