Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: eastie on May 15, 2013, 05:21:04 PM
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By Darren Lewis | 15/05/13
Darren Bent is ready to spark a stampede for his signature this summer by quitting Aston Villa.
The 29-year-old marksman, who has started just SEVEN Premier League games this season, has had enough of being frozen out.
Stoke were keen in January while Swansea, West Ham, Cardiff and Newcastle - all of whom will be looking to improve up front ahead of next season - will be interested.
Bent, who burst onto the England scene after scoring goals at Charlton, Spurs and Sunderland, said: "I'm going to have to take a long, hard look at it. My situation.
"It's no secret. I need to play football, I need to play games.
"I've enjoyed my time at Aston Villa and loved every minute of it. I've obviously got a good relationship with the fans and the football club.
"But it is about playing games and, at my age, I can't have another season like the one that I've had because time is running out.
"I've got two years after this one so I've still got a long time. But for me it's all about playing football matches and I'm not really one of these guys who wants to sit there, not do anything and then get paid.
"I want to play football. I want to contribute and enjoy playing. I won't ask to go but at the same time I have to sit down with the manager, the chairman and my agent and just go from there."
Boss Paul Lambert has preferred classy Christian Benteke, who has hit 19 League goals since signing for Villa for £7million last summer.
The Belgian's season is over, however, following a red card in the club's 2-1 defeat to Chelsea on Saturday. And even after Villa fell behind to Frank Lampard's double in that match, Lambert left Bent in the dug out.
It was particularly frustrating for the striker who believes there have been several games in which he could have come on and made a difference this season.
He added: "Every game you don't play in hurts that little bit more. It hurts when you're on the bench and come on - you're still hurting because you want to start.
"But it's nowhere near as bad as when you're sitting on the bench and you don't come on at all. That does hurt.
"I've not gone to see [the manager]. It's been a difficult situation, fighting relegation. The last thing I want to do is go in, kicking and screaming and stuff.
"We're all one team at the end of the day and it's not about one individual. But when it's the right time to talk about things, I'm sure I'll do that."
If Bent is not drafted in as a replacement for Sunday's game against Wigan - a match Villa have to win to guarantee safety - the decision will tell him a great deal about where he stands.
He went on: "I thought maybe I would have come on when [Benteke] was sent off but it wasn't meant to be.
"If I can get the nod [for next week] then hopefully it will be nice to play a part again.
" I'm working hard every day in training and I've been doing extra sessions in the gym and stuff. So if I'm called upon, yeah, I'm ready to go.
"All you can keep doing is training hard and if you get an opportunity take it."
Bent believed he would be forming a formidable partnership WITH Benteke once the Belgian found his feet in English football.
He said: "Yeah. At one stage I thought that. He was a big guy and it looked as if the partnership would form.
"But it's not meant to be. I don't quite know why it's not happened but for that question I guess, for that question, you're asking the wrong person really.
Update (http://www.heroesandvillains.info/forumv3/index.php?topic=49760.msg2404876#msg2404876)
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Best if he moves on, for all concerned. He did well under Houllier, but has been to stop start since then.
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'Unsettled?' I think 'gone' would be more accurate.
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'Unsettled?' I think 'gone' would be more accurate.
Point taken and noted.
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Fair enough, very diplomatic of him.
Compare his attitude to some of our other senior, overpaid wasters who are happy to draw a huge wage for no effort. He sounds like he just wants to play football.
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For me he is a decent guy who hasn't rocked the boat too much. Also a very good goalscorer, but the fact is in our best system/best eleven he wouldn't be included. The fact PL doesn't even use him much as an impact sub says everything. I am convinced Bowery will get the nod ahead of him at the weekend. It will be interesting to see who will spend the fee and wages for him. Fulham, Stoke or Southampton maybe? Or West Ham if they don't get Carroll or Watford if they come up?
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Credit to him for leaving it until we are safe. Wish him well, shame he didn't fit because he is a great finisher.
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Credit to him for leaving it until we are safe. Wish him well, shame he didn't fit because he is a great finisher.
Agree with this. He is a decent finisher but doesn't fit the style that lambert plays, bent thrives on service from the widemen, his goals probably saved us in the houllier era and i wish him well for the future.
Benteke has more facets to his game whereas bent is a finisher more than anything else - i would be looking for at least £10m if not more.
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The great 'if only' player of recent years. If only we'd signed him instead of Heskey.
Good luck Darren.
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I don't think it would be a stampede,more like a very slow walk.
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Shame he's off. I would have like have seen more of him with Benteke. Ah well.
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blimey eastie, disappointed in you son. This is being discussed in the transfer thread which you voluntarily help moderate
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blimey eastie, disappointed in you son. This is being discussed in the transfer thread which you voluntarily help moderate
Apologies , was unaware of that - been off there for a while tv.
Probably worthy of its own thread due to the quotes from bent himself though.
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Fair play to him, he doesn't feally fit into what pl is doing, so I wish him well, he is a good striker and lets not forget some of his goals when we signed him were instrumental in keeping us in the prem. Good luck db.
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Would have probably got relegated without him in his first season. Always been a fan of his, it's just turned out to be the wrong club at the wrong time. Had O'Neill signed him instead of Heskey we might well have got Champions League that season. He's largely been very professional whilst being out of the side and I much prefer to see a football desperate to play football than someone who's happy just to take the money. Hope we get the right deal for him and best of luck to him in future (apart from when he plays against us obviously).
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One thing is clear - Bent is a goalscorer - but only in the right team.
Villa playing Bent isn't possible because we don't tend to control midfield. Yet. In a team that can control midfield DB will be a 20+ goal a season striker again - Liverpool - or Arsenal would benefit from his services - as they can control the middle but then often struggle to turn that dominance into goals.
He can do only one thing well - score.
He's kept his gob shut and waited till we were safe before speaking - honestly - and respectfully of his situation. He is right. He needs to be playing - but given Villa are moving toward a Dortmund style of three flexible forwards he just doesn't fit in.
