The Mail Bag
Beckford in - Yakubu out?!
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According to the Telegraph - no red top rubbish here - Beckford's arrival at Goodison could spell the end for Yakubu's Everton career.
I am generally quite happy to let Moyes get on with the recruitment, without worrying too much. He seems to get a fair bang for his buck in most deals. But, Christ, if we're considering swapping one of the most consistent top flight scorers for a 3rd tier Johnny BigBollocks, then I won't be putting anything on us cracking the top four this season.
That'd leave us with 2 crocks in Saha and Vaughan, a distinctly average Anichebe, and a player who has proven absolutely nothing that would make even a Sheffield Wednesday fan get excited about signing him.
I really think that with a full pre-season after the World Cup, the Yak will find his shooting boots again. I'd go as far as saying that I wouldn't be surprised to see him take 1st choice spot from King Louis if he hits form. And if he's still around.
Richard Parker, Posted 02/06/2010 at 11:03:54
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A couple of things here: Anichebe will probably be classed as a wide right player for Everton from now on, and I agree. Yak will come back better for a hard-working summer so it may be Saha that is used sparingly, I can't see us playing with two lazy / goal-hanging players in Yak and Beckford though...
I don't see the point in getting rid of Yak, I still think if he's fit and motivated he's the man most likely to score 20-plus goals for us.
2 Anichebe has potential and if you watched the recent Nigeria - Saudi game, it was there for all to see.
3. You are right in backing Yakubu's record. It is impressive. The question is though, is he finished? He had the worst injury possible and (depending on who you believe about his age) he could possibly never fully recover. Moyes sees him in training day-in day-out... so I doubt he would sell him if he thought he could grab 20 goals a season ever again. I would be tempted to keep him for another season before making a decision.
However, if he was nearly sold before he got injured, maybe it will be beneficial from a financial view in that we should get more for him.
Agreed though, Beckford is surely replacing Vaughan and I would like to see another new striker if the Yak did leave. However, I think Anichebe could be asked to step up to his preferred role.
Moyes has already said he thinks we need something a bit extra up top if we're to stay up there challenging for Europe and Yakubu is the only striker we've got that would possibly bring in a decent fee.
IMO, we need either Donovan or to sign someone similar or a touch better to play out wide on the right and go with what we've got upfront next season. Yak could be what we need if he has a good pre-season and hits the ground running in the first few games. I get the impression Moyes wants someone else and isn't too keen or impressed with Yak and prefers Saha but he's knocking on and prone to injuries... although he still gets favoured over Yak so maybe Moyes wants to cash in on him. Maybe sell Vaughan as well as we have Beckford to take his place in the squad and boost our funds to sign another striker?
I don't believe for one second Beckford was brought in to replace Yakubu, more like to replace Vaughan in the squad or just to boost numbers... but I do think, if we got the right offer for Yak, say anything between £8 and £10 million, then I think we would seriously consider it!
''2 - Anichebe has potential and, if you watched the recent Nigeria - Saudi game, it was there for all to see.''
Are you saying we shouldn't judge Anichebe on the poor performances we have seen him turn in for Everton against Premier League opposition, we should judge him by his performance against those giants of the world football... SAUDI ARABIA?!
Personally, I don't rate the lad. Don't get me wrong, he terrifies defences with his powerful/direct runs but he also seems to terrify himself and doesn't appear to know what to do with the ball! He's been put out on the right simply because he can't cut it up front, he's not a goalscorer by any stretch of the imagination.
I also cringe at how easily he goes down (and stays down... rolling around, punching the grass) under the slightest challenge. He doesn't seem very tough for such a big lad!
Quite simply not good enough for Everton Football Club if we want to progress and play Champions League football....
Let's face it... Vaughan has not exactly done very well at Leicester and would not command a fee of any size., I think Beckford is a very good acquisition and should thrive on the midfield service if we can keep Arteta and Pienaar. I am also excited at how Beckford will fare with a fit Fellaini in support.
I think it is a very astute and positive move by DM in getting him signed. Let's hope he stays fit!!!
But back to Beckford in / Yak out, sounds like a sub-editor's musings to me, posh paper or not.
As for the signing of Beckford, I concur that he may well prove this season's 'rabbit' and that he ticks many of the Moyes boxes: young, with a lot to prove; willing to learn and work hard. Combine that with his pace and seemingly natural finishing ability, then this could be another great bit of business in the market by Moyes.
