Premier League Betting: Why a goalscorer can make all the difference

Sunderland striker Steven Fletcher

Fulham and Sunderland already appear to be reaping the rewards of buying proven goalscorers says Hannah Duncan, and the likes of Liverpool might just regret not buying one of their own...

We're just five games into the new Premier League season and already the credentials of teams and players are being scrutinised, and the questions that inevitably get asked first surround strikeforce and goalscoring ability.

And it's taken just a matter of weeks for Fernando Torres to find himself in the glare of the spotlight again, while Liverpool's summer trading - or lack of - is being heavily frowned upon by Reds' fans.

Torres, while netting a superb goal in Chelsea's 2-0 win over Newcastle before the international break, has seemed isolated and frustrated leading the Blues line by himself.

Didier Drogba was allowed to depart the club over the summer but no direct replacement was brought in. As was being discussed after the Blues' late victory over Stoke on Saturday, Roberto di Matteo has plenty of 'number 10s' to choose from, but few clinical goalscorers, particularly while Daniel Sturridge is out of favour and Romelu Lukaku is banging the goals in - but for loan side West Brom.

But even when Drogba was in his prime, Chelsea shared the goals around the team and they're doing so again this season, having had six different goalscorers in five games, including three defenders, two midfielders and Torres. And just last night they scored six against Wolves in the Capital One Cup... with six different players getting on the scoresheet.

So the Blues, who are 5.59/2 to win the league, certainly have the ability to find the net from anywhere. But whether that can continue and whether they will rue having the confidence that Torres - who is currently 9.28/1 on Betfair to be the Premier League's top scorer this season - can recapture the form of old remains to be seen.

And it wasn't as though forward options weren't available over the summer. Di Matteo didn't need to chase big European names like Fernando Llorente or Radamel Falcao, when a 4m alternative was angling for a move from Manchester United.

But it was Fulham who made the bargain signing to take Dimitar Berbatov out of Old Trafford, where his match time was becoming increasingly limited. And Chelsea weren't the only ones guilty of the oversight.

Brendan Rodgers allowed Andy Carroll to make a deadline day loan move to West Ham, expecting Liverpool's owners to put their hands in their pockets to bring in a replacement, but one never materialised and now the Northern Irishman looks to be paying the price.

Rodgers also let Craig Bellamy and Dirk Kuyt depart Anfield over the summer and while he brought in former Chelsea youngster Fabio Borini, he's seen his side net just four times in their opening five Premier League outings and find themselves in the relegation zone as a result.

Berbatov, meanwhile, opened his Fulham account on his full debut for the Cottagers, scoring twice in their 3-0 win over West Brom, leaving the question to be asked why neither Chelsea nor Liverpool - both desperately short of forward options - didn't go in for the Bulgarian, who is at 34.033/1 for this season's golden boot. And with Martin Jol's acquisition of Hugo Rodallega to partner Berbatov, Fulham look a solid bet at 12.5n/a for winners without the top six.

But the 31-year-old's switch to west London wasn't the most eyebrow-raising move of the summer.

Sunderland broke their club transfer record to sign a striker who has never scored more than a dozen times in a Premier League campaign and who couldn't prevent his side's relegation to the Championship last season.

Steven Fletcher's 12m move to the north-east from Wolves was a big surprise, not in terms of his desirability but how much clubs were willing to spend on the Scotsman, compared to price-tags such as Berbatov's and Lukas Podolski, who cost Arsenal 1m less than what Sunderland spent on Fletcher.

But despite the fee, it already seems to have been a shrewd move from Martin O'Neill. Saturday's trip to West Ham saw Fletcher score his fourth goal in three games for the Black Cats. And while they have yet to win this season, the former Burnley player has been the only name on the Sunderland scoresheet since his arrival.

It's early days, but the 25-year-old already looks as though he could be repaying the inflated transfer fee and although at 44.043/1 on Betfair to be this season's top scorer he's unlikely to set the world alight, he could prove a vital component in O'Neill's ambitions. Sunderland are at 21.020/1 to be league winners without the top six.

This season already looks as though it could build to debates around strikers and an out-and-out goalscorer could prove the difference between a top-four finish and midtable obscurity, or Premier League security and a relegation battle.

Recommended Bet

Back Fulham @ 12.5n/a in Winner w/o Top Six