Opta Jury: Yakubu Aiyegbeni
Yakubu Aiyegbeni's move from Portsmouth to Middlesbrough is scrutinised.
With a superb 3-0 victory over Chelsea in the league and a valuable 2-1 win away to Stuttgart in the Uefa Cup under their belts, Middlesbrough may well be about to turn the corner in what has been disappointing season so far.
Central to Boro's drubbing of table-topping Chelsea was Nigerian striker Yakubu. The muscular Nigerian ran the usually unflappable Blues' backline ragged, netting the Teessiders' third goal and giving an all-round masterclass in the art of physical attacking play.
Boro boss Steve McClaren brought Yakubu to the Riverside last summer in the hope that the former Maccabi Haifa hit-man could spearhead an assault on the upper reaches of the league table. However, while McClaren has had to endure a difficult campaign, Yakubu has definitely not disappointed, netting 13 times in the league so far and improving on his form at previous club Portsmouth.
On moving to Portsmouth in early 2003, Yakubu was an instant hit, with his all-action style perfectly suited to the rough and tumble of the English game. In 67 Premiership appearances for Pompey, he netted an impressive 28 goals, however, since making the move to the north-east, the African has developed into an even more potent attacking threat.
| Yakubu | 2003/04 - 2004/05 | 2005/06 |
| Team | Portsmouth | Middlesbrough |
| Appearances | 67 | 24 |
| Minutes On Pitch | 5,597 | 1,883 |
| Goal Attempts | ||
| Goals | 28 | 13 |
| Shots On Target | 71 | 25 |
| Shots Off Target | 81 | 14 |
| Mins per Goal | 199.9 | 144.8 |
| Shooting Accuracy | 47% | 64% |
| Chance Conversion | 18% | 33% |
| Passing | ||
| Goal Assists | 6 | 4 |
| Discipline | ||
| Fouls | 120 | 33 |
| Offside | 99 | 14 |
| Yellow Cards | 4 | 0 |
| Red Cards | 0 | 0 |
In terms of creating chances for his team-mates, the forward has also impressed under the tutelage of McClaren, already providing four assists in 24 top tier games compared to six in 67 games at Pompey.
When Yakubu's games per goal rate with both clubs is compared, the improvement in his form is also apparent.
| Team | Portsmouth | Middlesbrough |
| Appearances | 67 | 24 |
| Goals | 28 | 13 |
| Games/goal | 2.39 | 1.85 |
While it is fair to say that on moving to The Riverside the young striker expected his new club to enjoy a less uncomfortable first half of the season, Yakubu himself has flourished on Teesside and may well be the player to reignite the rest of the campaign and beyond for Boro.
What do you think? Has Yakubu been a hit, a miss or is the jury still out? Send us your views.