If he is another Andy Johnson, well then we'll flog him for a considerable mark-up and we'll try our hand at another in his mold.
Onward and upward!
Oh and roll on WC, for which I have opening tickets, England v Algeria and QF tickets. Dipeee!!!! :) Cape Town is buzzin!
He will be one of the lowest earners so I can't really see the point in getting rid of him. I strongly disagree with the notion of him being useless out wide and just a target man. He does not have the touch or the intelligence for that at present. His best plays have come from surging runs from deep on the right or through the middle.
What Beckford provides is something different in attack. It provides more competition in attack. It gives us more chance of playing 4-4-2. Honestly, if Beckford performs, I can see him being talked as an England squad member in the next year.
We need a right winger, and a couple more squad players. If we have that, I'd be confident of a top 4 place. I actually have faith in us this season.
Beckford will be in the squad as a better performing Vaughan—- because he is fit and available for a start.
I think Vaughan might get another season out on loan or be sold to a Championship team, with another new face coming in up front... and that new face will be a late purchase after the Sky money and any remaining revenue after we buy a replacement to the possible sale of Pienaar and / or Arteta (surely not!!).
Fingers crossed, he can have a decent World Cup and come back in good shape. I personally think he was starting to improve towards the end of the season and I'd sell Saha anyday before we think about selling the Yak, because his unpredictable availability through injury is consistently disrupting the team.
You'd sell 15-goal Saha, who was explosive when healthy this year, before you sold 6-goal Yak, who showed no explosiveness at all?
You consider Saha's on-and-off hamstring problems more disruptive than Yak's permanently damaged leg?
Oooo-kay.
Anyway, regarding Vaughan, I'd hate to see us sell or dump him just yet... he's only 22, and that magic talent is still in there somewhere. As for Anichebe, the speed and power are undeniable, but I've never seen even a small sign of a goalscorer's gift — most of his goals have been pretty scrappy — but he too is only 22 and worth another chance.
And neither Vaughan or Anichebe is worth much on the open market right now.
Keep the Yak and he will score.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/l/liverpool/8719210.stm
Secondly, and more concerning in some regards, is Moyes probably doesn't have any kind of budget for transfers, again, so like previous years, sell to buy, and wait for the TV money to hit.
I'll be sad to see him go as comes across as a player with his heart in the right place, and an out-and-out goalscorer for sure, but I won't miss his workrate.
For £7m, would I stick with him or twist? ... Show me a card. Good luck, Yak.
His arrival COULD spell the end. Wow! The Telegraph is making a really bold statement there — Yakubu COULD go, he MIGHT just sod off... he MAY run down Matthew Street with a Liverpool top on; I MIGHT grow antlers.
An utterly nothing story. I don't understand why any newspaper prints a story that something MIGHT happen. Probably need to fill in space. Big deal!
How's the FSW being sacked good news? I'd rather their team split up; or at least its good parts - Gerrard, Torres, er.... er, Benayoun....., the goalie... erm.... well, that's about it.
There are lots of rumours about existing players as with all the other Prem teams. If you are looking for Everton to have tw ooutstanding strikers, like say Drogba and Anelka, forget it. We cannot pay the wages it takes for two such players.
Liverpool signed Torres for £26million and have yet to see the benefit to the club. He is injury-prone and will always be just like Saha but at least we didn't break the bank to get him and he scores just as regularly as Torres given the full games to compare by.
Anichebe showed a big improvement when coming back last season and we can only hope that continues. Although he is not a ''goal-poacher'' I think fully fit he will support the others very well.
Yaks may very well be expendable at this time in his career and may still fetch a tidy fee. I am sure Everton do have another striker in mind to sign before next season.
As an aside, Gerrard should go. None of our business, but if Barca or Madrid were to come in, and you're 30... FFS, it's time.
As another aside, did ANY of the players we signed last year actually appear once among rumours in May, June, July or even August for that matter? I had never heard of Bilywhatchamakallit before he appeared on the OS in late August.
Thank God for the World Cup. Get the mind off matters Everton when nothing is actually happening — bring on next week!
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1 Posted 02/06/2010 at 15:25:12
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There has ben a lot of speculation about who will make way for Beckford, I think it's more likley to be Vaughan who goes. If Yak is sold, I hope it means another striker coming in too. To call Anichebe average is also a little harsh — he looked one of our best players in the last few games.