Darren Bent

[Jon]

Or we could sell Bent, and give the money to the manager to build his own side, something he has clearly not had the chance to do yet.

Managers need to be given time to build and shape their own squad and team. McLeish has as yet had no such chance.

:shock:

No.

i would dread to think what this turd of a manager would "build"

He built a side of lesser talents and got them to 9th in the PL, SHA's highest finish in the league for over 50 years .....

[TrentVilla]

My question still stands...what system?

[Jon]

My question still stands...what system?

everyone behind the ball but no tackling?

[TrentVilla]

My question still stands...what system?

everyone behind the ball but no tackling?

Ah... thanks

[Woodytom]

My question still stands...what system?

everyone behind the ball but no tackling?

Ah... thanks

I know thats said a bit tongue in cheek Trent and were goin OT, but does the system matter??

You can have systems coming out ya arse, but if the blokes working them cant perform the most simplest task within those systems, it becomes irrelevant which one your using.

Maybe if the players prove they can pass the ball from A-B, the system might change.

[TrentVilla]

I know thats said a bit tongue in cheek Trent and were goin OT, but does the system matter??

Take a look at the changes the new boss at Chelsea is trying to impose and the way it has exposed the weaknesses in Terry's game compared to their previous system which was built around them.

There is no question systems matter. You either create a system to match the strengths of your players or you buy players to fit the system you want.

The later is what is happening at Chelsea at the moment McLeish just seems to be trying to impose his system on the players he has which is foolish and simply isn't working just as it didn't work for Houllier.

Sadly McLeish's system is all about getting 10 men behind the ball and defending as a team which we really aren't very good at and our teams strength is in the two up front who he has no idea how to get service to.

You can have systems coming out ya arse, but if the blokes working them cant perform the most simplest task within those systems, it becomes irrelevant which one your using.

Maybe if the players prove they can pass the ball from A-B, the system might change.

Perhaps I could suggest that picking the likes of Heskey and Hutton in midfield is hardly going to help.

We have players who can pass a ball but have different weaknesses in their game, McLeish has opted not to use them.

[Woodytom]

I know thats said a bit tongue in cheek Trent and were goin OT, but does the system matter??

Take a look at the changes the new boss at Chelsea is trying to impose and the way it has exposed the weaknesses in Terry's game compared to their previous system which was built around them.

There is no question systems matter. You either create a system to match the strengths of your players or you buy players to fit the system you want.

The later is what is happening at Chelsea at the moment McLeish just seems to be trying to impose his system on the players he has which is foolish and simply isn't working just as it didn't work for Houllier.

Sadly McLeish's system is all about getting 10 men behind the ball and defending as a team which we really aren't very good at and our teams strength is in the two up front who he has no idea how to get service to.

You can have systems coming out ya arse, but if the blokes working them cant perform the most simplest task within those systems, it becomes irrelevant which one your using.

Maybe if the players prove they can pass the ball from A-B, the system might change.

Perhaps I could suggest that picking the likes of Heskey and Hutton in midfield is hardly going to help.

We have players who can pass a ball but have different weaknesses in their game, McLeish has opted not to use them.

While the link to Chelsea is a fair point Trent, are you really suggesting that Chelsea are spending 90 minutes struggling to get the ball across the half way line?

They are certainly struggling with some aspects - notably the high line that there trying to play and they have had the odd lapse in concentration but they can still pass from a-b the majority of the time. Which we can't. Its basic! And I cant for the life of me begin to comprehend why we are so incapable of making straight forward passes and its happened with Villa minute after minute in game after game during season after season!

We are talking about professional footballers on massive wages who can not do what your taught in primary school games sessions.

[TrentVilla]

While the link to Chelsea is a fair point Trent, are you really suggesting that Chelsea are spending 90 minutes struggling to get the ball across the half way line?

No I think you are taking my comparison way too far if you think that is what I meant. I simply used Chelsea to illustrate both the importance and the impact of systems on the performance of a team and its players.

They are certainly struggling with some aspects - notably the high line that there trying to play and they have had the odd lapse in concentration but they can still pass from a-b the majority of the time. Which we can't. Its basic! And I cant for the life of me begin to comprehend why we are so incapable of making straight forward passes and its happened with Villa minute after minute in game after game during season after season!

I agree on all of the above but as I mentioned previously playing the likes of Hutton and Heskey in midfield doesn't help with that neither does persisting with Collins at the back and allowing him to hoof the ball all the time.

We've no idea what the team work on in training all week but I can confidently predict it isn't neat 1 or 2 touch passing.

We are talking about professional footballers on massive wages who can not do what your taught in primary school games sessions.

I'm not absolving our players of blame but the manager is ultimately responsible and while this isn't his team it has got considerable worse under his management.

[Guest villantoby]

Ah well, it was fun while it lasted! Thanks for saving us last season

[chappy]

Mcleish needs to go for the misuse of DB alone, before everything else is even considered. We have the player we have needed for years and our manager sets up to leave him out of every game!

[Brumstopdogs]

The other stat that I found worrying (amongst all the others!) is that Bent has apparently only had 11 shots on target in the league this season.

When you consider 7 of those shots on target were against 3 pretty average teams (Blackburn, Norwich and Wigan) at home he has managed:

4 SHOTS ON TARGET in the OTHER 10 LEAGUE MATCHES!!!

McLeish's great tactics have meant the one player we want to be getting chances doesn't get them!

Mcleish out - now.

[Guest villantoby]

The other stat that I found worrying (amongst all the others!) is that Bent has apparently only had 11 shots on target in the league this season.