If Lambo has any sense he'll play 442 at Wigan and let DB thrive on some wide service and leave us scoring a hat trick. Puts another few million on the fee and a nice three points for us.
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Bent thrives in a team that plays with wingers, hence why he had an immediate impact when we had Young and Downing providing the balls into the box. Lambert doesn't use wingers and tends to play more through the middle. He was exactly what we needed when he came and Houllier spotted that (and if MON had bought him three years earlier things would have been very different) but he doesn't fit into Lamberts style so probably best for all concerned if he moves on.
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I wonder if he'll still want to go if Benteke gets hooked out by a CL club first...
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Good luck in the future Darren, always seemed a decent bloke and a good player.
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Thanks DB, it was fun when we were playing your style of footy but we have evolved, I just hope he doesn't go onto to score a load of goals against us when he faces us again.
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blimey eastie, disappointed in you son. This is being discussed in the transfer thread which you voluntarily help moderate
Apologies , was unaware of that - been off there for a while tv.
Probably worthy of its own thread due to the quotes from bent himself though.
Now, now eastie. Be careful or Master Geppetto is going to get upset
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Good luck in the future Darren, always seemed a decent bloke and a good player.
Can`t improve on this, simple and accurate.
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blimey eastie, disappointed in you son. This is being discussed in the transfer thread which you voluntarily help moderate
Apologies , was unaware of that - been off there for a while tv.
Probably worthy of its own thread due to the quotes from bent himself though.
Now, now eastie. Be careful or Master Geppetto is going to get upset
Two days since i last visited , on a 6am shift so too busy to catch up with everything tv , geppetto is entertaining phil Thompson :)
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Right player, wrong time.
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I think I started the so-called 'anti-Bent' campaign, although it wasn't that at all really. I just suggested that, in the absence of any actual money, TSM might have sold him in the January 2012 window in order to buy some decent defenders. In hindsight, given his record in the transfer market, I'm glad it didn't happen, as I wouldn't trust TSM to spend Portsmouth's transfer budget.
Must say though, we've come a long way since any suggestion we sell Bent was greeted by derision, horror and questions about one's sanity.
Fair play to him keeping his counsel while we were fighting relegation, and good luck. He's a very good player in a team playing to his strength. I was fucking buzzing when we bought him, but I must say I thought he was better than he turned out to be. I really should take more notice of other teams/players.
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Vents his frustrations, but without actually having a go at anyone or slagging them off.
Fair play Darren, I wish you the very best at wherever you go. Thanks again for that goal against Man City ;)
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Fair play Darren, I wish you the very best at wherever you go. Thanks again for that goal against Man City ;)
That got my 30th birthday off to a bloody good start.
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I hope we will be able to use Darren Bent as a bait for very big signing ie a 15 millions playmaker or something. He is a very good striker but he just don't fit or given the chance to play with Benteke and Agbonlahor together. But Paul Lambert have to make the decision.
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Like the manager that should have signed him he has lost out to football evolution. The sort of player he is thrives on being the focus of the team, but there are hardly any teams in the top flight that play to that system any more.
No idea where he is likely to end up, who in the top ten would want him? It may be that he ends up at somewhere like Galatasaray or the MLS.
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Bent would thrive in a side who play wide and get lots of crosses into the box. His best spell at Villa was when Albrighton, Young, Downing and Kyle Walker were providing lots of crosses and through balls. It's obvious our new style has left him behind. I think a bid of around £7mil will be enough to see him leave in the summer. Somewhere like Cardiff maybe?
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We were lucky to have him. I dare say we would have been playing championship football had we not signed him. I wish him well.
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Good luck to him wherever he ends up, apart from when they play us obviously. Hope he doesn't end up at Stoke, he can do a bit better than that.
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We should replace him with Oscar Cardozo.
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Surely this is lazy journalism of the highest order, if Martin Samuel and Henry Winter are at the top of the journalists tree than Darren Lewis is at the bottom.
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Good luck to him wherever he ends up, apart from when they play us obviously. Hope he doesn't end up at Stoke, he can do a bit better than that.
You're right that he can do better than that, i can also seeing it being something that could happen,with them being a meat and two veg kind of team.
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Bent was apparently keen on a move to Galatasaray the window before he joined us.
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The great 'if only' player of recent years. If only we'd signed him instead of Heskey.
Good luck Darren.
Yes certainly, should've been signed sometime in 2009.
I wish him all the best at his new club, will probably score a goal or two past us next season but in our current system, our current trio upfront fit it much better.
Edit: Can see him ending up at Fulham (if Berbatov leaves) or West Ham as he'll probably be 10m cheaper than Carroll.
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If he is to go, which looks likely, it'd be nice to say goodbye on Sun. Of course him signing off with a hat-trick would be even nicer!
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He did what we bought him for, but now his game doesn't suit ours, so let him go and get a fair whack of money.
Thanks for what you did Darren, but I will shout abuse at you when you inevitably score against us.
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He has clearly shown a good attitude and I bet he's turned down lots of requests from newspaper reporters in the last few months for interviews so as not to rock the boat but now we're safe he's having his say and being respectful about it. Ideally we would keep him and he could be accommodated somehow. Can't see it happening now, sadly.
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He did what we bought him for, but now his game doesn't suit ours, so let him go and get a fair whack of money.
Thanks for what you did Darren, but I will shout abuse at you when you inevitably score against us.
Name change imminent this summer, CBBB? Who/what will you go for? :)
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Not a shock and not a great loss due to the way we play under Lambert. It'll be interesting to see what we get for him, but wherever he does go will get a good goal scorer.
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He did what we bought him for, but now his game doesn't suit ours, so let him go and get a fair whack of money.
Thanks for what you did Darren, but I will shout abuse at you when you inevitably score against us.
Name change imminent this summer, CBBB? Who/what will you go for? :)
stick eke at the end of Bent and he can keep the initials as is
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Good luck to him wherever he goes, I personally think quite a few clubs would like to buy him as he's an out and out goal scorer and they are a bit of a rarity for the majority of clubs in the Prem.
