Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: Rip Van We Go Again on April 18, 2011, 11:04:55 AM
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sportinglife.com
Aston Villa striker Darren Bent admits he feels sorry for former club Sunderland following their latest defeat.
The Black Cats have lost eight of their 10 Premier League encounters since Bent departed in a £24million move back in January.
That poor run of results has seen Steve Bruce's men plummet down the table, where they currently sit 15th and only five points clear of the drop zone.
England international Bent, who has scored six goals in 11 games for Villa and was on target in their 2-1 victory at West Ham on Saturday, is hoping his old employees can salvage their season.
Asked whether he has any sympathy for his former club and team-mates, Bent told the Daily Mail: "Of course. I had good times there. I never want to see them struggle and do badly so hopefully they'll turn it around.
"It's disappointing to see them doing badly but, at the same time, as much as I'd like them to do well, I'd like Aston Villa to do even better.
"All I can do is keep concentrating on Aston Villa."
Bent has been pleased with his progress at Villa, who are unbeaten in three games and ninth in the standings.
"It has gone really well," he added. "I'm playing more regularly for England now and scoring goals for Aston Villa.
"I've had to (see my price tag as a positive). I've used it as a burden before when I moved to Spurs for big money and it weighed me down. But, to be fair, this time around I thought I would just get on with it.
"Obviously people can keep saying what they want to say but as long as I keep sticking the ball in the net and Aston Villa keep playing well and winning games, that's all I care about, to be honest."
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"Obviously people can keep saying what they want to say but as long as I keep sticking the ball in the net and Aston Villa keep playing well and winning games, that's all I care about, to be honest."
And us, Darren!
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And he'd have 10 goals now if he took pens and it wasn't for shite officials
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And he'd have 10 goals now if he took pens and it wasn't for shite officials
Absolutely.
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I mentioned on a different thread earlier today - all the pundits and journos who had a field day when we signed Bent in January - too much money, panic buy, why is Bent quitting Sunderland's chase for Europe for Villa's relegation battle - have gone very very quiet now. I know with Bent we were almost signing guaranteed goals but even so, he's been very good for us.
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Bent has been even better than i thought he would be. And if he had took that penalty at Bolton we would be well clear now .......
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I mentioned on a different thread earlier today - all the pundits and journos who had a field day when we signed Bent in January - too much money, panic buy, why is Bent quitting Sunderland's chase for Europe for Villa's relegation battle - have gone very very quiet now. I know with Bent we were almost signing guaranteed goals but even so, he's been very good for us.
I wonder what Stanley Collymore has to say about the move now? Bent cant be far behind Stan's goal total for Villa.
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My personal wish for the season is for us to finish above Sunderland if only to silence the critics who questioned Bent's motives to move to a lower placed club.
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My personal wish for the season is for us to finish above Sunderland if only to silence the critics who questioned Bent's motives to move to a lower placed club.
This should be a probability rather than a possibility after last 3 games, Sunderland to go down? Like them as a club normally but it would be amusing given the disparaging comments about the respective clubs in Jan.
I mentioned on a different thread earlier today - all the pundits and journos who had a field day when we signed Bent in January - too much money, panic buy, why is Bent quitting Sunderland's chase for Europe for Villa's relegation battle - have gone very very quiet now. I know with Bent we were almost signing guaranteed goals but even so, he's been very good for us.
I wonder what Stanley Collymore has to say about the move now? Bent cant be far behind Stan's goal total for Villa.
Yep, one behind. Isn't it nice when a record signing lives up to the billing for a change?
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Stan should seriously put his hands up and admit he got it wrong. Bent has been a dream. And if "i am the bollocks" Young had let him take the penalties, he would be even more prolific .......
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My personal wish for the season is for us to finish above Sunderland if only to silence the critics who questioned Bent's motives to move to a lower placed club.
This should be a probability rather than a possibility after last 3 games, Sunderland to go down? Like them as a club normally but it would be amusing given the disparaging comments about the respective clubs in Jan.
