Debate in the Barry thread, lead by @Joey66 and his advanced Dean Ashton scouting skills, made me wonder about Moyes record with strikers. I distinctly recall the debates about Moyes ruining strikers after form dropped off during his first spell (Yak, Jelavic, Johnson).
I decided to see how many players that Moyes has coached across his career who hit 15+ goals in a season. Full disclosure, I used Gemini AI for this, so hopefully this is fairly accurate:
Across his 26-year managerial career spanning Preston North End, Everton, Manchester United, Real Sociedad, Sunderland, and West Ham, David Moyes has coached 8 strikers/forwards who scored 15 or more goals in all competitions during a single season.
Who just missed out?
Several players came agonizingly close but failed to hit the 15-goal mark:
* Michail Antonio (West Ham): His best under Moyes was 14 goals in 2022–23.
* Tim Cahill (Everton): Though he felt like a 20-goal striker, his highest total in a single season for Moyes was actually 12.
* Mohammed Kudus (West Ham): Scored 14 goals in Moyes' final season (2023–24).
A couple of interesting points. It is not a huge list. Roughly half were Moyes signings, with the others already being in situ at their clubs. This does lead some credence to the argument scouting and signing goalscoring strikers is not his strength (consider the number signed in his career).
However, if Moyes has quality players he does look to be able to get them scoring. For a season or so.
Thoughts good folk of GOT?
I decided to see how many players that Moyes has coached across his career who hit 15+ goals in a season. Full disclosure, I used Gemini AI for this, so hopefully this is fairly accurate:
Across his 26-year managerial career spanning Preston North End, Everton, Manchester United, Real Sociedad, Sunderland, and West Ham, David Moyes has coached 8 strikers/forwards who scored 15 or more goals in all competitions during a single season.
Player | Club | Season | Total Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
Jon Macken | Preston North End | 1999–00 / 2000–01 | 25 / 19 |
Richard Cresswell | Preston North End | 2001–02 | 15 |
Yakubu | Everton | 2007–08 | 21 |
Louis Saha | Everton | 2009–10 | 15 |
Wayne Rooney | Manchester United | 2013–14 | 19 |
Robin van Persie | Manchester United | 2013–14 | 18 |
Jermain Defoe | Sunderland | 2016–17 | 15 |
Jarrod Bowen | West Ham United | 2021–22 / 2023–24 | 18 / 20 |
Who just missed out?
Several players came agonizingly close but failed to hit the 15-goal mark:
* Michail Antonio (West Ham): His best under Moyes was 14 goals in 2022–23.
* Tim Cahill (Everton): Though he felt like a 20-goal striker, his highest total in a single season for Moyes was actually 12.
* Mohammed Kudus (West Ham): Scored 14 goals in Moyes' final season (2023–24).
A couple of interesting points. It is not a huge list. Roughly half were Moyes signings, with the others already being in situ at their clubs. This does lead some credence to the argument scouting and signing goalscoring strikers is not his strength (consider the number signed in his career).
However, if Moyes has quality players he does look to be able to get them scoring. For a season or so.
Thoughts good folk of GOT?