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He did what we bought him for, but now his game doesn't suit ours, so let him go and get a fair whack of money.
Thanks for what you did Darren, but I will shout abuse at you when you inevitably score against us.
Name change imminent this summer, CBBB? Who/what will you go for? :)
stick eke at the end of Bent and he can keep the initials as is
"Can Tekkers Be Bettered". Very catchy.
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He used to be "Can Carew Be Bothered?". Now that we have a bunch of honest lads - the types that Dolly O'Dreary would have died for, he will have to seriously consider whatever new handle is eventually chosen.
You've got til a week after Bent's exit. If it's not sorted by then you're getting a free transfer to VillaTalk.
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He did what we bought him for, but now his game doesn't suit ours, so let him go and get a fair whack of money.
Thanks for what you did Darren, but I will shout abuse at you when you inevitably score against us.
Name change imminent this summer, CBBB? Who/what will you go for? :)
stick eke at the end of Bent and he can keep the initials as is
I like that. I did ask for it to be changed to Lambert when we got him, but think there was lots of requests at the time.
Do I risk asking for it to change to Benteke only for him to leave???
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I think based on your record it would be best if you leave Benteke alone. Why don't you name yourself after Stephen Ireland.
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i`d love to keep him around, but for his career, if he`s got any sense he`ll go. Good luck and thanks Darren.
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He did what we bought him for, but now his game doesn't suit ours, so let him go and get a fair whack of money.
Thanks for what you did Darren, but I will shout abuse at you when you inevitably score against us.
Name change imminent this summer, CBBB? Who/what will you go for? :)
stick eke at the end of Bent and he can keep the initials as is
I like that. I did ask for it to be changed to Lambert when we got him, but think there was lots of requests at the time.
Do I risk asking for it to change to Benteke only for him to leave???
Go for it - Darren stayed another season and he hasn't actually gone, yet!
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Could see him ending up in the Serie A.
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Could see him ending up in the Serie A.
Serie A, Russian Premier League, Galatasaray......
Wherever he goes im sure he'll do well, I just hope its abroad so he doesnt score against us!
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Any promoted teams who buy him would have a great chance of staying up with his goals...
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Galatasary would be a smart move if they didn't have Drogba. Fenerbahce might be a better option with them likely to lose Sow in the summer.
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I think based on your record it would be best if you leave Benteke alone. Why don't you name yourself after Stephen Ireland.
How about:
Can Ireland Be Bothered?......................................................No.
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For two summers the thoughts of Bent leaving horrified us! Up to October I think we all saw him as our big, star player.
Now he wouldn't get into and fan's starting line-up and is considered our fourth choice forward. He really has had an extraordinary fall from grace at villa. He was probably sold the dream of top four football when he signed and instead ended up playing for villa during a period of transition and drift. Now that we're on the up again he finds himself out of favour and on his way.
Funny old game.
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Galatasary would be a smart move if they didn't have Drogba. Fenerbahce might be a better option with them likely to lose Sow in the summer.
Sow now brown cow?
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Paul Lambert says his decision to dump £24million striker Darren Bent has been justified by Premier League survival.
Villa’s record buy Bent is not even certain to start at Wigan today even though Christian Benteke is banned after being sent off against Chelsea last week.
The former England striker has been marginalised by Lambert, starting only one Premier League game since October.
But the Villa boss said: “People asked why Bent wasn’t playing, but he got injured as well – and right from the off when Benteke came in, he scored. That made me think he was going to lead the line and with his performances he was an absolute cornerstone for us.
“I don’t think about reputations. One, they don’t win you games and two, as an individual you have to buy into the team.
“When I came I bought Christian to play alongside Darren Bent, but when I started looking at the squad the system that suited best was one guy up front, and the best one for that was Christian.
“There was nothing personal. We had to get a team that was going to win games, we stuck with it, and I don’t think anybody could argue with what happened.”
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Stampede? <snigger><snigger>
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Anyway we need to keep him as season after next he could play in the games before and after champions league fixtures!
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Make your name cbbbbb. Can Barry Bannan be bloody bothered?
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If he does go which I'm sure he will good luck to him as long as he don't score against us
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Can see him going to West Ham.
Him for 8m or 18m for Carroll, even with age I know what option I'd choose and I like Carroll.
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Glad he got a goal on his last appearance for us, thanks Darren.
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Glad he got a goal on his last appearance for us, thanks Darren.
nice finish too
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Anyway we need to keep him as season after next he could play in the games before and after champions league fixtures!
Yes or replace Benteke when he goes off to pastures new!
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Glad he got a goal on his last appearance for us, thanks Darren.
nice finish too
unfortunately he did little else for the rest of the game
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Glad he got a goal on his last appearance for us, thanks Darren.
nice finish too
unfortunately he did little else for the rest of the game
Same as usual then. If he was getting 2 a game instead of one every 2 games that would be ok. As it is is the paucity of his all-round contribution that says he's not for us.
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Out and out strikers are a dying breed in football it seems
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Resurrected an old thread as it certainly seems like he's off.
http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-transfer-update-darren-4829592
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Resurrected an old thread as it certainly seems like he's off.
http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-transfer-update-darren-4829592
That's harsh - he saved us from releagation 2 years ago. Ireland should be cleaning the toilets, after Hutton has been in there
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I agree. He hasn't caused issues whilst on the bench and what happens if no one stumps up the £8 million. Do we just let him sit there and rot when for me he can still do a job.
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Very, very harsh. Unless he is causing an issue of course.
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Too harsh for me. Unless there are unknown factors at work it seems needless. I guess there goes my dream of him staying on next season and striking up a good partnership with Benteke :(
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Not exactly doing our best to get decent wedge for him.
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I don't see anything wrong with it. He's leaving. we're trying to build a close knit group of players.
Players who aren't going to feature, aren't training with the squad.
If we don't get a bid for Bent, Hutton, Ireland then they'll likely be off on season long loans.
