Leading Goal Scorers - Is It All That Counts?

When it comes to betting, be it hockey bets in the U.S. or football bets in the United Kingdom or Europe, one of the things a punter will be taking into consideration is the teams form. It's not just about leading goal scorers, although that said leading goal scorers can have quite a big say in it

Looking back to last season in the premiership, it is very noticeable how Liverpool, had a marked improvement in form. Upon analysis, you will discover that there was more than one reason for this. Just like baking a cake many ingredients are used, and to make the cake just right you have to use all the right ingredients. Too much of this or not enough of that, and guess what it's just not going to be as palatable as it should be.

Transferring this analogy to football, we see that Liverpool the previous season, with a relatively new manager involved, who was still getting accustomed to life at Anfield, did a reasonable job. Brendon Rodgers couldn't really have been expected to get the team into Europe straight off the bat. Even finishing the 2012/2013 season in 7th place behind arch rivals Everton, the new man could be forgiven, as he would need to be given time to get his feet under the table, and being an astute tactician, the full depth of his knowledge of the game, was yet to be revealed until the following season, 2013/2014.

So how does a team actual go from being around 6th or 7th in the table most seasons to breaking into the top 4 and qualifying for the financially lucrative European Champions League? Is it all about leading goal scorers?

To answer that question you have to look deeper. Last season in most games Liverpool were first off the blocks in virtually all their games. Not only did they set out to unnerve their opposition right from the off in most cases they succeeded, regardless of the opposition. Also something else that is key is if for some reason things weren't going as expected, the players had been well drilled in what would be necessary in some cases with a change of formation, during matches as the game was progressing.

This adaptability and flexibility, was to prove key to Liverpool. Having two leading goal scorers created a huge impact whilst other top teams like Manchester United were faltering with their new manager David Moyes, who due to their alarming dip in form was relieved of his duties before the end of the season having also failed to acquire any top talent as was with Liverpool. A tale of two teams that nobody could have predicted at the start of the season, never mind bet on!