Steve left red-faced by United struggle

Mar 21 2008 by Luke Edwards, The Journal

STEVEN Taylor has admitted he is still embarrassed to look at the Premier League table despite Newcastle United’s potentially crucial point at Birmingham this week.

Taylor’s disgruntled comments last month about the lack of progress on a new contract have upset many fans and critics who feel the England Under-21 international was, at best, naive to air his grievance at a time when the Magpies are involved in a relegation battle.

But if Taylor’s complaints on that occasion were poorly timed, his passion for the club is genuine and, having grown up supporting the team, he has found it hard to deal with this season’s dismal run of form.

The Magpies are still in danger of the drop, although a four-point cushion between them and third-bottom Bolton Wanderers means they have a bit of breathing space to work with. “I hate to see where we are in the table,” said Taylor, who recovered from a shaky first-half performance to help secure a point at St Andrew’s on Monday night. “In fact, I can’t even look at a league table, it is that embarrassing.

“As one of them myself, the last thing I want to do is send the Geordies home unhappy. I know how much passion there is on the terraces so I want to show them every minute of every game just what it means to play for their club. It is tough being down the bottom end of the table and none of us finds it acceptable. There are no excuses and I am not going to suggest anything other than we deserve to be where we are in the table.

“I don’t think we have had an awful lot of luck on our side, but that hasn’t been the reason for our poor results. It has been collectively the fact that we haven’t played well enough, as simple as that. We are fighting for our lives really.”

In an ideal world, at 22, Taylor would not be an automatic choice at centre-back as most young players need to be protected during their formative years. It is measure of Taylor’s potential that he has already played more than 120 games for Newcastle and has been a fixture in the side under Kevin Keegan.

Nevertheless, the Academy graduate is far from the finished article – a fact perfectly illustrated at Birmingham – and he appears willing to accept that he still has improvements to make. He said: “I know the defence has been criticised a lot lately but we didn’t really give them a sniff after the break so I think credit where credit is due.

“We know we have to improve at the back because what we have been delivering for a period has not been good enough. But we are learning to play with each other and I think everyone saw definite signs of improvement (in the second half) at Birmingham. The response at half time was just what was needed. We cannot hide any longer, we had to come out and grab the game, which I think we did. It was just a shame we couldn’t get on the end of another chance and make it three points, which would have sent the best fans in the world home a lot happier.”

Although the draw at St Andrew’s ended a run of four successive league defeats, Keegan has still not presided over a win in any of his nine games back in charge. And Taylor is already focusing on the visit of Fulham tomorrow, a game the Magpies really need to win if they are going to make a big step towards safety.

Having risen to the challenge away from home, United also have to prove they can take the game to the opposition when the pressure is on at St James’s Park. Taylor added: “The boss said after Birmingham in the dressing room that the second-half performance was how we should be playing every week. Now we have to focus on Fulham and make sure it is a display which makes the supporters proud and sends them home with three points. Anything else is unacceptable.

“It will be a massive game and the fans can play a big part. In the past, St James’s Park has been a fortress and, a few years ago under Sir Bobby, we nearly went a whole season unbeaten at home. We have to get back to that. If they (the fans) take off the roof, I am sure that will only help us.”