Taylor insists the Magpies' best is still to come

Dec 22 2009 By Stuart Rayner, The Journal

STEVEN Taylor has warned the Championship's chasing pack Newcastle United are still a long way from hitting top form. And the centre-back has told fans unhappy with the Magpies' scrappy style of play: "deal with it".

United are ten points clear at the top of the table, albeit having played a game more than the rivals they look a class apart from. But ominously for West Bromwich Albion, Nottingham Forest and Cardiff City, Taylor warned the best is yet to come.

"We are getting there, but I don’t think we have hit top form yet by any means," said the England Under-21 international. "I really believe that. As long as we win the Championship I don’t care about how many points we get, just as long as we win it. I will only be delighted if we go up as champions in first place, not second.

"I think there is more to come from this side. There is something going for us but there is extra in the tank. We have had some great results lately. There have been games where we have been poor but we have still got the right results. In this league you have to grind results out, especially away from home.

"The fans might not like the football but they will have to deal with it because we are the ones who are playing and we are just interested in getting results.

"If you ask me the question do I think we will get better, yes I do. I am not bothered how we do it though, as long as we keep winning.

"I’ll be happy with 1-0 for the rest of the season. Arsenal built a side around doing exactly that and I would take that all day. I know the fans want to see great football but I hope they realise it is difficult when teams face us with two banks of four players trying to frustrate us. That is why we have to use the wingers so much."