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

Liverpool get another chance to go top against West Ham

WHU/Liverpool, Sat 5.30pm, Setanta Spts 1, Free Bets, Best Odds

This is the closest Liverpool have ever come to winning the Premier League and the TV schedulers seem to enjoy torturing them. Once again the Reds play before Manchester United, offering them the chance to experience being top with just two games to go, only to probably have it cruelly snatched away from them a day later. West Ham won’t be a pushover though - even if odds of 23/4 with 888sport suggest otherwise:

Key Trends

» West Ham have lost all five of their home games against teams above them in the league.

» Liverpool have the best record against top-half teams in the Premier League and haven’t lost to any of the top nine clubs.

» In only one of West Ham’s previous 13 Premier League seasons (2000-01) have they failed to beat any of the Big Four - this is their last chance to win against one of them this year.

Posted: May 8th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Statistics to help you bet on Merseyside derby goalscorers

Everton/Liverpool, 8.10pm, ITV1, Free Bets, Best Odds

Steven Gerrard has been Liverpool’s hero in the last two Merseyside derbies but is that run likely to continue tonight? chickendinner have examined the prospects of all the most likely goalscorers:

Tim Cahill - The Australian has scored four goals in eight Merseyside derbies and has fired nine times against Big Four opposition.

Mikel Arteta - The Spanish midfielder has notched three times in his last three appearances at Goodison Park but has only ever scored once against Big Four opposition (Chelsea in 2006).

Marouane Fellaini - Since a run of three goals in four games in October, Fellaini has fired just once in twelve.

Steven Gerrard - The England midfielder scored in each of the previous two Merseyside derbies this month, although he has only scored in three of his last twelve away games.

Posted: February 4th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Eight reasons why Liverpool won’t regain top spot tonight

Liverpool/Everton, 8pm, Setanta Sports 1, Free Bets, Best Odds

2009 marks the ten year anniversary of Everton’s last win at Anfield but they have been granted two opportunities in the space of a week to ensure that the lean streak isn’t allowed to continue for a second decade. Liverpool are unbeaten at home this season but they have drawn a lot and here are eight reasons why chickendinner expects them to drop points tonight:

1. Everton’s form away from Goodison Park is so impressive that they have won more on their travels than Liverpool have at home this season. Only Chelsea have a better away point average this season than the Toffees.

2. David Moyes’ side know how to perform a smash and grab. They have recorded the second most 1-0 wins in the league this season and four of those have come away.

3. Everton have won four straight games and are unbeaten in six despite the lack of recognised strikers due to injuries to Louis Saha, Yakubu and James Vaughan.

Posted: January 19th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | 1 Comment

All the stats on this weekend’s televised FA Cup football

Preston face Liverpool and Southampton challenge Man Utd

It’s FA Cup third round weekend but instead of Motson and Lawro it will be Tyldesley and Pleat putting words to the pictures as ITV and Setanta take charge of proceedings. Here are some statistics about the three matches they have decided to screen this weekend:

Preston v Liverpool
Saturday evening sees the Mark Lawrenson derby take place at Deepdale as the club the BBC pundit supports face the one he spent most of his career at. Alan Irvine’s side have a good record in the FA Cup, having reached the fifth round in each of the last three seasons while Preston have won ten of their thirteen home league matches. Lawro predicted a draw in his column and while that sounds like a reasonable shout, there hasn’t been a draw at Deepdale since last April and that was the only one in the last fourteen months. Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres are both expected to figure for Liverpool, who have gone out at this stage twice in four seasons under Benitez, while being taken to a replay in another.

Southampton v Manchester United

Posted: January 2nd, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Five stats to help you bet on West Ham’s latest Anfield loss

Liverpool/West Ham, 8pm, Setanta Sports 1, Best Odds, Free Bets

Rather than wasting time telling you why Liverpool are 99% certain to beat West Ham (the 3/10 odds should make that obvious enough!) here are five stats that might help you make money on this (mis)match:

45 YEAR WAIT
West Ham have gone over 45 years without a win at Anfield and have lost their last seven matches there, managing only two goals in the process. Liverpool are evens with Paddy Power to win to nil.

GERRARD’S ANNIVERSARY PRESENT
Two days after the ten-year anniversary of Steven Gerrard’s first Liverpool appearance, will he celebrate with another late goal against West Ham? He scored the injury-time equaliser in the 2006 FA Cup Final against the East London side and scored the final goal in Liverpool’s 4-0 win in March. Paddy Power and 888sport offer 11/2 on Gerrard being the last goalscorer.

LATE LAPSES

Posted: November 30th, 2008 by Michael Lintorn | 1 Comment