Nolan offers ultimate value to be West Ham’s top scorer this season

Considering Kevin Nolan was West Ham’s second top scorer in the Championship last season, 10/1 looks massive value that he tops the scoring charts for the Hammers in their first campaign back in the Premier League.

Carlton Cole has been West Ham’s top scorer in three of the last four seasons and is 6/4 to end the coming campaign with this accolade again.

Last season was his best ever goal return of 14 league goals in the Championship, but he has never managed more than ten in a Premier League season.

Meanwhile, there is every chance that Cole will not be guaranteed as many starts this season, with West Ham likely to employ a single striker and Modibo Maiga arriving from Sochaux to provide competition.

Manager Sam Allardyce arguably had his doubts over Cole at Championship level with 12 of his 43 appearances coming via the bench and he could spend more games there this campaign.

His chase of Andy Carroll was further proof that he is unsure about Cole’s capabilities at Premier League level.

Maiga’s pace and dynamic style should be suited to the Premier League, but he seemed to enjoy greater success in France when in a two-man attack, so his potential may also be stifled if picked as a lone frontman.

Given that he may also need time to settle into England, 5/1 is a fair price that he is West Ham’s top scorer.

Nolan has no such issues and will be the first name on Allardyce’s teamsheet as the Hammers’ captain.

The midfielder has once again proved his eye for goal by netting 41 league goals in his last three seasons, with his lowest total in a single campaign being 12.

Nolan additionally has the advantage of having previously scored goals in the Premier League over countless seasons, which is not something that is true of the majority of the squad.

Ricardo Vaz Te had a spell at Bolton, but found first-team opportunities hard to come by, while this is Nicky Maynard’s first crack at England’s top flight.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.

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