Steven Taylor

[Guest Knightrider]

What Taylor's recent performances show is that any defender and indeed a team, needs a settled back four and needs the rest of the team to shield them by keeping possession and attacking. We do both that a lot better these days so players like Taylor and the back-four don't come under as much pressure meaning when they do have to defend, they are focused and set if you like, much easier than facing an overload because of a none existent midfield, time and time again due to the team's inability to keep the ball and attack the opposition, both things that were existent before our recent run. No defender in the world would shine in such a side or in such conditions. Conversely, a settled back-four helps the midfield and attack too, so it's a team thing and we're a team now, at last. Not a great one but we're showing some good signs and are heading in the right direction for once. Roll on next season.

[Baggio]

With Faye he did a great job on Drogba today.

 

Been much better in the run-in, but I'd still look to replace him if possible. Dunne would be perfect, for the money he'd cost.

 

Please don't bite my head off.

 

I'd rather replace Faye above Taylor, who once again, despite his experience and some would say quality advantage, was outshone by a defender many regard as shite or average. I'm not knocking Faye because he had a reasonably good game and has done well since joining, he's turning out to be a pretty good signing considering how much he cost. But all things considered, it shouldn't be Taylor taking charge of the back-four or standing out. Faye left his position absent a few times either by choice which means he made the wrong decision or by being dragged out by a blue shirt which means he was outplayed by his opponent, far too much for my liking. Indeed the opening goal came from such a moment. Reckless is the word I'd use. All he had to do was hold his position, stay firm and let Malouda come to him. You then defend the second ball. You're risking a penalty, a sending off or as happened, a free kick by rushing to the ball and player like that. Desperate defending from someone who should know better. I'm being ultra critical I know but I'm trying to highlight what I call, his flaws. That said, ideally I'd replace the two of them and that goes for them all, if that means better players playing in the side. Dunne btw would represent a better player, he's very underrated and a very good Premiership defender in my opinion.

 

 

 

Faye was just outside the 6 yard box when he went out to Malouda, you can't hold your position there and let him come to you.

[Dave]

I think Faye's a good defender, likes doing the dirty work and does it well. In the first half he put in a number of fine interceptions, blocks and challenges.

 

As I said, I think they did an excellent job on Drogba together. Dunno why one always has to be singled out.

[johnnypd]

Taylor was very good today, only blot in his copybook was getting turned over by Terry on a corner, which could;ve easily led to a goal. i thought Faye wasn't too great in comparison as he never won the ball completely,. he'd always snatch it away and then stumble over and lose it again. i thought both of them were poor when distributing it up the field, something we need to address in the summer, tho in Taylor's case it was more to do with his no-nonsense, last-ditch tackling than being poor on the ball.

[Guest Knightrider]

With Faye he did a great job on Drogba today.

 

Been much better in the run-in, but I'd still look to replace him if possible. Dunne would be perfect, for the money he'd cost.

 

Please don't bite my head off.

 

I'd rather replace Faye above Taylor, who once again, despite his experience and some would say quality advantage, was outshone by a defender many regard as shite or average. I'm not knocking Faye because he had a reasonably good game and has done well since joining, he's turning out to be a pretty good signing considering how much he cost. But all things considered, it shouldn't be Taylor taking charge of the back-four or standing out. Faye left his position absent a few times either by choice which means he made the wrong decision or by being dragged out by a blue shirt which means he was outplayed by his opponent, far too much for my liking. Indeed the opening goal came from such a moment. Reckless is the word I'd use. All he had to do was hold his position, stay firm and let Malouda come to him. You then defend the second ball. You're risking a penalty, a sending off or as happened, a free kick by rushing to the ball and player like that. Desperate defending from someone who should know better. I'm being ultra critical I know but I'm trying to highlight what I call, his flaws. That said, ideally I'd replace the two of them and that goes for them all, if that means better players playing in the side. Dunne btw would represent a better player, he's very underrated and a very good Premiership defender in my opinion.

 

 

 

Faye was just outside the 6 yard box when he went out to Malouda, you can't hold your position there and let him come to you.

 

You obviously don't know what hold your position means, it doesn't mean stand still as a statue, it means defend your position, hold it, which he failed to do. He vacated his position the moment he basically rushed in to take him out, all he had to do was hold firm, stand up to Malouda, let him come to him even, and defend the second ball should it come in. In my opinion anyway. Either way he fucked up, no?

[Guest Knightrider]

Taylor was very good today, only blot in his copybook was getting turned over by Terry on a corner, which could;ve easily led to a goal.

