Finding a striking partner for Darren Bent

[Steve67]

Pointless putting anybody us alongside Bent without improving on the service. Neither Young or Downing deliver so it'd be another player standing around waiting for a sniff at goal. It's not as if we need somebody to finish off all the chances we're creating.

I'd say part of the reason the service isn't great is because we have two up front. We created a lot more chances with one forward because we had more options on the ball in midfield. Even though we still created most of our chances from crosses, the crosser would have more space or would be in a more threatening, advanced position because of the way the ball had been manouvred.

I agree with this. Not enough quality in the crosses and I'd also say that we don't get enough players in to the box either.  Gabby isn't the best at anticipating crosses.  We need an attacking central midfielder to get in to the box as well as the two strikers.

[Salsa Party Animal]

I never seen Gary Gardner play on video or action. Think I should go and see a reserve game before the end of season. So can anyone describe Gary as a player ie similar to player X from Club X.

[hawkeye]

how many times have Gabby and Bent played together? not many. The problem with Bent as a lone striker is that he gets crowded out. He is a very one dimensional player, he runs off the shoulder and can finish, thats it. He needs someone to create space and occupy defenders to give him space. I would not write off the Gabby Bent partnership off yet.

[Smoke]

I never seen Gary Gardner play on video or action. Think I should go and see a reserve game before the end of season. So can anyone describe Gary as a player ie similar to player X from Club X.

A young Steven Gerrard for me.

similar physical attributes too.

[Ger Regan]

Pointless putting anybody us alongside Bent without improving on the service. Neither Young or Downing deliver so it'd be another player standing around waiting for a sniff at goal. It's not as if we need somebody to finish off all the chances we're creating.

Have to disagree on Downing not delivering. On Sunday he put in a few very decent crosses, and in all honesty Bent should have scored with that header in the first half.

[not3bad]

Pointless putting anybody us alongside Bent without improving on the service. Neither Young or Downing deliver so it'd be another player standing around waiting for a sniff at goal. It's not as if we need somebody to finish off all the chances we're creating.

Have to disagree on Downing not delivering. On Sunday he put in a few very decent crosses, and in all honesty Bent should have scored with that header in the first half.

I would say a much bigger problem than the quality of the crosses is that there's no one in the middle half the time.

[brontebilly]

I know of a player that will be available in the summer and has excelled in the position behind the frontman previously. Gareth Barry.................(runs for cover)

In all seriousness though what do you think. I think he has been misused by both England and City in recent years. he is not a holding midfielder but when he supported Gabby in a 451 at Villa he was superb. At 30, he still has a few years left in him and wouldnt take particularly long to settle in. A great man to time a run into the box which I agree is a problem only with Bent in there.

other than that if Stephen Ireland decided to take up football again, he might be an option.

other than that, we need two new full backs. L young, Warnock and Beye will be off in the summer. One of Dunne or Cuellar will be aswell. Might consider offering L Young another year as cover but he is very injury prone at this stage of his career. Roger Johnson is gettable if we want a right sided centre half, hangeland would be my first choice, cant understand why a bigger club hasnt picked him up but Fulham would probably want serious money. I expect Clark to be first choice next season so its about getting him a partner. Dunne and Collins will hardly be as bad next season for whoever they play with. Onouha and Gibbs come to mind as potential EPL contenders for the full backs positions.

Would be great if Delph and Makoun could be first choice next season but we definitely need another player there. Petrov needs to go as will Reo Coker. Milner would be perfect to come back and City could be tempted to cash in.

A Young, Heskey, Ireland will also go, Friedel should do but will stay it seems, Guzan is gone too. Westwood is my choice as keeper. Im not particularly gone on the gettable keepers from the EPL - Foster, Given, Robinson, Jaaskelinan, Green etc. Id take a chance on Westwood.

Appreciate that my suggestions are very MON esque. Cant think of a replacement for Young but would prefer a Ji Sung Park/Ray Houghton type of player rather than a touchline merchant ala Albrighton.

