Steven Taylor another step closer to first-team return.

Posted on November 2nd, 2010 | 129 Comments |

Taylor back in business?
Taylor back in business?
Steven Taylor stepped up his comeback from a shoulder injury today as he managed to play an hour for the reserves at Wigan Athletic this afternoon.

Taylor has had an injury-plagued last ten months on Tyneside but will be hoping that his troubles are now behind him and that he can now concentrate on playing the game.

Of course, it’s not a given that he will walk straight back into the first-team anyway and he will face a fight for his position for arguably the first time in his Newcastle career. Fabricio Coloccini and Mike Williamson will not want to give up their places in the team, and at the moment I honestly don’t think they deserve to be dropped. Likewise with Danny Simpson, who has been excellent since he came back into the first-team at West Ham a couple of weeks back.

Realistically though, a first-team return for Taylor is still a couple of weeks away in my opinion. The lad effectively has to play another pre-season again before he can even be considered, much like Danny Simpson had to do before he was drafted back into the team.

Still, he is a pretty handy backup to have in the meantime, and he is there if we need him in an emergency, in much the same way that Sol Campbell will be soon.

It all adds-up to make this one of the best defences we have had for a long time, well I think it is anyway. For the vast majority of the time we have looked solid and organised at the back and Taylor will only add to the competition.

Hopefully the lads wearing the shirts currently will respond and up their performance levels further and try to keep Taylor out of the team.

It bodes well for us, hopefully.

Update: The ressies lost 2-1 at Wigan in the end.

NUFCBlog Author: toonsy toonsy has written 643 articles on this blog.

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129 Responses

  1. There’s something odd about the perspective in that photo. Taylor looks like a tiny bairn from a junior school deein’ a trial or something like that!

  2. any player back is goood for the team and competition and soon it will only be Ben Arfa and Gosling who will be injured..

  3. Ha! He does look rather small. Letting in 2 goals against Wigan reserves couldn’t have filled him up with too much confidence though

  4. Andrew,were the goals his fault? either way don’t think it’ll dent his confidence conceding 2 for the reserves.However he hasn’t just got to get past Colo and Willo to get a start there’s also Campbell and Kadar. :-)

  5. I still think he’s a good option for RB in certain circumstances where you need a ‘hard bastid’ back four. I also wouldn’t bet on him edging past Willo in training and getting his place back. He’s not been a mainstay of Stuart Pearce’s side for year for nowt.

    Regardless of the various dodginesses we’ve had with him, he’s Toon through and through and has put in some really decent shifts for us over the years. If he can just learn to keep his arms off the ball and stop that Chelski-style acting he’ll be a pretty decent CB.

    Really glad to see him back. Now if you’d just sign on this dotted line, Mr Taylor….

  7. Agreed Batty. When Gosling appears and Ben Arfa returns, there will be more depth to this squad than any in recent memory.

  8. batty says:
    November 2, 2010 at 5:24 pm

    “when hes fit enough he will be back in the side”

    Agreed, temporary form, permanant class and all that bollocks that Stelling and his muppet show come out with…

  9. so benny phones the players before every game,and captain nolan,to wish them luck,is he speaking english noo,or can the players speak french noo,strange one :)

  12. Ice

    I heard harper on five live saying him and tiote were translating for Benny so he might pass on messages through them.

    Good to see the lads fitted in well, Still really hope we get him back for good after his inury, Shame De Jongs a prick or we could have had a really cracking season with Benny in the side (Not that the seasons been bad like)

  13. C.C.hapers a clever lad then :),if benny can get half dozen games in just to get his heed right if you know what i mean we have a good!n imo m8

  14. I see NESV have come out and said that some of the money used to buy Liverpool was borrowed and that one of the partners expects to use debt to increase his rate of return – jeez I really hope yanks never buy toon kin frying pan fire or what

  15. Dont you just love selective journalism…

    “Hughton was in charge for six games (try nine) He took five points not too bad a return given he faced Manchester United and Arsenal in that stretch.”

