jermain defoe

Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur Betting Tip & Odds: Always great for entertainment and goals is the North London derby. Arsenal usually prevail though, especially at home, just as they did 3-0 last season. Would fully expect them to do it again and keep their strong title challenge going. They have the extra level of class and scoring ability in the team, and with them being at home, they are the most likely winners. As much as Spurs have progressed over the past twelve months under Harry Redknapp, they have a woeful record against bitter rivals Arsenal, and are still trying to catch up to the level which Arsenal are at. Spurs do not have the consistency that Arsenal have, some home win. Arsenal to win by 2 goals: 15/4 at Bet365

Arsenal to win: 4/6 at Stan James
Draw: 16/5 at Victor Chandler
Tottenham to win: 9/2 at Unibet

EPL Match Preview: There is nothing quite like a feisty North London derby to stoke the fires on a cold winter afternoon. Tottenham are the visitors to the Emirates Stadium in Saturday’s big Premier League clash, as the two old rivals go head to head again. The two side have already met in the Carling Cup this season, with the Gunners walking away from White Hart Lane with a convincing 4-1 victory. Carling Cup results of course, don’t really have any bearing on Premier League matches, as the participants on the day will be vastly different from the Carling Cup attendees. Thanks to Chelsea and Manchester United failing to pick up three points last Saturday, Arsenal, with a good away victory at Everton, shot themselves into second place, and sit just two points behind leaders Chelsea. Arsene Wenger really cannot afford to let any further slip ups happen, and certainly not against their big rivals, Tottenham. There have already been some uncharacteristic hiccups in the Arsenal Premier League challenge this year, with home defeats coming against Newcastle and West Brom, something that really could not have been predicted. In a strange Premier league season, where the top three contenders haven’t always shown why they are regarded as the best in the league, Arsenal have not lost their way in terms of football ability. Although their win at Everton, which is no easy thing was more a victory of substance over style, it showed a great resilience from Arsenal, and why they really should be considered as title contenders. With all the title talk in the pre-season surrounding Manchester United and Chelsea, Arsenal are looking much stronger than they were last year, even though they have been struggling with injuries.

One of the brightest sparks for them this season, has been the inclusion of Marouane Chamakh, the Moroccan forward who has filled in admirably in the absence of Robin Van Persie, who was injured on international duty. Van Persie may finally get back into action against Tottenham, as he returned to the bench last week to face Everton. That will be some great news for Arsenal fans as they look to push on up front, but Arsene Wenger has also stiffened things up at the back. They will go into the Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur game with Thomas Vermaelen still missing at the back, along with Abou Diaby and Aaron Ramsey, who are all still sidelined. After missing the England friendly defeat in the week, Jack Wilshere should be ready to play some part in the match. Thankfully for Arsenal’s title chances, keeper Lucasz Fabianski is showing much more promise than he did last season, and is becoming a vital cog in the machine, after the goalkeeping position was touted as being Arsenal’s big weakness. Arsenal have conceded just three in their last six matches, and one substantial difference between last season and this one, is their away form, which is going very well. What is surprising though, is having seen the Gunners lose two at home, which shouldn’t really happen in the space of thirteen games. Holding a strong record against North London rivals Spurs, can Arsenal keep up the pressure near the top of the league? Even with those two surprise defeats, plus one handed out by Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, Arsenal are seriously in contention. Five wins out of their last six matches shows a team in good form, and with a team who hold a strong upper hand over Spurs, is an Arsenal home win a banker?

With a 51% win percentage against Spurs at home, you would think so. With Spurs only winning once in all of the league matches played in 2000’s between the two sides, you would think so. But did that 4-1 victory at White Hart Lane last season start a new trend? Did it signify a shift in power in North London? As much as you can dress up that victory, the answer is no. Tottenham, under Harry Redknapp, find themselves seven points behind the Gunners already. There is the possibility that striker Jermain Defoe could at least be on the bench for the North London derby, as he returned to training this week. The chances of him playing though are only slight, but it is clear that Tottenham have missed his presence in front of goal this season. Tottenham have not been prolific in front of goal, certainly not to the degree of Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United, against whom they need to set their standards. They need an extra spark of class up front, and while Rafael van der Vaart has been looking a great bargain since joining the club in the summer, and the rise and rise of Welsh star Gareth Bale, Tottenham don’t have the out and out firepower that Arsenal do. That could be the deciding factor on Saturday in the Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur derby match. Tottenham have lost half of their matches on the road this season, and that really doesn’t put them in good standing for a visit to Arsenal. Naturally you can expect an up-tempo, hotly contested match, but Spurs have not registered a win away at Arsenal in the last seven North London Derbies. That is a long history to try and overcome, combined with the fact that they have only kept one clean sheet in 23 matches against Arsenal, they could be on the end of another bitter defeat. Spurs go into the match without Tom Huddlestone, Robbie Keane and Aaron Lennon. You may want a look at Jermaine Jenas getting in on the scoring action, as the Spurs midfielder has scored four in the last seven matches against Arsenal, and is 8/1 at Bet365 as Anytime Goalscorer. Spurs have been booed from the pitch this season already, following a draw against Sunderland. Both sides have Champions League matches in the week, with Spurs’ playing a more crucial one than Arsenal. Will they have one eye on that? Will there be more woes and boos to follow on Saturday?

