Tag Archives: Strikers

Tale of two strikers on Sunday

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Chelsea striker Fernando Torres bids to end his 17-game goal drought against champions Manchester United on Sunday while Aston Villa travel to face a Newcastle United side that can recall in-form striker Demba Ba after he returned from the Africa Cup of Nations.

Torres’ troubles date back three and a half months, with his last Premier League strike coming against Swansea in September, and the Spaniard was subsequently sent off in that match (Torres 11/2 First Goalscorer).

That red card came at a bad time for the 27-year-old striker who had scored in Chelsea’s 3-1 defeat at Old Trafford the previous weekend, although the overriding memory from that match will be his shocking open-goal miss after rounding stricken United keeper David de Gea (80/1 Torres and Chelsea win 3-1 in Scorecast).

He is another Spaniard under pressure after another meek display against Liverpool in the FA Cup last week, but Sir Alex Ferguson is expected to recall the ex-Atletico Madrid starlet because recent first-choice Anders Lindegaard is out.

Torres does possess a good record against United, having bagged four times in seven previous Premier League games against Sir Alex Ferguson’s men .

And United’s recent record at Stamford Bridge is poor, losing six and drawing only three of their last nine visits while only managing four goals in their last ten visits in all competitions (9/2 Chelsea -1 in Handicap).

Chelsea are without Ashley Cole after the left-back was sent off for two bookable offences in the Londoners’ 1-1 draw at Swansea in midweek.

Ryan Bertrand is expected to come in for the England defender and mark in-form United winger Antonio Valencia, who has either scored or assisted each of the Red Devils last three open play goals, while he also won their second penalty at Old Trafford in midweek.

Wayne Rooney could return after a two-game absence and he has scored four goals in his last seven Premier League appearances against Chelsea and also netted on his last two visits to Stamford bridge, one in the league and one in the Champions League (Rooney 11/8 Anytime Goalscorer).

The return of Demba Ba (6/1 2 or More goals) will no doubt boost Newcastle United ahead of the lunchtime clash with Aston Villa at the Sports Direct Arena, but they will again be without suspended midfielder Yohan Cabaye.

Cabaye’s absence, and that of Cheik Tiote, was certainly felt against Blackburn in midweek when the Magpies were badly outgunned in the centre of the park and needed a half-time reshuffle to deny Rovers a deserved point.

Newcastle have lost just two of their last 15 Premier League home matches, winning eight and drawing five but Villa’s away form has been good this season.

Villa have lost just two of their last 12 Premier League away games and none of the last five, a period in which they have won three and drawn two on their travels.

During that spell they have twice come from behind to win, against Chelsea and Wolves (16/1 Aston Villa Win from Behind), and twice kept a clean sheet (3/1 Villa to keep a Clean Sheet).

Boss Alex McLeish will be keen to end a dismal record against Newcastle as a Premier League manager – having won none and lost three of his five matches in charge of Birmingham and Villa.

His ace in the pack is striker Darren Bent who has scored in four of his last five Premier League appearances and now has 100 Premier League goals.

Villa’s weakness from set pieces could be exploited by Newcastle, who are dangerous in the air at corners with Mike Williamson (14/1 to Score Anytime), Fabricio Coloccini (10/1) and Shola Ameobi (7/4).

Aston Villa have conceded more goals from corners than any other team in the top-flight this season (10) while they are the only team in the Premier League yet to score from a corner.

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Five strikers to watch

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With the Premier League season kicking off this weekend, there is sure to be a host of goals during the 2011/12 season, but who will be the player to find the back of the net the most?

Javier Hernandez – Manchester United

The diminutive Mexico international must be on every Premier League defender’s mind heading into the new season.

Hernandez was arguably the signing of the season in the last campaign and it didn’t take him long to find his feet in the Premier League.

Hernandez bagged 13 goals in 15 appearances for the Red Devils last season, and that might explain why he is valued at 17/2 to be the top goalscorer this season.

If Hernandez stays injury-free for the campaign then it will take a pretty impressive player to beat out-score him. Maybe team-mate Wayne Rooney could be the man at 8/1 and the current favourite?

Fernando Torres – Chelsea

The out-of-sorts £50million striker looks set to miss Chelsea’s opening game of the season due to an injury he picked up on international duty for Spain on Wednesday night.

With only one goal in 18 competitive matches for the Blues, you could think that at 9/1 the value on the Spaniard is pretty poor.

