The Mail Bag
Worried About The Yak
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I've had mixed feelings about the Yak ever since I first heard we were buying him...
~ Outstanding goal scorer. One of the few players that scared me when I knew we were going to play against them... but....
~ That nagging worry in the back of my mind... how many years did he actually have left in him and was it long enough to justify the £11m transfer fee?
Well, I am now worrying more than ever. Nearly 3 years on from his purchase, :
~ He has started about 60 games for Everton, scored about 30 goals (forgive the "about," ToffeeWeb stats don't add up and are different from the numbers elsewhere)
~ To date, his transfer fee alone has cost us £180k per game or £360k per goal. He needs a lot more starts and goals before he will have been a good price.
~ He is still not looking fit after last year's injury. My Nigerian friend laughs at the idea that Yakubu might be only 27... How many games does he really have left in him?
"Injury Prone" Saha has already made it to 35 starts and 21 goals in under 2 years, which is at least as good as Yak's record, and Saha was free(-ish); Fellaini is already on 63 starts and 12 goals.
I'm not criticising Moyes's transfer record generally. There are too many good pieces of business (buying Lescott, Jags, Baines, Neville, Howard, Piennar, Arteta, Saha; selling Lescott, Bent etc etc) for that. I'm just worried about the Yak. Great player but are we ever going to get our money's worth out of him?
Someone comfort me!
Hope the Yak starts tonight, looks fit and scores a hat full... but I can't believe it is going to happen.
Tom Brown, Posted 16/02/2010 at 10:48:14
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Michael Kenrick
Hmmm... dodgy stats? I'll have to look into that.
I know what you mean, I always get the feeling that he just cant really be arsed. Not really a DM type of player either I have often thought.
Also, just what is it with all these rumours about his age? I have heard them before and about other Nigerian players but surely with the amount of money changing hands to secure the services of these players, there must be some way of checking this out properly. In fact, didnt DM make reference to his age in an interview a while ago and was subsequently accused of being racist?
Also, just what is it with all these rumours about his age? I have heard them before and about other Nigerian players but surely with the amount of money changing hands to secure the services of these players, there must be some way of checking this out properly. In fact, didnt DM make reference to his age in an interview a while ago and was subsequently accused of being racist?
Firstly, we’re all aware that Yakubu has been out with a career-threatening injury for over a year and I beleive, to a man, we will definitely give him the benefit of the doubt. I fully expect people to mention this over and over again though!
When on form and hungry Yakubu is the most natural finisher that we’ve had at the club since Lineker (in my humble). What we’re finding out now is how hard it is to keep him motivated. At other clubs he’s been at his form has stuttered after an initial period of immense goalscoring.
The Yak’s natural build will always make him prone to weight gain but also gives him the natural attributes required for defenders to bounce off him. I worry less about him getting into condition and more about the mental strength desire to challenge Saha’s position as our number 1. Has he still got that burning desire?
Yakubu divides opinion. Most of us would give everything we had to play for Everton and his lackadaisical approach is as frustrating as it is galling at times. The other side would tell you that we don’t want our forwards rushing around like headless chickens a la AJ (how I hated that ’thumbs up’ he’d do as he chased after another pointless ball down the line!) and Yak knows where to be at the right time — so just feed him.
I sit somewhere in the middle and feel that he needs to do something to show us he has the heart and desire burning in his belly but not at the expense of his natural game.
I for one can’t wait to see that infectious beam on his face as he begins to enjoy his football again.
When on form and hungry Yakubu is the most natural finisher that we’ve had at the club since Lineker (in my humble). What we’re finding out now is how hard it is to keep him motivated. At other clubs he’s been at his form has stuttered after an initial period of immense goalscoring.
The Yak’s natural build will always make him prone to weight gain but also gives him the natural attributes required for defenders to bounce off him. I worry less about him getting into condition and more about the mental strength desire to challenge Saha’s position as our number 1. Has he still got that burning desire?
Yakubu divides opinion. Most of us would give everything we had to play for Everton and his lackadaisical approach is as frustrating as it is galling at times. The other side would tell you that we don’t want our forwards rushing around like headless chickens a la AJ (how I hated that ’thumbs up’ he’d do as he chased after another pointless ball down the line!) and Yak knows where to be at the right time — so just feed him.
I sit somewhere in the middle and feel that he needs to do something to show us he has the heart and desire burning in his belly but not at the expense of his natural game.
I for one can’t wait to see that infectious beam on his face as he begins to enjoy his football again.
I mentioned on another post recently that I’ve never been quite sold on the Yak.