Online bookmaker promotion: Wing Commanders at Paddy Power. The North London Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur match always throws up a lot of football betting interest. For this one, popular online bookmaker Paddy Power are rolling out a money back special for Saturday’s big game. If Tottenham’s Gareth Bale or Arsenal’s Theo Walcott hits the last goal of the match, then Paddy Power will refund all losing first/last goalscorer, correct score and score cast single bets placed on the match. This is a great offer in the battle of the wingers at the Emirates! The highly recommended bookie also offers up to £50 in free bets for customers opening a new account.

Arsenal v Spurs Premier League Statistics

Last 5 Head to Head
Tottenham Hotspur 2, Arsenal 1
Arsenal 3, Tottenham Hotspur 0
Tottenham Hotspur 0, Arsenal 0
Arsenal 4, Tottenham Hotspur 4
Arsenal 2, Tottenham Hotspur 1

Arsenal have an 67 win percentage at home in the league this season
Tottenham Hotspur have a 33% win percentage away from home in the league this season

Arsenal have scored 15 goals, and conceded 6 at home
Tottenham Hotspur have scored 7 and conceded 10 goals in their away matches

Arsenal have scored the bulk of their goals in the 76-90 minute bracket
Tottenham Hotspur have scored the majority of their goals in the 16-30, 61-75 and 76-90 minute brackets

Arsenal have opened the scoring in 61% of their matches
Tottenham Hotspur have scored first in 30% of their matches

Arsenal average 2.5 goals per match at home this season
Tottenham Hotspur average 1.1 goals per match away from home this season

Arsenal are on a 10 match streak with no draw
Tottenham are on a two match losing streak away from home

Arsenal 2010/11 top scorer: Chamakh, 5
Tottenham Hotspur 2010/11 top scorer: Van der Vaart, 5

Arsenal 2010/11 Season Form: P13 W8 D2 L3 GF26 GA12 Pts 26 (2nd)
Arsenal 2010/11 Season Form: P13 W5 D4 L4 GF18 GA17 Pts 17 (7th)

Football betting on England suddenly looks a little more secure. After an impressive opening salvo of the Euro 2012 campaign, which saw England run out 4-0 winners over Bulgaria, Fabio Capello takes his side to Switzerland on Wednesday, hoping to secure maximum points from the first two matches. At Wembley on Friday night, England showed a lot of renewed vim and vigour as they shook off the disappointments of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe was the hero of the ninety minutes as he struck home an international hat trick, comfortably securing the home side’s victory. The crowds didn’t turn out in full force at Wembley, and Wayne Rooney in particular seemed to take the brunt of frustration from the home crowd, but on a whole, there was a new look and a new feel about the England side, which were missing several of their experienced players. To be honest, John Terry, Rio Ferdinand and Frank Lampard really weren’t missed as the new look England stroked the ball around with relative comfort and showed a lot of ambition in going forward. This was the perfect answer, the ideal tonic to the miserable directionless show that went on in South Africa.

