Darren Bent

[CrackpotForeigner]

 

I've always thought permission to speak to the player meant permission to speak to his agent(s) rather than to speak to the player himself -  I mean, who in the middle of a multi-million pound deal wants to speak to a half educated massively greedy ego maniac?

 

 

But haven't you just described most football agents?

[roadoftrinity]

I'm pretty sure we have given the whole footballing worth permission to speak to any of the bomb squad if it will help us shift them

[OutByEaster?]

I'm pretty sure we have given the whole footballing worth permission to speak to any of the bomb squad if it will help us shift them

I don't expect us to be complaining!

[Morpheus]

I hope at the end of this we don't regret selling Bent to either Newcastle or Fulham who we will be battling against in our own mini league this season (hopefully).

 

My concern is and has been for some considerable time that Bent will be a regular goalscorer for the next three seasons at least, while our main man will probably be off at the end of this season leaving us who to be our regular goalscorer in the seasons to come?

 

Yes we will sign someone else but will he still bring the same goalscoring guarantee that Bent and Benteke do now?

[OutByEaster?]

I'd be surprised if Bent outscored Gabby or Weimann over the next three seasons. In all honesty, I'd doubt he'll be playing in the Prem in three seasons time. 

 

People talk about Bent like he's our second best player and the victim of our system - he's behind Benteke because Benteke is significantly better than him, he's behind Weimann and Gabby because they can do more.

 

If the shoe were on the other foot and we were looking to buy Bent this summer from someone like Newcastle or Fulham, I'd be disappointed.

[Electric Avenue]

If Bent plays week in week out and completes 38 PL games, he's going to score in excess of 15 PL goals. That's pretty much guaranteed.

[Mantis]

I hope at the end of this we don't regret selling Bent to either Newcastle or Fulham who we will be battling against in our own mini league this season (hopefully).

 

My concern is and has been for some considerable time that Bent will be a regular goalscorer for the next three seasons at least, while our main man will probably be off at the end of this season leaving us who to be our regular goalscorer in the seasons to come?

 

Yes we will sign someone else but will he still bring the same goalscoring guarantee that Bent and Benteke do now?

What use is there in having Bent here when he isn't playing much (and rightly so)? Are you telling me you'd rather have a bench player on 60k a week just so other clubs in this "mini-league" can't have him?

Edited August 4, 2013 by Mantis

[markavfc40]

If Bent plays week in week out and completes 38 PL games, he's going to score in excess of 15 PL goals. That's pretty much guaranteed.

 

 

That may well be the case. You'd think given that and his past goalscoring record that clubs would be banging on our door to get a bid in for Bent especially given the fact we seem likely to be willing to accept around 5 mill for him.

 

There is something clearly lacking in Bents game that means a lot of managers don't fancy taking a punt on him. You look at the clubs he has played for and us and Spurs are comfortably the biggest of those. However whilst at Spurs they finished 11th and 8th and saw getting rid of him as a chance to bag a few quid and move up a notch which they did. With us we have pretty much been in a constant state of struggle since he arrived and as part of us trying to look to progress we don't see him as part of that.

 

You look at Bent and purely focus on his goalscoring record in the top flight you could scrath your head and think why hasn't he played for top clubs and why isn't he attracting interest now, at around 5 mill, from any better than the likes of Fulham and Newcastle. Its when you look at Bents overall game and see that you have to set up the rest of your front six around him and realise that unless he is scoring he is doing f all and the answer becomes a little clearer.

[ArteSuave]

If Bent plays week in week out and completes 38 PL games, he's going to score in excess of 15 PL goals. That's pretty much guaranteed.

 

You'd think so wouldn't you given the way people talk about him.

 

In reality he's only managed 15 in 3 PL seasons out of 8 which is not exactly suggestive of it being guaranteed. Also, in spite of his "economical" work rate, he's spent a fair bit of time out injured during his time here which I would interpret as him becoming (at least slightly) more injury prone, making the idea of him playing all 38 games pretty unlikely IMO.

 

That said, I'd still rather we sold him to Palace than Toon or Fulham, just to be safe.

[P3te]

I'm pretty sure we have given the whole footballing worth permission to speak to any of the bomb squad if it will help us shift them

Joking aside, I'd assume that's actually the case. Go talk to whoever you want and see if you can agree terms, then have them come to us and we'll see if we can agree too, is most likely the stance

[Ghost]

The Fulham Chronicle is saying that Jol is hopeful of a deal being done for Bent by the end of the week.

[Ooh-Ah]

If the shoe were on the other foot and we were looking to buy Bent this summer from someone like Newcastle or Fulham, I'd be disappointed.

I'm not so sure... Presumably he'd be on lower wages than he is now and for £5m I think a lot of fans would be excited about signing an established player with such a good record. And he obviously wouldn't be coming in with any delusions about being our first choice striker.