    We also lost to Hull (the result that relegated us), Blackburn and Spurs who were bottom at the time in the cup at home and West Ham away, Drew with Everton at home and Hull away and fluked a win at West Brom.

    “Like many Newcastle managers before him, he operated under the shadow of Alan Shearer, except on this occasion the former England striker didn’t just drop dark hints about returning in glory to lead his people, but actually did it. He was comically awful, manifestly out of his depth; Newcastle won only five points in its remaining eight matches and was relegated.”

    Chelsea, Fulham, Liverpool and Villa who all qualified for europe, Spurs and Stoke whose home records were among the best in the division and Portsmouth who were in decent form, Along with Boro who we beat, Much harder games and the same ammount of points 5.

    “When Shearer decided he didn’t fancy the job in the Championship”

    When was that then before or after the opening match at West Brom, Were he stated how much he wanted the job…

  16. CC – calm down man, article is stretching the truth but the sentiment is right, hughton deserves some time – we all know changing managers every year will get us nowhere

  17. The article is spot on about Hughton deserving time no doubt.

    But how unfair to write that the 5 points we got from Hughtons fixtures being “not too bad” and 5 points from Shearers being “comically awful” When Shearer blatantly had the harder fixtures and a weaker side after Given and N’Zogbia had fcuked off.

  18. batty says:
    November 2, 2010 at 5:24 pm

    “when hes fit enough he will be back in the side”

    Disagree. Taylor has done nothing over his time to justify walking back in to the team, Willo and Collo have. In fact, I would go as far as to say they are the best centre back pairing we’ve had in god knows how long, and neither have done anything to justify being dropped.

    As well as this, as any defender would say – and don’t forget CH was a defender so i’m sure he would err on this side – a defence need continuity to strive and develop, so chopping and changing would be the last thing he would do in a crucial area.

  19. ILM….agree with you, Colo and Willo have been excellent and it won’t be easy for anyone to break that partnership up.I hope Taylor does decide to stay and battle for a place though.If he decides to move on he won’t go to a better club than he’s at now imo, and even if he did go to a club playing European football he’d have to battle for a starting place there too.
    So sign a contract Steve and stay at the club you say you love. :-)

  20. ILM/Rich – Agree, but people will put him in the team because he “tries”, is a “local lad” and “cares about the club”…

    *Sarcasm detectors may be registering a reading…..

  21. toonsy says:
    November 2, 2010 at 7:01 pm

    “ILM/Rich – Agree, but people will put him in the team because he “tries”, is a “local lad” and “cares about the club”…”

    Do you not think that Krul and Ranger get the same treatment because they are flavour of the month.

    If Harper had been beaten at the near post by Zog like Krul was he would have been slaughtered and Rangers miss when he went round the keeper against Arsenal, Can you imagine if Shola did that??

  22. Like I say Toonsy, hope he stays but he can’t expect to walk straight in local lad are not, the one area where ya probably need stability more than any other imo is centre half and we have that now… and still smiling after Super Sunday :lol:

  23. Rich – Same as. Great isn’t it ;)

    Anyway, I saw your mrs asking you who that attractive young lad was, then she pointed at me. I was flattered ;)

  24. Evening all ;) Batty I think he will get back in the side, but I do think that at the mo we should stick with the Colo Willo pairing as they are doing well. But I do know that at the first half of last year Colo and taylor were like rocks in the CD and are part of the reason we got up.
    I also notice that some people think that the fact Carroll is a “local lad” and “cares about the club” is a good thing and I agree with that, but in S Taylor’s case its a bad thing ;)

  28. Oh I thought it was today :) .
    Re the pic of Taylor he looks very like our Mascot from Sunday did you super impose that pic of Tayls

  29. Interesting point about Harper and Krul. I’ve thought that Krul’s performance since Harper went down have merely served to cement Harper’s place as our #1.

    I really can’t remember any spectacular stops from Krul, and I really think Harper would have stopped at least one of the goals against Arsenal or Wigan.

  30. CC says:
    November 2, 2010 at 7:07 pm

    ‘If Harper had been beaten at the near post by Zog like Krul was he would have been slaughtered’.

    Lol, all three of them could have been in the goal and he still would have scored, if your talking about the second one, it was an absolute rocket into the top corner. :)

    Ranger should have scored though yes.

  31. Yeah Krul has made some mistakes but he’s still learning but Harper made some too before his injury.There have been plenty of crosses that Krul has come out for and got, you’ll never be able to say that about Harper because he just doesn’t too it,didn’t realise it had to be a spectacular stop to be a good save? maybe if your positional sense is good it needn’t have to look spectacular ;-)

    Toonsy…aye that’s exactly what she said but without the attractive and young bit ;-)

  32. Talking of slaughtering

    richietoon richietoon says:
    November 2, 2010 at 6:49 pm

    “ILM….agree with you, Colo and Willo have been excellent and it won’t be easy for anyone to break that partnership up.”

    Soz but where was Williammson on both Charlie Zog goals ? He has made a relatively comfortable start because he’s playing alongside Colo. IMO he’s a long way from those who read the game, re position themselves and then look like they have all the time in the world.

  34. DJG

    I didnt say he should have saved it i said that if Harper had let that in he would have been criticised because Krul gets the same favouritism that Taylor supposedly gets.

    Does crouch look daft playing in the champions league or what, Reminds me of when wor Bob had O’Brien marking Del Piero… :lol:

  35. andymac..where does the slaughtering come into it mate?
    and I’m talking about them as a partnership anybody can pick out individual errors players have made as all players make them but as a pair they’ve done well in my opinion.

    Jay jay…aye that’s nearer the mark :-)

  36. CC… probably but maybe Krul gets away with it because the fans know he’s inexperienced and allow him a little more leeway.

  37. Ice-Dunno if you’re about mate but just reading your post about Benny calling our lads before games. Class as far as i’m concerned, even injured and not in the country he still wants to be a part of the club and get involved, promising signs and i’d love to see him back fit.

    I was wondering before the scum game whether he’d be there or watching. If he was able to travel they should have got him over. Seeing and hearing SJP on a day like that, along with the pasting we gave them would have shown him what potential we have and how passionate we all are. He’d have been “gobsmacked” as he says :D

  38. Ross if all the stories about Benny are true then he must have a real soft spot for us.
    Jay Jay Who’s that cheese titted bindipper :lol:
    CC I think Crouch always looks daft :)

  39. ROSS ime always aboot at some point m8,i thought the same thing as it happens (great minds think a-like ha)he traveled oot there ashley could have flown him over :),some bloody hope

  41. Rich

    Krul and Ranger are young lads and im not having a pop, Im just saying that Taylor aint the only one protected by his popularity.

    Martins could mess up chances that Shola would be hammered for missing and get off scot free.

    Coloccini was a £10m Argentine international so he got off with mistakes in his first season that normal academy kids like Edgar would be hammered for.

    Gutierrez has never been criticised for his poor final ball in the same way that Routledge has and Harper would have been criticised for letting Zogs goals in much more than Krul has.

  42. Ice-exactly what I thought. Simple phone call to him, to invite him to the game if he feels up for the travel. Canny sure he’d have came along once he was informed (if he didnt already know) about the size and importance of the game. He’d have seen one of the best Derby’s ever and it would all help his relationship with the club like.

  44. Evening gents, and batty.

    Still dissapointed that there’s no assistant for Hughton. He just cannot do it on his own.

  47. RE Taylor, lets hope Hoots has seen something that gives him a go at RB. I think Colo and Willo in the middle is a good partnership with Sol being able to slot in seamlessly, Jose at LB and Saylor RB?