England v Switzerland Betting Odds

England to win: 10/11 at Bet365
Draw: 12/5 at BetFred
Switzerland to win: 10/3 at Stan James

Head to highly recommended online bookmaker Bet365 for the latest prices backing an England win in Switzerland on Wednesday night. Bet365 offer one of the most generous welcome promotions for new customers, with up to £200 free bets up for grabs. Now, when it comes to Switzerland and international football, one thing jumps to mind, and that is a bore draw. Switzerland are renowned for not scoring and not letting anything in, so fortunately Bet365 offer a football betting promotion which solves the problem. Bet365 Bore Draw Money Back promotion is ideal for this, as a blank score sheet at the end of the match will mean that you will be entitled to refunds for lost stakes on Correct Score, Half-Time/Full-Time or Scorecast bets. So, a bet on any of those markets for England v Switzerland betting, will be covered if the match plays out to a 0-0 draw. If, however you have more hopes of there being some goal action, with Bet365 you can have an each way bet on the First Goalscorer in a match, and if they hit the back of the net at anytime during the match after failing to be the first, then you will be paid out at odds of 1/3. With superb live in-play service, live sports streams, great sports betting promotions and more, Bet365 continue to be one of the leaders among online bookmakers and come highly recommended.

With Terry and Ferdinand missing from the centre of defence, England boss Fabio Capello went with the centre half pairing of Michael Dawson and Phil Jagielka. The duo looked quick and mobile against the somewhat limited Bulgarian attack, but bad news came as Tottenham’s Dawson was stretchered off injured in the second half. Capello threw on Bolton defender Gary Cahill as a replacement, deciding to overlook the recalled Matthew Upson. Away from home against Switzerland, Capello though may rely upon the extra experience from the West Ham defender Upson, which could add a little extra security to your thoughts of football betting on Switzerland v England. With Ferdinand and Terry still missing, Capello hasn’t called up any replacement player. There was also an initial worry over Defoe who limped from the pitch after netting his hat trick goal. The signals are betting for him though, as he is expected to be fully fit again for Wednesday’s important match. The other England Goalscorer on the night was Manchester City’s Adam Johnson who was making his international debut. He weighed in with the all important third goal which put the game out of sight for the visitors. After coming on for Theo Walcott, Johnson looked lively and was another positive to be taken from the game, along with goalkeeper Joe Hart who finally added a bit of stability between the posts for England. He wasn’t threatened too much, but when he was called into action then he was there without any scares or jittery moments. After failing miserably at the World Cup, seemingly cracking under the pressure that was put upon him, Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney had a good, lively game and was full of invention when dropping deep.

Switzerland v England Anytime Goalscorer Odds

Wayne Rooney: 11/10 at Boylesports
Jermain Defoe: 11/8 at Boylesports
Darren Bent: 6/4 at William Hill
Carlton Cole: 6/4 at William Hill
Steven Gerrard: 11/5 at Boylesports

So Capello looks to have delivered exactly what the England fans wanted to see. A new kit, a new approach to the game and a new England perhaps? The jury will still be out on that for a while, and the trip to Switzerland next week will prove to be a big test for them. The Swiss will be a lot tougher to break down that Bulgaria were, as they showed at the World Cup when they beat tournament favourites Spain in the group stage. The match in Basel will probably take on much of a different atmosphere, with England maybe having to be just a little more patient on the ball, but at least the post World Cup blues at first glance look to have been remedied. Of course one win doesn’t mean a complete clean slate for Capello, and now he needs to produce quality performances away from home, just like England did in the World Cup qualifiers. England, in a group with Switzerland, Wales, Montenegro and Bulgaria, will be expected to top it without suffering a defeat. England are 2/7 at SkyBet to win Group G. The away fixture in Switzerland looks to be the trickiest test though, as Switzerland are a defence first side, banking on grabbing vital goals on the break. England will have a lot of possession, and now will come the test of whether or not they can do anything with it. But, with Steven Gerrard playing in his best position, and youth on the flanks providing some inspiration and speed, the signs are once again hopeful for England’s future.

England v Switzerland Football Betting Stats

• The two sides have met 20 times but thirteen of those encounters have been friendly matches.
• There have been thirteen wins for England and just three for Switzerland in total.
• Four of the matches have ended in draws.
• England have score 47 and conceded just 16 against Switzerland in their encounters.
• The last time they met was in London 2008 friendly when England won 2-1.
• The two sides have met just twice in Euro qualifiers, with England winning one and drawing one in 1972.
• In Euro 2004, England beat Switzerland 3-0 in the group stage.

