Eight steps to identify this season’s Golden Boot winner

Click here for the latest odds on who will be 2009-10’s top-scorer

The bookmakers seem to agree on who the 15 leading contenders to be next season’s Premier League top-scorer are: Fernando Torres, Didier Drogba, Nicolas Anelka, Wayne Rooney, Steven Gerrard, Michael Owen, Robinho, Robin van Persie, Emmanuel Adebayor, Dimitar Berbatov, Jermain Defoe, Carlos Tevez, Andrey Arshavin, Frank Lampard and Roque Santa Cruz. We’ve used some trends to whittle down the 15 and leave one man standing:

Over the last decade Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink (2000-01) is the only player to have won it in his first season with a new club.
That rules out: Michael Owen, Carlos Tevez, Roque Santa Cruz

The last nine winners were all playing for a Big Four side.
That rules out: Robinho, Jermain Defoe

Cristiano Ronaldo is the only player to have been Premier League top-scorer without always playing as an out-and-out striker.
That rules out: Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, Andrey Arshavin

The last British top-scorer was Kevin Phillips in 1999-00.
That rules out: Wayne Rooney

Still standing: Fernando Torres, Didier Drogba, Nicolas Anelka, Robin van

Posted: July 10th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Barton is 16/1 to be named Newcastle’s player of the year

Will Shearer’s good friend be the Toon Army’s hero next season?

With very little football taking place right now, chickendinner have been sniffing around the bookmakers looking for interesting specials to bet on.

Paddy Power have opened a market on who will win Newcastle’s player of the year award next season with Joey Barton a distant 16/1 outsider, an even longer price than 14/1 Xisco.

The three joint-favourites at 8/1 are Obafemi Martins, Kevin Nolan and Steven Taylor - the latter two mainly because they look likely to stay - with

Posted: July 7th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment