The College Dropout

He's not a poacher. He gets very involved in the game. For a short lad he's pretty good in the air and holding it up. Runs the channels very well. Basically is great for a team and keeps the opposition CB's busy. Can play uptop on his own but ideally he would be next to someone capable of 15-25 goals. Although tbh we have Gouff who can do something similar.

Really like Shane Long, reminds me of Bellamy. His contract running out? He was signed for £5m only a couple years back.

That one is plain old hate expressed in racist language.

I'll tell you now. There not a friend of my that could post that type of thing about me and not receive a swift blow to the jaw. The lads not taking offence doesn't matter to me at all. They could be as dumb as Saylor for all I know. Or they could be great mates and have offensive banter between themselves.

I'm not saying Saylor is a racist. But some of the images in the picture kinda harken back to some of those sentiments (the gollywog-esque face, the random African). Now I don't believe for a second Saylor intentionally put it all together like that's not an excuse. People on here are attempting to excuse Saylor because he's an idiot and doesn't realise what he's done (and he clearly hasn't/doesn't realise).

I understand that, it was persecution based on ignorance, are we still ignorant? I don't think we are and I don't think we need to see everything as racism just because it's based around colour. Racism is not about ignorance. In any case.. I believe Taylor's compared a few of our black lads to a darkened-up man with comic Gollywogesque lips, some type of tribal African man and some other black dude for good measure. If that's not ignorant I don't know what is.

I've never heard anybody say that who wasn't racist. I find it amazing that you can claim the bit in bold and then take offence at the image that was tweeted but I do admit ignorance as I'm not black so have never been racially abused, that I know of. My point is: Simply saying words doesn't make you a racist. It's possible for someone to say those words and NOT be a racist. It's possible for someone to be racist and never racially insult/abuse someone. The point is: those words and pictures have no place in a society that is against racism. I'm not going to excuse what to me.. is a racist image because I don't believe Steven Taylor is racist. I don't believe John Terry is a massive racist either but he said a racist thing and was deservedly punished.

That's bollocks, you can hurt a fat person as much by taking the p*ss out of him for being fat or a ginger kid for being ginger. Why is one fair game while the other isn't? I'm neither by the way so I'm not biting. One harkens back to hundreds of years of slavery, colonialism, oppression, genocide... the other doesn't. You're a grown adult man. Why don't you know this?

Ok, I'm confused. Is it racism? He's not said he hates them because they are black. In fact, it's quite clear he doesn't hate them because they are larking about and they've been ribbing him for his crap attempts at speaking French. So is he racist? Are they xenophobic for mocking an Englishman for his inability to speak another language. I thought racism was racial hatred? Or am I completely wrong? Yes. But calling someone a black cunt doesn't make you a racist. It will get you sacked from your job if it's corporate and some matches banned if you're a footballer. The image was racially offensive.

He's not being accused of being racist. He's accused of posting a racist picture, which he did.

WHAT? There's no racism, man, Taylor's just stupid enough to post something which could be construed as slightly racially insensitive on Twitter. His joke centres around Anita's race. I'm not sure what part is meant to be funny but there you go.

It's meant to be harmless banter apparently but it's a racist photo no doubt.

Pretty sickening how people are acting like it's a total non-issue. Shades of Suarez/RAWK and Saylor's not a brilliant footballer either

It is and i think it's nothing to worry about imo but in this climate, the PC brigade go mental. That s*** has been allowed to run riot in the last few years. Over sensitive self appointed policemen. Shame but that's the reality of the today. f*** off man bimpy I seriously doubt there was any malice on Taylor's part but I wouldn't say "oh, it's nothing to worry about". Okay, it was probably a private joke but on a public forum, without any context it is simply Steven Taylor taking the p*ss out of black people. And some of our fans were f***ing patting him on the back with their inane "omg Stevie #lad epic #banter" type responses, which does nowt for our reputation either. He really needs to engage his brain (if he has one). Exactly, the only reason why I'm not totally offended is that 1. I know he's a complete idiot 2. I've assumed they are friends and that's how they banter. But as a standalone picture, it's pretty fucking racist.

He's an idiot. If you had a public job, you wouldn't post that type of banter on Twitter or FB. You would keep it Whatsapp or whatever. He's making jokes about their blackness and given Papiss some comic lips. IMO he deserves whatever criticism he receives. Personal "bants" is just that but when it's public it becomes an issue. He's a moron.

He actually got less yellow cards last season than any other right? he did (wrongfully) get sent off in that period however.

He likes to cut in... he needs to learn how to make that useful for us.

Norwich game is all crosses.

He'll look to bring on HBA to provide that little bit of magic we all know he's capable of. We know he's a matchwinner and if he comes on to do just that i'm sure Pardew will say something very similar to what i've typed.

Hopefully explains why he didn't look the most mobile

Very slow turning circle from what i've seen.

He didn't give Navas a sniff. What? For about 25 minutes Navas tore him to shreds again and again putting balls in the box. It was so bad he got subbed after being subbed on. Anita I think it was dropped back there and looked much better.

As I said Ben Arfa would still need to do some defending, I'm not advocating no support for Debuchy at all. Just saying I don't believe he'll now need as much as he needed earlier in the season. Its not like Ben Arfa can't provide any support at all for the left back, he's shown in the past he can if he's motivated. We have looked more solid in the last few games, partly due to Debuchy settling in, and partly due to Williamson and Yanga-Mbiwa being a better partnership than Coloccini and Yanga-Mbiwa was previously. I agree on not bringing Coloccini back yet BTW. HBA has shown he can come off the bench and earn his place back in the starting line-up and I want him to do it again.

Was poor against City too tbf. Navas is an excellent winger but Paul looked very slow on the turn. Doesn't look to be a natural fullback imo

We haven't put in a shambolic defensive performance since Colo & HBA have been out the side and i'm not in a rush to bring them back in. HBA it's 50/50... I certainly wouldn't start Colo.