I’m not really one for the Andy Johnson style run all day with no real end result, but for me the Yak just doesn’t do enough. For a big guy he should be capable of holding up the ball much better but seems to constantly fall over.
Also I think his 1st touch is weak, too many occasions he loses control of a ball passed to feet and it ends up back with the oppositions midfield. I think Cahill and in particular Saha are much better at this.
At the moment I think he has also shown a complete lack of desire, I appreciate he had a serious injury but he has been back for some time now and should be fresh and raring to go.
I’m not really one for the Andy Johnson style run all day with no real end result, but for me the Yak just doesn’t do enough. For a big guy he should be capable of holding up the ball much better but seems to constantly fall over.
Also I think his 1st touch is weak, too many occasions he loses control of a ball passed to feet and it ends up back with the oppositions midfield. I think Cahill and in particular Saha are much better at this.
At the moment I think he has also shown a complete lack of desire, I appreciate he had a serious injury but he has been back for some time now and should be fresh and raring to go.
To be fair I didn’t rate Yakubu when Moyes first signed him. I thought it was an expensive mistake.
At the time I thought he was too lazy and had a habit of starting off well at new clubs only to lose interest after a season or two.
Then he scored some goals and in his first full season for Everton he scored over 20 goals. The first player to do that since Peter Beardsley.
I must admit I started thinking I was wrong about Yakubu and Moyes had pulled off another master transfer.
Then he got injured.
Since his injury Yakubu hasn’t looked the same player. It seems to be taking him ages to get back to full fitness. And to be honest I don’t see how he can become a regular starter again now that King Louis has become Everton’s top striker.
I really don’t know if we’ll ever see Yakubu back to the form when he scored over 20 goals in one season.
My guess is Moyes will look to move him on soon and try to reclaim some of that big money spent on him.
At the time I thought he was too lazy and had a habit of starting off well at new clubs only to lose interest after a season or two.
Then he scored some goals and in his first full season for Everton he scored over 20 goals. The first player to do that since Peter Beardsley.
I must admit I started thinking I was wrong about Yakubu and Moyes had pulled off another master transfer.
Then he got injured.
Since his injury Yakubu hasn’t looked the same player. It seems to be taking him ages to get back to full fitness. And to be honest I don’t see how he can become a regular starter again now that King Louis has become Everton’s top striker.
I really don’t know if we’ll ever see Yakubu back to the form when he scored over 20 goals in one season.
My guess is Moyes will look to move him on soon and try to reclaim some of that big money spent on him.
You watch Mikel Arteta will be back to full fitness before Yakubu. Probably even Jagielka will beat Yakubu back to full fitness.
I just don’t get the impression that Yakubu is busting a guy to get back to full fitness.
I just don’t get the impression that Yakubu is busting a guy to get back to full fitness.
Yakubu is an excellent player, he’s proved that and with a good pre-season under his belt, I’m sure he’ll prove it again.
Moyes has said on numerous occasions that this season would be difficult for him, as Ben Howard says, his natural build makes him prone to putting on weight when he isn’t active. He’s a player that needs fitness and sharpness behind him to succeed.
And it is one of the worst injuries a player can get in football, a bit of realism is needed, this type of career has ended players careers. In all honesty, I think he’s done well to get to the level he is at.
Not only is he an excellent finisher but he’s also the best link up man we have at the club. Excellent with his back to goal, and some of his link up play with Steven Pienaar is top draw. He’s intelligent, strong, has good vision and awareness. He’s very underrated in this area, he’s not going to dribble past someone, but he’s a very intelligent footballer.
If we get our midfield sorted (Arteta and Fellaini) then I see no reason why Yakubu and Saha couldn’t be tried together. They both have the attributes needed to be quite a partnership, but they do need a run together.
Moyes has said on numerous occasions that this season would be difficult for him, as Ben Howard says, his natural build makes him prone to putting on weight when he isn’t active. He’s a player that needs fitness and sharpness behind him to succeed.
And it is one of the worst injuries a player can get in football, a bit of realism is needed, this type of career has ended players careers. In all honesty, I think he’s done well to get to the level he is at.
Not only is he an excellent finisher but he’s also the best link up man we have at the club. Excellent with his back to goal, and some of his link up play with Steven Pienaar is top draw. He’s intelligent, strong, has good vision and awareness. He’s very underrated in this area, he’s not going to dribble past someone, but he’s a very intelligent footballer.
