Darren Bent

[VillanousOne]

 

I dont think we have the necessary supply line to accommodate Bent. I also feel that he is not a team player. He's a bit of a passenger and his work rate is very poor. In short, we cant afford to carry a passenger in the team. I think he would have been sold in this window had we found anyone willing to buy him.

 

  Today it's quite clear he can't be a**ed so I doubt he'll be good enough for the PL again. Shame.

 

I think I object to statements like this about players, Bent hasn't had enough time on the pitch since he came back to give off any signals that suggest he can't be bothered. If he was overweight or not fit Keane and Lambert would not include him in the squad.

That's the difference between us and some other leagues abroad, people would rather moan and slag off one of our own players than get behind and believe in them. And now we have the wages argument which can be used to justify any criticism labelled at a player. Even though wages are just a horrible symptom of the Premier League and football in general.

As long as Bent is in a Villa shirt i will want him to succeed. That doesn't mean i'm blind to the fact he might just be past it now and of no value to us what-so-ever, but until we are a free-scoring team not completely dependent on one player to score all our goals I will hope that Bent can do a job.

 

[Wainy316]

Since you brits bring it up. The hardest thing for me to adjust to, in the BPL, is the fans. In US sports, including pro-sports, fans virtually NEVER hate or vehemently criticize any player on the team, and rarely ever the coach. It just doesn't happen. If you hate your team and it's players and coach so badly, you just pick a new team.

I think the closest a pro team in the states came was the new orleans saints - NFL, They did so horribly badly for so many years that the fans started to wear brown paper bags over their heads to games. The fans were ashamed of their team. But even then there was no rage or venom aimed at any player. It's just not done.

Many British fans, or at least the on-line ones. Appear to be different. It's OK to loathe your own team's players. It took me a long time to learn (and some sidebar discussions with a few of the most critical) to learn that the critical fans that seem to despise players on the team are motivated by wanting the team to do better. In the states if you want the team to do better, you backing the players, hoping that confidence will help. When a receiver drops a pass he should have caught you yell, say, or post. "he'll get it next time." Not "oh, FFS, get him out of this club. He'll never be good enough for this league." Now, if a player leaves... then it's fair game to say "he was never any good anyway, glad to have somebody else is in there." But never while he's still your player. At least that's the reality in "the wrong birmingham."

Sweeping generalisation here, but US sport feels more akin to going to the cinema or watching a show than the way football is viewed here; a way of life to many. Watched the Yankees when I was in New York and people would disappear for 20 minutes at a time to get nachos, beer and what not it just feels like a completely different atmosphere, like if they win they're happy but if they lose it's almost like oh well it was a good day out.

If it was just in their pro sports where they play zillion regular season games before playoffs where half of the teams get anyway, no relegation, there might be a theory that it's just always that important. But in US college sports, where every game is very important, and fans are generally very passionate, they are also generally very supportive.

Personally, I like the British way (not being British myself, btw). Apploud when it's due, but nothing wrong with some criticism. I can't claim knowing anything about German football, but I went to a hertha Berlin game last year. Fans were singing throughout the game even though they played badly and lost. Seemed odd to me. Some seem to think that's great football culture, personally I prefer the British way. Ups and downs on the pitch, ups and downs among fans.

Was the Hertha game against Nürnberg by any chance?

[bojong]

No, it was schalke.

[Pelle]

 

 

I dont think we have the necessary supply line to accommodate Bent. I also feel that he is not a team player. He's a bit of a passenger and his work rate is very poor. In short, we cant afford to carry a passenger in the team. I think he would have been sold in this window had we found anyone willing to buy him.

 

  Today it's quite clear he can't be a**ed so I doubt he'll be good enough for the PL again. Shame.

 

I think I object to statements like this about players, Bent hasn't had enough time on the pitch since he came back to give off any signals that suggest he can't be bothered. If he was overweight or not fit Keane and Lambert would not include him in the squad.

That's the difference between us and some other leagues abroad, people would rather moan and slag off one of our own players than get behind and believe in them. And now we have the wages argument which can be used to justify any criticism labelled at a player. Even though wages are just a horrible symptom of the Premier League and football in general.

As long as Bent is in a Villa shirt i will want him to succeed. That doesn't mean i'm blind to the fact he might just be past it now and of no value to us what-so-ever, but until we are a free-scoring team not completely dependent on one player to score all our goals I will hope that Bent can do a job.

 

 

 

I'd love if he was successfull again with us, but I think he's shown time and time again the last few seasons that he can't be bothered that much anymore. It's not an opinion I have based on one game coming in from the bench in the last 10 minutes or so. Obviously I hope I'm wrong, but sadly I don't think I am.

 

I very rarely slag our players off. Quite the opposite, in fact. I can almost be naive when it comes to optimism regarding our players.

[P3te]

 we cant afford to carry a passenger in the team

And yet Gabby starts every week. I think you mean we can't afford to carry TWO passengers in the team

[meregreen]

Bent is a better option than Gabby. There again, my Granny is probably a better option than Gabby. Lets just hope Benteke is back sooner rather than later.

