Darren Bent

[Papillon]

A travesty for Villa to lose Darren Bent if so happens. Our only real star in the team, the only player any other fan from another team would recognize almost. Not that win matches on that merit, but it is not like we are catchting any (positive) eyes with our current team. My mates ask me "who the hell is that player?" when they are forced to see Villa with me and sometimes I have to concentrate to name him myself, be it Westwood, Stevens or Bennett. From Shay Given to Brad Guzan, Richard Dunne to Nathan Baker, Ashley Young to Brett Holman, James Milner to Barry Bannon, Gareth Barry to Kieran Westwood, Stewart Downing to an out of position Agbonlahor and now ousting Darren Bent as well. We are quickly turning into a very, very boring side even our own fans don't want to see and I wonder what the goal is. Are we the new (old) Fulham or WBA? Hoping for a top 10 and keeping the books positive by giving low salaries to very young and non-demanding players with hopes of selling them on for a profit and never really prospering? People can hide behind the theory of Lambert forging his own squad and filling it with his kind of players, but the trend has been pretty clear for years. The problem here is that we already have Bent in our squad and he seemingly does not want to play for another team, so we should be incredibly glad to have him. Imagine him still playing for Sunderland and scoring goals like he always does - what do you think we would say if we were linked with him right about now? We are 17th, we don't score goals and we are struggling like hell with the ghost of relegation. The answer would be that everyone would be over the top, but we are sticking to the idea of Benteke, Gabby and Weimann providing the goods. Just completely nuts in my opinion.

[CI]

Are you using a smaller font ?

[dont_do_it_doug.]

A travesty for Villa to lose Darren Bent if so happens. Our only real star in the team, the only player any other fan from another team would recognize almost. Not that win matches on that merit, but it is not like we are catchting any (positive) eyes with our current team. My mates ask me "who the hell is that player?" when they are forced to see Villa with me and sometimes I have to concentrate to name him myself, be it Westwood, Stevens or Bennett. From Shay Given to Brad Guzan, Richard Dunne to Nathan Baker, Ashley Young to Brett Holman, James Milner to Barry Bannon, Gareth Barry to Kieran Westwood, Stewart Downing to an out of position Agbonlahor and now ousting Darren Bent as well. We are quickly turning into a very, very boring side even our own fans don't want to see and I wonder what the goal is. Are we the new (old) Fulham or WBA? Hoping for a top 10 and keeping the books positive by giving low salaries to very young and non-demanding players with hopes of selling them on for a profit and never really prospering? People can hide behind the theory of Lambert forging his own squad and filling it with his kind of players, but the trend has been pretty clear for years. The problem here is that we already have Bent in our squad and he seemingly does not want to play for another team, so we should be incredibly glad to have him. Imagine him still playing for Sunderland and scoring goals like he always does - what do you think we would say if we were linked with him right about now? We are 17th, we don't score goals and we are struggling like hell with the ghost of relegation. The answer would be that everyone would be over the top, but we are sticking to the idea of Benteke, Gabby and Weimann providing the goods. Just completely nuts in my opinion.

With regards to your mates not recognising any of our players that is by far the weakest reason I have ever heard for trying to crowbar a "name" into the side. Funny though, my mates feel exactly the opposite. Like me they enjoy watching talent emerge.

I'm about as far from bored as a Villa fan as I have been in oh, I dunno, about 6 years. Each to their own I guess.

"We" are not sticking with any particular idea. Whatever the manager is sticking to at the moment is only known to himself, the player and a select few others. What "I" am choosing to do is to employ faith in him, this manager who has gotten me excited about my football club again.

It's a revelation, a breath of fresh air to not worry oneself constantly over this player or that player but to merely watch the game unfold. To enjoy the experience. If Darren Bent is a casualty of that then so be it. I hope not, I hope we're all missing something obvious because I know that in the right system he's a gem of a player. But if the manager believes we're better off without employing that system then that, as they say, is that.

I'm not losing anymore sleep.

[Morpheus]

In our current system Bent is a luxury we can't afford.

Why not change the system? We can't play one system all the time as we'd be too predicable.

[AndyBM]

i agree with papillon that if i was to pass any of the villa players in town (city centre to the non brummies) then most of them i wouldnt look twice at and would recognise, only bent or gabby i would

[dont_do_it_doug.]

Why not change the system? We can't play one system all the time as we'd be too predicable.

We're not done learning the "A" system yet. I'm sure there is and will be a plan "B", in fact we've seen a few different variations this season. But is it really financially beneficial to have an asset like Bent on the bench as part of a backup plan? Or could that money be spent better elsewhere?

I know, I hate the way finances interfering with sport. But it is what it is. Always has been.

