Big price discrepancy for Bale to win PFA Young Player of the Year
Published:Excuse my ignorance, but surely if a player is deemed to be the best overall player in a particular league, then it goes without saying that he must also be the best young player?
Apparently this is not the case based on the betting for both the PFA Player of the Year and the PFA Young Player of the Year.
Gareth Bale may be favourite to win both accolades, but he is a heavy favourite for the main award at 1/4, but somehow only 5/4 to win the secondary award, with Christian Benteke close behind in the betting for the latter at 2/1.
It would certainly make little sense if the Aston Villa striker was deemed a better young player than Bale, but the Tottenham man was then regarded as the more superior player overall. It would be like arguing that Spain are Europe’s best footballing nation, but, Germany are the best in the world.
Bale is 3/1 to win both and strangely only Cristiano Ronaldo has scooped both awards in the same season since the start of the Premier League.
In terms of the main award, Robin van Persie is regarded as the main threat to Bale at 9/2, as he bids to follow in the footsteps of former Arsenal strike partner Thierry Henry and Ronaldo in taking the accolade in consecutive years.
Although an unlikely result, the value in the market may lie with Juan Mata at 40/1, while the absence of Swansea’s Michu from the six nominations is a bizarre one given his exploits in helping the Welsh club win the Capital One Cup.
Aston Villa have been responsible for two of the last four winners of the young player award and this could be a positive for Benteke fans, with the Belgian almost single-handedly giving them a chance of surviving relegation.
There is also some strange nominations here, with Matija Nastasic becoming a first-team regular at Premier League champions Manchester City while in his teenage years and displaying a calm defensive presence.
He is not included, but there are spaces for Jack Wilshere, who has been troubled by injuries and Danny Welbeck, despite a poor return of one Premier League goal from an attacking position for the soon-to-be crowned champions Man Utd.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