[UsualSuspect]

I know of a player that will be available in the summer and has excelled in the position behind the frontman previously. Gareth Barry.................(runs for cover)

In all seriousness though what do you think. I think he has been misused by both England and City in recent years. he is not a holding midfielder but when he supported Gabby in a 451 at Villa he was superb. At 30, he still has a few years left in him and wouldnt take particularly long to settle in. A great man to time a run into the box which I agree is a problem only with Bent in there.

other than that if Stephen Ireland decided to take up football again, he might be an option.

other than that, we need two new full backs. L young, Warnock and Beye will be off in the summer. One of Dunne or Cuellar will be aswell. Might consider offering L Young another year as cover but he is very injury prone at this stage of his career. Roger Johnson is gettable if we want a right sided centre half, hangeland would be my first choice, cant understand why a bigger club hasnt picked him up but Fulham would probably want serious money. I expect Clark to be first choice next season so its about getting him a partner. Dunne and Collins will hardly be as bad next season for whoever they play with. Onouha and Gibbs come to mind as potential EPL contenders for the full backs positions.

Would be great if Delph and Makoun could be first choice next season but we definitely need another player there. Petrov needs to go as will Reo Coker. Milner would be perfect to come back and City could be tempted to cash in.

A Young, Heskey, Ireland will also go, Friedel should do but will stay it seems, Guzan is gone too. Westwood is my choice as keeper. Im not particularly gone on the gettable keepers from the EPL - Foster, Given, Robinson, Jaaskelinan, Green etc. Id take a chance on Westwood.

Appreciate that my suggestions are very MON esque. Cant think of a replacement for Young but would prefer a Ji Sung Park/Ray Houghton type of player rather than a touchline merchant ala Albrighton.

Is gareth Barry still only 30?

he runs like he's at least 35

I would have him back along with Steve Hodge, George Boateng, Gareth Southgate, Ugo Ehiogu and David James

[cdbearsfan]

Not sure what Southgate and James did to be bracketed with Steve H****.

[UsualSuspect]

Not sure what Southgate and James did to be bracketed with Steve H****.

Errrrr

No secret was made that they left Villa because they wanted to move onto better things.

With Middlesbrough & West Ham

[Clampy]

Not sure what Southgate and James did to be bracketed with Steve H****.

Errrrr

No secret was made that they left Villa because they wanted to move onto better things.

With Middlesbrough & West Ham

In fairness to Southgate, he went on to be Boro's captain, played in a Uefa Cup Final and became their manager. It turned out ok for him.

[glasses]

Not sure what Southgate and James did to be bracketed with Steve H****.

Errrrr

No secret was made that they left Villa because they wanted to move onto better things.

With Middlesbrough & West Ham

In fairness to Southgate, he went on to be Boro's captain, played in a Uefa Cup Final and became their manager. It turned out ok for him.

I was under the impression that James was happy to stay at Villa, until Gregory decided to sign Peter Schmeichel.

[cdbearsfan]

James never showed any indication of wanting to leave. Southgate always held the club in high esteem and so was understandably disappointed when the club seemed to be showing no ambition to return to it's former glories. He stayed at the club after asking for a transfer and continued to give 100% in every game. He finally left having been somewhat backed into a corner and matched the number of trophies he won at Villa in no time. A divisive exit, maybe. A Steve H****? Far from it.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Pointless putting anybody us alongside Bent without improving on the service. Neither Young or Downing deliver so it'd be another player standing around waiting for a sniff at goal. It's not as if we need somebody to finish off all the chances we're creating.

Have to disagree on Downing not delivering. On Sunday he put in a few very decent crosses, and in all honesty Bent should have scored with that header in the first half.

I would say a much bigger problem than the quality of the crosses is that there's no one in the middle half the time.

It most certainly is a problem, it's either Bent or nobody. Gabby, Ashley and Downing fail to get in the box when the ball is coming in from the other wing, plus there's never anybody coming through the middle from midfield. Downing earlier in the season was getting to the far post and managing to score a few. If we are to play with only one up front, the three of them have to get into goal scoring positions rather than remaining out wide.

Ger, Downing may have put in a few decent crosses on Sunday but overall his final ball has been poor this year. The same goes for Ashley, though I'd say it's been a lot longer, probably 18 months. The frustrating thing is we have the talent, they just haven't found a way of maximising it to our benefit. We make things very easy for opposing defences where the only goal threat inside the box is Bent. We can forget about late runs from central midfield until we have a true box to box midfielder.