When Diego Laxalt signed for Celtic on loan this season, he ousted Greg Taylor as first choice left back and there seems to be this strange debate between the Celtic fans as to who is the better player between the two. For me, I think they are both very good players but also have their own strengths and weaknesses.
Greg Taylor joined from Kilmarnock in 2019 for £3m whilst Laxalt joined on loan from AC Milan this season. Both have impressed with energy and enthusiasm down the left but lets look at the stats to try and get an insight to each players strengths and weaknesses. Comparisons are taken from fbref.com and from domestic fixtures only.
Taylor currently has played 883 minutes on the park compared to Laxalt’s 678, and in that time Laxalt’s goal threat is streets ahead of Taylor with the Uruguayan finding the net once from 10 shots with only 2 of those shots on target. Taylor has yet to score this season from two shots with only one of those finding the target.
However, looking at their contribution to the team from those appearances, when Taylor is picked, Celtic have won on average 2.42 points points per minute he is on the park compared to Laxalt’s 1.67 and for all Laxalts attacking intent, the team scores more goals when Taylor is on the pitch at 21 compared to Laxalt at 14 goals per minutes played.
Goals conceded per minutes played are less for the young Scotsman as Celtic have only conceded 6 compared to Laxalt’s 9. Laxalt has also committed more fouls at 21 compared to Taylors 9, and Taylor has drawn more fouls than his team mate at 15 compared to 7. Taylor has put more crosses into the box in his appearances, which ties in with the goals scored, with 55 compared to Laxalt’s 37.
Now I know stats can be construed to suit any argument and obviously each person has their own opinion on which player they rate better, but looking at these stats alone, with 5 years less experience than his Uruguayan team mate, Greg Taylor so far is doing a better job than he is being given credit for.