Bent isn't going to make a match day squad, as we've just signed Helenius in front of him.
He isn't in the managers plans, so he isn't in the first team dressing room.
I think that's better than making him feel part of things, when in reality he probably isn't going to play for us again.
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I don't like the fact it's come to this but I can understand it.
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I'll never forget how excited I was the day we signed Bent.
It is staggering to think just how it has ended up with him everybody's fourth choice striker at villa.
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I was thrilled when he signed. Now I won't be fussed when he leaves. It's a funny old game innit?
Last match of the season showed me why someone will get a bargain, and why Lambert doesn't want him. Scored a very good goal after 5 mins, then hardly touched the ball for the rest of the match.
And whatever anyone says, we won't be losing a fortune on him, the goals he got under GH and AM that made sure we stayed up are worth what we paid for him in prize money even if he left on a free.
I have to add, unless he has done something to warrant it, which he may well have that we haven't heard about, i'm not a big fan fan of burning all the bridges with him as well as making it obvious to any potential buyer that we can't wait to get rid.
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Very harsh if true. Has not caused any problems as far as I a aware, and not his fault he is not part of Lambert's plans. Has always done what has been required of him. Unlike others.
Seems perverse that Villa consider him to valuable to let him go on the cheap, but then treat him as if he is worthless.
Assuming that the report is not a load of *******
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And whatever anyone says, we won't be losing a fortune on him, the goals he got under GH and AM than made sure we stayed up are worth what we paid for him even if he left on a free.
Made that same point a while back too. Completely agree. He's repaid what we paid for him and then some just by staying up. It's ridiculous to read that we will be selling him at a loss given his initial production. It might seem harsh but he doesn't represent the future. No point him being at the club if the coaches won't be planning anything for or around him.
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I admire Lambert's unwavering determination and belief, I'll say that.
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It's nice that we've moved on from branding as mentally ill those who think we're a better team without him.
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^ What a fruit loop ^
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I have to add, unless he has done something to warrant it, which he may well have that we haven't heard about, i'm not a big fan fan of burning all the bridges with him as well as making it obvious to any potential buyer that we can't wait to get rid.
This for me too. Could it have been really difficult to keep it out of the Mail, knowing the nationals would pick it up to have a pop at us? Presumably it has come from his end, but it does reduce the likelihood of us "Holding out for £8million" for him.
As some have said, a shame it has come to this, I too was delerious when we signed him, but I admire Lambert's resolve and am fully behind him in what he is trying to achieve.
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Seems a bit harsh on bent making him train away from the squad ana with Ireland and Hutton - the other 2 are wasters but bents attitude has been much better than them and what happens if we don't get an acceptable offer for him ?
Will we be paying him huge wages to train away from the squad , by all means look to sell him but seems harsh ostracising him .
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I think this is a good move by Lambert, Bent will obviously not be happy and will be telling his agent to get busy sorting something out for him. This is a means of speeding up the process. Also what if he did play in one of the pre-season games and get injured? That wouldn't exactly help the cause would it. Ferguson did similar things to players over the years and he was hailed for it.
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I think this is a good move by Lambert, Bent will obviously not be happy and will be telling his agent to get busy sorting something out for him. This is a means of speeding up the process. Also what if he did play in one of the pre-season games and get injured? That wouldn't exactly help the cause would it. Ferguson did similar things to players over the years and he was hailed for it.
Just as much chance as getting injured whilst training - i think its harsh .
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It isn't something I necessarily agree with, but it is Lambert's way. And I believe in the days of Ron Saunders, if you weren't currently in the first team you trained with the reserves.
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It's a little harsh. I see the reasoning though. We'll be working on certain things in training I guess. I would think that Lambert will want the squad that he's assembled for next season to gel together. He'll be looking at combinations in every area, team set ups etc. Maybe it'll confuse matters having players among this who will not play any part next season. He's got to get prepping for a pre-season tour.
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I have to add, unless he has done something to warrant it, which he may well have that we haven't heard about
I was going to post something similar because it does sound strange that this has happend to a player who has'nt really been outspoken about not being picked.
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Im not claiming to be ITK or believe this is true, as bent for example played last day unless it was a ploy to get him back in the shop window...
Ironically this starts with a tedious connection too...
I live abroad, a guy I work with plays a lot of golf and was paired up with a villa fan, on holiday...
My colleague asked him what the deal with Bent was and this villa fan seemed to think that Bent had an affair with another players misses and it caused a rift in the camp, hence reason for him being dropped from captain and the squad so quickly.
Anyone else heard anything about this?
I googled it and found nothing.
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he maybe in the process of having his move
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If he hasn't done something we're unaware of, it seems very very harsh.
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Im not claiming to be ITK or believe this is true, as bent for example played last day unless it was a ploy to get him back in the shop window...
Ironically this starts with a tedious connection too...
I live abroad, a guy I work with plays a lot of golf and was paired up with a villa fan, on holiday...
My colleague asked him what the deal with Bent was and this villa fan seemed to think that Bent had an affair with another players misses and it caused a rift in the camp, hence reason for him being dropped from captain and the squad so quickly.
Anyone else heard anything about this?
I googled it and found nothing.
Cant see it , he's been with ridgewells ex for a while and just married her - i think he's just not part of lamberts plans.
Harsh way to treat him , I agree.
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Lambert has established an esprit de corps amongst the squad. I don’t think he wants any corrosive elements in there that might not be pulling in the same direction.
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I wasn't excited when we signed him, he's not my sort of player,
but he did score enough goals to help us stay up so he did what we wanted at the time
as everyone keeps saying he is a 1 in 2 striker, goals are the priceless commodity for any team,
so why is he difficult to move on, why isn't there a great cue for his services in this money no object footballing world, why is he training with the reserves and not being battled over by the clubs in the champions league
because he aint that great, that's why
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He does the thing that is hardest of all but nothing else. Its not enough for a team outside of the Sky Four.
