Forwards at Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Tottenham, and Arsenal all have a chance of finishing Premier League top scorer. Last season’s winners at City and United do not, and the same goes for Chelsea’s strikers.
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Edin Dzeko
The Bosnian hitman has begun this season like a house on fire. His fine pre-season form has replicated itself in the Premier League. After an initial struggle to adapt after signing in January, a problem common for mid-season arrivals, the forward is showing why City’s oil-rich owners paid £27 million pounds for him.
His explosive start manifested itself in a four-goal demolition of Spurs at White Hart Lane, and he will continue the season believing anything is possible.
Sergio Aguero
A player on a reported £250,000 a week should be expected to produce special performances, and so far Aguero has not disappointed. Often excuses are made for South American imports arriving in England, taking time to adapt. Aguero has shown them all up, scoring six goals so far, including a debut brace and a hat trick last time out. With Nasri and Silva supplying him, Aguero will be looking to score at least 25 goals in the league this year.
Wayne Rooney
This time last year Rooney was beset by injuries, personal problems, and contract issues, and his on-pitch performances reflected his strife. A year on the striker is the picture of happiness and is in irrepressible form, scoring successive hat tricks against Arsenal and Bolton. He is forging an impressive understanding with new arrival Ashley Young, which is still in its infancy. The future looks rosy for United, and Rooney will also want to win the golden boot and personal honours, to outdo United’s noisy neighbours.
Emmanuel Adebayor
Very much an outsider in the race for the golden boot, Adebayor has much to prove. He is driven to show Manchester City they were wrong to discard him, and to show Real Madrid they should have signed him permanently. He has had a positive start on loan at Tottenham, scoring on his debut against Wolves, and he often scores in patches. He will be the focal point of the Tottenham attack and look to build an impressive understanding with Jermaine Defoe. He will aim for at least 20 goals.
Javier Hernandez
The Mexican starlet had an incredible debut season at Manchester United, scoring several decisive winners on the way to winning a Premier League medal. He bagged 20 goals which he will no doubt seek to replicate and even eclipse, and had a great game away to Bolton netting twice on his first start, rekindling his partnership with Wayne Rooney. He will face an interesting battle for Danny Welbeck when he returns from injury for his place in the side.
Robin van Persie
The Dutchman, like his Arsenal team mates has not had the best of starts, but there are signs he is coming to life. He scored at Old Trafford, and away at Dortmund in the week, hitting the post against Swansea and bagging four in an international qualifier against minnows San Marino in between. He was injured for the first half of last season but had an incredible calendar year, scoring at a rate of nearly a goal a game, and was the model on consistency. With Arsenal piecing themselves back together after a torturous summer, he will hit form soon and stake his claim for personal glory.
Luis Suarez
Suarez has had a superb start to life at Liverpool, taking no time at all to settle in. He became an instant hero with a scintillating performance against Man United in February and is already idolised as a cult figure on the Kop. He was instrumental for Uruguay in the Copa America and looks like scoring every time he gets on the field. He had a phenomenal scoring record for Ajax, and will be a strong contender for this season’s golden boot, despite missing a simple chance away at Stoke last time out. With Liverpool not playing European football he will benefit from being fresh in the league, unlike his rivals.
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Carlos Tevez
Joint top-scorer last season, so far the energetic Argentinian has looked unusually disinterested. He admitted to piling on the pounds over summer, and observers will note he still looks like he has some weight to shed. City have moved forward over the summer after his threats to quit the club, and the former captain is in danger of being left behind. If the status quo continues until January and he struggles to make an impression, City could step up attempts to off load him to former club Corinthians, who were willing to pay around £40 million.
Dimitar Berbatov
The Bulgarian shared the golden boot last season with Carlos Tevez, but his chances of recapturing the prize seem even more unlikely. After failing to even make the bench for last year’s Champions League final, the signs were there that he was surplus to requirements. However he decided to stay and the club fended off tentative enquiries for him, and this season he has played just a few minutes of first team football, again failing to get on the pitch against Benfica this week. He will get chances, but not enough to retain his prize, and this season is likely his last at United.
Fernando Torres
Torres’ problems have been well documented, but the facts remain, only a brave man or a fool would tip him to win this year’s golden boot. He may come good, he will surely get goals, but can anyone see him outscoring Wayne Rooney or Sergio Aguero? Even in an improving Chelsea side which are going about their business unusually quietly but successfully, the chances are minimal, and he faces a battle to keep his first team place from the emerging Daniel Sturridge.
Didier Drogba
This time last season to discuss the golden boot without mentioning Didier Drogba as a contender would be considered sacrilege. 12 months on this writer can confidently say the Ivorian has no chance of winning the award. Througout this year, he has looked disinterested and a shadow of his former self. The old adage goes form is temporary but class is permanent, but even being considered first choice seems beyond him at the moment, and a bad concussion against Norwich has not helped his cause. Now well into his thirties, Drogba will be rotated with his new manager favouring a youthful approach, and it is only a matter of time before Drogba loses his patience with the situation and requests a move.
Image: © nasmac
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