I?d agree with the Yak?s not playing well but I?d blame our midfield. We create very few chances for him and I can't really recall many misses this year. As for AJ scoring more this season... No chance. Yak is far superior and if we want to improve as a side we need to be getting him into scoring positions.

I fear for the Yak in this current Everton team. As like Beattie and AJ before him, our style of play isn?t suiting the Yak's predatory skills. Moyes is a committed 4-5-1 man and if this persists then the Yak will go the same way as the aforementioned strikers.

All of the strikers are weak.

Yakubu is totally out of form and suffering a drought in front of goal. Worrying is the fact that the goals normally dry out in the second half of the season. If he?s struggling already it could be a bad season for the Yak.

Saha is past his best. I know he scored today but he looks a shadow of his former self and in the last couple of games I?ve found myself growing incredibly frustrated by his lack of cutting edge.

Anichebe continues his attempt to prove that he?s good enough to be a squad player. He?s got alot of strength and I really like the lad but does he have enough goals in him?

Vaughan is as good as he?s ever been. Which is to say he makes the odd cameo appearance and the only player not to out-score him over the last couple of seasons is Hibbert. Honestly, what does this guy contribute? It was 5 years ago he burst onto the scene, what's he done since then? Everton strikers have to contribute more then a couple of goals a season.

If I was Moyes in January I would warn Yakubu that his future is on the line, I would give Anichebe a final chance starting a few games, send Saha packing and try and sell Vaughan. At least two new strikers need to be purchased.

It's 1st of November ? not 1st of April!! You have to be fucking joking.

I?m sorry to say but people like you Dave Wilson will never ever be happy. You really don?t get many strikers better than the Yak.

Absolute nonsense. What chances has he missed? Our all round performances have been poor and he?s been starved of opportunities. I?d admit criticism of his recent form, a resurgence in our results hasn?t really coincided with Yak scoring goals. He hasn?t turn and run at a defence for a few games either, he?s certainly not at his best right now.

He?s still a very good player and if we create chances for him he?ll put them away. It would be ludicrous to sell him, even for £18mil. The only strikers better than him cost at least 25.

As Ben says before me, absoulute nonsense. I cannot think of a genuine chance created for the Yak since Liege at home, yes to be fair he?s not playing particularly well but who is? (Apart from Jags) Give him a chance, he will score... maybe when things aren?t going well he offers little but I?d feel a lot more confident with him going one on one than any other striker at the club.

If they offer £18mill then the question will be irrelevant as the board would not be able to resist turning in a profit of £7mill on a player after 18 months at the club.

And who would you buy with the £18 mil? Keane, Bent, AJ, Shevchenko, Crouch even?

Stop talking rubbish, feed the Yak and he will score. Don?t put him on a diet like he is at present.

Yes, let's cash in on our best striker, great idea.... not.

Say what you want about Yakubu, his record is up there with anyone's despite his doubters. In five full season he?s scored 19, 17, 19, 16 and 21. Plus his 4 in 12 this season (shocking) and 7 goals in 14 games in the Championship when he first came to England.

One of the worst posts in a long time on here to be honest. People call Yakubu inconsistent, is that the goal scoring of an inconsistent striker? No it's not. He always gives his clubs a healthy goal return every season.

I'd also just like to point out something, in Yakubu's first 12 games last season he scored 6 goals. That's a massive two more than his tally this season. He went on to score 21 goals that season. I'm sure he will give us a healthy goal tally this season.

He's going through a bad patch, that is all. It does happen. Yakubu's an easy target though, simply because of his style of play.

No, I wouldn't entertain selling Yakubu for my liking...
We saw last season that Yakubu is a prolific scorer and his record in the Premier League is second to none at this moment in time. Yes, he won't do the dirty work that AJ would do last season but look where it got Johnson at the end of the day? He could have been an Everton legend if he had been as lazy around the box as Yakubu is but in the end it was as though he was a right winger.