 

Taylor actually took charge there, it was someone else meant to be marking Terry, Faye perhaps, can't remember, who let Terry escape him. Taylor noticed this and followed Terry's run, without ever really getting there. Was a let off though and poor marking all-round, as it was for Ballack's goal too.

[Kimbo]

What was it that he did so well today?  I thought he was average.  Did what he's supposed to do and no more.

 

You've just answered your own question. Obviously he could have done more, he could've scored a goal, perhaps a bicycle kick, but i don't think we can hold that against him as a defender.

[Baggio]

With Faye he did a great job on Drogba today.

 

Been much better in the run-in, but I'd still look to replace him if possible. Dunne would be perfect, for the money he'd cost.

 

Please don't bite my head off.

 

I'd rather replace Faye above Taylor, who once again, despite his experience and some would say quality advantage, was outshone by a defender many regard as shite or average. I'm not knocking Faye because he had a reasonably good game and has done well since joining, he's turning out to be a pretty good signing considering how much he cost. But all things considered, it shouldn't be Taylor taking charge of the back-four or standing out. Faye left his position absent a few times either by choice which means he made the wrong decision or by being dragged out by a blue shirt which means he was outplayed by his opponent, far too much for my liking. Indeed the opening goal came from such a moment. Reckless is the word I'd use. All he had to do was hold his position, stay firm and let Malouda come to him. You then defend the second ball. You're risking a penalty, a sending off or as happened, a free kick by rushing to the ball and player like that. Desperate defending from someone who should know better. I'm being ultra critical I know but I'm trying to highlight what I call, his flaws. That said, ideally I'd replace the two of them and that goes for them all, if that means better players playing in the side. Dunne btw would represent a better player, he's very underrated and a very good Premiership defender in my opinion.

 

 

 

Faye was just outside the 6 yard box when he went out to Malouda, you can't hold your position there and let him come to you.

 

You obviously don't know what hold your position means, it doesn't mean stand still as a statue, it means defend your position, hold it, which he failed to do. He vacated his position the moment he basically rushed in to take him out, all he had to do was hold firm, stand up to Malouda, let him come to him even, and defend the second ball should it come in. In my opinion anyway. Either way he fucked up, no?

 

Where as you coach a bunch of 6 year old's and think that makes you the next Louis Van Gaal.

 

Faye done the right thing in going to Malouda but he shouldn't have attempted to make the tackle, he should have closed him down, blocked any path to goal and try to force him away from goal.

[Thespence]

He played well & tbh I thought all the starting 11 played well.

[tmonkey]

I'm still gutted we didnt get Woodgate. Not just because he's a damn good centreback, but because thats exactly the sort of player who could start bringing some consistency into Taylor's game. A real, classy leader who could lead by example.

 

I reckon Carragher would be half the player he is today without Hyppia alongside him (there was a time when Carragher was a somewhat better version of Aaron Hughes prior to becoming a f****** good centreback for Liverpool at least).

 

Faye has some good attributes, a beast in the air, but hes not good enough a centreback for me. The discipline, marking and composure isnt quite there, he basically plays at centreback as you would expect a top utility player to play (e.g. Essien or Gilberto Silva filling in at centreback, fine players even when filling in, but not having the complete package for that area of the pitch). Would be good to move him into midfield next season.

 

If we want to see Taylor improving over the longer term, we need to get someone good and experienced in to play alongside him, and we might see more consistent performances like we did today.

[Northern Monkey]

Taylor is better tha the "beast" faye, by a margin.

 

by no meas a finished article, clearly,but a player with potential far beyond his central defensive peers.

[fredbob]

Im surprised at the amount of Faye bashing out there, taking nothing away from Taylor cos he played well today but what specifically has Faye done so wrong?

 

Its almost as though people feel the need to criticise him in order to make Taylor sound better. Why is that?

 

 

[ShearMagic]

Taylor performs very well with Faye at the back.

 

Last week against West Ham he wasn't awfully good, but that's when Edgar was next to him.

 

Faye and Taylor has been a good partnership

[Northern Monkey]

Im surprised at the amount of Faye bashing out there, taking nothing away from Taylor cos he played well today but what specifically has Faye done so wrong?

 

Its almost as though people feel the need to criticise him in order to make Taylor sound better. Why is that?

 

 

 

quite the opposite.

 

from day one, some idiots labelled Faye as a "beast", partly in an attempt (imho) to make Taylor look bad. Bt Faye has at best been painfully average, ad is consistently caught out of position, ball watching etc. But for some reason, some cretins decided to buld him up, as they did with Cacapa, on fuck all grounds.

