You won’t like me when I’m angry, warns Charlton striker Lyle Taylor
BY LOUIS MENDEZ
You won’t like me when I’m angry, Charlton striker Lyle Taylor has warned the rest of League One.
The 28-year-old striker plundered his fourth goal of the campaign from a yard out during Saturday’s 3-2 victory over Wycombe Wanderers, a game in which he was roughed up by a robust Chairboys side throughout.
Taylor, who the Addicks snapped up after he didn’t extend his contract with AFC Wimbledon this summer, feels that he thrives under such circumstances.
“I play my best when I play angry,” admitted the former Millwall trainee.
“It’s hard because you can’t just walk onto a pitch angry. I mean Pearcey (Jason Pearce) does it but I’m not Pearcey. It’s something for me to work at. Being better. It’s something that we can all work at and that’s what the manager’s job is, and the coaching staff. They’ll go away and watch it back and we’ll get our clips and watch our own clips back and see where we can improve and go from there.
“There were a few instances where my shirt was being pulled off my back and I was being wrestled to the floor. These things seem to happen more often to me than others. What can I do about it? Not a lot. I’m aware that my disciplinary record this season hasn’t been the best. I’ve got three bookings, though not all for losing my rag. I got booked for celebrating with my team behind the goal (at Southend) if you believe it. Apparently, you can’t do that anymore. But it is what it is. I don’t want to miss any games so I’m now walking a tightrope. Two more bookings mean a one-game suspension and I don’t want that. I’m just going to have to do everything I can to bite my tongue and not let it out.
“It’s obviously all about the three points. The first-half for me personally was a little bit frustrating because I didn’t feel like I could get in the game for the first 20-25 minutes. But the second-half we were a lot better. Still nowhere near as good as we can be which is always a good thing, because if we can win ugly, there’s every chance that those games where it clicks will be very, very good. We’ll keep striving towards bettering ourselves and we’ll see on to the next one now.”
Strike partner Karlan Grant has been heavily involved in three of Taylor’s four goals so far this campaign and it was his run and low-ball that resulted in Patrick Bauer squaring for the former AFC Wimbledon man’s tap-in against Gareth Ainsworth’s side on Saturday.
“I don’t know what Pat was doing there to be honest with you but Karlan, yet again, down the side beats his man one v one time and time and time again,” explained Taylor.
“That is an invaluable skill and talent that he has. OK I got the final touch and put it in the back of the net but for me that goal comes down to the work that Karlan did. Last week, it came down to the work that Karlan did. It might say Taylor on the scoresheet but really and truly for me the praise goes to him and to Pat for putting the ball back across the goal. That’s that. Yeh, it’s nice to score, it’s always nice to score. But without my teammates, I am simply a bloke running around like a headless chicken trying not to lose his rag and get kicked every time.”
Addicks manager Lee Bowyer revealed that he had asked Taylor to do some extra running during the week in an effort to boost his fitness – and the Montserrat international was happy to do what was asked of him.
“Every manager is different,” he said.
“The role that I’m being asked to play is fine by me, it suits me. I want to be the best player that I can possibly be. If that means that Mr Lee Bowyer has to run me on a Tuesday afternoon then that’s his prerogative. If he wants me to be fitter, it’s not because he’s punishing me. If he was punishing me I wouldn’t be playing. I understand that the fitter I am, the better I am. Quite simply, if the gaffer asks me to do anything, I’ll do it. I might not do it with a smile on my face but I’ll do it and it will be done to benefit me, to benefit the team, to benefit the club, the fans and everybody else involved. I’m not upset or pissed off as it were. I’m simply another player trying to be better.”
PHOTOS: KYLE ANDREWS
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I’m surprised Lyle’s got anything left of him for the opposition to kick. As a season ticket holder of many many years I believe Lyle has brought excitement back to the fans which has been missing for a long time. One disappointment, his overhead kick against Wycombe didn’t get the goal it deserved.