Yakubu vows to make Andrew Johnson link-up an Everton success

Sep 26 2007 by Chris Beesley, Liverpool Daily Post

Everton’s record signing Ayegbeni Yakubu has vowed to make his strike partnership with Andrew Johnson become a big success and has backed the England international to get back into goalscoring form.

David Moyes’s £20million strikeforce got off to a dream start when they were first paired together at Bolton on September 1 as they combined for the opening goal in a 2-1 victory at the Reebok Stadium, to give Yakubu a debut strike.

However, the former Portsmouth and Middlesbrough striker saw himself benched for Sunday’s 2-0 defeat at Aston Villa as manager David Moyes opted to start with youngster Victor Anichebe while following on from his double penalty misery against Metalist Kharkiv, Johnson extended his goalless streak to 16 games for club and country going back to March 18.

Despite these setbacks, Yakubu believes he is now finding his feet at Goodison and is hopeful of forging a successful partnership with Johnson - starting tonight as Everton go on the Carling Cup trail at Sheffield tonight.

He said: “I think it’s getting better for me settling in. It’s not easy coming to a new club as you get to understand the way they play and the system.

“I think I’m getting there and it’s getting better and it’s good.

“It’s a big challenge for me. I’m looking forward to it.

“As a striker wherever you go it’s a big challenge and you’re under pressure but you just keeping playing your football. With the quality players we’ve got at Everton I think we’ll be okay.

“The partnership between myself and Andrew (Johnson) is working.”

Yakubu’s record £11.25million move to Everton last month came on the back of an impressive strike rate, netting 78 times in 195 games since arriving in England in January 2003 but he has endured both a 16-game and 14-game barren spell himself over the past two years.

The Nigerian accepts that such periods are an occupational hazard for strikers and has backed team-mate Johnson.

He said: “When you’re a striker and you play and don’t score goals you’re confidence is a little bit down.

“Andy is doing the right things on the pitch and working hard in training and the goals will come. Once they come, they’ll never stop.

“When you start scoring it looks easy but at the moment it looks difficult.

“Andy’s been doing good things and the fans are behind him and everyone in the squad knows what ability he’s got and the goals that he can score from the things we see in training, we just all need to be a little bit patient but the goal will come and he’ll never stop scoring.”

Yakubu’s sentiments were echoed by assistant manager Alan Irvine yesterday, who believes that dropping Johnson won’t help in the long run.

He said: “Personally I don’t think leaving him out is going to solve the problem.

“You can only solve the problem by being on the pitch and scoring goals.

“We haven’t picked a team for tomorrow but the decision won’t be really based on that issue, it will be based on who we think the two strikers are who we should pick for tomorrow.

“Andy’s going through a spell that all strikers go through.

“The very best goalscorers go through spells when they can’t score goals and then they get one and a whole load come along after that.

“We’ll stick by Andy, he’s a terrific player.

“It’s hurting him. With every chance that he misses, it’s a much bigger issue than it is when you’re scoring goals and we’ve got to try and get him through that.”

Everton travel to Hillsborough for tonight’s third round tie with Joseph Yobo doubtful.

The Nigerian defender missed training yesterday after feeling ill while Mikel Arteta and Thomas Gravesen remain out.

Everton are hopeful that Arteta will be fit for Sunday’s home game with Middlesbrough while goalkeeper Tim Howard is also moving closer to fitness.