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I wasn't excited when we signed him, he's not my sort of player,
but he did score enough goals to help us stay up so he did what we wanted at the time
as everyone keeps saying he is a 1 in 2 striker, goals are the priceless commodity for any team,
so why is he difficult to move on, why isn't there a great cue for his services in this money no object footballing world, why is he training with the reserves and not being battled over by the clubs in the champions league
because he aint that great, that's why
In total agreement, John
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I'm going to assume he's done something to warrant this, as otherwise it is a despicable way to treat a player who's conducted himself professionally. We slag off people like Barry or Downing for jumping ship and supposedly 'disrespecting' the club and fans, but when the boot's on the other foot and a player isn't wanted, he gets treated like a commodity. We can't have it both ways.
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I remember Morley saying of Saunders that if you were injured or not in his plans, then he didn’t want to know you.
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I don't see the problem at all. 3 players who have been told to find a new club are being treated as if they've already left, seems fair enough to me. If it was the middle of the season then I'd see a problem but this time of year is about fitness and team bonding, the first you can work on alone and the 2nd is pointless if you're leaving.
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Harsh on Bent as he's seemingly done nothing wrong but good for the club, especially if it speeds up his departure. Coaching is a finite resource and I think it's good that its focused on the players who are part of lambert's plans.
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He might not done anything wrong in Fan's eyes, but if the team mates doesn't want to work with him, then it is a problem (assuming the rumours is true)
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it does seem harsh, Life is tough, Still £70k a week will cheer him up
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I'm going to assume he's done something to warrant this, as otherwise it is a despicable way to treat a player who's conducted himself professionally. We slag off people like Barry or Downing for jumping ship and supposedly 'disrespecting' the club and fans, but when the boot's on the other foot and a player isn't wanted, he gets treated like a commodity. We can't have it both ways.
It's not despicable at all. Why waste time fitting training around someone who is not going to be here? Why learn set-pieces, formations etc. with someone who is "gone"? You don't set a team up and around someone who has been made redundant.
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^ What a fruit loop ^
Loool.
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I'm going to assume he's done something to warrant this, as otherwise it is a despicable way to treat a player who's conducted himself professionally. We slag off people like Barry or Downing for jumping ship and supposedly 'disrespecting' the club and fans, but when the boot's on the other foot and a player isn't wanted, he gets treated like a commodity. We can't have it both ways.
It's not despicable at all. Why waste time fitting training around someone who is not going to be here? Why learn set-pieces, formations etc. with someone who is "gone"? You don't set a team up and around someone who has been made redundant.
That's fine, it's putting the club first. Just don't complain when players put players first.
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I expect this will go to the last week of the window and he'll leave at a cut price - probably about £3m. Buying clubs are not going to pay the asking price now we have made the situation so public and they'll bide their time I expect - assuming clubs are genuinely interested.
I would think he'll have a take a pay cut aswell so it depends how much he wants to play football.
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I expect this will go to the last week of the window and he'll leave at a cut price - probably about £3m. Buying clubs are not going to pay the asking price now we have made the situation so public and they'll bide their time I expect - assuming clubs are genuinely interested.
I would think he'll have a take a pay cut aswell so it depends how much he wants to play football.
Or the other side of it is that he's for sale better get in quick. As soon as one shows their hand another will follow.
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Bear in mind that one of Lambert's biggest jobs this summer will be to integrate all of the new players into the squad and get them to form a bond with all of the existing squad players.
If he has players who he's actively trying to move-out of the club, it could be counter-productive to have them training with the 1st-team, and pointless him getting to know the new guys or vice-verse.
Aside from that, he could be playing for one of our rivals in the next couple of weeks, so the less he knows about our training-drills, formations, etc. the better!
It is very hard-nosed of Lambert, but it's in no way 'despicable'!
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I expect this will go to the last week of the window and he'll leave at a cut price - probably about £3m. Buying clubs are not going to pay the asking price now we have made the situation so public and they'll bide their time I expect - assuming clubs are genuinely interested.
I would think he'll have a take a pay cut aswell so it depends how much he wants to play football.
Or the other side of it is that he's for sale better get in quick. As soon as one shows their hand another will follow.
While we are paying his wages any prospective buyer is Saving about 50grand a week- wait till August and its about 300k saved on his wage - i expect clubs will wait.
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I expect this will go to the last week of the window and he'll leave at a cut price - probably about £3m. Buying clubs are not going to pay the asking price now we have made the situation so public and they'll bide their time I expect - assuming clubs are genuinely interested.
I would think he'll have a take a pay cut aswell so it depends how much he wants to play football.
Or the other side of it is that he's for sale better get in quick. As soon as one shows their hand another will follow.
While we are paying his wages any prospective buyer is Saving about 50grand a week- wait till August and its about 300k saved on his wage - i expect clubs will wait.
but then they get a player who's fitness training is an unknown and who has had no pre-season matches on the back of 18months of limited playtime. I suspect we'll see some serious offers in the next few days.
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£300l isn't a lot to PL clubs. They'd gladly pay that bit of extra wages to get him in and intergrated before the season kicks off.
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£300l isn't a lot to PL clubs. They'd gladly pay that bit of extra wages to get him in and intergrated before the season kicks off.
Seems they are bulking at paying £5m in fee - so every little helps - no takers as yet .
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How do you know there are no takers?
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A lot of fuss about nothing. If he's not part of the first team squad then why would he train with them?
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How do you know there are no takers?
Because lambert said there has been no bids for him as yet.
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By making him train on his own/with outcasts, we aren't exactly putting ourselves in the greatest bargaining position, in terms of commanding a transfer fee. I think he will go for around £6 mill. He has no sell on value. It might get driven up a bit by a bit of a bidding war, but I could see this one dragging out.
You just know he is going to score against us next year too.
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Because Lambert has a track record of doing transfers in and out in the media doesn't he. And even if there are no bids, doesn't mean talks aren't ongoing with a club/s.
