Carlton Cole is 10/1 to be top English goalscorer this season

West Ham striker’s odds were slashed after he made it five in five

Carlton Cole is now 11.0 on Betfair to finish the season as the top English goalscorer in the Premier League after pulling within one goal of joint-leaders Jermain Defoe [3.25], Gabriel Agbonlahor [7.4], Steven Gerrard [9.8] and Frank Lampard [10.0].

The West Ham forward, who has already doubled his previous record of four goals in a Premier League season, has scored in five consecutive Premier League games and is now being tipped for an England call-up.

The goalscoring run will be put to the test over the next fortnight however as West Ham face Arsenal and Manchester United.

Click here to sign-up and claim a free £10 bet with Betfair

Posted: January 29th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Aston Villa versus West Brom: The betting superfacts

Aston Villa/WBA, Sat 12.45pm, Sky Sports 1, Free Bets, Best Odds

chickendinner is aware that Aston Villa are overwhelming 2/5 favourites to overcome local rivals West Brom tomorrow lunchtime but rather than letting that put you off betting on the game, our researcher Danny Harris has looked into loads of possible bets to consider backing:

» Don’t expect an upset - Villa have lost just one home league game this season while Scott Carson has only managed one clean sheet in his past fourteen games for the Baggies.  Bottom of the league West Brom also have the worst goal difference (-19) and have lost eight out of their 10 away games.

» Villa have scored three or more goals seven times this season and West Brom have only managed three away goals in ten games, making the 10/1 offered by Betfair for 3-0 Villa an attractive bet. West Brom have also shipped in 19 goals away from home – the second worst record in the league.

» Bet British - Ashley Young, Gabriel Agbonlahor, Gareth Barry and Steve Sidwell have scored 20 of the sides 33 league goals this year. A non-English player hasn’t scored a league goal for them (excluding own goals) since October.

Posted: January 9th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | 1 Comment

Five reasons why Villa won’t do the double over Arsenal

Aston Villa/Arsenal, 5.15pm, Sky Sports 1, Best Odds, Free Bets

Having kept three clean sheets in four games against the Big Four this season, Aston Villa are favourites to pull six points clear of an Arsenal team missing captain Cesc Fabregas and last season’s top-scorer Emmanuel Adebayor. However, chickendinner are confident that Arsenal won’t be losing their sixth league game of the season just yet and here are five reasons why:

1. It’s been over ten years since Aston Villa last recorded a home win over the Gunners, when they triumphed 3-2 in December 1998.

2. Aston Villa haven’t won successive home league games this season and they have only done so twice in the last fourteen months.

Tags: Arsenal, Arsene Wenger, Ashley Young, Aston Villa, Big Four, Boxing Day, Cesc Fabregas, Champions League, December, Emmanuel Adebayor, Gabriel Agbonlahor, Martin O'Neill, Premier League, West Ham

Posted: December 24th, 2008 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment