We must improve at SJP

Posted on June 6th, 2011 | 15 Comments |

Steven Talor about Newcastle's home form.
ST: we must improve at home
Newcastle United defender Steven Taylor talks about how he wants our home form to improve next season.

Steven Taylor wants to turn St James’ Park into a fortress. He’s not talking about a drawbridge, some cannons and a couple of Rottweilers, but rather our ability to remain undefeated on the pitch during home games.

We were second bottom of the home wins table this season, equal with Birmingham, with only West Ham, Wigan and Blackpool having won fewer games at home than us. In total we won 6, drew 8 and lost 5 at St James’ Park in the league this season.

Many folk feel one of the secrets to Premier league success is to be virtually unbeatable at home and Steven Taylor tends to agree.

“It’s something we’re definitely looking to improve on.

“We couldn’t have asked for a better year in the Championship when we managed to stay unbeaten at home throughout the season.

“And last summer the main aim was to continue that in our home games to give us some solid foundations for the season.

“But it didn’t turn out that way, and it’s something we need to address.“

Commenting upon our home losses to ‘lesser’ (no offence intended) Premier League sides such as Blackpool, Stoke and Blackburn, Taylor said:

“Those are the type of games we need to improve in.

“We can beat anybody on our day.”

I think a home crowd can work both ways. A team at the top of their game can be buoyed on by them, but I think being in front of home supporters can sometimes add to the pressure of a team who are lacking in confidence or a bit off their game.

Mind you, even if you win every home game and draw every away game that’s still only 76 points, which wouldn’t have been enough to win the league this season, although it’ll do for starters!

Incidentally, I recommend Sainsbury’s Toffee and Honeycomb ice cream. I was just going to have a few spoons of it but it was so nice I ate the entire tub.

NUFCBlog Author: Hugh de Payen I'm a baby-boomer of the punk rock persuasion, currently exiled in Somerset for crimes committed in a previous life where locals keep trying to poison me with something called 'scrumpy'. Hates sprouts, coat-hangers, Cilla Black, ornaments, Steven Seagull movies and 50 Cent (he's not worth 10). Hugh de Payen has written 634 articles on this blog.

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Comment on this post

15 Responses

  3. Hey Hugh/worky,
    is it my computer or is there an ‘issue’ ongoing?

    I think i’ve posted a blog, but the page keeps ‘timing out’ or something.

  4. It’s mad that out of those home games we managed to not get beat by manusa, arse, chelsea, liverpoo, spuds, villa, bolton, fulham, wba & s*land out of the teams above us.
    Go figure!

  5. Ooops!
    bolton didn’t finish above us.
    ;)
    Although they probably should’ve.
    I reckon if you look at GD you get a truer picture.

  6. Alreet Dave,
    na mate, can’t say as i have like, but there again, i didn’t realize you were banned like.
    Did y’have to change y’ moniker to get back on?

    Cos i was just thinking, you didn’t look banned like.
    ;)

  8. Dave,
    i’m sorry it’s gone this way as i thought everyone contributed something different to the blog.
    Obviously, you & worky have had ‘words’, let’s just say, & have fell out over it.
    It would be cool if the pair of ya’ could say sorry to each other if that’s what it would take, let bygones be bygones & move on to ALL enjoying blogging about our mutual love NUFC.
    Obviously Dave, me & you have never engaged in anything other than good craic mate & i’d like to keep it that way as life’s too short, especially when we’re all here for the same reason anyhoo.
    ;)

  10. CLiNT FLiCK says:
    June 6, 2011 at 6:34 pm

    “Hey Hugh/worky,
    is it my computer or is there an ‘issue’ ongoing?

    I think i’ve posted a blog, but the page keeps ‘timing out’ or something.”

    It’s there Clint.

  11. worky,
    thanx mate, it all seems to be back working now, it all went a bit slow for an hour or so back there.

    Nice!
    ;)

  12. BTW,
    anyone seen that wigan pap, Zog can go to a champs league club for £9m, EH?
    What are they on about?
    :)

  14. Hugh,
    whelan is a weird one, he didn’t say owt when we sold him to them & took Raylor, did he?
    It’s probaly more to do with the sports shop thing than anything else.

  15. Seems like Steve Taylor’s back in vogue. His goals were key towards the end of the season but I’ve always had questions over his defensive capabilities. If we want SJP to be a fortress we probably need a quality center back to replace Sol and slot in beside Coloccini. Preferably someone young, quick and solid in the air. I doubt it will happen though, we’ll probably sign a budget squad player from the championship.