When you consider 7 of those shots on target were against 3 pretty average teams (Blackburn, Norwich and Wigan) at home he has managed:

4 SHOTS ON TARGET in the OTHER 10 LEAGUE MATCHES!!!

McLeish's great tactics have meant the one player we want to be getting chances doesn't get them!

Mcleish out - now.

And yet it is him that is leaving in Jan despite all the sweet talking from Mcleish

[Houlston]

The other stat that I found worrying (amongst all the others!) is that Bent has apparently only had 11 shots on target in the league this season.

When you consider 7 of those shots on target were against 3 pretty average teams (Blackburn, Norwich and Wigan) at home he has managed:

4 SHOTS ON TARGET in the OTHER 10 LEAGUE MATCHES!!!

McLeish's great tactics have meant the one player we want to be getting chances doesn't get them!

Mcleish out - now.

And yet it is him that is leaving in Jan despite all the sweet talking from Mcleish

Where is he going? How much is the transfer?

[juanpabloangel18]

http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/Aston-Villa-Darren-Bent-touches-the-ball-less-than-any-other-Premier-League-player-reveal-new-OPTA-stats-article839379.html

Revealed: Bent touches the ball less than ANY other Prem player.

Aston Villa manager Alex McLeish has admitted Darren Bent is “starved of service” after it emerged his England striker gets less of the ball than ANY other Premier League player.

Bent, 27, needs a good season to seal his place at Euro 2012 after agonisingly missing out on the World Cup in South Africa.

But OPTA stats (see below) show Bent averages just 24.6 touches per Villa game this season – a stat bound to concern Three Lions boss Fabio Capello, who has vowed to only take in-form players to Poland nd Ukraine next summer.

In comparison to Bent, even Joe Hart has touched the ball over 500 times in games this season while sitting in his deckchair in league leaders Manchester City's goal.

Bent bagged nine goals last term in 16 games for Villa after his £24million move from Sunderland in January, where he had scored 36 times in 63 appearances.

But that ratio has slipped to only five goals in 13 league games this term under new Villa boss McLeish.

Bent failed to get a single shot off in Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at home to Manchester United.

McLeish is anxious to find a solution for Bent, who last notched against Norwich a month ago when he struck twice in the 3-2 win.

“Benty does have great movement, it’s just a pity that sometimes we don’t have the quality to see the runs he makes," said Big Eck.

“We created 10 chances against Norwich. He got a couple of goals and could have had another couple so we are capable of doing it depending on our personnel.

“I’ve watched games from last season and Bent only had one chance in the Man City game - his debut - and scored, so he was starved of service that night as well.

“But he only needs one chance and we’ve got to plug away.”

McLeish has not been helped by Villa selling England wingers Ashley Young and Stewart Downing this summer.

He started with a creative midfield trio of Barry Bannan, Marc Albrighton and Jermaine Jenas against the champions, but Villa still struggled to create opportunities and only threatened late on, and then it was in the air at set-pieces.

McLeish has now challenged his players to improve their ­performances if they want to stay in his side.

He added: “By putting Barry and Jenas in, we were looking to find the openings, but it’s not easy.

“I’m just asking for players to give me outstanding performances to stay in this team.

“We’re looking for horses for courses every week now, rather than saying, ‘Can’t leave him out.’

“There’s plenty of seven-out-of-10 ­performances, but we’re looking for eights or nines, and any of the midfielders that are ready to do that will be in this team.”

Despite Villa’s desire to make more chances for Bent, McLeish acknowledges his side must not become too dependant on the striker.

“We can’t just rely on Bent to score us the goals," he said.

“Gabby Agbonlahor has been fantastic this season and we look for him to retain his consistency and be an even bigger threat.

“Plus Charles N’Zogbia and guys like Albrighton, who did really well in the second half against United, have to come to the fore also.”

[Hanky]

Not one for beating managers with a stick for every interview they give, but this one quote is utter tosh.

By putting Barry and Jenas in, we were looking to find the openings, but it’s not easy.

We weren't trying to find any openings. We had ten men behind the ball and completely isolated Bent up front. It was clear there was no plan on how to find these openings.

[MrDuck]

We have the player we have needed for years and our manager sets up to leave him out of every game!

That is soooo Aston Villa.

[Czechlad]

Bannan and Albrighton might be the players who keeps Bent at the club. If McLeish keeps giving Bannan and Albrighton starts, then Bent will most likely start seeing more of the ball. We really don't have too many attacking options, but those two can create whenever they get the ball. No more Heskey because he kills every attack.

[jacketspuds]

For Bent to see more of the ball Albrighton and Bannan will also need to see more of it. Both are 4 feet tall. Hoofing the ball from the back and expecting them to win headers or pull off Messi-esque levels of control are a bit far fetched.

It seems to not make a jot of difference who is playing, we play the same way regardless.

GK or CB hoof upfield for our "target man" Darren Bent to chase. Rinse and repeat.

[Stevo985]

I agree with those saying it's the system.

There's nothign wrong with Bent. BUt we're currently employing a system that totally nullifies him.

A real shame. He'll want to leave soon enough and I really don't blame him

[switters]

I do feel sorry for Bent as it must seem very much like he's been signed under false pretences. This season is his best ever chance to establish himself as first choice for England at a major tournament but if it continues like this, he might find himself struggling to even make the squad, as people like Defoe, Sturridge, Welbeck, Zamora will be making more of a claim.

I think he was struggling for form a bit, earlier in the season when he missed a few chances & sometimes wasn't making the right runs, but it's clear in the last few games he just hasn't been getting the supply/support necessary. His body language looks like he's not happy out there & it's understandable. Chasing lost causes again and again can't be much fun, even if you get paid shedloads for the privilege. He could be getting paid shedloads somewhere else & getting much better supply..