Premier League Predictions: Picking the Top 10 EPL Scorers for 2011-12 Season

The 2010-11 season was a strange one in many respects with not a single top team maintaining their consistency throughout the season while the relegation battle was even more interesting with as many as five teams unsure of their fate until the last day of the season. The Premier League is undoubtedly one of the most entertaining leagues in the world and one of the main reasons for this is the pace and passion of the game in the league.

However, goals are decisive in every game and players, who can score many goals, are generally regarded as valuable players in the world. Strikers and attacking midfielders are mainly those who feature in a list of top Premier League goal scorers every season. Last year, Manchester United's Dimitar Berbatov and Manchester City's Carlos Tevez topped the goal-scoring charts with 20 goals each while Robin van Persie finished third with 18 goals to his name.

It is difficult to predict on who will be the top 10 goal-scorers in the Premier League but as always, predictions make interesting reading as each one has their own predictions. It is important to respect people's opinions and it will be interesting to debate on those players who have not been included in this list like a certain prolific Ivorian striker.

Also, I have not included imminent transfer rumors or other players who have been linked with a move to the Premier League though some players, if they do arrive in England, have a great chance to be among the top goal-scorers in the Premiership. So much for the introductions, lets have a look at my predictions for the top ten goal-scorers in the 2011-12 season.

10. Rafael Van Der Vaart (Tottenham)

The Dutch International was one of the sensational deadline day transfers of the last season as Harry Redknapp just managed to sign the midfielder from Real Madrid before the deadline at a nominal price. Though Van der Vaart was not the most prominent players at Madrid, he is certainly amongst Tottenham's most important players along with Gareth Bale and Luka Modric.

Van der Vaart has had experience playing in the big games and whenever, he played for Tottenham, he looked a threat to the opposition. He also delivered in many important games in the season like the North London derbies against Arsenal and also, against Liverpool to secure the Europa league place for the next season.

The 28-year-old, who emerged from Ajax's famous youth academy, has gone on to make a successful impact in the Premier League in his first season scoring 13 goals in 28 league appearances this season. The Spurs manager has deployed him in an advanced position, almost like a second striker, and he has enjoyed playing near the penalty area and with the midfielder capable of unleashing shots from range, he is always a threat to the opposition.

However, in his first season at the club, he has struggled with minor muscle injuries and with a full pre-season, Spurs will hope to have him at their best for most of the next season as they look to compete again in the Champions League in the 2012-13 season. Redknapp understands the need to hold on to his most important players in the team in the summer and Van der Vaart is certainly one of those players.

Though he had not had any time with his Tottenham team-mates before the season started, he did not take time to adjust to the rigors of the Premiership. It is probable that he could be a greater threat in the next season because he has experienced the toughness of the teams and will know what to expect in the 2011-12 season.

If the Spurs midfielder does stay fit for most of the next season, then there is an excellent chance for the midfielder to have a even more productive season in his second year with Tottenham.  

9. Samir Nasri (Arsenal)

The French midfielder has been the subject of speculation in the press with a number of reports linking him with a move away from the Emirates with the midfielder not yet signing a contract extension, with only one year left on his current contract. Arsenal cannot afford to lose him on a free transfer and should he not sign a new deal, then there is a good chance he will be in the Premiership but with one of the Gunners’ rivals.

However, Arsene Wenger will hope that Nasri stays with the Gunners considering he has developed into one of the Premiership's best midfielders. The 24-year-old scored 10 league goals this season in 30 appearances but it must be noted that he scored nine goals in the first half before he endured a slump just like Arsenal did.

Nasri is yet to attain the consistency that would make him a world class player but he certainly has the talent to be one of the best midfielders in the future. The French midfielder was also less effective when he played as a left midfielder in the second half of the season when both Cesc Fabregas and Theo Walcott started for the Gunners.

It is probable that he will most probably play in a more central role next season though it is still not sure whether it will be at Arsenal, where it could happen if Cesc Fabregas leaves, or any other club. Nasri is entering into the years where he will have to produce the goods in order to be considered a world class player and the midfielder, being an ambitious player, will look to further improve on the last season and could emerge as one of the best goal-scoring midfielders in the league.