I have nothing against Sunderland either, but it's their spud-faced manager that shot his mouth off and him I'd like to see get relegated.
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And he'd have 10 goals now if he took pens and it wasn't for shite officials
Absolutely.
You can't call the officials shite because they got a marginal decision correct. Sounds like Jimmy Greaves when he realised Deano's goal against Small Heath was onside, but said the linesman should have flagged because he shouldn't have been able to tell.
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I had a bet with a Sunderland over here that we would overtake them when we signed bent. They were 12 points above us at the time. He was rather angry at the weekend with my nose rubbing. I just couldn't see them scoring without bent
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I am really really glad we signed Darren Bent he is a goalscoring machine just what we have been missing for a number of years I think he will get 25 goals next season hopefully 30 with the right players brought in I'm happy that we have him on board with us.
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Scored a few more than Torres
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Stan should seriously put his hands up and admit he got it wrong.
To his credit he did, ages ago. Stan may be many things but he wasn't slow to admit he got it wrong.
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Stan should seriously put his hands up and admit he got it wrong. Bent has been a dream. And if "i am the bollocks" Young had let him take the penalties, he would be even more prolific .......
Young is perfectly entitled to be penalty taker. Having said that, if Gabby took our penalties he might have been our 20 goal a season striker for the last 2 seasons.
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Isn't it nice when a record signing lives up to the billing for a change?
Absolutely wonderful. He's a better all round player than I first imagined too.
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He is shit hot at playing on a defenders shoulder I have to say.
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The best thing about Bent is, even though he has pace, he does'nt rely on it, he's so so clever at playing on the last man, and his movement is fantastic, which means when he gets older and his pace goes he should'nt lose his sharpness.
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The best thing about Bent is, even though he has pace, he does'nt rely on it, he's so so clever at playing on the last man, and his movement is fantastic, which means when he gets older and his pace goes he should'nt lose his sharpness.
He's very Lineker-esque in that sense. Nobody was quicker over the first couple of yars than olg jug ears and that's all you need to get seperation.
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I wonder what we'd have had to pay if Sunderland had any idea of how he'd fit in?
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I have nothing against Sunderland either, but it's their spud-faced manager that shot his mouth off and him I'd like to see get relegated.
Me too. Sunderland are one of the few clubs other than Villa I actually like.
However, Bruce is a massively overrated manager and a sour, bitter old sod. He is like the anti-Moyes. His teams start like a train then drop like a stone every season. However, Moyes gets more good results and spends a lot less money than Bruce has.
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Interesting debate amongst the West Ham fans here:
http://kumb.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=130862&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&sid=8600fac6f4630dd09e1ade2bd9f2ae0e&start=20
Apologies for the long link.
I must say, Bent's work rate, heading and basic positioning is far, far better than I could ever have hoped for. He is looking a top quality player. We have a real opportunity to build a top side with someone like him in the team. I haven't looked forward to summer transfer window as much in a long time - I'm sure we have the makings of a very good side at Villa Park.
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He's been class, we just need to make sure we don't get into Sunderland's position of relying solely on him for goals, and continue to spread them evenly.
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I hope he can teach Gabby how to lose your marker around the box. I think they may develop a good partnership up front if both played as strikers.
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My personal wish for the season is for us to finish above Sunderland if only to silence the critics who questioned Bent's motives to move to a lower placed club.
The thing is though, it would prove nothing. Where would we both be now if they had had the benefit of Bent's goals for the last 3 months and we hadn't? I suspect they'd be in the top 7 still and we'd be in the drop zone. As much as I agree that we are clearly a bigger (and way more successful) club than Sunderland, they have a point when questioning the timing of his move, if not the move itself.
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Interesting debate amongst the West Ham fans here:
http://kumb.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=130862&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&sid=8600fac6f4630dd09e1ade2bd9f2ae0e&start=20
Wow some fantastic comments and debates there, they seem to rate him even more highly than we do.