If we get our midfield sorted (Arteta and Fellaini) then I see no reason why Yakubu and Saha couldn’t be tried together. They both have the attributes needed to be quite a partnership, but they do need a run together.
Snapping the achillies tendon would probably hinder my form for a few months too. I think if he stays clear of injury and can get a pre-season under his XXL belt (sorry Yak!), he’ll be back on form.
A good pre-season certainly didn’t hurt King Louis!
A good pre-season certainly didn’t hurt King Louis!
Tough one.
The Yak is something of a Gerd Muller. he only really comes alive in the box, and more so in the 6yd box. He is by far the most natural finisher we’ve had since...well possibly ever. He is as calm as a gunslinger in front of goal. And he’s greedy, a virtue that is important in a goal scorer.
I think it all depends on how we play. If we are up against it and using more long ball than normal then Yak is a luxury we cant afford. But if we play good joined up football and use intelligent through balls when we can then Yak is excellent
He is an intelligent player who can make space and reap rewards. But it needs Arteta, Pienaar & Fellaini to spot the runs & passes to capitalise.
The Yak is something of a Gerd Muller. he only really comes alive in the box, and more so in the 6yd box. He is by far the most natural finisher we’ve had since...well possibly ever. He is as calm as a gunslinger in front of goal. And he’s greedy, a virtue that is important in a goal scorer.
I think it all depends on how we play. If we are up against it and using more long ball than normal then Yak is a luxury we cant afford. But if we play good joined up football and use intelligent through balls when we can then Yak is excellent
He is an intelligent player who can make space and reap rewards. But it needs Arteta, Pienaar & Fellaini to spot the runs & passes to capitalise.
The injury he had was a shocker, the term career threatening is often thrown around but his injury was just that, career threatening. He may never be at the level we have previously seen, but then again he may well do it.
His style does at times make him look lazy but he knows where the goal is and I reckon given a run of games when he starts he will get the goals again.
His main problem is the form of king Louis at the moment. He may not get a run of games.
His style does at times make him look lazy but he knows where the goal is and I reckon given a run of games when he starts he will get the goals again.
His main problem is the form of king Louis at the moment. He may not get a run of games.
The problem with the Yak is not what he does - it’s our peception of what he should be doing...this applies to Moyes too. He has clearly been telling him to drop deep, cover and provide, when playing in a 442...
That’s not playing to the Yak’s strengths...we seen what he does best when he came on against Liverpool...should of the last defender, one touch, two touch...and bang!
Those expecting him to look fit and lean have clearly been watching some other Yakubu in the past - because he’s never been that player...
When the Yak plays....I want him to be lazy...because whenever he attempts to drop deep and do the cute things that Saha’s capable of - he inevitably looses posession...
The Yak is fine - he’s as fit as he’s ever going to be - He simply isn’t ever going to do the things you lot seem to expect of him...
That’s not playing to the Yak’s strengths...we seen what he does best when he came on against Liverpool...should of the last defender, one touch, two touch...and bang!
Those expecting him to look fit and lean have clearly been watching some other Yakubu in the past - because he’s never been that player...
When the Yak plays....I want him to be lazy...because whenever he attempts to drop deep and do the cute things that Saha’s capable of - he inevitably looses posession...
The Yak is fine - he’s as fit as he’s ever going to be - He simply isn’t ever going to do the things you lot seem to expect of him...
Totally agree with Connor and Ciarans points.
It is easy to criticise the YAK and he has had an horrendous injury (it’s not called the Achilles for nothing)but I would back him 9 out of 10 times to score when in a goalscoring position.
That is impossible to coach and very few players have that ability.
That is why it is used to be stated that You find a top class goalscorer and build your team around them which is something we seem to do the opposite of at EFC.
Give the YAk encouragement and watch the fitness and goals come.
It is easy to criticise the YAK and he has had an horrendous injury (it’s not called the Achilles for nothing)but I would back him 9 out of 10 times to score when in a goalscoring position.
That is impossible to coach and very few players have that ability.
That is why it is used to be stated that You find a top class goalscorer and build your team around them which is something we seem to do the opposite of at EFC.
Give the YAk encouragement and watch the fitness and goals come.
Yakubu is pure class and when he’s back to full fitness will be banging in the goals like he has done all his career. Poor comments so far especially those who have ’never been sure from the start’, totally idiotic statement.
Yak is world class and I’m glad we have him.
Yak is world class and I’m glad we have him.
Btw anyone know a good (as in not too congested after the game) place to park the car for the game today? I am heading towards the city afterwards. Usually park at Hillside but Race Lane is closed and the general area is a nightmare.
