Darren Bent - so what now?

[Tayls_7]

I can't believe a thread on the merits of Benty's usefulness to the current squad has lasted this long. We may as well start threads such as 'Tonev. Is he still crap?' Or 'Sylla. Will he ever be taught to control a football?'

[Sexual Ealing]

Personally I hope Newcastle/Fulham or somebody else loans him for the last year of his contract and pays all his salary.

We could then go and loan Lukaku for a year with the money saved.

Actually ideally I hope if we could loan Bent out we could and buy Lukaku and plan long term for him and Benteke  to be our forward partnership.

I can but dream

Lukaku has a contract with Chelsea and has just had a blinding season with fifth-placed Everton. In what universe would he sign for Villa?

[supertom]

Personally I hope Newcastle/Fulham or somebody else loans him for the last year of his contract and pays all his salary.

We could then go and loan Lukaku for a year with the money saved.

Actually ideally I hope if we could loan Bent out we could and buy Lukaku and plan long term for him and Benteke  to be our forward partnership.

I can but dream

Lukaku has a contract with Chelsea and has just had a blinding season with fifth-placed Everton. In what universe would he sign for Villa?

I have no idea, but it sounds like a much better universe than this one. I wonder if we'd have Messi in our side too...

[mr underhill]

I'm sure Bale is looking for a quiet backwater away from the relentless glare  of the media spotlight too.

[Pete3206]

Beggars can't be choosers and God knows we are beggars at the moment. Bent may have been in and out of the Fulham team last season, but he still managed more goals than Gabby and Weimenn. Anyone thinking we're going to pick anyone up even halfway decent in the transfer market, is seriously deluding themselves. So like it or lump it, it appears we need Bent next season. If he can get even 7 or 8 goals for us, it could be the difference between finishing 17th and 18th. Yes, that sounds sad, but can anyone really see us not being in a relegation fight again?

[Gregorys Boy]

If we failed to sign another decent striker then I think given Bent another go might be worth it, it is his lack of fitness and motivation which concerns me the most.  But enough starts at a club like us may help him. 

I still think Kozak may have a big part to play next season, he was the most promising of the new strikers last time out, also think Weinmann is a better player than he showed last season.

[supertom]

I don't think we did Bent too many favours last summer by not including him in pre-season. He joined Fulham half fit and was playing catch up after that. It probably made it harder for him to get any sort of form together.

In our current situation, we've got to make use of what we have. With no Benteke or Kozak at the start of the season, and Helenius on his way out, Bent has to be in contention. His legs have gone but he can still put away a chance.

[peter w]

Beggars can't be choosers and God knows we are beggars at the moment. Bent may have been in and out of the Fulham team last season, but he still managed more goals than Gabby and Weimenn. Anyone thinking we're going to pick anyone up even halfway decent in the transfer market, is seriously deluding themselves. So like it or lump it, it appears we need Bent next season. If he can get even 7 or 8 goals for us, it could be the difference between finishing 17th and 18th. Yes, that sounds sad, but can anyone really see us not being in a relegation fight again?

I don't think we will. Another season for 2 nd season syndrome players and I'd expect them to cope well next season. There will be some additions, even if the club isn't sold, and I'd expect a comfortable 10th-14th finish.

[ROBBO]

Bent was given plent of opportunutys at Fulham and dismal is an understatement.

[olaftab]

Personally I hope Newcastle/Fulham or somebody else loans him for the last year of his contract and pays all his salary.

We could then go and loan Lukaku for a year with the money saved.

Actually ideally I hope if we could loan Bent out we could and buy Lukaku and plan long term for him and Benteke  to be our forward partnership.

I can but dream

Lukaku has a contract with Chelsea and has just had a blinding season with fifth-placed Everton. In what universe would he sign for Villa?

I have no idea, but it sounds like a much better universe than this one. I wonder if we'd have Messi in our side too...

I am all in favour of all of us setting up a Villa fantasy team and "playing" it every week in a virtual match. Just imagine the match thread? "Messi just f*** off if you think just a hat trick every week will do"

[peter w]

Who said that? saunders heroes?


Just a joke...

[Ian.]

Personally I hope Newcastle/Fulham or somebody else loans him for the last year of his contract and pays all his salary.

We could then go and loan Lukaku for a year with the money saved.

Actually ideally I hope if we could loan Bent out we could and buy Lukaku and plan long term for him and Benteke  to be our forward partnership.

I can but dream

Lukaku has a contract with Chelsea and has just had a blinding season with fifth-placed Everton. In what universe would he sign for Villa?

It's that parallel universe in which Villa went from the 3rd Division in the '70s to European Champions in '82 to dominate the World Stage for the last 32 years. Sir Graham owns the club, Gary Shaw has been our manager for the last 10 years, Brian Little is DoF, Paul McGrath (never hit the bottle) in charge of defensive duties, Allan Evans coaches with Dennis Mortimer, Sid's Academy is second to none (some things remain the same) and David Platt never became a moron and best of all Paul Birch is still with us.