Now the big football betting question over this one, is how much England’s optimism will influence the match from a betting perspective? Frankly on paper, England have the quality to win this one, and you would expect them too. The trouble with Switzerland though, is that they are a very stubborn team. They don’t score a lot and they don’t concede a lot, and therefore the prospect of a draw is pretty good for Wednesday’s encounter. In two games since the World Cup (where they only scored 1 goal and conceded 1 goal), Switzerland have beaten Austria 1-0 and then drew 0-0 with Australia. The Swiss aren’t going to come out and enjoy a goal fest in front of their home fans, and a 1-0 win over England would be a huge thing for them. However, you have to look at the confidence England will have taken from their opening fixture, that, coupled with Switzerland not playing a competitive match on Friday, should firmly give England the edge. It may be tight, and it may simply turn out to be a war of attrition that England should eventually win. Maximum points are all that matter at the end of the day to England and Capello.

As far as England supporters are concerned, games don’t come any bigger than this (unless they play Argentina in the quarter final!). For the uninitiated, the Three Lions experienced two particularly big doses of pain during the 1990’s against the Germans where the latter knocked them out of major competitions in penalty shoot-outs. Therefore, the fans think there is a score to settle and Fabio Capello’s team are available at 17/10 (Paddy Power) to win in ninety minutes and have people dancing on the streets of Plymouth, Peterborough and Preston.

While it’s a nice idea, the reality is that these are shocking odds about a side that were running down the clock against Slovenia in their last match. Of course, there’s always the chance that England might raise their game and win, although we have seen little evidence that they will retain possession or score goals against a good quality team. If you agree with this opinion, then there’s only one thing for it – back the Germans and make some money from the bookies being scared of their liabilities by taking on England.

Joachim Loew’s team aren’t world-beaters (well not yet anyway!), although they scored four goals to beat Australia, were the better team with ten men when narrowly losing to Serbia and capped things off by beating Ghana. This was supposed to be the ‘Group of Death’ and Germany have come through with flying colours, something that makes them far too big at 15/8 (Victor Chandler) to win on Sunday afternoon.

While the Germans are without the injured Michael Ballack, it’s possible that this is a blessing in disguise considering that Mesut Ozil has been the player of the tournament so far. Forget Lionel Messi, the Werder Bremen midfielder has been sensational during the group stages and he scored an excellent goal against Ghana to ensure his team won the group. Expect him and Bastian Schweinsteiger to pull the strings in midfield, with 14/1 (Ladbrokes) and 14/1 (Paddy Power) being quoted about them scoring first.

England had a full complement of players that trained on Friday as they look to demonstrate that a group of world class individuals can be moulded into a world class team. It sounds as though Wayne Rooney has been banging them in during training and the Manchester United forward will be a very popular bet at 6/1 (Victor Chandler) to score the opening goal in Bloemfontein. Perhaps it’s strike partner Jermain Defoe that might exploit gaps in the German defence a little better and the Tottenham man is 8/1 (Sky Bet) to draw first blood.

Of course, the games in 1990 and 1996 ended in a draw at full-time and extra-time, so perhaps we should be backing the 11/5 (Blue Square) that the match finishes all square and we can’t resist a cheeky bet on those crafty Germans to win on penalties at odds of 10/1 (Sporting Bet).

There is a breakaway leader at the top of the scoring charts, with Wayne Rooney’s recent four-goal salvo against Hull shooting him clear of his nearest competitors. With the England striker scoring at the Emirates on Sunday, the bookmakers aren’t expecting anyone to usurp the Manchester United striker, with Coral prepared to offer a best price 4/9 ahead of the Red Devils’ encounter with Portsmouth on Saturday. It’s in this match where the 24-year-old could effectively win the contest, although stranger things have happened than someone bridging the five-goal gap at the top.

Especially when you consider that Didier Drogba has fifteen goals to his name this term after scoring the equaliser at the KC Stadium on Tuesday night. The Ivorian has a phenomenal strike rate in a blue shirt and Stan James’ 8/1 could be an interesting price when you consider he’s playing against favourite team Arsenal on Sunday! The bookmakers are still also offering each-way betting on the contest, with firms like bet365 offering 1/3 odds for the first two places and Sporting Bet offering 1/5 odds for the first three places.

Indeed, it’s crying out for a bookmaker to offer a “without Wayne Rooney” market, with Jermain Defoe (7/1 bet365) also having fifteen goals to his name and Darren Bent (20/1 bet365) having scored fourteen despite playing for a Sunderland team who have been struggling for months. Fernando Torres was the original favourite on this market at odds of around 4/1 and, while the Spaniard got off to a flying start for Liverpool, it was almost inevitable that injury would halt his in his tracks this term. Definitely one to swerve at short odds next term if he’s still playing at Anfield!