I remember Moyes saying around the time Yak first came back into the team that he’dbeen out for the best part of a year and it might take him as long again to get back to his best.
His injury was obviously extremely serious and back in Novemeber Moyes seemed to be suggesting that we won’t see the best of Yak until next season.
Sadly, it may just be something we have to be patient with and hope Saha doesn’t get injured.
His injury was obviously extremely serious and back in Novemeber Moyes seemed to be suggesting that we won’t see the best of Yak until next season.
Sadly, it may just be something we have to be patient with and hope Saha doesn’t get injured.
It’s often considered a benchmark for strikers in form to score goal every other game (Over the season). Yakubu achieved that stat and more in his first full season at Everton with 21 goals in 39 appearances 2007/8 - since then it has been 5 in 17 2008/9; 2 in 9 2009/10
In his previous Premier League career best he only managed 19 in 43 appearances for Portsmouth 2003/4
Now, with Yakubu he has always scored in bursts; he’ll have 10 games where he’ll score in almost every match and then have a famine period when he barely scores.
His most prolific goal scoring season in English football was as an Everton player under the direction of David Moyes...
Having said that I think that he’s lost something in his game - he doesn’t seem to pivot as quickly as he used to wrong footing defenders finding that extra half a metre of space in the box and I’m convinced his injury has played a part - though, if that turn and shoot he almost scored against Liverpool would have been just a little more accurately struck - he’d have been fully rehabilitated!
He’s been an excellent signing for Everton and without that injury that would wreck most careers I’ve no doubt he’d have scored even more goals.
I’m not sure I’d get rid right away... I’d see how he performs over the next few months before considering putting him up for sale.
In his previous Premier League career best he only managed 19 in 43 appearances for Portsmouth 2003/4
Now, with Yakubu he has always scored in bursts; he’ll have 10 games where he’ll score in almost every match and then have a famine period when he barely scores.
His most prolific goal scoring season in English football was as an Everton player under the direction of David Moyes...
Having said that I think that he’s lost something in his game - he doesn’t seem to pivot as quickly as he used to wrong footing defenders finding that extra half a metre of space in the box and I’m convinced his injury has played a part - though, if that turn and shoot he almost scored against Liverpool would have been just a little more accurately struck - he’d have been fully rehabilitated!
He’s been an excellent signing for Everton and without that injury that would wreck most careers I’ve no doubt he’d have scored even more goals.
I’m not sure I’d get rid right away... I’d see how he performs over the next few months before considering putting him up for sale.
Alex World Class is a phrase that is branded about too frequently these days. Yakubu is certainly not in a league with players such as Drogba, Rooney and Torres who might currently be in that catergory.
Also if memory serves me correctly he had a full pre-season prior to the injury last year in which he then started well, but subsequently went on to only net once v Middlesborough in 11 games prior to Spurs. All this with Arteta there to supply him.
In fact it was after he was injured and Cahill went up top that our season started to pick up.
I have genuinely ’never been sure from the start’ I can think of a number of strikers I would rather have. Apologies if that is an idiotic statement but I though this was about opinion.
Also if memory serves me correctly he had a full pre-season prior to the injury last year in which he then started well, but subsequently went on to only net once v Middlesborough in 11 games prior to Spurs. All this with Arteta there to supply him.
In fact it was after he was injured and Cahill went up top that our season started to pick up.
I have genuinely ’never been sure from the start’ I can think of a number of strikers I would rather have. Apologies if that is an idiotic statement but I though this was about opinion.
The Yak isn’t world class, and to say so is a definite case of blue-tinted spectacles being firmly placed over the eyes.
If I’m honest with myself, I think he may be finished as a top flight footballer. He’s a languid striker at the best of times and has very little workrate, and I think the injury has took all of what was there away.
He’s a liability at the moment - usually I’d expect him to kick on as he gets game time, like Arteta does. But there’s just something strange about Yak... I’m not confident we’ll ever see him scoring in double figures again in an Everton shirt.
If I’m honest with myself, I think he may be finished as a top flight footballer. He’s a languid striker at the best of times and has very little workrate, and I think the injury has took all of what was there away.
He’s a liability at the moment - usually I’d expect him to kick on as he gets game time, like Arteta does. But there’s just something strange about Yak... I’m not confident we’ll ever see him scoring in double figures again in an Everton shirt.
Fuckin hell, i can’t believe people are moaning about Yakubu. He sticks the ball in the back of the net. Yak is not even our no. 1 striker. Ask the RS if they’d swap him for ngog. What did Andy Gray or Graeme Sharp do to make them so much better that Yak? A bit of perspective please.
