ToffeeWeb - Season 2007-08

The Mail Bag

The Yak

In your Match Summary, you say 'Yakubu did nothing all day'.

I thought for the first time he looked the part. Led the line intelligently, worked hard, set up the first goal with a wonderful dummy and took his goal well. He was my MOM.

OK the opposition was almost none existent but I thought he started to look something like.
Steve Ashton, Dunstable, Beds Posted 29/10/2007 at 13:57:14

back Return to the Mail Bag

Comments

Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer

Michael Kenrick

T'was the Radio Merseysiide commentary, on EvertonTV.com, honest. That Ronnie Goodlass... I'll never trust a fella again!

Ben Jones
1 Posted 29/10/2007 at 14:19:49

Once I saw Moyesy buy the Yak for 11 million pounds, I for one was excited as he could be our capable goalscorer since maybe Campbell or Ferguson. But it was also not a very obvious buy by Moyes, as he normally buys the young, hard working players.

Now, Moyes doesn't normally have bad buys (unlike Beattie, Davies and Kroldup) but the Yak was an unusual one. I was excited about him, once I saw him play the first 3 or 4 games, he was not on his best form at all.

But after the Derby performance, I think I know why he was bought. The Yak is a striker who can score without playing well. I think Moyes knew this, and does not care so much if he does not play that well... just as long as he scores a load.

Now, I think that is a very clever buy by Moyes, because the Yak's obviously a lazy idiot who can score goals.

Neil Styles
2 Posted 29/10/2007 at 15:26:03

Ben &Michael, agree 100%.
From what I saw of the match yesterday I thought Yak looked like he was gelling. I thought he showed signs of that in the derby but moreso against the Rams.
Hope he (and we) can build from this.

Chris Watson
3 Posted 29/10/2007 at 15:34:15

The first few games he had I thought he resembled the stereotypical ’fish out of water’ largely, in my opinion, because he seemed to not be the ’team’ player that Moyes usually goes for. His performance against derby seemed to be a more complete one. More of the same please Mr Yak!!!

Iain Thomson
4 Posted 29/10/2007 at 15:45:13

Play through midfield, ball on the deck and the Yak will score plenty. Same can be said of Faddy and AJ.

This season its our style of play thats restricted goals scored rather than the quality or industry of our strikers

Yaks finish and his dummy for Arteta were class

Gav Jones
5 Posted 29/10/2007 at 16:12:52

I thought he was poor. But as he played an important part in the first goal and took the second well, it wouldn’t be fair for me too complain too much. Nothing else about his game suggested he’ll be successful for us against stronger teams than Derby but I’m willing to give him more time to gel before getting on his or Moyes’ back.

dominic duerden
6 Posted 29/10/2007 at 16:12:31

I went to Pride Park yesterday and Yakubu was completely non existent.

His dummy and his goal were his only contributions.If we have to play with Yakubu he must have a strike partner to play alongside. Remember we won’t play a poorer side in the league than Derby this year.

I don’t know what game Moyes was watching to say he played well. I was sat in the Derby end and their fans were laughing at him , he looked slow and lazy.

For me we have 3 better strikers in the squad

Allan Hobbs
7 Posted 29/10/2007 at 16:29:44

Yakubu has, and never will be the player that runs games or even runs defences ragged - he will, however, give you goals if you give him the ball in the right area. He can always link play well when given the ball to feet, and he’s not bad in the air either.

I can’t help feeling that peoples expectations of him are unrealistic. Like I said, judge the guy on the goals he gets. I still think he’ll score a hat-ful this season.

He’s definately looking sharper now, and fitter too.

Garry
8 Posted 29/10/2007 at 16:57:35

Derby fans laughing at him...I sat in the Deby end and they were scared shitlless of him...and as for them laughing the were probably laughing at one of their humerous forwards...they had 4 on the pitch at the end and couldn’t hit a cow’s arse with a banjo!

dominic duerden
9 Posted 29/10/2007 at 17:12:31

garry can’t argue about Derby they were awful , and lescott and yobo looked fantastic.

dave t
10 Posted 29/10/2007 at 18:12:56

apart from the goal and the step over he also put pienaar through
thats 3 bits of REAL class
i’d be happy if he did 3 world class things per game

tom morris
11 Posted 29/10/2007 at 18:22:05

Well it’s just not good enough.

For £11.6m, he should be scoring a hat-trick every game and creating at least 5 goals for his team-mates. In each half.

And do you know what ?

That still wouldn’t be enough for some people.

Roy coyne
12 Posted 29/10/2007 at 19:19:06

Ben if Beattie and Davis where bad buys its because Moyes could not play them at their strengths as both appear to be doing alright since they left,I thought Yakubu was a strange signing for Moyes as he has never looked a worker and relies on others to create but he is another we can use to vary our tactics which is needed as we are pretty one dimensional as only Arteta appears to have any guile.

smithy
13 Posted 29/10/2007 at 20:25:02

feed the yak feed the yak feed the yak and he will score feed the yak and he will score!

love the guy!! he’l net plenty of goals for us, weve got lots of matches this year, id rather have him in he team than not have him there and strugle 4 goals like we have done

Connor Rohrer
14 Posted 29/10/2007 at 22:24:17

I thought Yak was good in flashes if im honest. He does have qualities and is a good footballer. Just look at the amount of times he brought Pienaar or Arteta into the game and some of his hold up play was good. If where talking about footballing talent he is head and shoulders above Andy Johnson yet people love AJ because he runs his arse of to try and make the long ball game effective. The good thing about Yak is if say Neville hoofs one into the channels he wont chase it and this makes Neville pass it along the floor (hopefully).

The football has improved over the last two games. Whether thats to do with the opposition being poor or us being good I dont know but you can only beat whats put in front of you and the boys are doing that. Hopefully it will continue.

Steve Taylor
15 Posted 29/10/2007 at 23:23:08

I remember HK getting on Cottee’s case for only scoring goals! & not contributing enough to the "team".

Yakubu is a goalscorer - if we provide him with chances he’ll score more than he misses - simple as. Why do we need another striker who works hard, but rarely scores? We bought a proven PL striker with a near 1 in 2 ratio from games started, hence the fee. We need to accept that he’s never going to chase every lost cause or tackle back like a demon - but if we provide enough ammo he’ll score every other game......isn’t that enough????

I thought his contribution was excellent yesterday.

Paul Olsen
16 Posted 30/10/2007 at 00:26:37

Feed the Yak and he WILL score. Loved it!