[skarroki]

I would Bent to be given a chance purely because I don't think he's going to leave. And seeing as he is the highest earning person in Villa's history and annihilated our transfer record I would like to think that there might be something he could offer the team. When you look at the transfer cost of the players standing in his way at the moment, they're both academy graduates.

EDIT: also the people who say he needs a good supply line and we cannot afford him as he's a passenger, when he got 18 goals for an average Charlton side he had the world beaters Matt Holland, Darren Ambrose and Dennis Rommedahl to supply him and such world class strikers as Jason Euell and Kevin Lisbie to play alongside. He has been able to flourish in the past he just needs to get his head in the game and knuckle down and he could be a massive asset

Edited August 25, 2014 by skarroki

[rodders0223]

I would Bent to be given a chance purely because I don't think he's going to leave. And seeing as he is the highest earning person in Villa's history and annihilated our transfer record I would like to think that there might be something he could offer the team. When you look at the transfer cost of the players standing in his way at the moment, they're both academy graduates.

EDIT: also the people who say he needs a good supply line and we cannot afford him as he's a passenger, when he got 18 goals for an average Charlton side he had the world beaters Matt Holland, Darren Ambrose and Dennis Rommedahl to supply him and such world class strikers as Jason Euell and Kevin Lisbie to play alongside. He has been able to flourish in the past he just needs to get his head in the game and knuckle down and he could be a massive asset

 

 

Whilst I am leaning towards giving this guy a run of games considering how dire Gabby has looked, his Charlton goals were the best part of a decade ago and bare no relevance to today.

[DCJonah]

Against hull I would completely change our attacking side.

Put bent as our forward and surround him with grealish, Cole and nzogbia. Surely those 3 will create a few chances for him.

[rodders0223]

Cole needs to come in for sure. We need something at home to bring the best out of whoever we play up front.

[Villan81]

Against hull I would completely change our attacking side.

Put bent as our forward and surround him with grealish, Cole and nzogbia. Surely those 3 will create a few chances for him.

also depends if we get through wednesday unscathed

with the upcomin fixture after hull the last 2 games have shown us that gabby and andi wont do well againt the big guns

Bent n Cole atleast need to start against hull but idealy Graelish too

keepin to the same 11 that got a 0-0 at home with no shots on target would be stupid

Bent has put on the pounds yeah and doesnt do the running as much as Andi but he knows where to be and the ball falling to him 6 yards out is more confident than it dropping to Gabby n Andi 6 yards out

[dont_do_it_doug.]

Those who think I'm full of crap.... you have to realize I'm using generalizations. You can find exceptions to every rule. You can find VT posters that will support the club and every player, regardless of performance.

I'm just stating a fact. When I show villa talk comments to U.S sports fans, they are appalled. Sports fans from the wrong birmingham think ya'll are hostile, angry, and hate your club. They do not understand. I have had to learn to understand.

Gabby should not start is the most critical thing I can feel comfortable saying. Clearly, if you read the pages above you will see many more critical comments than that.

BTW, penguin. you're right about baseball. it's very different. it's much slower, so wandering away for awhile to the concessions is very common. I would imagine the same is true for cricket?

Also baseball fans are some of the biggest boo boys on the planet. I've watched a lot of it over the years and your analogy doesn't hold up there at all. I've often been left shocked at some of the treatment Braves players have received over the years, even when they were good! It's the kind of game where you cannot hide, and you know that every single boo is directed at you.

It's extremely rare that a player is ceremoniously booed by all, unless he's of the opposition of course which happens in every sport, even bloody cricket. Words are thrown by the odd moron or in a moment of frustration, the team performance is occasionally booed. But rarely is a player singled out to the extent seen in baseball.

[LondonVillian]

Time to give him another go - gabby up front has looked abysmal 

[Vive_La_Villa]

Time to give him another go - gabby up front has looked abysmal

Give me a go instead. I'm in better shape, care more, will try harder and will do it for free. Hell I'll even pay the club to let me play.

I'm not buying giving Bent a chance just because Gabby is a bit off the pace.

[YLN]

I think Bent is for the knackers yard. He came on against Newcastle and as far as I saw was offside twice. Once called, once not from a Senderos header back across goal. That was the only impact I saw him have on the game. So I thought, well he'll have had such little football over the past few seasons that he's bound to be rusty. Send him out on loan and we'll see. But we did send him out on loan. To the second worst team in the league. And they decided he was crap. Send him on loan to the championship? For a month or two maybe? I don't see it making any difference really.

 

The guy has his money made and he's intelligent enough to keep his mouth shut, his nose clean and pick up his pay packet every week. Someone probably newly promoted will give him a chance again when his contract runs out and their supporters forum will be full of videos of him at his prime and suggestions that their manager can get him back to that, and that they've signed 'some player on his day' and 'the talent is there'. Or he'll get a really big pay day in the MLS or Middle East. Darren Bent, the man, will be ok. We needn't worry about him.