8. Frank Lampard (Chelsea)

Frank Lampard is one of the most consistent midfielders in the Premier League and he is one of the most important players for the Blues. He had five consecutive seasons where he scored 20 goals or more including all competitions before the 2010-11 season where he could only manage 13 goals due to a combination of injuries and continuously altering his role in the team in the second half of the season after the signing of Fernando Torres.

The former West Ham midfielder has worked with Andre Villas-Boas in the past when the latter was a part of former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho's staff. Lampard is one of the best players in the history of Chelsea and though some believe that he might not be as effective because of his age, he has the ability and the consistency to bounce back from a disappointing season for the England International.

Also, Lampard is a regular Penalty taker and Free Kick taker for the Chelsea which means he could score through that as well. The 33-year-old is into the twilight of his career but he retains the knack of scoring important goals and is never afraid to shoot from distance, which is how he scores many of his goals.

Though Chelsea have been linked with a number of midfielders in the Premiership, Lampard will be given a fair chance by Villas-Boas to prove that he retains the capability to be one of the integral players to the Blues in the 2011-12 season. He scores a lot of goals by making late runs into the box and can score vital goals.

Also, he is one of the senior leaders in the Chelsea dressing room and Villas-Boas will know the importance of keeping his senior players involved in the team for the next season. Expect Frank Lampard to be in the heart of the Chelsea midfield and thump in a lot of goals from there.

7. Fernando Torres (Chelsea)

Fernando Torres signed for Chelsea in the January transfer window, last season, and Chelsea broke the British transfer record by reportedly offering £50 million to Liverpool, who signed two strikers Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll making that January as one of the highest ever transfer spending in the winter transfer window in the EPL. 

However, the Spaniard, who struggled with many injuries last year, did not have a smooth transition from Liverpool to Chelsea as he came under immense scrutiny following his poor form since his big money move to Stamford Bridge. Torres' transfer happened at a time when Chelsea were not in good form in the league and Torres as a player was not having a good season.

The record signing appeared to lack confidence in his abilities and as a striker, a lot of your game depends on the psychological side of things. Torres was under huge criticism from Liverpool fans and some sections of the media after his move to Chelsea and did not look produce the quality he is capable of.

Also, one of the main reasons why he struggled was that Chelsea employed a system which suits Didier Drogba and while Torres is a good striker, he is completely different to the Ivorian. While Drogba's game is more physical, Torres relies on intelligent movement and exploiting of spaces to create opportunities and score goals. However, it was difficult to adjust to Chelsea's style of play which is quite direct though they played an attacking system under Carlo Ancelotti.

However, Torres will have time to adjust better to their style of play with six months of experience along with pre-season training and new manager Andre Villas-Boas will look to get the best out of him. Villas-Boas could sign players who will supply the incisive passes which could help Torres score goals and there is a good possibility that he could be one of the top scorers in the next season.

6. Wayne Rooney (Manchester United)

Though people might be surprised at why one of the best strikers in the league has been placed at number six, the primary reason why he is not in the top five goal-scorers is because of the role that he has played at Manchester United in the second half of the season. He was involved in distribution of play and was almost playing like a creative midfielder than a striker.

Javier Hernandez has been marked for the role of the poacher while Rooney is more of an all-round attacking player for the Red Devils and is involved in the distribution of play as well. However, the former Everton player has the knack to score goals in important games like the games against Chelsea and Barcelona in the Champions League final.

The England International was involved in an unsavory contract saga with Manchester United in the 2010-11 season but did sign a new improved contract with the Red Devils. However, his troublesome ankle injury along with the contract wrangling affected his performances on the pitch as he looked a pale shadow of the striker in 2009-10.

However, Sir Alex Ferguson did the right thing by keeping him away from the spotlight by sending him to the US for rehabilitation purposes and the England striker returned reinvigorated by the break as he started to show signs of the quality he was capable of. Ferguson utilized the striker in a slightly withdrawn role behind Hernandez and it helped them clinch the league due to consistent success towards the end of the season.