[ciggiesnbeer]

 

If the shoe were on the other foot and we were looking to buy Bent this summer from someone like Newcastle or Fulham, I'd be disappointed.

I'm not so sure... Presumably he'd be on lower wages than he is now and for £5m I think a lot of fans would be excited about signing an established player with such a good record. And he obviously wouldn't be coming in with any delusions about being our first choice striker.

 

 

Agreed. Besides not all clubs have our new philosophy. Fulham fans were delighted to see a past his prime Berbatov show up, and he repayed them.

 

Bent will do some club a great service, my biggest concern is giving one of our competitors a bargain rather than offloading his wages.

[dnmacf]

Anyone tried to shift Bent on Football Manager? It's tough. Fee is too high for a player of his age and wages are a big stumbling point for most clubs. Only a very poorly managed/operated club would give him anything close to what he is getting just now. QPR in recent times perhaps but even they've wised up now 'Arry is calling the shots.

[VillaForever1970]

Berbs, Tarabbt and Bent?

Fulham not defending from the front or anyone working hard up there then.

[Papillon]

I'd be surprised if Bent outscored Gabby or Weimann over the next three seasons. In all honesty, I'd doubt he'll be playing in the Prem in three seasons time. 

 

People talk about Bent like he's our second best player and the victim of our system - he's behind Benteke because Benteke is significantly better than him, he's behind Weimann and Gabby because they can do more.

 

If the shoe were on the other foot and we were looking to buy Bent this summer from someone like Newcastle or Fulham, I'd be disappointed.

 

Gabby or Weimann outscoring Bent (when playing the same amount of games) would be highly unlikely.

He was our best player before Lambert came here, then Benteke came and Bent never played again. We finished 15th after having an absolute nightmare of a season. So yes, maybe Weimann and Gabby can do more in theory - but let us not conclude anything after that horrendous season.

If Bent was at Newcastle or Fulham, his reputation probably wouldn't be as tarnished as it is now. Remember when we got him from Sunderland? That is probably how it would have gone down. When he was at Sunderland they were as lousy as us, yet he managed 24 goals in the Premier League.

[thunderball]

There is something clearly lacking in Bents game that means a lot of managers don't fancy taking a punt on him. You look at the clubs he has played for and us and Spurs are comfortably the biggest of those. However whilst at Spurs they finished 11th and 8th and saw getting rid of him as a chance to bag a few quid and move up a notch which they did. With us we have pretty much been in a constant state of struggle since he arrived and as part of us trying to look to progress we don't see him as part of that.

You look at Bent and purely focus on his goalscoring record in the top flight you could scrath your head and think why hasn't he played for top clubs and why isn't he attracting interest now, at around 5 mill, from any better than the likes of Fulham and Newcastle. Its when you look at Bents overall game and see that you have to set up the rest of your front six around him and realise that unless he is scoring he is doing f all and the answer becomes a little clearer.

This.

My sentiments entirely. We signed him when we had wide men, now they've gone he looks lost up top - you can't afford passengers in the Prem - Gabby, Benteke and Weimann can all pick up the ball from 40 yards and find their way to goal, Bent just gets on the end of goal mouth action.

We play a posession game now like many of the top clubs, we've moved on.

Edited August 6, 2013 by thunderball

[JayDeePee]

I'd like to see him go palace myself, how likely that will be i have no idea!

[Morpheus]

I'd be surprised if Bent outscored Gabby or Weimann over the next three seasons. In all honesty, I'd doubt he'll be playing in the Prem in three seasons time. 

 

People talk about Bent like he's our second best player and the victim of our system - he's behind Benteke because Benteke is significantly better than him, he's behind Weimann and Gabby because they can do more.

 

If the shoe were on the other foot and we were looking to buy Bent this summer from someone like Newcastle or Fulham, I'd be disappointed.

When has Gabby ever been a prolific goalscorer in the Premiership? Weimann is only in his second season as a full time Premiership player so to imply that both would out score Bent when given equal opportunities is some statement BOF.

 

What are you basing your assumption on Bent not being a Premiership player during the next three seasons?

 

Bent is the victim of Benteke's emergence certainly but no-one can prove either way that given the right circumstances Bent wouldn't have scored just as many goals as Benteke last season injuries considered. Bent is also a victim of our system as he cannot play in the wide role as required by Lambert. He is an out and out goalscorer an old fashioned goal poacher if you like  and Weimann and Gabby only offer more because they are more suited to the system Lambert wants to play.

 

I would hazard a guess that if we needed a new striker with the current financial restrictions in place and Bent was available at a knock down 6m then you would be one of the very few posters on here that would be disappointed. 

[Mantis]

Bent is the victim of Benteke's emergence certainly but no-one can prove either way that given the right circumstances Bent wouldn't have scored just as many goals as Benteke last season injuries considered.

 

And no one can prove either way that given the circumstances Gabby wouldn't have scored just as many goals last season while playing in Benteke's position.