Value offered on Chamakh and Cole for West Ham league goals

West Ham’s January moves for midfielder Joe Cole and striker Marouane Chamakh have boosted the depth of Sam Allardyce’s flagging squad at Upton Park.

The Hammers are currently without Mohammed Diame and Andy Carroll, but the fresh faces at the club could help them secure a top ten spot in the Premier League this campaign, priced at 9/5.

Cole returned home to boyhood club West Ham on a free transfer after an unsuccessful two-and-a-half years at Liverpool, while Arsenal’s Chamakh moves east in the capital on loan.

Ladbrokes have opened markets on the number of Premier League goals each player will get during the remainder of the season, with value to be found in backing the new East End pair.

Chamakh will battle it out with Carlton Cole for the central striking spot this month, before Carroll returns from injury, and West Ham fans will be hoping he has the same impact as former son Demba Ba did when he joined the club in January 2011.

Ba joined the Hammers for a cut-price fee after his value dropped following a failed medical at Stoke City over a proposed £7m move.

But that was to West Ham’s advantage, as the pas-as-you-play deal Ba earned saw him chalk up seven Premier League goals in the second half of the campaign.

Chamakh is priced at 4/1 to have a similar affect at the Hammers and score six or seven goals, while the Moroccan offers a return of 10/1 if he bags eight or more league strikes.

Despite being regarded as flop at Arsenal, it is worth remembering that in his first season Chamakh had hit seven league goals by the end of November, only for Robin Van Persie to return from injury and take his place at the beginning of 2011.

The Dutchman had a fantastic year in front of goal, as Chamakh lost confidence along with his place in the team and has scored just once in the Premier League since.

Four or five league goals is the 13/8 favourite in this market, while two or three efforts is worth 17/10.

Those who feel that the 28-year-old will not have much influence upon the scoresheet during his loan spell can back Chamakh to strike once or less at 7/1.

Joe Cole hasn’t scored more than two goals in a Premier League season since 2007-08, when he notched seven times for Chelsea.

His only full league campaign in the last five years was in France with Lille, where he scored four times in 31 appearances.

However, with regular football offered at the Boleyn Ground under Allardyce, Cole could get back amongst the goals at his former club with five or more league strikes available at a healthy 8/1.

If you think the 31-year-old won’t be troubling the division’s goalkeepers a price of 9/2 is offered on Cole not scoring in the league this season, with 10/3 given on just one effort.

Two Premier League goals is worth 11/4, three is priced at 10/3 and odds of 11/2 can be backed on four strikes.

Joe Cole Premier League Goals

0 – 9/2
1 – 10/3
2 – 11/4
3 – 10/3
4 – 11/2
5+ – 8/1

Marouane Chamakh Premier League Goals

0-1 – 7/1
2-3 – 17/10
4-5 – 13/8
6-7 – 4/1
8+ – 10/1

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