  49. Stu – He ain’t doing bad so far :lol:

    Nah, I know what you mean. I would hope an assistant would be sorted thiw week like, but who knows.

  50. Dave – Where have you been anyway? Icedog has been wimpering like a lost puppy looking for ye ;)

  53. all players/managers make mistakes at some point during games otherwise every game would be a draw its how they and the fans deal with it,one of the biggest words i know is “IF”

  54. CC I know you weren’t having a pop mate, fans just pick on certain players I guess….Perch could make 1 mistake and Jose 3 who would get the stick? I know who my money would be on :-) it happens football the world over tho.

  57. what decent coach would come to the toon with the none contract of c.h.where would he stand,if the wind changes,cannot see a “good”coach leaveing the job he has to come into something iffy,thats my feeling on it like

  58. Toonsy my Daughter was over from Uni for a week so I had been driving her about here there and everywhere and finishing off her Tattoo and her BF’s aswell.
    Awk so Ice missed me then :) . Toonsy I dont think its just a No2 we need we are very short on backroom staff but maybe thats the way CH likes thinks ;)

    Batty @ 51 your evil :lol:

  60. BIG DAVE was looking for you y/day,jay jay wants ticket for bolton game,told him your a season ticket/h,as when its you turn to pay your bolton :)

  61. Stuart79 says:
    November 2, 2010 at 8:41 pm
    Batty – I cannot do it from my phone. I’m mobile at the min, but don’t worry.<<<< iam not worried stu ,we all know your a tight arse fcker

  66. Anybody else concerned about how our right back will cope with Bale? We’ll probably have to play all three there!

  68. stu iam more concern why some 1 with your cash is having too make up excuses why they havent donated yet :)

  70. not gonna win the neet on it, will get me stake back if spuds,man utd and barca all win cos stuck a fiver on that.

  72. props nwt but that nobed colin warris on twitter (the 1 hu claims he know wats happening at nufc) claims hughton is ready to quit and alan pardew is guna b cumn in,,, sum1 tell me its bollox coz hoots is the best thing for newcastle since SBR

  73. Ice do you not think its strange that Batty and Richie have money coming out of their ears and throwing it at the bookies.
    But you had to scrimp and safe to pay to get your scooter fixed that got wrecked while working with them, even though its you that does all the dirty work while their watching you and writing out betting slips ;)

  76. i think if hoots walks we will have a storm as big as the k.k.walk oot imo.

    but hes to much of a gent to do that

  81. DAVE aye all they left me with was betting slips and a packet of half sucked mints gits.
    still useing the weigh in cash dave that we didnt get a cut from

  83. richietoon says:
    November 2, 2010 at 8:03 pm

    “andymac..where does the slaughtering come into it mate?”

    It was the previous post talking about getting slaughtered Richie but as it happened Williamson got slaughtered against Wigan (Wigan ffs?????).

    I saw a bloke who didnt know where he was in relation to his opponent on more than one occasion. OK he may have been covering for Perch but he still had a ball to defend and he failed to do so.

    If it had been ManUsa or Chelski then I’d give him the benefit of the doubt but it was Wigan and he was exposed. NQTD as they used to say :)

  84. ana hes a bullsi**r like he sed it before,, just wanted to see wat u all thort coz it duz ma head in the lil wannabe ITK n icedog,, a think yah right to gentlemanly to leave like that, he respects the fans and players,, and to b onest,, alan pardew haznt dun nowt notable in his carrer so he can f**k straight of

  85. richie-I thought the same thing after the first Inter game. Manure will be hammering Spurs’ door down. Incredible again the night.

  86. Andy…ah got ya I’m a bit slow ya kna, ;-) I agree he was poor v Wigan but so were 10 others. I just think as a partneship they’re steadier than we’ve had for a while.
    Also our other options are Sol who’ll be good cover nowt more imo, Kadar not ready yet and Saylor…well If we’re talking about being caught out of postition Taylor’s ya man…tho as I’ve said many threads ago thats maybe not his fault as he’s never really had a quality experienced CB(like Colo/Campbell) alongside him to bring his game on, in fact more often than not he’s been our most experienced CB.