Meanwhile, there is a big chase for fourth place in the Premier League this term, something which would provide access to next season’s Champions League. There is a massive financial gulf between qualifying for Europe’s blue riband club competition and the Europa League, with Liverpool, Manchester City, Tottenham and Aston Villa all pushing hard to be in the top quartet. It’s Spurs who currently occupy that golden fourth place, with bet365 offering 10/3 that they are rubbing shoulders with the likes of Barca and Real next term.

However, the bookies think it’s more likely to be Manchester City who take their place among Europe’s elite. They certainly have the biggest finances, although they look defensively suspect away from home and odds of 10/11 (Paddy Power) that they snare a place in the Champions League might not be to everyone’s liking. Liverpool are still realistic contenders, having finished in the top four for several consecutive seasons and bet365 offer 15/8 that they feature in next season’s competition. Aston Villa might be the outsiders, although they have a strong first team and the backers of the 9/2 (Sporting Bet) might just have themselves a value bet.

Seeing as we’ve reached the midway point in the season, we thought it would be shrewd to quickly assess who the best punts are in terms of who will finish the Premiership season as the leagues most prolific striker. With 20 matches already played for some teams, we have three frontrunners setting the standards with 14 goals-a-piece; Jermain Defoe (Tottenham Hotspur), Didier Drogba (Chelsea) and Wayne Rooney (Man Utd). Each are plying their trade with a team currently occupying a top four berth, which just goes to show that having quality assistance makes a tremendous difference to a strikers goalscoring return.

English Premiership Top Goalscorers (As of 31/12/09):

Jermain Defoe 14

Didier Drogba 14

Wayne Rooney 14

Darren Bent 13

Fernando Torres 12

Louis Saha 10

Cesc Fabregas 9

Carlos Tevez 9

Gabriel Agbonlahor 8

Carlton Cole 7

Jermain Defoe – The former Pompey front man made his return to Tottenham nearly a year ago today and has proved a shrewd acquisition ever since, even if the Spurs fans didn’t know what they already had in front of their own noses. In his second stint at the club, Defoe has bagged 17 goals in just 24 appearances in all competitions. This season, Defoe has been the catalyst for Tottenham’s top four push and has scored exactly a third of their league goals this term.

Main Strength: Pace

Defoe’s biggest asset is his pace, without a doubt, but his all around striking ability has gradually improved since his spell at Portsmouth under the same manager, Harry Redknapp. His movement, both on and off the ball, has come on leaps and bounds, while his quick ability to read the play has been one of several positive reasons why Defoe has been such a handful for opposing defences during the early parts of the season.

Goals: 14

Starts-Sub: 16-2

Club: Tottenham Hotspur

Top Goalscorer Odds: 10/3 Boylesports

Didier Drogba – The Ivorian has not only been Chelsea’s best player this season but also probably the best performer in the league on current form, possibly even in Europe. When Drogba goes on one of his free-scoring, confidence beaming runs, the 6ft 2in powerhouse is close to unstoppable. After a difficult season last term, Drogba has come on strong in the early part of this season, but now his priority’s turn towards his International duties with the Ivory Coast in the African Cup of Nations. The former Marseille front man will be sorely missed as, like Defoe, Drogba has scored a large part of Chelsea’s goals this season and has been one half of a lethal striking duo involving himself and Nicolas Anelka. A partnership many thought would never work.

Main Strength – Strength

You don’t appreciate just what an athlete Didier Drogba is until you see him in person, strutting his stuff on that green acre of grass. His 6ft+ height enables him to tower over even the tallest of defenders but it’s his abundance of strength which makes him stand out from the rest and what makes him one of the most feared strikes on the planet. He has the strength to brush even the strongest and bulkiest of defenders aside and yet he still has the composure to finish with aplomb when given a sniff of a chance. Arguably the worlds best striker on present form but his International stint will stop him firmly in his tracks, especially if Ivory Coast do go all the way.

Goals: 14

Starts-Sub: 18-0

Club: Chelsea

Top Goalscorer Odds: 5/1 Bet365

Wayne Rooney – Just the name should be enough for all you Englishman and women out there. He is, quite simply, England’s brightest talent and he’s not only pivotal for his club, Manchester United, but even more so for England’s chances in the forthcoming summer World Cup in South Africa, although the conditions will be far from sun & shades out in Africa come July.

