The 2014-15 Premier League season is right around the
corner. And with preparations for the upcoming campaign nearly in the books,
it’s time to start looking ahead at how yet another year of glorious English
football will play out.
We already know last year’s Golden Boot winner won’t be
making it two in a row. Luis Suarez, who finished as top scorer with 31 goals
in 2013-14, moved to Catalan giants Barcelona over the summer. The Premier
League still has an arsenal of gifted scorers, however. And this year’s Golden
Boot race should be a good one.
With several talented new entries and former winners going
head-to-head, punters will have a deep pool of players from which to choose.
Robin van Persie (9/2)
Two-time winner Robin van Persie tops the oddsmakers’ list,
coming in at 9/2. The 2013-14 season was one to
forget for the Dutchman. And while he seemed to return to top form during the
2014 World Cup group stage, his struggles continued in the latter parts of that
tournament.
He has history on his side, however. And when healthy, he’s
still one of the best poachers the Premier League has to offer. The Dutchman
isn’t particularly fast or strong, but his football IQ is off the charts. He’s
always in the right position, and his finishing is deadly.
His stunning headed goal against Spain, perfectly
illustrates the kind of player Van Persie is: Smart, instinctive and very good
at putting the ball in the back of the net.
Sergio Aguero (11/2)
Manchester City’s top finisher is No. 2 on the oddsmakers’
list, thanks to his consistency when it comes to scoring goals. Quick,
technical and always around the box, the Argentine international has to be
accounted for every single time Manchester City cross midfield.
Like Van Persie, Sergio Aguero has had some struggles with
injuries in the past, but he faces a far bigger threat to a potential Golden
Boot win: City’s offensive depth. With Yaya Toure, Edin Dzeko and Alvaro
Negredo stealing plenty of good looks on goal, there simply aren’t as many
opportunities for Aguero as there are for other strikers.
The small forward is a safe bet to be one of the top players
in the upcoming season, but at 11/2 to win
the Golden Boot, punters better look elsewhere.
Daniel Sturridge (11/2)
Depending on what your favourite Premier League team is, you
either believe Daniel Sturridge will benefit from not having to share chances
on goal with Suarez, or that his excellent scoring return last season was a
by-product of playing with the Uruguayan.
Sturridge’s particular skill set won’t vanish just because
Suarez isn’t around. He’s still a remarkable finisher and an excellent
technician playing in a wide-open offensive philosophy that thrives on scoring
more than it does on preventing goals.
Hollywoodbets.net have taken note of his great campaign in
2013-14, however. And at 11/2, he might not
represent enough of a return for punters looking to score big. Coupled with the
uncertainty of life after Suarez, Sturridge is a risky pick that might not pay
big dividends.
Diego Costa (7/1)
Looking at last year’s numbers, new Chelsea signing Diego
Costa is by far the most attractive option for punters. The Spanish
international scored 27 goals in La Liga, an impressive haul. And with odds of
7/1, he presents punters with the perfect risk/reward scenario.
Much will depend on how the striker adapts to the Premier
League. Costa appeared to struggle against Chelsea’s close marking during the
Champions League, a defensive strategy he’ll be facing a lot in 2014-15.
He finished the club season with an injury that forced him
to leave the pitch during the Champions League final and didn’t impress at the
2014 World Cup, leading to some concerns his first season in England might not
go as planned.
Costa will be Chelsea’s focal point in attack, but like
Aguero, he could suffer from the multitude of attacking talent around him. The
likes of Eden Hazard, Oscar and Andre Schurrle all scored freely last season.
And while that’s good news for the Blues, it’s bad news for Costa’s Golden Boot
hopes.
But compared to the odds of some of the other top strikers
around the league, 7/1for a proven scorer is a
tantalising prospect. The former Atletico Madrid striker already has four goals in five matches for the Blues in pre-season.
Alexis Sanchez (16/1)
The biggest enigma is without a doubt Arsenal’s Alexis
Sanchez, who comes in at 16-1. The Chilean is wildly talented, scored an
impressive 19 league goals in Spain last season and is undoubtedly the Gunners’
most gifted finisher.
But apart from the usual question (how will he adapt to the
Premier League), there’s one which is even more pivotal: Where will he play?
At Udinese and with the Chilean national team, he played as
a striker in a two-man front and did arguably his best work. At Barcelona, he
was used as a wide man, and on paper, that should be his role with Arsenal as
well.
Thierry Henry played as a winger with Juventus before
joining Arsenal and converting to the striker position, but the Frenchman was
also well over six feet tall. Sanchez is not, and while he boasts impressive
power for a player his size, conventional wisdom indicates he’s too small to
play as a lone striker in the physical Premier League.
Wenger couldn’t care less about conventional wisdom, and if
there’s anyone who could convert Sanchez into a successful striker, it’s the
Gunners’ manager. But such a conversion takes more than just one
pre-season—don’t expect results to be immediate.
Prediction
As a two-time winner, Van Persie is arguably the safest
option available. While he’s not a flashy pick, and he wouldn’t give punters a
massive return, he’s probably the one player you’d have to select if your life
depended on it.
Don’t sleep on Sturridge, however. The English international showed his value in 2013-14; if the Reds can find him a suitable partner, he could put together a similar season this year, which could be enough to lift the Golden Boot.
Punters looking for a solid return have to go with Costa, who carries the best odds of any of the players with a history for scoring plenty of goals (don’t sleep on Wayne Rooney, either). As for predictions, give me Sturridge in a minor upset.
Full List:
9/2 VAN PERSIE, ROBIN
11/2AGUERO, SERGIO
11/2STURRIDGE, DANIEL
7/1COSTA, DIEGO
12/1ROONEY, WAYNE
14/1 DZEKO, EDIN
16/1 SANCHEZ, ALEXIS
18/1LUKAKU, ROMELU
20/1GIROUD, OLIVER
25/1TOURE, YAYA
28/1BONY, WILFRED
33/1HAZARD, EDEN
33/1JOVETIC, STEVAN
33/1REMY, LOIC
40/1ADEBAYOR, EMMANUEL
40/1STERLING, RAHEEM
50/1BENTEKE, CHRISTIAN
50/1DROGBA, DIDIER
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