Yak is out of form but he is just as likely to go on a five- or six-game purple patch scoring crucial goals like last season. At times last season he was great to watch and also refreshing to see an Everton striker that looked like he knew where the goal was without even looking up. People eventually turned on AJ and started doubting if he was Premier League class because he was so rarely in the box... and when he was there, the chances were being missed through a lack of confidence.

Yakubu for me should be the fulcrum of Evertons attack. If we can put side his apparent lack of work rate and interest, we should just bear in mind that no striker in the Premier League has scored more goals. It's ok everyone ranting on about Vaughan and Anichebe but just because they are young and have came through the academy it doesn't mean they are automatically great. Are either of them really that much better than Danny Cadamarteri was?? Vaughan has been addled by injuries and has never really suggested when he has played that he is going to be the answer goalscoring wise whereas Anichebe hasn't really moved on from being a super sub.

We shouldn't be looking at selling our best out-and-out goalscorer since Lineker.

Dave Wilson ARE YOU HAVING A FUCKING LAFF MATE?

FEED THE YAK AND HE WILL SCORE, FEED THE YAK AND HE WILL SCORE!

Not many strikers better than the Yak, end of. Change our style of play. Why have him running around on his own up front!?? Moyes is an awful tactical manager.

On that performance you can throw in Cahill and Pienaar, too.
Anyone wanna argue that the derby display was any worse than that?

This is getting silly. While we’re at it why not sell the lot and start again.

I'd just like to say that Dutch Schaffaer?s post is rubbish. No offence man but Vaughan is an exciting talent and just needs games and to stay fit. But if we continue with one striker why not loan Vic or Vaughan out to Irvine. Can only do them good. As for the Yak, he just needs the service and let's face it.... it's not our strikers I'm worried about, it's the midfield. Saha is a good player and hopefully that goal will help his confidence! All that being said, if we get offered that sort of wedge for the Yak, it is tempting!

The Yak is the most natural goalscorer we?ve had since Lineker. To try and cash in because he?s going through a dry patch is fucking ridiculous! Bear in mind we sold Johnson for similar money we paid for the Yak!

To replace him with similar quality, we either couldn?t afford or they woudn't come.

Funny how every striker who plays under Moyes turns out to be crap. Think about it, eh?

I?m with Jamie Carroll?s essential point. David Moyes?s sole striker formation does not and will never suit the Yak. For me, that proposition is no better demonstrated by what occurred today. To be fair to Moyes and Yakubu, today the latter worked hard and belied his reputation for laziness. However, with Moyes?s 4-5-1 system your "1" is only ever going to be either a (lost causes) chaser (Johnson) ? which never pays real dividends (Bent and Johnson in the end) ? or a "hold it up or nod it down for the bloke (Cahill et al) coming on to it from behind" traditional target man (Ferguson).

The Yak doesn?t have the stamina or inclination for the former role and the latter role just doesn?t suit him ? he?d rather, and is an infinitely better player having, someone do that for him. So yeah, if Moyes won?t change his basic system, for mine I say take the profit and either use it to get someone like Heskey who is willing to play the latter role and does it effectively or get Big Vic to toughen the fuck up and do it.

How has Yakubu turned out to be crap? Look at his goalscoring record at Everton Peter.

It’s called going through a bad patch, nothing more nothing less.

Martin, you?re absolutely right. The Yak is a quality striker who is, for reasons not entirely down to him, going through a barren patch. 4-5-1 doesn?t suit him; it requires a workhorse which Yakubu certainly isn?t.

Personally, I?d like to see him partner Vic or James Vaughan with Saha ready to come on for the last quarter. I?d play Cahill just behind them, with Arteta, Pienaar and one of Fellaini, Castillo or Osman in front of the back four. It might actually make opponents worry about us for a change.

I think for commercial reasons that it?s time to attack. Glorious failure might just be preferable to the dour drudgery Evertonians are being subjected to at present.

Yakubu scored 21 goals playing upfront on his own, we played 4-5-1 or 4-4-1-1 for the majority of last season.

He can play in both formations. I do agree though, I’d like to see Yakubu and Saha get a run of games together.

I think we have two very good strikers on our books, they need time to gel and get to know each others styles though.

I never realised the world was so negative until I read this site.

A few bad results and every one is on Moyes's back and forgets what has happend in previous seasons, suddenly 3 good results and we've shot right up the table to 7th, and people are still complaining,

It's the same with Yakubu, a few bad performances and people are moaning, its only a matter of time before Yakubu starts banging them in again as per usual and he's up there with the top scoreres in the league by the end of the season.

That's the problem on here, people are too quick to judge, and all too quickly forget the good things.

Spot on, Jamie Carroll, spot on.

The guy goes a few games without a goal, during a run which saw the entire Everton team struggling and providing no service, and suddenly he is terrible. Forget what he did last season, forget what he did to start the season, it?s time to get rid. It really is a good thing that the inmates don?t run the asylum.

If the midfield start making accurate passes in the final third, which has nothing to do with the game plan and everything to do with the execution, then the chances will be there and he will put them away. We had so many good attacks going today until Pienaar or Arteta would continuously make a ridiculously sloppy pass. This is to do with the execution, if the players would keep their concentration and poise we would be creating many more opportunities. It?s the concentration and execution that needs to improve, which it will.

This team, due to injuries and late transfers, has only been training with each other for a few weeks now. They will continue to gel and Yakubu will get his goals, he always does. Selling him would be a terrible idea.

I really have difficulty reading stuff like Dave Wilson's post. You really have to be joking don't you, Dave? Didn't you see the number of defenders surrounding him today? Haven't you seen the goals he has scored? Didn't you notice that we actually look threatening when he gets the ball? I have never heard of the seasonal effect on strikers, is it something to do with the leaves falling off the trees or are you suggesting something a little more sinister?

The Yak is our most gifted player at the club. He can’t run all day like Marcus Bent or AJ, and loves the occasional dive, but selling him is just silly.

I’d sell him if only to stop 35,000 people singing the cringeworthy pisspoor ’FEED THE YAK AND HE WILL SCORE’ song!

I agree with Connor, he managed ok with a similar system last season,, it?s just that we have had a poor start this year and the team are low on confidence as a result. Pienaar and Cahill are only a month or so back from injury, Saha is having a decent run of games but again he?s not played for long periods so you can?t expect too much too soon.

I do wish we had a bit of pace on the wings so we can actually get in behind teams though ? it will help Yak as he can actually run onto a ball rather than have his back to goal all the time ? wonder if we?ll look at Obinna again in January?

Yabubu out and Carragher in ? he looks like a good frontman to me hahahaha

YABUBU IS OUR BEST PLAYER BY FAR !!!.

Connor

If it's stats you want to play with, try these:

THREE goals in the prem this season; NIL goals in the last nine games; MISSED CHANCES AGAINST: Portsmouth, Blackburn, Newcastle, Arsenal and Man Utd. How long do you think his valuation will remain at £18 million if this is allowed to continue ?

John Martin

Of course the Yak is far superior to AJ, but AJ cares more and will score more; as for us getting the Yak into better scoring positions, I think you?ll find that's his job mate. Big Vic did more in a couple of minutes yesterday than the Yak has done in weeks and he deserves his chance along side Saha.

I know the Yak is the darling of you MOTD Evertonians but I reckon from last Christmas to this I?d have spent about 5 grand watching my team. I will continue to support them ? with or without Yakubu ? but I?d much prefer spending my money to watch 11 men doing their best

Robb Nunn

Did I see the number of defenders surrounding the Yak? Yes I did, it was about the same number that was surrounding Dixie?s statue when I passed it... more chance of Dixie?s statue moving though.

As for your "are you suggesting something more sinister" comment. Say what you mean and dont hide behind some gobshite cowardly little inuendo.

Dave,

One very, very simple point:

If Yak is the liability you claim why does a manager with the plain footballing nouse of Harry Redknapp want him?.

Yakubu is our only forward at the moment who is an actual goal threat, Saha seems to be going through the motions, Vic just isn?t good enough and we just haven?t seen enough of Vaughan to make a judgment on him.