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Lambert was pretty clear about it , the player can go if a club agrees terms - no secret about that - he was clear that as yet no bid had been recieved , the more clubs in for him the better it would be for us .
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Where was he clear about it?
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Where was he clear about it?
On the radio interview on Monday .
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Fair enough, but the points still stand that
1) We, and Lambert, aren't exactly well known for talking about transfers, in or out, before they happen
B) No bid doesn't mean that clubs aren't in contact with us
III) I need to be more consistent
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Fair enough, but the points still stand that
1) We, and Lambert, aren't exactly well known for talking about transfers, in or out, before they happen
B) No bid doesn't mean that clubs aren't in contact with us
III) I need to be more consistent
I'm surprised there isn't a clutch of clubs after him to be honest - goalscorers with his record at that price are rare - could probably do a job for half of the premier league clubs.
I know his wages are high but if his goals keep you up its worthwhile.
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I think the fact that he struggled so much to get into a very down-in-the-dumps Villa side last year shows you exactly how much his type of player is worth these days. Football has left him behind - to play him properly you have to give up the midfield, and nobody does that anymore.
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I think the fact that he struggled so much to get into a very down-in-the-dumps Villa side last year shows you exactly how much his type of player is worth these days. Football has left him behind - to play him properly you have to give up the midfield, and nobody does that anymore.
Think he'd do well at Stoke, Fulham (if Berbatov gets itchy feet and wants to move, or they rotate). One of the promoted clubs may give Benty a go. I'm thinking maybe Steve Bruce who's fairly old school in his approach to football. Newcastle are very backward at the minute so that seems the most logical destination. They may look at Bent to be their new Andy Cole.
I don't see him having many takers in a top end club. As we've seen, forwards like Bent are dying breed now. Fergie had realised this 7 years ago when he shipped RVN on. Michael Owen struggled a hell of a lot in his back in England after Spain. Not just because of injuries but because when he did play he didn't have anything to his game other than good movement in the box and an able finish.
Much like Owen in his latter days too, Bents injuries over the last couple of seasons have affected his pace. So where once you could play him on the shoulder against a high line defence, he doesn't have that ability to break clear against a high line (unless he's playing against Dunne and Collins). When Owen lost that, he lost a big part of his game. I think Bent's losing that part of his game too. Meaning he's now mostly effective finding space in the box.
Again, because there's probably only 3-4 clubs who'll carry him in the top flight. Of those clubs, I think fortunately, clubs like Newcastle, Fulham and Stoke all appear happy to fork out bigger wages on high profile players. I'm not sure wages would be the issue so much.
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Personally I think he would score goals for everton and most teams outside the top 5 - if those teams give him the service he will provide the finish .
Would certainly score more than jelavic.
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Bent is still contracted to us for another 2 years, so we're still paying him a fortune per week. He should be involved with the first team squad. What with being stripped of the captaincy, dropped and now banished from the squad - the treatment is pretty poor. He's not exactly kicked up a fuss or been disruptive has he? If he's not sold, we might just need him at some point - all you'll get now is someone who will not be motivated and their confidence will be shot to pieces.
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Bent is still contracted to us for another 2 years, so we're still paying him a fortune per week. He should be involved with the first team squad. What with being stripped of the captaincy, dropped and now banished from the squad - the treatment is pretty poor. He's not exactly kicked up a fuss or been disruptive has he? If he's not sold, we might just need him at some point - all you'll get now is someone who will not be motivated and their confidence will be shot to pieces.
just a thought, and i'm not saying this is correct because I've no idea really,
but if Lambert was to include Bent in the first team training etc, Bent might well think it might not be to bad sticking around waiting for his chance,
whereas with him being banished it leaves him in no doubt about what he'll be doing for the next two years if he sticks around,
Bent surely will more desperate to leave which is all Lambert wants, anyway that's my thoughts on Lamberts cunning plan
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He wasn't stripped of the captaincy, he had it temperarily, lambert at the time felt it affected his game, as it does with a few players
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Would like to know what will happen to Beneke first. Bent's record speaks for itself although to work within our system you have to be more than an off the last man type of strker.
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Bear in mind that one of Lambert's biggest jobs this summer will be to integrate all of the new players into the squad and get them to form a bond with all of the existing squad players.
If he has players who he's actively trying to move-out of the club, it could be counter-productive to have them training with the 1st-team, and pointless him getting to know the new guys or vice-verse.
Aside from that, he could be playing for one of our rivals in the next couple of weeks, so the less he knows about our training-drills, formations, etc. the better!
It is very hard-nosed of Lambert, but it's in no way 'despicable'!
Good point. We can't have Benty seeing the big board.
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Never let us down, or shown a bad attitude imho.A goalscorer, probably not a good footballer, so i can see why PL has'nt got him in his plans.
I think he will go, but teams are just waiting for his price/wages to drop, a bit of gamesmanship.Would prefer he goes abroad tbh, but for me could be a goalscorer at any level, i think he would be ideal for Arse or Chelsk because of the way they play.
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I can't help feel this will come back and bite us on the arse.
Even if Benteke stays there are no guarantees he'll have another great scoring season. Weimann and Gabby could go either way too
All the best Darren
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Benteke is several times the player Bent will ever be.
Bent will leave us, potentially for a side that actually finished below us last year.
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Bent is still contracted to us for another 2 years, so we're still paying him a fortune per week. He should be involved with the first team squad. What with being stripped of the captaincy, dropped and now banished from the squad - the treatment is pretty poor. He's not exactly kicked up a fuss or been disruptive has he? If he's not sold, we might just need him at some point - all you'll get now is someone who will not be motivated and their confidence will be shot to pieces.
But how do we know he's not being disruptive or having a Negative influence on the younger players. Just because it hasn't appeared in the papers doesn't mean something hasn't gone on between player and manager.
I agree with some of the others on here though, he's not part of the plans for the up and coming campaign. Why integrate him in with a new bunch of players when he won't be here. And if he is because no one else wants him, he's still off keeping fit and training, just not with the others. If his services are to be called upon it will be for what Darren bent can do. Which is get in the box and score a goal. You're not going to change how bent plays.