Rooney has been embracing our screens with scintillating displays ever since his arrival onto the scene at Everton, with his memorable long range strike against Arsenal catapulting him into the arms of Sir Alex Ferguson. However, his performances in a United shirt have confirmed what we pretty much knew all along, that Rooney is a world-class player. He has been United’s stalwart this season, driving the Red Devils forward whenever they have had their backs to the walls. Rooney never cowers away, he thrives on difficult situations and he’s actually been the only shining light in what has been a pretty poor United outfit this season.

Main Strength: Work Rate

Wayne Rooney has similar characteristics to Carlos Tevez, a former team-mate of Rooney’s. Whenever United have looked sluggish, which has been a lot this season, Rooney has picked up the pace by closing down every single opponent who dares to come into possession of the ball. Rooney just doesn’t know when to give in and you’ll often see him running right back to defence in order to make a tackle just so United can gain possession and start another offensive push. This sort of attitude infects those around him to do the exact same and try match his high levels. Those at the club strive to match Rooney’s work rate and high footballing standards, while those outside the club just want to be like him. What’s more, he is actually a decent chap off the field, although he’s like a possessed bulldog on it at times.

Goals: 14

Starts-Sub: 19-0

Club: Manchester United

Top Goalscorer Odds: 13/5 Boylesports

Darren Bent – Bent was the loser of the Tottenham camp under Harry Redknapp, and even with some newspaper columnists, but the England hopeful has put them all to shame with a superb start to the season which has seen the former Spurs man score 13 goals in 20 appearances for Sunderland, a club that were struggling to fend off relegation last season. Bent’s goals this term has enabled Sunderland to challenge for a top ten finish, and, outstandingly, claim the scalps of both Arsenal & Liverpool, with Bent scoring the only goal in the two 1-0 victories over both sides. His confidence at Spurs may have taken a battering but his morale will have sky-rocketed through the roof after a superb opening to the campaign with the Black Cats.

Main Strength: Awareness

Bent has always possessed a fair amount of pace and acceleration, whilst his finishing has generally been OK, but it was his off-the-ball awareness that tended to let him down as he didn’t have that predatory striker instinct which made the likes of Les Ferdinand & Alan Shearer so prolific in front of goal at club level. However, Bent appears to have got the knack of that old adage ‘being in the right place at the right time’ as time and time again this season, Bent ends up with the ball at his feet inside the penalty area. It’s not always about scoring the perfect 20 yard goal but more about sticking the tap-in’s into the goal, as those sort of goals come about more often, which is why Bent has prevailed this season.

Goals: 13

Starts-Sub: 20-0

Club: Sunderland

Top Goalscorer Odds: 7/1 SportingBet

Fernando Torres – Does this lad really need any introduction? The Spaniard stormed onto the scene with an unbelievable début season, scoring 24 in just his first ever season in the Premiership, two season ago, before enduring an injury ravaged season last term. To be fair, he has had his fair amount of injuries this season, with a hernia the latest in a long list of Torres injuries. However, even a cast-iron cast wouldn’t stop this lad scoring as he’s just unstoppable on his day, and he has his day just about every other week, which is why he’s just so deadly. This season, despite starting just 14 times for Liverpool, has notched up 12 goals, just two off the leaders who have played a good handful of games more than him. He narrowly missed out on the Golden Boot in his first season, but will be eager to go one better this season providing he eases off the injuries.

Main Strength: Finishing

I can’t think of a better finisher of the ball than Fernando Torres in today’s game. Stick the Spaniard in a one-on-one situation, heck even a three-on-one, and, chances are, he will skin both defenders and stick it away with ease. He makes goalscoring look so easy, with some composed finishing and neat ball work in tight spaces. That’s another thing with Torres, he not only has the pace to skin a defender but the skills to do so, as well as the know-how to beat a man to the ball from set-peices. You’d be hard-pressed to find a defender who hasn’t been made to look foolish by the Liverpool No.9, just ask Nemanja Vidic (Man Utd), who was supposedly one of the world’s best defenders last season, and yet Torres tore chunks out of him at Old Trafford, both last season and this season.

Goals: 12

Starts-Sub: 14-1

Club: Liverpool

Top Goalscorer Odds: 4/1 Coral

The four mentioned above are what I consider to be the main contenders for the crown. Carlos Tevez (Man City) could be a possible outsider but I can’t see him scoring enough regular goals to put him in the frame.