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Conversely, an attack piece (http://www.fanhouse.co.uk/2011/04/19/steve-bruce-finally-comes-clean-on-darren-bents-sunderland-depa/) from Johnathan Mellor at Fanbase.
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Conversely, an attack piece (http://www.fanhouse.co.uk/2011/04/19/steve-bruce-finally-comes-clean-on-darren-bents-sunderland-depa/) from Johnathan Mellor at Fanbase.
Twat.
How can Darren Bent's wage be deemed "obscene" in a league that contains Man City, Man Utd and Chelsea?
It's par for a player with his record. Tough fucking shit.
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Who the fuck is Jason Mellor anyway?
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Isn't he that knobhead from 'Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps'?
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I wouldn't know as I'd rather bake my own head in a piss marinade than give ratings to such TV offal.
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Assuming he takes the pens next season, he should comfortably surpass the holy Grail of +20 per season
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Isn't he that knobhead from 'Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps'?
That's Will.
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I decided not to post this in the Gerard in hospital thread as that is a place for positive comments and best wishes. But some Sunderland fans are really really upset over the whole Bent thing.
http://www.readytogo.net/smb/showthread.php?t=586219
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Meh.
You'd probably see some replies like that on here from some idiots if Bruce took ill.
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Hes been a bargain .
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Meh.
You'd probably see some replies like that on here from some idiots if Bruce took ill.
Not really.
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I decided not to post this in the Gerard in hospital thread as that is a place for positive comments and best wishes. But some Sunderland fans are really really upset over the whole Bent thing.
http://www.readytogo.net/smb/showthread.php?t=586219
To be fair there are a few tossers on there but there are a fair few sane decent people too. They really don't like us do they? Shame....
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It's very sad from a lot of those Sunderland fans.
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I decided not to post this in the Gerard in hospital thread as that is a place for positive comments and best wishes. But some Sunderland fans are really really upset over the whole Bent thing.
http://www.readytogo.net/smb/showthread.php?t=586219
To be fair there are a few tossers on there but there are a fair few sane decent people too. They really don't like us do they? Shame....
They really dislike us now, I've been a regular reader of there forums since we signed Bent and id say were the club they dislike the most after Newcastle, should be interesting games next season if they stay up.
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What's this business about lying about the circumstances around the transfer? Must have missed that
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What's this business about lying about the circumstances around the transfer? Must have missed that
Its because Houllier said we first approached them on the saturday nite over the possibility of signing Bent and it was all signed and sealed by the Tuesday, they reckon that we must have tapped him up months in advance.
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Every player we sign wants to move to further his carer. Every player we sell is a mercenary who was tapped. That's football.
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I decided not to post this in the Gerard in hospital thread as that is a place for positive comments and best wishes. But some Sunderland fans are really really upset over the whole Bent thing.
http://www.readytogo.net/smb/showthread.php?t=586219
Scum.
I really hope Wigan do those scumbags tomorrow.
I cannot even comprehend the epicness it would be if Sunderland were to get relegated.
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http://www.readytogo.net/smb/showthread.php?t=586194What a disaster selling Bent has been (http://www.readytogo.net/smb/showthread.php?t=586194What a disaster selling Bent has been)
(http://i737.photobucket.com/albums/xx11/juicycoins/m7b049.gif)
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Got his comeuppance for what exactly..... identifying that Darren Bent would be a good signing and then er... signing him. Their board should be taking the stick not Houllier.
Bent is superb. A bit like a Andy Cole was IMO, misses some chances that are easier than some of the great finishes that he finds sometimes.
We need to build a side now that can make the best use of his goals in terms of being tighter at the back and creating plenty going forward.
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Ahh, the Mackems aint all bad. My pal at Uni. is one - he gave me his Bent printed England shirt when we signed him :)
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All sets of fans have idiots, ours sadly included.
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All sets of fans have idiots, ours sadly included.
This.
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Have you called in your bet with that Sunderland fan yet, Dave?
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I find it reassuring that a good 95% of the comments regarding Houllier's ill-health on the Sunderland boards were non-mental people chewing out a lunatic fringe of internet warriors.