  91. Toonsy,
    What about an article on Willo v Taylor?

    IMO Willo and Collo have been outstanding this season and barring an injury or severe drop in form I can’t see Taylor or Campbell forcing there way in.

    However they both Taylor and Camblell provide tremendous back up.

  105. “Looks like Bale & Spurs demolished Benitez’s Inter… How was Bale at the weekend?”

    Exactly – Benitez chose not to put a man on Bale tonight and got caught out ! Whereas Everton and Man Usa doubled up on him during their league games.

    The worst part about this Balemania is that he was on NUFC’s radar in 2007 while at Saints just as Modric was later. Bottom line is we need to bring in our own “Bales/Modric’s.

    Hopefully with a settled squad/club we can attract these young, upcoming talents in the future.

  106. Frick that Mirror article looks like my post earlier. I often wonder where spin comes from ?

    Bottom line is “Remember Sam Allardyce walked away with £3 million-plus and now has a lovely villa in Spain named Casa St James”

    I dont know if that’s true or not but the fact remains Allardyce was given money from this club that he didnt earn because we brought in an unsuitable candidate in the first place.

    PS Was it not Fat Fred who claimed, prior to the derby match, that he’d offered Steve Bruce the manager’s job not once but TWICE !!!!

  107. Andy-Ironic when you look at Spurs’ first and third goals. First came from a lovely Modric pass and a great VDV finish. Third came from Bale tearing down the flank and yet another inch perfect pass.

    I certainly didn’t expect Spuds to get a result like that the night, but as others have said..If they dont qualify for the CL this season, I reckon Bale will have a bagload of offers and will take one of them.

  109. Andy was Bale not also rumoured as a target when he couldn’t get in the spuds team for about £1.5m?

  110. “Yeah Krul has made some mistakes but he’s still learning but Harper made some too before his injury.There have been plenty of crosses that Krul has come out for and got, you’ll never be able to say that about Harper because he just doesn’t too it,didn’t realise it had to be a spectacular stop to be a good save? maybe if your positional sense is good it needn’t have to look spectacular”

    That is a great post and sums our goalkeeping situation up perfectly. Ever since Given was here our idea of a good goalkeeping performance is a bag full of Hollywood saves. The fact is, they aren’t necessary half the time if you dominate your box. Krul does that and is still learning.

  111. Why do people keep making a mountain out of a mole hill with hoots contract, not once hav I heard him complain about or demand one, he probably already knew from start of season that if he keeps us up he will get a contract simple stop makin issue of it, hoots ain’t no kk he wudnt walk out on the club

  112. Its as simple as this ppl krul is better all round keeper than harps full stop, r defence dosent look half as nervous with krul in as they do with harps coz they kno he makes descisions n isn’t rooted to his six yard box, love harps loyalty but him given r good shot stoppers n that’s were it ends, krul caims crosses better kicker, better talker

  113. I also don’t understand ppl sayin we need new rb, simpson is looking prem class since he returned, great taylor fit but he wouldn’t get in my team, n the fact he wont sign new deal is issue for me if he ain’t signed by jan he will b sold I think along with rtaylor

  119. To be honest I see Taylor as our 3rd/4th choice CB these days, collo should be one of the first on the team sheet, would like to see him play a run of games with cambell who’s positional sense and marshalling of defence is fantastic, followed by Williamson or Taylor
    Tayls positional sense leaves a lot to be desired imo and he gets away with a lot because of the heart on sleeve attitude
    Wish they would just sort out CH contract if only to shut the press rags up, doubt hughton will walk away mid season unlike KK who’s effectively walked away in mid season from almost every job he’s had – if they don’t sort it out to his satisfaction I wouldn’t be surprised to see him walk away at the end of the season