However, if Torres can get back to anywhere near the form he enjoyed at Liverpool before his incomprehensible dip in form at the 2010 World Cup,  he may be unstoppable.

Could the arrival of new boss Andre Villas-Boas at Stamford Bridge reinvigorate El Nino?

Edin Dzeko – Manchester City

Manchester City certainly have forwards in abundance at Eastlands, and Roberto Mancini will be hoping that wantaway skipper Carlos Tevez remains to score the goals we all know he is capable of getting.

But with Tevez so unsettled and the 20-year-old Mario Balotelli still struggling to control his temperament, the £27million Bosnian Dzeko may have to step up to the plate.

Despite struggling since his move back in January, Dzeko has now had half a season to adapt to the pace of the Premier League.

With the blue half of Manchester certain to mount a serious title bid this season, why not have a punt at 20/1?

Adel Taarabt – QPR

Not technically a striker, the mercurial Moroccan star caused such waves with his stunning performance in the Championship last season, scoring 19 goals for Rangers as they won promotion back to the Premier League.

Neil Warnock will certainly be relying on Taraabt to supply the goals at Loftus Road which will help consolidate their position in the top flight.

At 80/1, Taraabt looks like a great player to back to outscore any other player this season.

We know he has the raw talent but the big question will be whether or not he can do it in the Premier League?

Asamoah Gyan – Sunderland

With Darren Bent’s £26million departure to Aston Villa midway through last season, Sunderland fans could have been forgiven for being upset by losing their guaranteed scorer.

However, there is a new kid on the block and Ghana international Gyan was superb in his first season as a Premier League striker.

Despite fears that he would be slow to adapt, the player managed to net an impressive 10 goals in 20 league appearances.

With Danny Welbeck back at Manchester United, Gyan will lead the line this season for the Black Cats.

At 40/1 Gyan is possibly the best value for a player that knows exactly where the back of the net is.

The big question is: will his team-mates be able to give him the service to improve on his tally for his second season in the Premier League?

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Strikers could stay at Stoke

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Strikers James Beattie and Dave Kitson could both be available to boost Stoke City’s firepower in the new season, manager Tony Pulis has admitted (Stoke 15/2 – to be top Midlands club).

The duo have been linked with moves away from the Britannia Stadium, after falling from favour at the end of last season.

And they were both left at home on Saturday when the Potters beat Burnley 2-1 at Huddersfield’s Galpharm Stadium. Beattie has played less than 45 minutes of pre-season so far, while Kitson has been confined to playing in second-string friendlies.

But Pulis said supporters should not read much into that.

Pulis told the Sentinel: “Beattie trained with the other players who never came, because I wanted to give Mama Sidibe, Ricardo Fuller and Tuncay time in the middle.

“James would have just sat it out, so he had a training session back at the ground instead and I’m told he worked his socks off.

“Beattie and Kitson are both Stoke City players.

“At the moment they are working hard to keep fit and if we need them, we need them.”

Beattie’s future at Stoke (3/1 for top half finish) has been in major doubt since he clashed with Pulis over the manager having allegedly gone back on his word regarding the club’s Christmas party. The player initiated a club disciplinary action against Pulis, but it went against him.

Kitson failed in his first season at the Britannia Stadium but won his place back for a time last season and looked to have impressed Pulis, finishing with eight goals in the campaign – three of them coming on loan with Championship side Middlesbrough.

Beattie played in 24 games last season and only scored two goals – both in the 2-1 win against West Ham in October. But he had scored seven in 16 games at the end of 2008/09.

Beattie has been linked with a £1.5m move to West Brom, but Pulis refused to comment on the speculation.

The Potters manager also said there was “no truth whatsoever” in reports that he had tabled a £9m bid for West Ham striker Carlton Cole.

However, he said: “We are not just after a striker, but three or four players if we can.

“We have money to spend, but it’s got to be the right players at the right prices.”

City are shortly to learn the extent of injuries to midfielders Glenn Whelan and Rory after both went off during the first half against Burnley.

Whelan looked the more serious after pulling up with a calf strain that could sideline him until the start of the season on Saturday week.

Delap went off after his back locked, but Pulis was hoping to see him back in training ahead of tomorrow’s friendly at Bristol Rovers.

Player-of-the-year Matthew Etherington remains under treatment for the groin injury sidelining him on Saturday.

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