"An embarrassment" - that is how Alan Shearer has described Newcastle United's current squad. Shearer netted a club-record 206 goals for the Magpies between 1996 and 2006 but he has seen Newcastle United fade as a force in the nine years since his retirement. The former England captain believes Newcastle's players are not taking "some responsibility" because they are "an embarrassment" right now - they simply are not meeting the standards required for a Premier League side. Having been unable to prevent Newcastle's last slide into the Championship as caretaker manager back in 2009, Shearer knows the feeling of falling short at the North-East club. In his column in The Sun, Shearer also revealed that, before the Magpies' limp 3-2 surrender to Swansea City at St James' Park last weekend, he didn't believe they would be relegated - yet now he sees it as a "real danger". But which players is Shearer describing as "an embarrassment". Although this could, in theory, be applied to the whole squad, there are certain individuals in particular who need to prove their worth before the season is out - because they simply aren't performing at the club's time of need. So here are eight Newcastle United players who should be embarrassed to wear the club's famous black-and-white shirt right now. For all the latest NUFC News, Views and Transfers make sure to follow WhatCultureNUFC on Twitter and Facebook.