Opta look at Yak attack
With the close season a day old, the transfer merry-go-round has started to spin.
With the close season just a day old, the transfer merry-go-round has already started to spin.
Portsmouth's Nigerian striker Yakubu already looks to have swapped the sunny South Coast for the colder climes of the North East, with a move to Middlesbrough almost completed.
The athletic attacker has enjoyed a productive season at Fratton Park, bagging 12 goals and helping Pompey to steer clear of the relegation zone.
| Premiership Goal Chart 2004/05 | | | |
| | Player | Team | Goals |
| 1 | Henry | Arsenal | 25 |
| 2 | Johnson | Crystal Palace | 21 |
| 3 | Pires | Arsenal | 14 |
| 4 | Defoe | Tottenham Hotspur | 13 |
| = | Hasselbaink | Middlesbrough | 13 |
| = | Lampard | Chelsea | 13 |
| 7 | Cole | Fulham | 12 |
| = | Crouch | Southampton | 12 |
| = | Gudjohnsen | Chelsea | 12 |
| = | Yakubu | Portsmouth | 12 |
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As well as proving to be Portsmouth's most dangerous attacker this season, Yakubu's performances also compare favourably with Boro's main strikers in this campaign.
| Player | Yakubu | Hasselbaink | Nemeth | Job |
| Appearances | 30 | 36 | 31 | 23 |
| Minutes On Pitch | 2,470 | 3,235 | 1,704 | 995 |
| Goals | 12 | 13 | 4 | 4 |
| Mins per Goal | 205.8 | 248.8 | 426.0 | 248.8 |
| Shots On Target | 26 | 43 | 19 | 9 |
| Shots Off Target | 31 | 45 | 12 | 8 |
| Shooting Accuracy | 46% | 49% | 61% | 53% |
| Chance Conversion | 21% | 15% | 13% | 24% |
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While Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbaink did manage to bag one more goal than Yakubu, the Pompey man played fewer games, giving him a better minutes per game average than any Boro attacker.
Steve McClaren will, no doubt, be hoping that the arrival of Yakubu will provide the Teessiders with some added firepower ahead of next season's domestic and European adventures.
