Exeter City have the joint-best defensive record in League Two after ten games, conceding only six goals. Manager Matt Taylor has praised that solidity but insists his side must find more goals at the other end of the pitch, having scored just six times themselves. This leaves the team with a goal difference of zero, which is reflected in their current standings position of 14th, with 12 points from three wins, three draws and four defeats.
That defensive return matches Walsall's and is the club's second-best start in its history, bettered only by the 1973-74 and 1986-87 seasons. The flip side is an attacking output that is the third-worst tally in the division. Taylor's specific target for the next phase is to maintain the defensive standard while significantly boosting the attack, aiming for a much higher output in the next ten-game block.
Attacking output a concern
Taylor is clear that improvement is needed. "We're pleased with that 10-game split defensively, but we've still got to add so much more at the other end of the pitch," he said. He noted that the team's recent form of two wins, two draws and one loss in their last five outings, including consecutive 1-0 victories, has been built on that defensive platform. The manager has set a clear objective for the upcoming fixtures, starting with the next match away at 19th-placed Colchester United on Saturday, 17 October.
Defenders earn praise
The manager highlighted the work of his forward players as the first line of defence, naming Josh Gordon, George Birch, Anthony Scully and Taylor Perry as key contributors to the team's defensive structure. Their efforts, alongside the regular defensive unit detailed in the club's squad list, have given Exeter a platform. However, converting that into more wins requires a sharper edge in attack to turn promising defensive work into a better points return from the coming games.
Background and full detail: sports.yahoo.com