  120. Oi oi radgies!!!
    Been a long time like since a was last on here but the screws took me computer off is man and I was hoyed in solitary confinement for 6 months!
    Aal a did was set up me own drugs Market from me cell.!
    Anyways, a cannit believe it like but ave heard big Mick has been playin away behind me mothers back with Lorraine Kelly from GMTV!!
    She’s canny lush her like, a proper MILF! But me mothers ganna be gutted if the papers find oot like.
    Am gannin owa to big Mick’s later like. Am picking up decka on me BMX cos his has got a flatty.
    Anyways , al see ye’s laters gaters!

  121. 442, agree with you on the centre backs but its good to have some decent back up for a change.
    Also on the contract situation, it has been done to death by the media and still is, they wont leave it alone as they cant be seen to be wrong, most match reports and post match interviews have been based around this matter which for me has taken the gloss off the performance.
    I did read a quote from Joey Barton that they pin the worst press articles on the dressing room wall and use them as motivation, no wonder we are playing well.

  122. Hoo daft dafties!
    A forgot to ask! Did the Toon beat the mackems 5-1 like?
    Just when a got oot of Durham this morning the screw telt is like but a just thought he was doing is like.
    Mind, a had just smoked a spliff, pure Benwell black! So a divvent kna if a just dreamt it like.
    Anyways, am gannin to pick Dekka up!
    Toon toon!

  123. Cannit believe it!! Me BMX has been nicked!!
    Thieving bastards! A divvent mind nicking stuff but you never de it to your own! Pure filth that like!
    Am ganna have to chore a car noo! Divvent worry like it’s ganna be from someone who’s insured and taxed like so a kna they can afford like!
    Nee doubt Dekka’s ganna wanna spin in it like, he always does! Good driver Lambi like! Burn any bizzie off.
    Oh, aye, forgot to tell ye’s! Big Mick sent is a letter when a was in prison. He reckons him and Dekka have took up free running. Ye kna when the run deed fast owa roof tops and jump owa walls! Ha! A cannit see them deing that like!
    Anyways, remember remember the 5 th of November, burn doon prisons and howk Take That’s 5 th band member!

  124. Nice to Ed staying grounded with his headlines….

    “Four Englishman Who Prove Chris Hughton’s World Class Coaching”

    :roll:

    Settle down man.

  126. Spotted this yesterday in the (usually) funny Sabotage Times:

    “Allegedly, Andy Carroll has now had a fight in a bar, assaulted an ex and broken his teammate’s jaw. Yet Kevin Nolan thinks that the most important two things are to get him back on the pitch playing well, and then to get this guy to read bed time stories to his kids. Andy Carroll is a ludicrously thick man, but apparently Kevin Nolan is a wilfully distasteful waste of space. As an indictment of Englishmen in football, these two gormless clowns win it this week.”

    Full article here: http://www.sabotagetimes.com/football-sport/good-weekbad-week-in-the-premier-league/

  128. It’s cool that we now have 4 top choices for CB, who’d of thunk it.
    Yet i still read some article claiming we had a crap defense–eh?
    Oh well.
    Also,
    i found it v interesting having the misfortune to hear a bit of that divvy scottish gadji on talkshite on about the sending offs for wba the other night.
    Apparently, he thought one of the ‘challenges’ was ‘terrible’ & a ‘leg breaker’, even though no one’s leg was broken. He also claimed that these scissor challenges were ridiculous. Although i seem to remember him claiming de mongs scissor attack, that ‘actually’ broke HBA’s leg in half, in 2 places, was ‘fair’.
    Balanced?
    Anti Toon?
    Wancker, definitely.

  129. I heard that CH was on a new contract.

    He just got a cheaper deal & a new (free) 3g nokia phone through t-mobile.
    He only wanted an 18 month one, but he’s been tied down to a 24 monther.

    That should shut the pressmongs up for a while.