The Yak scored 4 in 5 (should have been 5 in 5 but for a missed pen) at the start of the season then we, to put it bluntly went shit. He has only had a couple of good chances and Dave to criticise him for the save, not the miss, against ManUre is a bit much.

The forwards have been starved of service from the midfield, Mikel has gone on vacation for the last month; saying that his corners are getting better and no-one else is providing anything for our forwards.

Sell him in January? Sure... if you enjoy not scoring again.

Dave Wilson, I?m a season ticket holder and go the occasional away game you idiot. Don't start complaining about having a shit team and then say let's sell one of our best players and replace him with a proven inferior one. Creat opportunities for him and he?ll score or is that lost on you?

It would have been far more sensible, to get a manager in with some tactical football knowledge, with this fool we are going to lose the Yak.

Taking Colin?s point even further, I would much rather pay £17m to get rid of Moyes then sell Yak for £18m - he is one of the most natural goal scorers that we have had since Lineker. If he doesn?t score 25+ every season with us, it is an indictement of either Moyes or the midfield, and not the Yak. FFS he puts away almost every chance he has, he just doesn?t get almost any from the rest of the team!

Hang on a mo Jimmy, so if he doesn?t score more in a season than he has ever done before it is Moyes?s or the midfield's fault? Sorry mate you have lost me there!

Tony,
Are you sure Vic isnt good enough? How do you know? He had a few games when he was a kid ? he still is ? but he?s had no chance this season, he?s constantly asked to do in 5 minutes what the Yak has failed to do all afternoon, surely he should be given a run before he?s dismissed as "not good enough". Don't you think if he played up front in our last 9 games he wouldn't have contributed more than the Yak?

John Martin,
Take a look at Drogba, Rooney, Tevez, Berba, Torres, Keane, Ronaldo and Anelka. They will all score more goals than the Yak this season even though he?s a better finisher than all of them; they?ll do it because their movement and workrate will take them into far more scoring positions. And before you start whinning about them playing for better teams, what about Robinho, Defoe, and of course AJ, they?ll all score more too, or is that lost on you? The Greek guy at Wigan can declare now, The Yak won't be catching him

The choice is quite stark. We can sell the Yak and bring in a quality midfield player with the money we get for him. Or, we can sit and hope that he decides he wants to play for us and starts banging them in. The problem with that is, the longer we wait the more his valuation drops.

I?m happy if he stays and proves me wrong. I?m also happy if he goes and we replace him with a quality player who wants to play for us. I?m very UNhappy with the current situation as we are getting neither.

No Dave, I don’t think Victor would have contributed more than the Yak.

Vic seems consistently out of breath after a small run, I remember watching him in a game last season and everyone around me were questionning whether Vic had just come on as a sub or the Yak, as Vic looked goosed and the Yak was still running about.

I have said it now for two seasons, for a young lad Vic looks so unfit after a short sprint, constantly standing there with his hands on his hips, not making any movement.

He has nuisance value when closing down players but so did Gemmil.

Have I just read a post by somebody suggesting it would be good to sell the Yak and bring in Heskey!!!??? Are you on fucking crack mate! Some utter bollocks gettin said on this post.

Fair enough Tony
I asked for your opinion and you?ve given it, but I can't agree, Vic was given a rare start at Stoke and guess what ?

Also, I cant help thinking about the number of times he comes on late... and we score. Coincidence?

Get rid of the Yak? This is absurd!

Get rid of Moyes and keep the Yak? I’d sooner get rid of the Yak!

If we lost Moyes there is every chance we would become a relegation candidate or bottom half team again. I think Moyes has changed us into a top half team at worst and on a consistent level.

OK there is a small chance that someone out there could come in and do better, maybe one manager in every 20 that we would be linked with, but to me it’s not worth the risk. Until Moyes loses whatever it is he has got and drops us into the lower half of the league I won’t be changing my mind.