He'll be gone before the start of the season, he a good player, I wish him well but he's not for us any more.
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Aside from the sensationalist reporting you've seen elsewhere, here's a different take - http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1692683-darren-bent-and-aston-villa-heading-for-a-messy-but-necessary-divorce
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Benteke is several times the player Bent will ever be.
Bent will leave us, potentially for a side that actually finished below us last year.
And there's not many of them !
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Benteke is several times the player Bent will ever be.
Bent will leave us, potentially for a side that actually finished below us last year.
And there's not many of them !
There's even less that finished above us.
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Aside from the sensationalist reporting you've seen elsewhere, here's a different take - http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1692683-darren-bent-and-aston-villa-heading-for-a-messy-but-necessary-divorce
Interesting comment at the bottom. Is the bloke suggesting Darren starts a new career?
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Aside from the sensationalist reporting you've seen elsewhere, here's a different take - http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1692683-darren-bent-and-aston-villa-heading-for-a-messy-but-necessary-divorce
Bent heading for a messy divorce? Bloody hell he's only just got married.
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Aside from the sensationalist reporting you've seen elsewhere, here's a different take - http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1692683-darren-bent-and-aston-villa-heading-for-a-messy-but-necessary-divorce
Interesting comment at the bottom. Is the bloke suggesting Darren starts a new career?
As a gamer? He'll probably make more money elsewhere.
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2/3rds of PL footballers are divorced within 2 years of retiring . Not sure this has anything to do with DB9 just throwing it out there.
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By making him train on his own/with outcasts, we aren't exactly putting ourselves in the greatest bargaining position, in terms of commanding a transfer fee. I think he will go for around £6 mill. He has no sell on value. It might get driven up a bit by a bit of a bidding war, but I could see this one dragging out.
You just know he is going to score against us next year too.
My take on it too.
You can't completely ostracise a player like that and then expect other clubs to stump up a reasonable fee. They know he's not wanted, not part of the selling clubs plans and will bid accordingly. Even if he was shit (and he isn't) you don't make out to prospective buyers that thats how you see him.
How do we make a case that he's worth £8 million + if -at the same time- we're saying he's not even good enough for a team that narrowly avoided the drop last year?
In Bent's case, it would be no great hardship for us if he's still on the books by September 1st. He still has plenty to offer, even if he is no longer 1st choice, and there have never been reports of him being a troublesome influence either with us or his previous clubs.
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They knew that he's not part of our plans anyway - he hardly played last season.
I take the point that it's harsh on him because he has been a good pro when others would have been mouthing off all the time.
I can see Lambert's perspective though. He wants to build the team unity with the players that will be playing together next season. That's not helped when there are some who don't expect to be here or don't want to be here.
It also helps to motivate them to move on when they get the chance. Someone who wants regular first team football won't be tempted to sit on their big pay check. That might be Bent and Hutton but probably not Ireland.
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Experienced goalkeeper Shay Given has joined Darren Bent on the sidelines at Aston Villa.
The former Manchester City and Newcastle United keeper has returned to training with Paul Lambert's side but appears to no longer form part of the club's plans.
A handful of players, including Bent and Stephen Ireland, have been told that their futures at the Birmingham club are in doubt.
It seems that Given is among them after the veteran shot-stopper, 37, was informed that he will not be part of the party travelling to Germany for Villa's pre-season tour this summer.
The former Republic of Ireland man has three years still to run on a £3m-a-year salary.
And that means he is likely to be kicking his heels for some time, particularly as Villa boss Lambert added more depth to the club's goalkeeping department last week.
England Under-19 international Jed Steer arrived from Norwich City, leaving Given even more uncertain of his future after Brad Guzan deprived him of the number one spot last season .
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I do see Lambert's reasoning that he wants to cultivate a tightly knit squad, with everyone pulling in the same direction. From that perspective, I could see why you would want Stephen Ireland out of the set up.
But as far as I can tell, both Given and Bent have been consummate professionals over the last year. They may not be part of our plans, but surely having them involved in training with our youngsters would only aid their development. In Bent's case, he is one of the supreme finishers in the Premier League. As good as Benteke has been, he still has a lot to learn and training alongside Bent would be a decent start. Not to mention the other younger players.
Also, surely Jed Steer would get a hell of a lot out of training with Given, one of the greatest keepers in the Prem League era. With the contract he is on, he clearly hasn't got a future with us, but why not get something out of the wages we are paying him.
From a selling point of view, it doesn't do us any favours ostracising these two, but also I feel both players are being unnecessarily humiliated.
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I do see Lambert's reasoning that he wants to cultivate a tightly knit squad, with everyone pulling in the same direction. From that perspective, I could see why you would want Stephen Ireland out of the set up.
But as far as I can tell, both Given and Bent have been consummate professionals over the last year. They may not be part of our plans, but surely having them involved in training with our youngsters would only aid their development. In Bent's case, he is one of the supreme finishers in the Premier League. As good as Benteke has been, he still has a lot to learn and training alongside Bent would be a decent start. Not to mention the other younger players.
Also, surely Jed Steer would get a hell of a lot out of training with Given, one of the greatest keepers in the Prem League era. With the contract he is on, he clearly hasn't got a future with us, but why not get something out of the wages we are paying him.
From a selling point of view, it doesn't do us any favours ostracising these two, but also I feel both players are being unnecessarily humiliated.
I agree with you mate, i feel its unjust to treat Given and Bent the way they have been, but i think PL just wants to clear the decks asap and the club as a whole wants to reduce the wage bill and the three of those guys are on massive wages, which could be used in other areas of the club..
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I agree with you both as well.
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I do see Lambert's reasoning that he wants to cultivate a tightly knit squad, with everyone pulling in the same direction. From that perspective, I could see why you would want Stephen Ireland out of the set up.
