Results tagged “yakubu” from Everton Banter - Join the debate with EFC fans, staff writers and club legends

JOSEPH YOBO today called on his team-mates to give Ayegbeni Yakubu the ammunition that will help him plunder another impressive haul.

Graeme Sharp was the last Everton striker to enjoy back-to-back campaigns which yielded more than 20 goals - he scored 30 in 1984/85 and followed up with 23 the following year - and hopes are high that Yakubu can emulate the great Scot.

The Nigerian ended his first year on Merseyside with a return of 21, which helped the Blues secure a place in the UEFA Cup once again, yet Yobo feels his compatriot is more than capable of beating that total now he is fully attuned to life at Goodison Park.

EVERTON boss David Moyes is preparing to unleash Ayegbeni Yakubu from the start of tonight's friendly clash with Chicago Fire.

The Nigerian international only returned to training last Monday and had a 15-minute run out in Friday's 1-1 draw against Nottingham Forest but he has given the impression in training here that he is primed for action.

Yakubu scored 21 goals in his debut campaign on Merseyside following his £11.25m move from Middlesbrough and Moyes is hoping for more of the same when the real business begins two weeks on Saturday.

YAKUBU is confident he can improve on his goal-laden debut season for Everton.

The Nigeria international netted 21 times following his club record £11.25million arrival from Middlesbrough.

It made Yakubu the first Everton player to reach the 20-goal landmark since Peter Beardsley in 1992, with only Tony Cottee, Graeme Sharp and Gary Lineker having bettered his total in the last 30 seasons.

And with Everton looking to improve on their achievements of the previous 12 months, Yakubu is convinced he can be even more prolific during the coming campaign.

STEVEN PIENAAR and Yakubu were due to return for pre-season training as Everton boss David Moyes vowed to step up his efforts to strengthen his squad.

The South African international and last season's top scorer will be a welcome sight at Finch Farm following Saturday's 4-2 friendly defeat at Cambridge United.

Moyes' options are currently severely limited and he admits he needs to bring in "five or six" new players before the start of the Premier League campaign.

YAKUBU'S rather touching views this week on the value of being married to a good woman harked back to a different Everton era.

"I am just looking forward to bringing her home and having her by my side. It's unbelievable, the feeling," cooed the Blues' Nigerian striker after getting hitched

EVERTON top scorer Yakubu believes he has uncovered the secret to enjoying an even more prolific season at Goodison Park . . . a happy marriage.

The Blues striker tied the knot this week with Yvonne Ikhana, daughter of the celebrated Nigerian coach Kadiri Ikhana, in a ceremony which started with the traditional rites in Abeokuta yesterday before concluding with a white wedding due to take place on Saturday in Lagos.

After scoring 21 goals in his debut season at Goodison, Yakubu believes domestic bliss will make him even more dangerous in front of goal next term.

There have been rumblings of discontent around the Gwladys Street recently about all manner of things be it the over the top size of the giant pies to the over the top style of play, but one area of disgruntlement which has caught my mind's eye is the marathon man himself, Andy Johnson.

There is a rapid race to jump on the bandwagon named 'He is not good enough after all' with an entourage of wagons emblazoned 'He runs around with no end product'. Whilst it is clear he has struggled for form and consistency a la Arteta this season, the simplistic notion he has lost all the ability he posessed when he joined the Moyes revolution is surely preventing a cause for his decreased influence on games being correctly diagnosed.

I can not be the only patron of the Grand Old Lady who cringes at the sight of AJ running his legs into a blur, I saw enough of Beattie trying to compensate his severe lack of footballing brain by running blindly at anything to try and fool the fans into thinking he was good enough. This is where AJ is receiving a poor deal as he has the footballing brain, he just isn't permitted to use it by his boss.