Oh, and every year we make it into Europe I consider it a job well done at the moment. I don’t think any manager in the league outside of Ferguson and Wenger could do what Moyes has done for us.

Yakubu had a better goals-to-games ratio than both Berbatov and Keane last season in a less creative side and a side that doesn?t score as many goals.

He had 6 in 12 at this time last season, this season he?s got 4 in 12 games. A massive two goal difference.

Why does he not want to play for us? What you have to get into your head, Dave Wilson, is every player is different and they express themselves in different ways on the pitch.

Yakubu is a laid back player and he plays at his own pace, that doesn?t mean he isn?t trying and it doesn?t mean he cares any less than your AJs, Vaughans and Cahills of this world.

He has always played in that way and he always will; I?ve got to say it doesn?t seem to effect him. As I?ve showed, his goalscoring record, season-in, season-out, speaks for itself.

Yakubu is Yakubu, his attitude since he joined us has always been the same. He doesn?t run around a lot, he has a laid back demeanour and he plays with a smile on his face. Always has done and always will do.

With yourself being a typical Evertonian, you will claim he?s not interested and he doesn?t care just because he?s going through a bad patch. Typical really.

No point even arguing with you Dave, You have admitted the Yak is better than AJ but would prefer AJ, You cant argue with some with that logic. Thankfully you're not in charge of the club or we would have Bent & AJ up front because they both work hard.

Connor, you are absolutely spot on regarding the Yak's demeanour. But he?s a quality striker and should always be first name on the team sheet. The absence of Cahill affected him badly because without CahillI I believe 4-4-2 is the only option. Every decent side must be prepared to carry and support class. With Arteta and Lescott out of form the Yak is the only class we?ve got.

John Martin

You’ve lost the argument so you make things up.
Where have I stated I want AJ ????
I didnt want him in the first place.
I used him -as an average player- to illustrate that Yaks poor showing.
I think you’ll find your the one making cranky posts about wanting Bent and AJ

Connor

I find it funny how I can name a dozen players who will score more than him this season and nobody challenges any of them.
I dont care about his demeanour, I certainly didnt last year.I’m more concerned with the fact that HE JUST AIN’T SCORING
You ask why I dont think he wants to play for us ?
I believe him to be the sort of player who will only ever stay at a club for 2-3 seasons then move on.
Time will tell if I’m right or not

18 mill not a good deal ? you sure ?

Andy

"every decent team should be prepared to carry and support class" ?

No mate, its the other way round

Dave Wilson,

Why will they score more goals than him? Because you think so? Because you probably want them to? That means nothing to me mate, that?s just your opinion. Anything could happen, I?d rather judge at the end of the season.

He isn?t scoring at the moment no but that doesn?t make him a bad player nor does it mean he won?t score again. It?s called going through a bad patch, it can happen to anyone.

I see you?ve completely ignored the fact I gave to you. 12 games into this season he?d only scored 6 goals. He?s only two goals behind that this season and he?s got alot of time to get some goals and improve his form.

"I believe him to be the sort of player who will only ever stay at a club for 2-3 seasons then move on"

What I?d say to you now Dave is look at the bigger picture, actually give Yakubu a chance. He left Portsmouth for the simple reason that they where battling against relegation year in year out. He kept them up and he wanted to move on a further his career. Boro where in the Uefa Cup at the time and it was a good move for him.

The same goes for Boro, they started to struggle and the likes of Viduka and Yak kept them up. A player of his quality needs to be playing at a higher level, it?s only natural for a player to want to progress and impress. So he?s joined us.

I?m not saying he will stay here but anything can happen, sometimes players find their clubs and settle down. Like Arteta did for example after constantly moving from club to club.

I think you do care about his demeanour, it?s quite obvious to be honest. Like a lot of Evertonians you can?t accept a player who is different and who plays in a laid back manner. Such a shame.

£18 million would not be a good deal, he is our best player and we should be looking to progress. That?s my opinion anyway.

As Martin Tyler said during the Stoke game, there is no player currently playing in the Premier League with more goals than Yakubu! Enough said!!