Herd and Bent fallout?

[Monty]

It's up to Bent. He's shown in the past a willingness to play a more all-round game and has done it well. It's about whether he's still willing to put in that work to get better or if he wants to coast it just doing what he does already. If the former, that equates to him fighting for a starting place. If the latter, it's either consign himself to a mostly bench role with us or moving to a club who want to play counter-attacking football more than we do.

[ktvillan]

Bent averages roughly a goal every 2.3 or 2.4  games.  Exclude his time at Spurs where many of his "games" were short cameos off the bench, and it's not far off a goal every two games.   We've been waiting a long term for Gabby to get anywhere near that level, and he seems further away than ever the last few seasons.  Obviously the downside is it's clear you have to play to Bent's strengths or you may as well not play him at all, and it's beginning to look like PL doesn't want to do so.  So I'm also beginning to think his days at Villa are numbered.  Shame, but as long as PL comes up with a viable alternative for getting goals then he has to do it his way. 

I can't see Rodgers signing him in a million years though.  QPR is a good shout, but could also see Allardyce might fancy him as a partner for Carroll, or maybe Jol would be interested.

Can't see West Ham paying him 60-70k in wages since they have barely gotten rid of the financial troubles they were in, Fulham is a good shout but they are already paying high wages for Berbatov and QPR is probably only one of those who would pay 60-70k and the transfer fee but can't see Lambert and Lerner selling him to QPR.

Carroll is on big wages and not scored a goal for the hammers, bent would be a better option for them but I hope we can somehow find a way to use him in the team.

Carroll suits the they play way, way more than Bent would.

Bent at West Ham would see even less of the ball than he did under McLeish with us.

His best scoring ratio - a goal every 1.8 odd games -  was at Sunderland where he formed a successful partnership with a big man, Kenwyne Jones.  I could see him thriving on Carroll's knockdowns.  But Jarpie has a point, they probably wouldn't pay his current level of wages.   

[john e]

i think Lambert would sell Bent if he could,
 i just cant see where he will go, for a start we will have to take a big loss and i'm sure Randy wont be to keen on that, about 10-12 mill i reckon is all we can expect at the best

then the other big problem is where, Liverpool are always mentioned, but under Rogers i cant see them being interested at all, he already moved Carrol out because he doesnt fit into a pass and move type game, so Bent certainly wont. he's to limited a player in all other departments

i reckon he might just be an expesive sub under Lambert untill his contract runs out, he is always a good option coming on from the bench, but 70 grand a week or whatever it is, sugests that he could turn out to be our latest overpaid mistake

Overpaid mistake? His goals kept us up 2 seasons ago.

People have such short memories.

exactly !

if he spends the next two years sitting on the bench and playing a bit part in the team as he is now he will be an overpaid mistake,
you dont spend record money on transfer fees and wages to watch a player running up and down the touchline and think its money well spent

its alright saying Lambert should do this and that, build the team round him etc, but he isnt, he obviously doesnt rate him or he would play him, so if he carries on like he is now a mistake is what he will be

[PeterWithesShin]

We could give him away for nothing tomorrow and we'd still be in profit John. That's how vital the goals he's already scored for us have been and how much money they have earned the club.

[SoccerHQ]

Maybe Newcastle as Demba Ba might go to Liverpool and Pardew managed him at Charlton?

[Percy McCarthy]

i think Lambert would sell Bent if he could,
 i just cant see where he will go, for a start we will have to take a big loss and i'm sure Randy wont be to keen on that, about 10-12 mill i reckon is all we can expect at the best

then the other big problem is where, Liverpool are always mentioned, but under Rogers i cant see them being interested at all, he already moved Carrol out because he doesnt fit into a pass and move type game, so Bent certainly wont. he's to limited a player in all other departments

i reckon he might just be an expesive sub under Lambert untill his contract runs out, he is always a good option coming on from the bench, but 70 grand a week or whatever it is, sugests that he could turn out to be our latest overpaid mistake

Overpaid mistake? His goals kept us up 2 seasons ago.

People have such short memories.

I've been one of his biggest critics for a while now, but I absolutely remember how vital he was to us that first season. And his goal in the Cup at Arsenal, and one of the two he got in the league game, were fantastic finishes.

[villa for life]

Yes, short memories indeed. Footballers are often criticised for their lack of loyalty and focus on money, but many fans are guilty of the same thing, especially those advocating the sale of Bent and Gabby.

[Percy McCarthy]

Still though, no room for sentiment. The Villa must always come first.

[Merv]

I rate him and I'd like him to stay. But my reading of the situation so far is that he's not reacting well to not being an automatic starter. I want to see a bit more desire from him to get back there.

[LeeB]

I rate him and I'd like him to stay. But my reading of the situation so far is that he's not reacting well to not being an automatic starter. I want to see a bit more desire from him to get back there.

I agree, but I'd take a decent offer.

I think it's suits everyone, I reckon as it stands he's probably fourth choice, as Benteke's number one and Gabby and Weimann offer more in support.

We're short on cash and players, he's a top earner and a saleable asset. The longer he's out the team, the less we get back.

Plus I'd be looking to give Lambert as much funds as possible as I'm exited by how he'll spend it. It could speed up our development.

[QBVILLA]

Whilst I was happy with the summer buying policy of young and hungry players i felt at the time we had an unbalanced squad in terms of experience. I don't want to see Bent go, but if he does go which seems highly probable i'd hope the money is spent bringing in players who have a good 100 Prem games under their belts.

[PeterWithesShin]

I was recently reading H&V 163 again, it's the Mar/Apr issue of 2011 so was the issue after we signed Bent. It includes an article called Never Trust A Goalscorer, I reckon the writer of it could see into the future.