[Cizzler]

My mates ask me "who the hell is that player?" when they are forced to see Villa with me and sometimes I have to concentrate to name him myself, be it Westwood, Stevens or Bennett. From Shay Given to Brad Guzan, Richard Dunne to Nathan Baker, Ashley Young to Brett Holman, James Milner to Barry Bannon, Gareth Barry to Kieran Westwood, Stewart Downing to an out of position Agbonlahor and now ousting Darren Bent as well.

To be fair, I'd probably be as peeved as you if I thought we had replaced James Milner with Sunderland's second choice 'keeper.

[joey55]

i agree with papillon that if i was to pass any of the villa players in town (city centre to the non brummies) then most of them i wouldnt look twice at and would recognise, only bent or gabby i would

Jesus! I hardly watch Villa and I'd easily recognise Albrighton, Bannan, Dunne, Given, Ireland and Nzogbia.

Surely every football fan would recognise Dunne, Given and Ireland?

Edit, just realized the recent team is being discussed, not the squad.

[Papillon]

With regards to your mates not recognising any of our players that is by far the weakest reason I have ever heard for trying to crowbar a "name" into the side. Funny though, my mates feel exactly the opposite. Like me they enjoy watching talent emerge.

I'm about as far from bored as a Villa fan as I have been in oh, I dunno, about 6 years. Each to their own I guess.

"We" are not sticking with any particular idea. Whatever the manager is sticking to at the moment is only known to himself, the player and a select few others. What "I" am choosing to do is to employ faith in him, this manager who has gotten me excited about my football club again.

It's a revelation, a breath of fresh air to not worry oneself constantly over this player or that player but to merely watch the game unfold. To enjoy the experience. If Darren Bent is a casualty of that then so be it. I hope not, I hope we're all missing something obvious because I know that in the right system he's a gem of a player. But if the manager believes we're better off without employing that system then that, as they say, is that.

I'm not losing anymore sleep.

Each to their own, and you are one of the guys pretending everything is chipper at this club. Everyone has the right to stand behind every single decision, even though hindsight will show that this happens with every manager in every team. I could share the optimism if we had actually produced results or even glimmers of any future hope. In my opinion we are looking extremely weak and our squad is the worst we have had in my time as a Villa-fan. I understand why, I understand that Lerner has pulled the plug because of increased competition for Champions League-football, which was viable given Spurs, Liverpool and City were having trouble when we invested at the start of his reign here. You imply that you are the most thrilled about this team as you have ever been in the last 6 years, that does not make any sense to me. We challenged for 4th and ended up with 6th three years in a row having played mostly good football with set attacking patterns and scoring goals, even over 70 one year I think. You might not be let down or disgruntled like me now, but that must be because you are enjoying the fact that we a) losing most games, not scoring any goals, among the fewest in the league, c) are benching our only proven attacker for a reason the club won't let us know and d) are heavily involved in a relegation battle that will most likely last throughout the entire season. I would not criticise Lambert for benching Bent if he in fact did not fit into the system and we very playing better without him. However, our so-called system has obviously been disasterous and our current players aren't contributing either in that sense. Mostly, because we are trying to play passing football with a team that is not good enough to do it. That is why we see Westwood and Bannan standing there passing it square to each other because there are no attacking runs or committed movement. I am extremely glad we won last night, but the inevitable happens and people here start talking about being only 3 points behind Everton IF we had won against them and then it's about catching Newcastle and even Liverpool. This after a poor game at home to a very poor Reading that easily should have scored in the first half last night. I just don't understand the logic anymore, if we lose deservedly then it's only because of unluck (City getting a dodgy penalty) and if we win it's because we really deserved it (even though we were equally bad). Guess it's no point discussing it though...

[Big_John_10]

Bored during the whole MoN years and enjoying 17th place and worst start in clubs history?

You don't like watching your team win and score goals?

[Denis_B]

OK butterfly shall we start a campaign to get Heskey, Reo Coker, Friedel back together with a Michael Owen....... then your mates will know more Villa players so we must be better for it

[OutByEaster?]

The sooner we turn him into useful money and stop having to hear about him every two minutes the happier I'll be.

It's in the first line of every story written about us in every newspaper, it's the only comment on match of the day, it's the only comment on the radio, I think you could paint Lambert pink and they'd put a footnote under the picture that says "Paul Lambert - not picking Bent" - the sooner we can start talking about the team and the football club the happier I'll be.

[GNeeUs]

Just thought I would add my piece.

Bent is a FANTASTIC player at what he does, one of the best. He was the missing piece to our puzzle when we had Milner, Barry, Petrov, Young & Downing playing for us. Sadly Bent arrived when we sold 4 of these 5 players. Luckily he was one of potentially many reasons for us avoiding relegation last couple seasons and I thank him for that.

