Steven Taylor

http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11678/7835332/Taylor-closing-on-comeback

Its absolutely imperative that we get him back fighting for the start of the season, he was an absolute rock at the start of the season alongside Colo and they really seemed to be developing a great understanding between one another until Taylor's injury, hes always had potential but injuries just seem to constantly hold him back, lets hope they medical team are working on him and he'll return ready to see out a full season, if he plays like he did at the start of last season I really believe theres England potential there.

But its not just his ability alone that makes him so important in my eyes, its the passion and desire he brings to the team when hes on the pitch, its great to see a player celebrating every good save, clearance and goal like hes just won the league, he also doesn't mind having a bit of a shout at people if they are out of position (Simpson) or in need of a bit of a boost during the match. The stats have shown that when we go down, we never seem to come back and when we our heads do drop we tend to get thumped, I can't imagine this happening as much with Taylor in the team.

I still wholeheartedly believe that had we kept Taylor fit for more games last season it might have been the difference between finishing 5th and finishing 3rd/4th.

Would you put faith in him to be our first choice to partner Colo next season, or would you rather someone else came in and did his job?

Personally I'd like to see Taylor be given a chance to play from the start, and bring in a young CB to challenge him.

Thoughts?

 

He is a great defender, he's a Geordie through and through but sadly his injury record is quite poor.

Hopefully with the rotation going on this coming season, he shouldn't play too many games and risk another set-back.

Can't see him staying fit though, sadly.

 

This is perhaps what concerned me most last season; if our heads hadn't have gone down could we have done better in the league? If Saylor can help avoid that happening next season, great, but I would hope Alan Pardew will be working on this with the whole team.

To answer the question, though, yes I would like to see him as first choice (based on current squad) but we need to have more than just a young CB to challenge him a) because of our Europa games and b) in case he should get injured again

 

A fit Saylor is as good as anybody in the league, if only we can keep him fit.

 

he will be injured again in no time and we most likly wont see much of him ever again.

 

Even a key player who never gets linked with a move away and you find a way of being negative about him.

 

THIS! Rep!

 

AND THIS! (but now out of rep for 24 hours).

Saylor gives everything and built a great partnership with Colo, but he is very unlikely to last a full season. With the extra games from Europa league thrown in, we need another 'first team' centre back to challenge the current players.

I think Willo has done a good job overall, but he's not good enough if we are going to progress. Saylor won't last a full season and we rely too much on Colo.

If we get a new quality CB, a left back (so Santon can play RB) and a striker to compete with Cisse, Ba + Shola, then I'll be verrrrrrry happy.

 

Our team is mostly French, so no wonder really!!! If he can coach it out of our team, he should be the next France boss and they'd be unbeatable (though maybe he needs to teach Benzema how to shoot also...)

Stevie Taylor is the most under-rated player in our squad, in my opinion (at least by experts). He was unbelievable in our championship year until injury, and this has pretty much summed up the last couple of Premier League seasons for him. Quite simply an outstanding defender who has matured as a player well.
What tends to happen is we start the season with him, he plays outstandingly, then he gets injured and we concede lots... I think him and Colo at the back are as good as any CD partnership I will ever see.

His injury record is awful, but I genuinely believe the lad is unlucky. Class player, class man and such a shame he will never fulfill his International potential because of who he plays for and his tendency to pick up those odd-niggles and strains. If the kit next season isn't that spike-guff, I'm getting him on the back of my home-shirt.

 

Fingers crossed. An England class centre back. He has been unlucky for me. People label him injury prone but they have been a bizarre bunch of injuries, unrelated to one another. I'm a massive fan and think he could have been the difference last year in getting to the CL. But even I would have to accept that if he manages to miss big chunks again next year then he is just gonna be one of those players never fit for one reason or another.

I hope not because he's coming towards his peak years physically and has ironed out his earlier errors. Also a goal threat.

 

I hope Taylor stays fit next season, he makes a massive difference to the squad, our goal difference would have been much better had he played more games.
He had quite a nasty facial injury, when he returned it didn't make him any less brave in his aerial challenges, we're definitely a better side with him in it.

 

I think the opinion that the manager knows best is total horseshit in some cases.

Pards did an interview session once, in which he said Willo was fantastic since he came back and he's ahead of Saylor. Saylor is easily the better defender.

Willo is awesome cover, but not good long term.

Saylor is a beast. Great in the air, strong, we look mentally stronger at the back with Saylor. Saylor is just as much of a leader as Colo is.

Saylor and Colo are both my fav players. They're a sexy pair of CB's.

 

If I remember rightly wasn't the first game he had the mask off the game he got injured for the season, think if he had stayed fit all season he would have made the England squad, especially with Hodgson in charge and not Capello.

 

I think we should bring in another CB but give Tayls his chance, that way we have a plan B sorted. Problem is... Who would be happy coming in to effectively play second fiddle?

 

Agreed, plus we are going to need a bigger squad, especially if we start doing well in Europe, remember the last couple of times we collapsed after February or March.

 

Check your PM fella...

 

Thank you Obi Wan

 

He is a good defender with great potential still to be excellent, has great spirit and enthusiasm especially playing for his own team at the Toon and i will be very happy to see him back. The lad really deserves a bit of luck on the injury front though. Wish him all the best hes a great lad and one of us.