Chelsea goal addict already unopposable for Golden Boot
Published:Watching Diego Costa during the World Cup, Jose Mourinho could quite easily have been sat fretting that yet another striker was about to arrive at Stamford Bridge and fail to live up to the hype.
As the Brazilian-born front man struggled to impose himself in his two tournament appearances, it seemed likely that just like Andriy Shevchenko, Fernando Torres and others before him, Costa would be another costly failure in the Chelsea’s striker history.
In just four Premier League appearances though, the 25-year-old’s performances have drawn comparisons with the club’s most recent success story, current team-mate Didier Drogba.
Costa has struck a whopping seven times in his opening four league games, streaking to a four-goal lead in the Golden Boot race and with it attaining undisputed favourite status in Ladbrokes’ betting market for the award, at odds of 5/4.
How that price is not odds on is baffling, considering the former Atletico Madrid man’s strength and power seems unstoppable on these shores at the moment.
It’s taken Costa just 14 shots to net his seven goals, the latest three of which came in a blitzkrieg 22-minute passage against Swansea.
No player since 1928 has managed to score in their first four matches and if he carries on in this fashion, that won’t be the only record Costa breaks.
Sergio Aguero, who notched his third strike of the season in the draw with Arsenal, is rated as Costa’s closest scoring rival at 4/1, but with injuries becoming a frustratingly regular part of the Argentine’s game, it’s not a price that’s particularly appealing.
Daniel Sturridge, who is also currently crocked, comes next at 11/1, just ahead of the Manchester United trio yet to discover how they’ll play together.
Costa’s one-time La Liga rival Radamel Falcao is the shortest price of the three at 14s, but with seven goals to make up, it makes sense to lump on Costa now.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
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