Rooney scored 11 league goals despite not being in good form for large parts of the season and could be prolific in the next season. He is undoubtedly one of the most important players for Manchester United which is why Sir Alex Ferguson is keen to have him as one of the members of the next generation team he is building with players like David De Gea, Chris Smalling, Javier Hernandez and Phil Jones.

5. Darren Bent (Aston Villa)

Though Darren Bent may not be considered as a quality striker by some, a striker's role in the team is to score goals for the team and that is exactly what Bent is known for. He was one of the highest transfers for Aston Villa, who signed him from Sunderland in January when they genuinely were in danger of being relegated.

Bent proved to be an excellent signing for Villa as he scored many important winners for Villa like his first goal against Manchester City on his Aston Villa debut. He may not be the most talented player but his positional play and clinical finishing skills makes him a striker who is not going to be liked by the opposition defenders.

An example of how devastating he could be could be observed in the game against Arsenal towards the end of the season when two errors from defenders, while playing offside, was capitalized by Bent who scored a brace early in the first half and Arsenal could not find an answer to the quickfire goals. The former Tottenham and Sunderland striker is finally getting recognition from the England manager Fabio Capello as he has played more Internationals since his omission in the World Cup.

Bent is one of the Premier League's highest scorers in the last decade and it is down to his hard work and determination that he has been successful in the league. He is a player, who can guarantee goals for any team he plays for because he identifies quickly where there could be a goal scoring opportunity and his positioning is such that he will get goals for the team.

He scored 24 league goals in the 2009-10 season for Sunderland and scored 17 goals in the 2010-11 season (eight for Sunderland and nine for Aston Villa). Though he might suffer from the transfer of Ashley Young to Manchester United and the possibility if departure of Stewart Downing, Bent can be expected to carry on doing what he does best and that is scoring goals.

4. Luis Suarez (Liverpool)

Liverpool's new No. 7 Luis Suarez was signed from Ajax in the January transfer window after the new owners decided to invest money in quality youngsters, who could take Liverpool back to the top four in the league. Signings from the Dutch league always have an element of risk considering the physicality of the Premiership and especially as a striker, a player would have to cope with stronger and more physical defenders.

However, the former Ajax striker was a player on which Liverpool decided correctly to sign him because Suarez was one of the most prolific strikers in the Dutch league as he couldn't stop scoring for Ajax. He scored 111 goals in only 159 appearances which firmly established him as one of the best players in the league.

Though Liverpool initially signed Suarez as one who could play alongside Fernando Torres, the Uruguay International has been excellent even without the Spaniard who departed for Chelsea in the same window. Suarez was one of the main reasons why Liverpool enjoyed a spell of renaissance under Kenny Dalglish and the striker proved that he is fully capable of adjusting to the Premiership.

Suarez is a player who possesses excellent technique and talent and has the capability to score outrageous goals like the one he nearly scored against Manchester United. The Uruguay International has been involved in some controversies in the past but at the age of 24, he can still put behind his controversies and can be one of the best strikers in the world in the future.

Under the new owners, Dalglish and Damien Comolli, it seems like Liverpool are building a much younger team which could be a part of the long term strategy and Suarez is certainly one of the most important players for the club. Though he scored only four league goals in 13 appearances, he could be a bigger threat with a stronger midfield, which is exactly why the Reds have signed Jordan Henderson and are expected to sign Charlie Adam, having agreed a transfer fee with Blackpool FC.

3. Javier Hernandez (Manchester United)

The Mexican International could not have imagined starting for Manchester United against Barcelona in the Champions League final at Wembley, just over a year back when he was playing for Guadalajara in Mexico. Sir Alex Ferguson moved in quickly to seal the signing of Javier Hernandez before the world cup, in which he was a good performer for Mexico.

However, he still remained a player, on whom even supporters were uncertain as to how he would cope in this competitive Manchester United team. Hernandez was not expected to be an integral member of the Manchester United team this season but instead, ended up as one of the main reasons why the Red Devils won the historical 19th league title.

Chicharito is a player of immense potential and he is a natural goal-scorer, who has the capability to be one of the best players in the league if he builds further on his undoubted potential. At present, he is not great on the ball and he needs to work on his all-round play. However, what is noticeable in the youngster is his eye for scoring goals and the composure in front of goal.

