Darren Bent, Wayne Rooney or somebody else? - Who will be England's leading goalscorer at Euro 2012?
The Three Lions will be without their Manchester United talisman, which has given other forwards a chance and here Jim Knight inspects the contenders to fire them to glory
1 Dec 2011 08:27:00
By Jim Knight
Getty Images
As the draw for the finals approaches, speculation is rife amongst the press, fans and punters alike about who will be on the plane to Poland and Ukraine next summer. With places seemingly up for grabs in the England squad, especially in the forwards department due to Wayne Rooney’s impending suspension, William Hill have priced up a market on who will be the top scorer for the Three Lions at Euro 2012.
Darren Bent @ 11/2
The Aston Villa striker is the favourite and appears to be Fabio Capello’s preferred option to lead the line in Rooney’s absence. His record at club level is good but he has not been prolific for a couple of years due to injury problems restricting his playing time. He needs a big season and to remain fit.
Ashley Young @ 7/1
Young scored the opening goal in the crucial 2-2 draw against Montenegro and his impressive performances for club and country mean he could be a regular in the starting XI. He has never scored lots of goals throughout his career but with three in seven appearances at international level, his price is justified.
Wayne Rooney @ 8/1
Despite a potential three match ban ruling him out of all of the team’s group games and question marks over his selection, Wayne Rooney is still an 8/1 shot to be England's top scorer. His goal record at major tournaments is poor but if his appeal is reduced this price won't last long.
Theo Walcott @ 10/1
At only 22, Walcott still has a bright future ahead of him with the national team and he has had an extended run in the first team recently. He has started four of the last five internationals and his pace will unsettle defenders which makes him a useful threat going forward. A price of 10/1 will tempt some.
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Jim Knight is a sports enthusiast and has been tipping football games since he was old enough to place a bet. He is a Leicester City fan, writer and member of the We Are Going Up Podcast
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Darren Bent @ 11/2The Aston Villa striker is the favourite and appears to be Fabio Capello’s preferred option to lead the line in Rooney’s absence. His record at club level is good but he has not been prolific for a couple of years due to injury problems restricting his playing time. He needs a big season and to remain fit.
Ashley Young @ 7/1Young scored the opening goal in the crucial 2-2 draw against Montenegro and his impressive performances for club and country mean he could be a regular in the starting XI. He has never scored lots of goals throughout his career but with three in seven appearances at international level, his price is justified.
Wayne Rooney @ 8/1Despite a potential three match ban ruling him out of all of the team’s group games and question marks over his selection, Wayne Rooney is still an 8/1 shot to be England's top scorer. His goal record at major tournaments is poor but if his appeal is reduced this price won't last long.
Theo Walcott @ 10/1At only 22, Walcott still has a bright future ahead of him with the national team and he has had an extended run in the first team recently. He has started four of the last five internationals and his pace will unsettle defenders which makes him a useful threat going forward. A price of 10/1 will tempt some.
Sign up with William Hill for a free £25 bet
Jim Knight is a sports enthusiast and has been tipping football games since he was old enough to place a bet. He is a Leicester City fan, writer and member of the We Are Going Up Podcast
Follow Jim Knight on
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