A few factors that could affect the outcome:

• Injuries (both to themselves and team-mates, as players like Defoe thrive on a quality supply)

• International Duty

• Discipline (Be careful of fiery characters; such as Wayne Rooney, who can lose his cool when things aren’t going his way which could then lead to a suspension)

• Form (For both the player and the team)

There are others, things like off the pitch problems with club debts, transfers, hiring and firing of managers etc. All of which could affect the overall morale of a camp, but they are the main ones that could come up with off the top of my head.

Our Golden Boot Pick: Fernando Torres

If he’s fit; he starts. If he starts; you’d fancy him to score. It’s as simple as that for us. Torres could go games without a goal and yet he would still have it within him to pull a hat-trick out of the blue. He’s immensely talented, one of the very best strikers on the planet when in tip-top shape, and an injury free end to the season would make him a very strong candidate for the crown as the two goal deficit he faces at the moment is nothing for him, especially now Drogba will miss the best part of January’s fixtures.

Odds: 4/1 Coral

We’re approaching the halfway stage of the English football campaign, with most top flight teams having played at least fifteen matches. As usual, the Premier League can only be won by champions Manchester United or Chelsea, with both showing the sort of consistency required to land the title. However, it’s a different story when we look at the Top Goalscorer market, with no less than five players being quoted at single figure odds by the bookmakers.

This market traditionally goes down to the wire, with Nicolas Anelka winning the Golden Boot on the final day of last season. However, it’s his Chelsea strike partner who is proving to be prolific this term, managing 11 in the Premier League to date. Didier Drogba might be a great bet at 3/1 (Sporting Bet) if it wasn’t for the fact that he’ll be jetting out to Angola for the African Cup of Nations in January. This will see him miss at least four matches for the Blues and it could knock the player out of his stride.

It’s Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe who leads the way at the moment, with the pocket-sized Spurs striker managing 12 goals this season. He looks to be in great form as he looks to cement a place in Fabio Capello’s England squad, although it’s worth noting that five of his dozen goals came in one match. I often think that it’s better to back players who score on a game-to-game basis rather than lots of goals in one go. Ladbrokes share the same view and go 4/1 that he finishes at the top.

It’s possible that Fernando Torres would be top of the tree had injury not played a part this season. The Spaniard has missed the last few games for Liverpool, although he has a tremendous scoring record when he has played in a red shirt this season. A tally of ten league goals sees him just two off the pace and it appears he’ll be back for the visit of Arsenal on Sunday. El Nino has pretty much returned to the odds (4/1 Sky Bet) that were given to him at the start of the season but can he now stay fit and kick on?

The other player to have hit double figures in the Premier League this term is Wayne Rooney, who is certainly what you’d describe as streaky in front of goal. Before United’s game at Portsmouth on 28th November, the England striker had scored just one goal in six games, although class is permanent and he’s now up to eleven goals this season after a hat-trick at Fratton Park. If he stays free of injury, he should easily reach the 20 goals mark, a tally which has been enough to win this contest on two of the past three seasons. Victor Chandler go 3/1 that he goes into the World Cup looking for a Golden Boot double.

Will the top goalscorer come from this group of four? You have to go back to the 1999/2000 season to find the last time a player from outside the ‘Big Four’ won this market, with Kevin Phillips banging in 30 for Sunderland. The Black Cats have a new prolific striker this term, with Darren Bent on the tails of the leaders with nine goals. Although the England hopeful has failed to score for the last three matches, he is the penalty taker for the Wearside club and won’t have the distraction of Europe in the New Year. Ladbrokes offer 10/1 that the former Spurs striker lands the spoils.

Some more pieces of advice that might give you a helping hand when it comes to football betting!

1)  Back No Goalscorer rather than 0-0

Anyone who has ever backed the goalless draw on the correct score market rather than No Goalscorer on the 1GS market needs their head testing! Bookmakers offer these outcomes at the same prices, yet you can back the latter and still win your bet if the game finishes 1-0. That’s because own goals don’t count as far as First Goalscorer betting is concerned, something that was in evidence when Newcastle won 1-0 at Sheffield United earlier this season. Ryan Taylor’s shot deflected off Chris Morgan and flew into the net, although no further goals in the game saw No Goalscorer settled as a winner.

However, it’s worth noting at bet365 that they offer a ‘Bore Draw Money Back’ offer, where losing correct score, HT / FT or scorecast bets are refunded if the game finishes 0-0.