 

Gabby gives defences something to think about at least with his pace. Bent gives them free kicks in their own half.

Edited August 27, 2014 by yillan

[Papillon]

Against hull I would completely change our attacking side.

Put bent as our forward and surround him with grealish, Cole and nzogbia. Surely those 3 will create a few chances for him.

 

Surely you couldn't guarantee that Grealish would create anything?

 

Some people need to stop bigging up our so-called talents. Grealish is 18 years old and has experience only from League 1. As we saw from United's humiliation at MK Dons yesterday, being good in the Youth team doesn't necessarily mean you are going to hack it with the big boys. Chances are he will never make it, they rarely do from our Academy, so throwing him out on the pitch just like that would be suicide.

 

I know nothing about this player as I haven't seen him play before, but if he is any good he will be given minutes here and there and get the chance to prove he is capable. Certainly shouldn't start games right away when we finally have options in our squad.

[ArteSuave]

As we saw from United's humiliation at MK Dons yesterday, being good in League One means you are going to dick on Man United. 

 

Ficksed.

[darrenm]

 

Those who think I'm full of crap.... you have to realize I'm using generalizations. You can find exceptions to every rule. You can find VT posters that will support the club and every player, regardless of performance.

I'm just stating a fact. When I show villa talk comments to U.S sports fans, they are appalled. Sports fans from the wrong birmingham think ya'll are hostile, angry, and hate your club. They do not understand. I have had to learn to understand.

Gabby should not start is the most critical thing I can feel comfortable saying. Clearly, if you read the pages above you will see many more critical comments than that.

BTW, penguin. you're right about baseball. it's very different. it's much slower, so wandering away for awhile to the concessions is very common. I would imagine the same is true for cricket?

Also baseball fans are some of the biggest boo boys on the planet. I've watched a lot of it over the years and your analogy doesn't hold up there at all. I've often been left shocked at some of the treatment Braves players have received over the years, even when they were good! It's the kind of game where you cannot hide, and you know that every single boo is directed at you.

It's extremely rare that a player is ceremoniously booed by all, unless he's of the opposition of course which happens in every sport, even bloody cricket. Words are thrown by the odd moron or in a moment of frustration, the team performance is occasionally booed. But rarely is a player singled out to the extent seen in baseball.

 

 

Agreed. Don't confuse the keyboard warrior ways on here with what actually happens at the games. Also, even when people claim to have been at the game and heard lots of abuse shouted at certain players, or booed off the pitch etc, it's never actually like that.

[StefanAVFC]

 

Against hull I would completely change our attacking side.

Put bent as our forward and surround him with grealish, Cole and nzogbia. Surely those 3 will create a few chances for him.

 

Surely you couldn't guarantee that Grealish would create anything?

 

Some people need to stop bigging up our so-called talents. Grealish is 18 years old and has experience only from League 1. As we saw from United's humiliation at MK Dons yesterday, being good in the Youth team doesn't necessarily mean you are going to hack it with the big boys. Chances are he will never make it, they rarely do from our Academy, so throwing him out on the pitch just like that would be suicide.

 

I know nothing about this player as I haven't seen him play before, but if he is any good he will be given minutes here and there and get the chance to prove he is capable. Certainly shouldn't start games right away when we finally have options in our squad.

 

 

[AVFCAM]

Against hull I would completely change our attacking side.

Put bent as our forward and surround him with grealish, Cole and nzogbia. Surely those 3 will create a few chances for him.

Surely you couldn't guarantee that Grealish would create anything?

Some people need to stop bigging up our so-called talents. Grealish is 18 years old and has experience only from League 1. As we saw from United's humiliation at MK Dons yesterday, being good in the Youth team doesn't necessarily mean you are going to hack it with the big boys. Chances are he will never make it, they rarely do from our Academy, so throwing him out on the pitch just like that would be suicide.

I know nothing about this player as I haven't seen him play before, but if he is any good he will be given minutes here and there and get the chance to prove he is capable. Certainly shouldn't start games right away when we finally have options in our squad.

THIS. THIS. 1000 times THIS.

We are always looking at our 'other options' when things are bad.

Joe Bennett was poor, Luna is better.

Luna is poor, Bennett was better.

Gary Gardener will be our saviour...as he continues to have contributed a grand total of zero 3 seasons later. Even with injuries, he's obviously not as good as people seem to make out.

Bannan was the same and I'm afraid he was pretty average most of the time. When he wasn't average, he was awful.

Carruthers is so good we've just sold him to MK Dons. Yet the was people were talking on here, we'd got Lionel Messi in our ranks.

Because times are hard as a Villa fan lately, we consistently clutch at straws of hope, most of which would seem pretty pathetic if we stood back and took a look at them.

As Pap has said, an 18 year old with experience of L1 suddenly created enough for us to win games?! Come one now!

If he was that good, Cit£h, or Yanited would have snapped him up.

Although I hope I am wrong and he is fantastic...I just won't hold my breath,

Come on the Villa, or something like that...