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

There’s more chance of Angelina Jolie becoming US President than…

Click here to claim a £25 free bet with Paddy Power

chickendinner were pretty shocked to find Paddy Power offering odds of just 20/1 that Angelina Jolie becoming US President before she dies. That means that the Irish bookies believe there is more chance of that happening than:

» Padraig Harrington retaining the USPGA Championship (28/1)

» Portsmouth finishing bottom of the Premier League (22/1)

» Bayern Munich or Juventus winning the Champions League (22/1)

» Robin van Persie or Carlos Tevez winning the PFA Player of the Year (22/1, 25/1)

» Madonna adopting her next child from England (33/1)

Posted: July 9th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Five reasons why Arsenal should beat Man Utd tonight

Arsenal/Manchester United, 7.45pm, ITV1, Free Bets, Best Odds

Arsenal have underperformed in their two previous semi-final matches this season but Arsene Wenger is confident that his side will deliver tonight and the statistics support him. And if Emmanuel Adebayor can keep his head out of the Milanese clouds for just 90 minutes, his partnership with Robin van Persie could make the difference:

Click here to claim a £25 no loss bet when backing Arsenal at 2.92 on Betfair. The Gunners are currently 4.4 to progress.

1. Arsenal have won two and drawn one of their three home games against Manchester United at the Emirates.

2. The Gunners are currently enjoying their best home form of the season having won six straight matches there.

Posted: May 5th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | 1 Comment

Why Arsenal may need to score again to eliminate Roma

Roma/Arsenal, 7.45pm, Sky Sports Xtra, Free Bets, Best Odds

Arsenal will take confidence from the fact Chelsea completed their job in Italy having arrived with a 1-0 advantage but will also be aware how hard Juventus made things for the Blues. Roma are even better at home than Claudio Ranieri’s side so Arsenal may need to score and force their opponents to score three. Sometimes they find that easy - Cardiff, Burnley - but sometimes they make things really difficult for themselves - West Ham, Sunderland, Fulham. Here are some interesting stats about tonight’s match:

» Roma are unbeaten in twelve home matches and have won ten of them.

» The Italian side have only failed to score once at the Stadio Olimpico since Manchester United won 2-0 there on April 1 last year and that was against league leaders Inter.

Posted: March 11th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Everton are 5/4 to beat West Brom to nil with Paddy Power

Everton/WBA, Saturday 12.45pm, Sky S1, Free Bets, Best Odds

Everton aren’t losing at home and West Brom aren’t winning away so it’s hard to see why this game has been televised. The home win is rather short at 1/2 so the best value bet on offer is the Paddy Power’s 5/4 on Tim Howard and co shutting the visitors out. Here’s why that should happen:

» Everton are unbeaten in five Premier League home games and over that period they have conceded just one goal, a last-gasp equaliser scored by Arsenal striker Robin van Persie.

» The Toffees have won three of their last four league games at Goodison Park while keeping clean sheets.

» All three of those wins have come against teams in the bottom-half of the table too: Sunderland (3-0), Hull (2-0) and Bolton (3-0).

Posted: February 27th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Arsenal and Manchester United’s most likely scorers

chickendinner’s Champions League goalscorer betting guide

Here’s chickendinner’s look at some of the frontrunners to score the goals that could send Arsenal and Manchester United through as group winners tonight:

Arsenal:

Robin van Persie (first goalscorer 7/1, anytime goalscorer 9/4, last goalscorer 7/1) scored twice in Arsenal’s last away game against Chelsea and also grabbed a brace in Arsenal’s 4-0 win over Porto earlier this season. The Dutchman has scored nine times this season but may be rested.

William Gallas (first goalscorer 28/1, anytime goalscorer 11/1, last goalscorer 28/1) has scored three Champions League goals already this season, a total topped only by Emmanuel Adebayor (four).

Posted: December 10th, 2008 by Michael Lintorn | 1 Comment