This weekend's pressing matter

[dave.woodhall]

http://www.thebirminghampress.com/2011/11/07/send-in-the-crowds/

[Hookeysmith]

Excellent point about Bent at the end and some "so called "fans comments about him

Makes me wonder sometimes how much these fans actually want

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

I think another factor in it being a relatively good crowd is no home game for another 4 weeks.
One of the local radio stations was saying our crowds are down 12 % ! However I am sure that must be based on the overall average at present rather than corresponding home fixtures last season. The next three of Man U, Liverpool, Arsenal must surely boost up that average ?

[N'ZMAV]

The only thing that pisses me off about Bent is the amount of times he's needlessly offside. Not as bad as Angel was mind you...

[frank]

Another good piece, Dave. You comment that some fans complain about Bent's work-rate. Considering that his main role is to be in the 6-yard box, as against Norwich, I think he covers a lot of ground and goes quite a good job tracking back. What he isn't is an effective target man for a hoof out of defence from Given, Collins or Dunne. But, as you say, the main thing is that he scores goals, and you can't complain about 14 goals in 26 games.

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

The only thing that pisses me off about Bent is the amount of times he's needlessly offside. Not as bad as Angel was mind you...

Its the nature of his game playing really tight off the last man with a split second movement for a pass.
I will happily take 6 offsides a game and a 5 yard tap in goal over no offsides but no goal .

[N'ZMAV]

The only thing that pisses me off about Bent is the amount of times he's needlessly offside. Not as bad as Angel was mind you...

Its the nature of his game playing really tight off the last man with a split second movement for a pass.
I will happily take 6 offsides a game and a 5 yard tap in goal over no offsides but no goal .

As would I, obviously, as yes, he needs to be on the edge to gain an advantage. I just feel he could do this better. Apart from that I have no criticism of his all round game. He scores goals, can't ask much more from him than that. The modern day Andy (andrew) Cole.

[Brend'Watkins]

The offside thing with any striker can be irritating but that's the nature of strikers if you are playing the last man and you have to play the last man to give more chances of scoring. 

I don't give a toss about Bent's work rate or lack of it if he keeps up the scoring rate.

Anyway, good article.

[Dave Cooper please]

I noticed on MOTD that Lineker was practically creaming himself over Bent's ability to be in exactly the right place in the six yard box, let's face it, Big Ears forged a whole career on making just the type of runs that Bent makes, and now that Gabby seems to have sussed it out (and hopefully he'll pass it on to N'Zog) things could get interesting.
Bent scored two, finished another when just offside and missed at least one sitter, that's a decent afternoon in any striker's book.

[N'ZMAV]

He always misses one sitter every game.

[cdbearsfan]

I think another factor in it being a relatively good crowd is no home game for another 4 weeks.
One of the local radio stations was saying our crowds are down 12 % ! However I am sure that must be based on the overall average at present rather than corresponding home fixtures last season. The next three of Man U, Liverpool, Arsenal must surely boost up that average ?

In the Grauniad they said average attendances were down 12%ish but gates against the corresponding teams were also down 11%ish. That was before the Norwich game.

[Can Gana Be Bettered!?!?]

It's funny how some people think of Bent as someone who doesn't do anything except score. Er...isn't the idea of football to score goals? Who cares if he does nothing all game providing he bangs in the goals???

[Dave Cooper please]

He always misses one sitter every game.

Some strikers barely get into the right position to miss a sitter per game.

[N'ZMAV]

He always misses one sitter every game.

Some strikers barely get into the right position to miss a sitter per game.

Exactly that,  I'd rather he misses a sitter every game than get no chances at all. Vassell used to go games without half a sniff at goal.

[CJ]

He always misses one sitter every game.

I think any striker needs more than one chance in a game, and in the games against Albion and Sunderland he only got one chance and maybe should have put one of them away. Having said that, I don't think the one he missed on Saturday was a 'sitter'  - their goalkeeper did well to close him down quickly and smother the shot away.  Good goalkeeping rather than a missed sitter for me.  And if he continues on a score rate of one every two games I'll gladly take that.  Who knows what would have happened if we'd bought Bent instead of Heskey in 2009?