Express & Star

Walsall loanee Corey Blackett-Taylor: All about the end product

Corey Blackett-Taylor knows he must improve his end product if he is to realise his undoubted potential.

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Blackett-Taylor wants to be ruthless

The winger, who joined the Saddlers on loan from Villa in January, has impressed in his last three outings for Dean Keates’ side.

Starting on the left of a front three, Blackett-Taylor was a whisker away from scoring his first Walsall goal in the clash against Barnsley last weekend.

After racing into the box and squeezing the ball past keeper Jack Walton, the winger was then unfortunate to see his effort acrobatically cleared off the line by Ben Williams.

And the youngster says he is working hard to be more clinical both inside and outside the 18-yard box.

“In the past few games I’ve had some good runs and showed my pace and trickery,” Blackett-Taylor said.

“But it’s just getting that end product now.

“That means getting more shots on goal, improving my crossing and creating more goalscoring opportunities.

“I am able to get into the box with my pace and trickery.

“But you then have to finish off with something to impact the team.”

Blackett-Taylor, who is from Birmingham, joined Villa aged eight.

And he revealed fellow Brummie Jack Grealish is a big role model of his, while he also looks up to Kylian Mbappe and Yannick Bolasie.

“You look at Kylian Mbappe and what he’s achieved in such a short career, the way he plays, the kind of things he does,” Blackett-Taylor said when asked about his role models.

“There are player I’ve played with who have helped me.

“Even though Yannick Bloasie was only at Aston Villa a short time, he taught me a lot.

“Another role model, being so close to home, is Jack Grealish. I played with him in the youth team so seeing him captaining the Villa team, I know how things can happen in football if you do well and work hard.”

Meanwhile, Walsall’s relegation rivals Southend have sacked manager Chris Powell after a run of 11 games without a win.

The Shrimpers sit one place above Keates’s side in the League One table – but are out of the bottom four on goal difference. Powell’s departure means Walsall are now the only club in the bottom seven not to change their manager this season.