Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert denies rift with Darren Bent

[Pete3206]

He's not going anywhere.

[Phil from the upper holte]

SAF has rested Van Persie hasn't he? there was no talk of panic and fall out then was there, fucking bollocks

[dave.woodhall]

He's absolutely, definitely, exclusively moving every transfer window so this story comes as no surprise.

[Phil from the upper holte]

he won't move in my opinion, no-one will offer what we would want, we'd want at least £18m in my opinion

[The Man With A Stick]

Liverpool couldn't afford him anyway, even if he did want out.

Nothing to see here, move on.

[eastie]

Nothing to see here- bent will start at spurs and get his fair share of goals- after the city win gabby and benteke deserved to start but benteke probably isn't the finished article yet and bents finishing warrants his place.

He will know he has to perform well to stay in the team as applies to everyone and that's how it should be- no favourites now unlike the mon era when players could keep their place no matter how bad they played.

[Brend'Watkins]

Keep playing well and keep scoring goals will give Lambert no other option than to play him.  It's that simple and I'm sure Darren knows the situation.

[not3bad]

Keep playing well and keep scoring goals will give Lambert no other option than to play him.  It's that simple and I'm sure Darren knows the situation.

This. 2 goals in his last 2 games, he's doing fine!

[Clampy]

I'd have started with Benteke and Gabby yesterday after the midweek win. I do think Bent maybe should have come on a little earlier than he did though.

Regarding Benteke, to me it seems he needs a goal to get himself in the game, he was trying too hard at times yesterday. He'll be ok though but it might be next season when he clicks.

[The Laughing Policeman]

Non story. Next please.

[not3bad]

You have to laugh the way the headlines started with "Lambert Denies Bent Rift" and then moved on to "Bent's Brilliance Shows Folly of Lambert Rift"!

Just goes to show that conclusions will be drawn whatever you say.

[eastie]

I'd have started with Benteke and Gabby yesterday after the midweek win. I do think Bent maybe should have come on a little earlier than he did though.

Regarding Benteke, to me it seems he needs a goal to get himself in the game, he was trying too hard at times yesterday. He'll be ok though but it might be next season when he clicks.

Once again words of wisdom, clampy!

[Monty]

I actually think that in years to come - not this season, or even next, but after that - Bent's role may well become that of the super-sub, in the Solskjaer mould. Poacher strikers have always been useful like this for a couple of reasons: the game is a little more stretched, so the half-chances that aren't there from the start might appear if the poacher is coming on fresher than the opposition and, like Solskjaer did, the poacher can spend most of the time on the bench analysing the game in front of him, so as to exploit weaknesses the opposition weren't prepared for.

[oldtimernow]

Telegraph has run a similar sort of shit stirring trouble story

[DrGonzo]

  Just last week Lambert came out and said that he'd not pick on price tag or reputation, and this is what he did yesterday.  Bent looked perfectly relaxed on the bench, and his reaction to scoring tells you everything you needed to know, he was hungry for a goal.  Competition is positive, it means we don't just have a first 11, for the first time in several seasons, and that nobody can afford to coast through games. 
  Bent's an adult and I'm sure he understands why he was left out.  It suprised me slightly as you'd think that Gabby or Benteke would be more useful as impact player late on with their pace/strength, but we got a point which was the least we deserved.