He does not miss many chances and though he may seem to be light, he is capable of holding his own against physical defenders and is also good in the air. Chicharito was, at first, thought to be an excellent impact substitute early in the last season. However, he proved that he is capable of establishing himself as a starter and it is obvious that Sir Alex Ferguson believes in the capability of the Mexican as Hernandez has started in some of the most important games of the season against Arsenal, Chelsea and FC Barcelona.

The long serving Manchester United manager is noted for guiding youngsters, with potential, to develop into excellent players and at present, Javier Hernandez is at the best club for him as a player because it seems like he has adjusted to life in Manchester quite well and enjoys the faith of his team mates and the manager. He scored 13 league goals in his first season at the club in 27 appearances and expect him to score more in the future.

2. Robin Van Persie (Arsenal)

The talented Dutch International in unfortunately one of the most injury prone players in the Premiership but when he is fit, he is undoubtedly among the best strikers in the Premier League and he certainly proved that in the second half of the 2010-11 after being injured for most of the first half. Van Persie scored 18 goals in only 25 appearances and also created a new record of scoring in nine consecutive away league games though I am unsure whether it will carry on in the next season since he scored in the last game against Fulham at Craven Cottage.

Van Persie is undoubtedly one of the best players in Arsenal and though he has been injured on a number of occasions in his Arsenal career, he has proven to be a prolific goal-scorer for the Gunners. Arsene Wenger has often stated that he believes Van Persie to be a world class striker and the Dutch International has the qualities to be the one who can finally help Arsenal end their trophy drought.

Arsenal have endured a difficult summer so far with the uncertain futures of Samir Nasri and Cesc Fabregas mean that the burden of responsibility could fall on the current Arsenal vice-captain Van Persie. Though he is not a typical striker, he is more of a hybrid between the archetypal no.9 and the no.10 roles because though he plays as a striker, he likes to come deep in midfield at times and turn provider for others.

He was initially regarded to be the successor to Dennis Bergkamp at Arsenal but though both of them share some common attributes, Van Persie is more of a goal-scorer than the Arsenal legend. However, Wenger has utilized the striker in a more withdrawn role as well and it will be interesting to see where Wenger can accommodate Theo Walcott in the future, as he is also considered to be a centre forward in the future.

The Dutchman's fitness is one of the most important things for Arsenal next season because he is such an important player that the Gunners do not have another player to step up in his role if he is injured, which has contributed to their trophy drought. But with a full preseason this summer, Arsenal supporters will hope that he stays fit for at least 30 league games next season.

1. Carlos Tevez (Manchester City)

According to the Mirror, though Carlos Tevez has requested for a transfer away from Manchester City, the former West Ham United striker will not be allowed to leave on his terms and the club will demand as much as £50million for the Argentinean striker. The forward is on a long term deal with City and the club are determined not to sell below their valuation of the striker.

However, if Tevez does not move, there is every chance that he will continue to maintain his superb goal-scoring form, having been prolific in the last two seasons. The Manchester City captain has been a vital part of Manchester City's rise in the league table and has contributed immensely, also helping the club reach the Champions League next season and also ending their long trophy drought.

Though the Tevez saga has dragged on for a few months now, he has been prolific for City since his move from Manchester United scoring as many as 43 goals in 63 appearances. He scored 20 goals in only 28 league appearances this season and also, won the golden boot award, which he shared with Manchester United's Dimitar Berbatov.

Tevez is one of the most hard-working players in the league and has all the attributes requires to be a top striker. He can also score from free-kicks as he showed against Stoke last season where he scored a scintillating free-kick. Also, with Manchester City finally having developed a spine of their team in Joe Hart, Vincent Kompany, Yaya Toure, David Silva and Carlos Tevez, it is important for City to hold on to every one of these five players.

However, if some club does meet City's valuation of Tevez which seems unlikely at the moment, he could be sold but it is likely that City will bring in a quality striker if that situation arises considering their financial strength. But as it stands today, Carlos Tevez is a Manchester City player and is capable of retaining his golden boot next season.