 

Its been very 'trendy'  to knock Taylor, but he is our best central defender by some considerable margin, and is far better than any of the players he's been next to for a good while.

[johnnypd]

i actually think faye's form has dipped a bit since our good spell under keegan. there is more focus on playing the ball out from the back and his distribution and movement on the ball is poor so this weakness is highlighted more. previously when we were under the cosh, or playing fat sam's long-ball, he was able to head it clear or blast it upfield and bringing it out himself was not really an issue. with the narrow midfield you also see opposition sides switching the ball from flank to flank more, that was certainly in evidence today, and he is not at his best constantly re-alinging himself and switching positions. i think he is probably the best centre-half at the club, as taylor is still very raw, but he needs a 'ball-playing' centre-half alongside him.

 

earlier in the season i think people had it spot on when they said one of taylor or faye (aggressive centre-halves who dont have the best movement or technical ability) alongside one of rozehnal or cacapa, who prefer to read the game and bring it out from the back. unfortunately the latter two looked woefully unsuited for the premiership so we're stuck with taylor and faye, which is not the worst combination but it has its limits. in the summer im positive keegan will look for the latter kind of defender. even if we bring in Dunne i think he'll be after another.

[Northern Monkey]

i'd like to see Taylor alongside a genuinely good CB - not cacapa, or faye, but an actual GOOD one. Maybe then we can see if he's as good as we hope.

[fredbob]

i'd like to see Taylor alongside a genuinely good CB - not cacapa, or faye, but an actual GOOD one. Maybe then we can see if he's as good as we hope.

 

See i dont understand this, in your words Taylor is the marginally better defender than Faye yet Faye isnt classified as a 'genuinely good defender' so what does that make Taylor and why after 100 odd games for Newcastle should he be the one who should have the benefit of a 'genuinely good defender' at his side?

 

Surely you are in essence actually saying that both arent good enough and need to be replaced.

 

It looks to me like another example of Taylor getting favourable 'treatment'.

[merlin]

Taylor is better tha the "beast" faye, by a margin.

 

by no meas a finished article, clearly,but a player with potential far beyond his central defensive peers.

 

Agree - one of his best games today.

[Yorkie]

Why does it have to be about individuals, NM? I think it's pretty damn clear that Faye and Taylor have struck up a very good partnership - that's clear given the extortionate (by our standards) number of clean sheets we've attained in this good run. I like them both, prefer Faye admittedly, but it just shows that continuity goes a long way.

 

I haven't seen as much as i would have liked of us in this run (infact, the only game i've seen every minute of is Reading), and yesterday in that first half was the best i've seen us defend as a unit in a long time.

[merlin]

Wouldn't be surprised if we start next season with at least 1, and possibly 2, new CBs - whilst Taylor is improving, I don't think KK is totally convinced right now, and probably does NOT rate Faye as being of the standard he requires ; people go on about Enrique not being a 'KK type of fullback' and if that is the case, Faye is not a KK type of CB ; think about Phillipe Albert and you will know what I mean...!

[Guest alex]

Wouldn't be surprised if we start next season with at least 1, and possibly 2, new CBs - whilst Taylor is improving, I don't think KK is totally convinced right now, and probably does NOT rate Faye as being of the standard he requires ; people go on about Enrique not being a 'KK type of fullback' and if that is the case, Faye is not a KK type of CB ; think about Phillipe Albert and you will know what I mean...!

What about Darren Peacock?

Whole back four played well again I thought. They only struggled in the 2nd half because we couldn't keep the ball and they were under almost constant pressure.

[buzza]

I don't agree with you on this HTT, when you keep your lines as "rigid" is when you are further up the field and playing offside trap or your midfield is further away from you. Yesterday, especially in the first half, we were very well organised and our midfield line held it's position very close to the defence which reduced space for chelski to manouver in, if you leave a runner to "come to you" when close to the area you are inviting a shot, which results far too often in a goal, one of the centre backs has to step up, not necessarily lunge in but to usher him away or block his path (hopefully outside the box- for sake of penalties). This was what they did yesterday and TBH both centre backs had a great game, I personally think chelsea's second goal was pure class especially the inch perfect pass from lampard to set it up...

[Guest corroboree]

Taylor is a decent player but he also thinks he is bigger than the club, demanding contracts at his age is asking for trouble, especially with Keegan as manager, Keegan wont back down to him just to keep him there.

[ShearMagic]

If Taylor is so good, why did he struggle when Faye was out of the team?

[Zero]

For the best of Newcastle, we should buy a top-quality CB and let Faye play as a midfielder. Faye is actually a top quality defensive midfielder but, unfortunately, just a decent CB.