2)  Watch out for dead rubbers in the Champions League and Europa League

We’re coming towards the end of the group stages of both competitions, so it’s worth treading carefully when backing short-priced teams. After all, last season, we saw eventual winners Barcelona lose 3-2 at home to Shakhtar after Pep Guardiola decided to rest his entire first team. Similarly, Inter lost their remaining two group games last term against Panathinaikos and Werder Bremen, with Jose Mourinho concentrating on the domestic league instead. Although both of these teams are scrapping for their lives this time around, it’s worth noting that Lyon, Sevilla, Manchester United, Chelsea, Porto and Arsenal are all safely through to the last sixteen. Even if their respective managers field strong teams, there won’t be that level of intensity you get from a team that need the points.

Similarly, there are plenty of teams in the Europa League group stages who will be playing in the knockout stages. Shakhtar, the victors over Barca last season, might take their own turn at being complacent after achieving maximum points from four matches. They will be joined in the final 32 by the likes of Salzburg, Sporting, Galatasaray and Werder Bremen. With many sides resting players for this competition in the first place, teams don’t need an excuse to take it easy as we approach a hectic fixture schedule.

3)  Keep a note of players on a scoring spree

Like many sports, football is very much a game of confidence and this is especially true for strikers. It’s not a coincidence to see a forward scoring for five consecutive matches, only to fail to hit the net in the next half dozen matches. Although the media focus will clearly be on Jermain Defoe at Villa Park this Saturday, it’s better to keep a note of players who are scoring on a consistent basis, not just at home to Wigan. Earlier this campaign, Darren Bent embarked on a scoring run of five matches and last Saturday’s goal against Arsenal could trigger something similar. Equally, Emmanuel Adebayor got his goal at Anfield on Saturday and has two home matches to start putting a run together.

Click here for last week’s tips and good luck!

White Hart Lane Saturday, 7 November Kick-off: 3pm Tottenham will be looking to pick themselves up after last weekend’s heavy North London defeat against rivals Arsenal. There is another, albeit less impressive rivalry on stake on Saturday, when former Spurs striker Darren Bent returns to White Hart Lane. He left in the summer amidst a bout of Twitter mania, in which he criticised the White Hart Lane management for the way everything was handled. It is fair to say that Bent never really settled at the club, incurring the public humiliation from Spurs manager Harry Redknapp over an easily missed chance that Bent had let go begging. Bent will be laughing on the other side of his face now, as he is the Premier League’s top English goal scorer, and seems to have found his home with the Black Cats. Sunderland need to get some momentum going again, after having drawn the last two Premier League games. The visitors will be without both Kenwye Jones and Lorik Cana, both of which are suspended. Perhaps the biggest blow that Sunderland have suffered, has been the injury to Lee Cattermole, which has coincided with them struggling to pick up victories. Spurs, who will likely be without Aaron Lennon, which means he’ll also probably miss the England v Brazil friendly match on the following weekend, but will be glad to see the end of Jermain Defoe’s suspension. The England striker will be necessary if Spurs are going to get back on track. The defeats against Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea, have highlighted perfectly just how wide the gap between Spurs and the other big four really is. Despite what may appear to be advances in quality, they have really come up short when faced with the best. They will want to sort out defensive errors, as Sunderland continue to show that they know how to score goals. Sunderland, who spent well in the summer, have also been enjoying life in the top half of the table, much like Spurs. The London side have a two point advantage over the northerners, but have lost two games at home this season. Sunderland, despite pulling out some good results and performances against teams around and above them, are not to brilliant away from home, having secured just the one victory out of five attempts. Sunderland’s strengths lie at home, and that is something which will probably be puzzling and frustrating boss Steve Bruce, as he looks to make Sunderland a real force to be reckoned with. Tottenham to win: 4/7 at Bet365 Draw: 16/5 at ExtraBet Sunderland to win: 6/1 at Expekt Betting Advice: Form and history is all with Spurs on this one, having only failed to win one of the last eight matches between the two sides at White Hart Lane. Spurs problems all came about after playmaker Luka Modric disappeared from the line up through injury, and Robbie Keane is not having a particularly productive season up front. It is a battle of the strikers, Jermain Defoe on 7 league goals, and Darren Bent on 8. This is not just all about the return of Darren Bent though, as Sunderland players Steed Malbranque, Frazier Campbell and Andy Reid are all ex-Spurs players. Correct score 1-1: 15/2 at SportingBet Darren Bent to score: 11/4 at William Hill Jermain Defoe to score: 5/4 at SkyBet