MARK LAWRENSON: Yakubu’s goals and selection options prove key

Dec 11 2007

WHEN David Moyes committed a record-breaking transfer fee to bringing Ayegbeni Yakubu to Goodison Park, he was guaranteed one thing – goals.

The Nigerian striker has consistently scored goals through his career, even when playing in teams at Portsmouth and Middlesbrough which were not that strong at the time.

Everton are by far the best team he has played for in the Premier League.

Yakubu is not the sort of player to go chasing the ball into corners for you – but he will give a side something extra in terms of their goal return.

A good season – laced with goals – from Yakubu could make all the difference between Everton finishing fifth and 10th.

There is no doubt Yakubu is looking sharper – and a little trimmer – since his arrival at Everton.

And he seems to have embraced the team ethic that runs through the club. Even when he was on his hat-trick against Fulham, he attempted to set up Mikel Arteta for a goal because he looked in a better position to score.

Everton have much more quality in depth now than at any time since Moyes arrived. Privately the former Preston man must have admitted he could only play a certain way with the players he had, and set Everton up accordingly.

But with the likes of Tim Cahill, Mikel Arteta and others in the ranks they are becoming a little more expansive.

It always pays to stop conceding goals in the first instance and Moyes quickly made Everton difficult to beat and awkward to play against. That defensive strength breeds confidence – particularly away from home – that even if the team is under the cosh, the players will be confident of getting something from the game.

Now Everton are building on that solid base and are also blossoming in Europe, where they are showing every sign of getting to grips with how to cope.

European football is not smash and grab – teams need to be cute and canny.

The fact that Everton also carry the threat of an away goal helps them, too. Not just because away goals count double, but because the opposition have to play a different way if they are worrying about the visitors scoring. If you play one up front and sit back, it just invites the home team to get their full backs forward, for example, and put you under pressure.

Yakubu will obviously be a big miss during the African Nations Cup, but Everton have other options. Andrew Johnson must be champing at the bit given his limited opportunities this season, while youngsters James Vaughan and Victor Anichebe are hungry to do well.

However it still remains a tall order for anyone to break into the top four this season. Manchester City’s away form will probably undermine their chances and while Portsmouth are on a remarkable run of form at the moment, the doubt is whether they can sustain it, particularly during the Africa Nations Cup.

I can see them, and clubs like West Ham, Blackburn, Aston Villa and Everton swapping places behind the top four – and there is no reason why Moyes’s side cannot come out on top of them all.

They have a bit more quality in depth than the others and are getting results away from home.

They can also play in different styles, whether it be letting Yakubu play the lone role up front or by going with two – or even three – strikers.

There is a lot of resilience to the team and experience. Cahill’s return has made an obvious difference because he carries such a goal threat.

Mark Lawrenson was talking to RICHARD WILLIAMSON