I think the term he used was ’pure class’ - not the often rightly maligned and utterly meaningless phrase ’world class’..
All the arguments about the Yak have been well-rehearsed and there is little dispute about most of them:
- he has always scored in bursts and then disappeared
- he does not always appear interested
- he can appear lazy
- he seems in his own little world – even mentally out of town – some of the time (just before he came on as substitute against the Dark Side, he was giggling away. At that point, most of us were distraught by the way the game was going, and it was hardly a time for levity)
Following his injury, I am yet to be convinced that he will ever get back to the goal machine that he was, much as I would love to see it. I guess time will tell. Perhaps he’ll hit the heights tonight.
Incidentally, our manager has few illusions. At the Everton Supporters in London meeting a couple of years ago, Moyes said that he was well aware of Yak’s tendency to score lots of goals and then disappear. And that it was something he would always keep an eye on.
- he has always scored in bursts and then disappeared
- he does not always appear interested
- he can appear lazy
- he seems in his own little world – even mentally out of town – some of the time (just before he came on as substitute against the Dark Side, he was giggling away. At that point, most of us were distraught by the way the game was going, and it was hardly a time for levity)
Following his injury, I am yet to be convinced that he will ever get back to the goal machine that he was, much as I would love to see it. I guess time will tell. Perhaps he’ll hit the heights tonight.
Incidentally, our manager has few illusions. At the Everton Supporters in London meeting a couple of years ago, Moyes said that he was well aware of Yak’s tendency to score lots of goals and then disappear. And that it was something he would always keep an eye on.
I went to school with Andy Johnson so the "headless chicken jibes are quite infuriating-im not understanding how you can slag a player off that had balls pumped into the sky or down the channels week in week out, had he not chased down these balls you would have slagged him off for being lazy ala Yak, Johnson was a goal scorer before he joined us as his stats prove, maybe the step up was a little too much, but the style of play was his down fall and he certainly was not as bad as beatie don’t get me started. rant over, Yak will be fine once he is fit again, im sure after a year out his only thoughts are to play and find form, not as some have stated looking to a move away idiots !!
Ciaran: Actually he uses both "pure" class and "world" class!
The Yak is back, very lively today, liked what I saw today
Hi Tom,
Not going to slate your opinion, but personally agree with Connor Rohrer and Kevin Sparke. I think Lee Kidd, you’re being overly brutal... much in the same way Arteta will take time to get back and Jags will likely be a shadow of his former self once he returns, Yak needs time. The Yak’s record in the "best" league in the world is fantastic, Saha’s is exceptional (when fit).
Not going to slate your opinion, but personally agree with Connor Rohrer and Kevin Sparke. I think Lee Kidd, you’re being overly brutal... much in the same way Arteta will take time to get back and Jags will likely be a shadow of his former self once he returns, Yak needs time. The Yak’s record in the "best" league in the world is fantastic, Saha’s is exceptional (when fit).
Whatever
That is all this spurious pile of bilge this deserves. The Yak is our best forward. Period.
That is all this spurious pile of bilge this deserves. The Yak is our best forward. Period.
Miserable bastards
If you are going to calculate a ’cost per goal’ or ’cost per game’ you have to deduct the transfer fee we receive when we sell him to get the true cost.
Or at least allow a figure for his resale value if you want to calculate it now.
Or at least allow a figure for his resale value if you want to calculate it now.
Chad; I’m not denying his past record and I’m a fan of Yakubu, but I seriously worry that this injury has put him back in performance levels permanently. I don’t think he’s the type of player who gets "up to speed" - I hope I’m wrong but... well, I just hope I’m wrong, it’s just a feeling I have about him.
Jags and Arteta I have no concerns about at all.
Jags and Arteta I have no concerns about at all.
Chris Keightley. When I mentioned how infuriating it was to watch AJ run into the channels after yet another pointless ball, this was in no way intended as a criticism of Andy Johnson. I like the player and would have liked us to have been able to play to his strengths. We couldn’t.
"Not only is he not match fit, hes not FIT. Period"
How can this be the case when hes been training for 6 months. Surely he should be physically fitter than he is by now?? I know he suffered a bad injury and I think the lack of recovery tells its own story. The older you get the harder it is to regain what you once had.
Arteta should be ok cos of his age as will Jags. If Yak really was 27 then he'd be a lot further down the line to being FULLY MATCH FIT than he is. If he's 27 can I claim to be 29 (again??????).
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