HOWEVER

We are a team who struggles to create many chances. We lack the creativity and ability to get it to feet in the box for someone like Bent to score. Right now Lambert is possibly correct to not play Bent. I am a believer that apart from scoring goals Bent offers very little else in regard to holding up the ball and chasing down the ball - I think he's quite lazy. We are a team who often hoofs the ball up the park and out of Benteke & Bent the man who is most likely to challenge for the ball, hold the ball up or make any flick ons is Benteke. Sadly Benteke isn't all that fond of chasing the ball either, or closing players down.

I then think Benteke & Bent would make quite a good partnership up front - despite the Southampton result. But where does that leave Gabby? For me Gabby's mindset is utterly brilliant, the lad works his socks off. Bent, Benteke, Gabby would not work as three players up front. Gabby would have to go back to being a winger - could be an option?!

From what Lambert says Bent doesn't seem to have the best attitude towards training and as such Bowery has proven that he is more hungry to get the 4th choice striker option - fair play to Bowery & Lambert.

Whether Bent is off in January for certain, whether we owe Sunderland £6 million more if Bent plays another minute for Villa I'd sell him in January.

Crazy I know!!

If Bent does not have the correct mind set & determination to give his all for Aston Villa FC during training and on match day what is the point in playing him? Sport is hugely Psychological and if we can get 11 players on a pitch with the right mental attitude & of course technical ability that is when Villa will play their best. You know what...I am excited about what this young team has to offer. There is still dead wood at Villa - Hutton, Warnock, Ireland, N'Zogbia...possibly Bent and a couple others and it will take a couple seasons for this to be rectified.

If Bents heart isn't at Villa, lets get some cash for him. Teams like Arsenal, Liverpool etc are crying out for a new striker and we could easily get 12-15 million for him which could be spent in improving the X11.

[VillaCas]

Each to their own, and you are one of the guys pretending everything is chipper at this club. Everyone has the right to stand behind every single decision, even though hindsight will show that this happens with every manager in every team. I could share the optimism if we had actually produced results or even glimmers of any future hope. In my opinion we are looking extremely weak and our squad is the worst we have had in my time as a Villa-fan. I understand why, I understand that Lerner has pulled the plug because of increased competition for Champions League-football, which was viable given Spurs, Liverpool and City were having trouble when we invested at the start of his reign here. You imply that you are the most thrilled about this team as you have ever been in the last 6 years, that does not make any sense to me. We challenged for 4th and ended up with 6th three years in a row having played mostly good football with set attacking patterns and scoring goals, even over 70 one year I think. You might not be let down or disgruntled like me now, but that must be because you are enjoying the fact that we a) losing most games, not scoring any goals, among the fewest in the league, c) are benching our only proven attacker for a reason the club won't let us know and d) are heavily involved in a relegation battle that will most likely last throughout the entire season. I would not criticise Lambert for benching Bent if he in fact did not fit into the system and we very playing better without him. However, our so-called system has obviously been disasterous and our current players aren't contributing either in that sense. Mostly, because we are trying to play passing football with a team that is not good enough to do it. That is why we see Westwood and Bannan standing there passing it square to each other because there are no attacking runs or committed movement. I am extremely glad we won last night, but the inevitable happens and people here start talking about being only 3 points behind Everton IF we had won against them and then it's about catching Newcastle and even Liverpool. This after a poor game at home to a very poor Reading that easily should have scored in the first half last night. I just don't understand the logic anymore, if we lose deservedly then it's only because of unluck (City getting a dodgy penalty) and if we win it's because we really deserved it (even though we were equally bad). Guess it's no point discussing it though...

Can you use paragraphs please - it's like you're on speed!!

[VillaCas]

Why not change the system? We can't play one system all the time as we'd be too predicable.

Bent just doesn't suit our current style of play and tactics

I'm sure we have got a Plan B, but it would be a luxury for us to keep a £24m striker (or a £12m striker?) on the bench to throw on when needed

I think we all know deep down that Bent is on his way in January. I'd imagine that we do not want him injured before that

This article hits the nail on the head

http://www.astonvillalife.com/aston-villa-blog/the-reasons-why-darren-bent-isnt-being-picked-will-be-leaving/

[VillaCas]

Bored during the whole MoN years and enjoying 17th place and worst start in clubs history?

You don't like watching your team win and score goals?

I don't like us being down the table but you can't deny that it's definitely NOT BORING.

I've not looked forward to games like Tuesday's and Saturday's for a while now

Don't worry you'll get plenty of enjoyment ffrom watching us win games and score goals as PL's plans start to come together

[CI]

We sell our most valuable player every year.

Next summer it will be Benteke.

Look to the owner, point a finger and ask questions

[AVFCforever1991]

I really don't mind selling Benteke, Just as long as we get 35-40m+ for him.

[Swerbs]

We can then purchase Fernando Llorente to replace him.

[CI]

I really don't mind selling Benteke, Just as long as we get 35-40m+ for him.

May well be the business model going forward