It's a standing joke amongst some of the travelling London Clarets that I 'love' Gareth Taylor. Certainly, as a player, I think he has been a tremendous asset to the Clarets and a consistent performer over the season so far. Fifteen goals at very nearly a goal every two games is no mean return for a free transfer who has performed sufficiently well to earn a recall to the Welsh squad.
So why do so many Burnley fans dislike him so much?
Woody put forward the argument that if he was currently playing for Sheffield United, had scored 15 goals and gained an international recall, and Stan was trying to sign him for £500,000, everyone would be saying what a great transfer that would be for us. I would have to agree with that.
Taylor's assets are his ability to head the ball, to hold the ball up and bring others into play, and to find space inside the opposition box. Saturday's first goal at Stockport was a classic example of the last quality, where he turned up unmarked at the far post to get on the end of Ian Moore's flick.
I do feel sorry for him at our throw-ins, as we only seem to have the option of throwing the ball for him to flick on. Perhaps those Clarets fans that moan at him should count how many times in a game Taylor has to challenge for headers. Throw-ins, goal kicks and kicks from our half are all invariably aimed at Taylor. It's no wonder that our corners tend to head for Davis! You may say that that is his job and defenders have to do the same, but there are generally three or four to share the job against him. He also has to track back for opposition corners, and has won some crucial challenges in our own area.
I agree it is all part of the forward's job, but how often does Ian Moore do these things? In contrast, Moore closes defenders down and uses his pace, often chasing lost causes to try to win throw-ins in the opposition half. Moore's pace is his strength, so why waste energy in hopeless aerial challenges with much bigger defenders? Similarly, there is no point Taylor chasing down the backpass to the keeper or the long through ball unless there is a reasonable chance of some reward. I have never heard Ian Moore criticised for not winning a header, yet Taylor is often berated for being lazy when he can't outpace a defender.
The moaners seem to think that footballers should be able to sprint at full pace for the entire 90 minutes, closing down the defender, then the keeper, getting back on-side and finally chasing the through ball. And of course all Burnley players should always be faster than their opposite number. Therein lies the problem with Taylor. He is slow, very slow in fact, but some fans can't seem to see the difference between being slow and being lazy. If he runs as fast as can but is beaten to the ball that is not being lazy!
In defensive situations where we haven't got the ball Moore always looks more effective and gains more recognition from the fans for his running around. That is not to say that Taylor doesn't defend. I have seen him in recent games as a lone forward cover the whole of the back four trying to close down the defenders, and also track back an opposition full back almost to our own corner flag and block a cross.
In comparison to Ian Moore I would say that Taylor makes the very best of his ability whilst Ian Moore has a lot of talent but doesn't always deliver. Moore has pace and skill, but no anticipation, whilst Taylor, like Sheringham, has to make up for a lack of pace by being able to outthink defenders and turn up in the right place at the right time.
If I had a criticism of Taylor it is that he gets booked for silly things too often and gives away too many free kicks. In his defence I do think that referees seem to give a lot against him unfairly, compared to say Steve Claridge, who knows all the tricks in the book and has invented a few others as well. A psychologist's study came out today that concludes that referees are likely to be harsher on teams (and presumably players) with bad reputations. Burnley got a bad reputation at the start of the season and it has stuck, and Taylor has been one of the main victims along with Alan Moore. We will miss Taylor in the next two games as he sits out his suspension, but hopefully not too much.
A final point is that the so-called fans that moan at players as soon as they run onto the pitch should stop thinking in black and white. Players are brilliant or rubbish with very little in-between. To most of them Steve Davis has never had a bad game or even made a mistake, whilst Graham Branch has never done anything useful and is the worst player to ever pull on a claret and blue shirt. One is definitely better than the other but neither statement is true. Everybody should be given a decent chance and allowed the odd mistake.
I remember not so long ago when Dean West and Paul Cook were targets for the boo boys. Nowadays you have difficulty finding anybody admitting they ever disliked either player. Things can change, so hopefully Gareth will reach 20 goals, get a Wales cap and the recognition he deserves from all the Claret faithful. Then again, there is probably more chance of Dean West scoring a goal.
