Odds narrowing on Chelsea star Abraham winning Golden Boot
Could Tammy Abraham win this season’s Golden Boot? The Chelsea striker is a man in form and could well end the season as the Premier League’s top scorer.
Abraham has grasped his big chance in the Chelsea first team, scoring nine goals this season and forcing his way back into the England squad.
And his rise has been reflected in the odds on sites like Sportsbettingdime.com, where you can track the odds from opening to big changes that are reflected too – he has moved all the way from +3700 to +700 in the market for Golden Boot winner.
Tottenham striker Harry Kane and Liverpool’s former Chelsea man Mohamed Salah started as the early favourites, with Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Arsenal not far from behind.
Similar to Abraham, Leicester’s Jamie Vardy has also had his odds shortened, from +1600 to +600.
And the real surprise package has been Norwich’s Teemu Pukki, who has adapted well to the top flight since being a key player in the Canaries’ promotion.
Pukki has found the going tougher in recent weeks, but at one stage earlier in the season his odds were drastically cut from +15000 – yes, 15 THOUSAND – to +1800.
So can Abraham maintain his form and challenge for that Golden Boot? It’s certainly possible, although his first priority will be to keep his place in the Chelsea side nailed down. That place has not come easily, with Abraham impressing on loan in the Championship before finally being given a chance.
Blues boss Frank Lampard has shown great faith in Abraham but has also warned him that he will lose his place the moment his form dips.
Could ‘Batman’ return?
That could open the door to Michy Batshuayi, who scored a cracking goal against Manchester United on Wednesday and really looked the part.
It was a big chance for Batshuayi, who has so often flattered to deceive, to make a statement – and this time he did not disappoint.
It was the Belgian’s fifth goal in as many games and, if Abraham goes off the boil, Batshuayi could well be a useful option later in the season.
Au revoir, Olivier?
While Abraham and Batshuayi battle for supremacy, Olivier Giroud appears to have reached the end of the road at Stamford Bridge.
Batshuayi playing against United in place of the rested Abraham was a strong indication that Lampard sees Giroud as third-choice and it seems unlikely that the Frenchman will be at Chelsea for much longer.
Two years after his move from Arsenal, Giroud seems further away than ever of being a first-choice player for the Blues. A number of clubs in his native France have been linked with him and it seems like the right time for him to move on.