But as far as I can tell, both Given and Bent have been consummate professionals over the last year. They may not be part of our plans, but surely having them involved in training with our youngsters would only aid their development. In Bent's case, he is one of the supreme finishers in the Premier League. As good as Benteke has been, he still has a lot to learn and training alongside Bent would be a decent start. Not to mention the other younger players.
Also, surely Jed Steer would get a hell of a lot out of training with Given, one of the greatest keepers in the Prem League era. With the contract he is on, he clearly hasn't got a future with us, but why not get something out of the wages we are paying him.
From a selling point of view, it doesn't do us any favours ostracising these two, but also I feel both players are being unnecessarily humiliated.
I agree with you mate, i feel its unjust to treat Given and Bent the way they have been, but i think PL just wants to clear the decks asap and the club as a whole wants to reduce the wage bill and the three of those guys are on massive wages, which could be used in other areas of the club..
It may appear unjust on the face of it. However, there's little point in putting effort and time into team members who will not be part of the future. They've been told as much, they know the score, moving on suits all parties.
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Moving on suits all parties only if there is a buyer - if given and bent are still training in the sticks and Guzan and benteke are both injured then we would have to rely on unproven young lads to replace them while having 2 experienced internationals twiddling their thumbs.
If we are going down this route we simply must find a buyer and knowing both players have been discarded weakens our position as the selling club.
Clubs may wait until deadline day and offer a pittance.
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I do see Lambert's reasoning that he wants to cultivate a tightly knit squad, with everyone pulling in the same direction. From that perspective, I could see why you would want Stephen Ireland out of the set up.
But as far as I can tell, both Given and Bent have been consummate professionals over the last year. They may not be part of our plans, but surely having them involved in training with our youngsters would only aid their development. In Bent's case, he is one of the supreme finishers in the Premier League. As good as Benteke has been, he still has a lot to learn and training alongside Bent would be a decent start. Not to mention the other younger players.
Also, surely Jed Steer would get a hell of a lot out of training with Given, one of the greatest keepers in the Prem League era. With the contract he is on, he clearly hasn't got a future with us, but why not get something out of the wages we are paying him.
From a selling point of view, it doesn't do us any favours ostracising these two, but also I feel both players are being unnecessarily humiliated.
I agree with you mate, i feel its unjust to treat Given and Bent the way they have been, but i think PL just wants to clear the decks asap and the club as a whole wants to reduce the wage bill and the three of those guys are on massive wages, which could be used in other areas of the club..
It may appear unjust on the face of it. However, there's little point in putting effort and time into team members who will not be part of the future. They've been told as much, they know the score, moving on suits all parties.
Why i do agree with you there's little point putting effort and time into team members who will not be part of the future, i feel PL could have gone a slightly different way about it, both Bent and Given have acted professional during their time at the club and deserve to be treated with the same manner they have shown us...
I don't think it would have harmed the team in anyway if those two guys were taken on pre-season games...
Edit: They should be training with the first team also....
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I don't see how they are being humiliated. They have been told that the club is moving forward without them and that the coaching and tactics will be very specific to how we want to play. If you incorporate Bent during a session then you have to fit his style. Lambert isn't going to do that. Helenius makes way more sense in that regard. All that has happened is that these players have been told to stay sharp and in shape. They have been told to find another club and from the club's position it forces their hand unless they want this to be their future. I'm also sure that everything the club is doing is within any agreement they would have with the PFA, so unless you're willing to believe everything you read, they are not being humiliated at all. And at 50-60 grand a week, or whatever Bent/Ireland/Given I don't really feel sorry for them even if they are a little embarassed.
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I don't see how they are being humiliated. They have been told that the club is moving forward without them and that the coaching and tactics will be very specific to how we want to play. If you incorporate Bent during a session then you have to fit his style. Lambert isn't going to do that. Helenius makes way more sense in that regard. All that has happened is that these players have been told to stay sharp and in shape. They have been told to find another club and from the club's position it forces their hand unless they want this to be their future. I'm also sure that everything the club is doing is within any agreement they would have with the PFA, so unless you're willing to believe everything you read, they are not being humiliated at all. And at 50-60 grand a week, or whatever Bent/Ireland/Given I don't really feel sorry for them even if they are a little embarassed.
I see what you mean, and understand your argument, but how does our change in tactics mean that, say, Given can't be training with the first team squad?
I don't know under what circumstances he has done this. It does strike me as harsh, though, that someone like Bent gets told to train with the kids.
Apart from anything else, we might also need to use these players if we don't shift them. What if Guzan gets injured? How up to it is Given going to be having trained with the teenagers?
If we fail to sell any of these players, then I'd rather they trained with the first team and were thus of decent shape and mind if they were called on during the season.
I understand there are millions of other people who are deserving of more sympathy than pampered professional footballers, but I don't really agree with the dumping of seasoned professionals like Bent and Given with the kids.
These are players who have played god knows how many matches for their countries, and who haven't acted like arseholes whilst here. They don't deserve to be treated like this.
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One other argument is that anyone thinking of bidding is now going to be aware how desperate we are to shift them - letting it be known they're training with the kids doesn't strike me as that sensible a way to get as much as we can for players we want to move on.
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I'm guessing if they are still here come deadline day that lambert will not name them in his 25 man squad?
We seem so eager to sell that the buying clubs will hammer down the price knowing how much we want to offload .
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One other argument is that anyone thinking of bidding is now going to be aware how desperate we are to shift them - letting it be known they're training with the kids doesn't strike me as that sensible a way to get as much as we can for players we want to move on.
We are desperate to shift them, and as I suggested a while back, the club will do anything to move them on. They will make the players that are surplus to requirements as attractive as possible to any potential club, and clearly they are sending a message to those players that they need to move on. It might seem harsh but it's business. Just as we have lost players who suddenly lost their emotional attachment to us when a bigger club comes knocking, the club are saying they want them gone. Thanks, it's been good, but you need to find a new home.
Yes, off course your point on Given is valid in terms of training as opposed to an outfield player, but it's just the consistency of the message to all those deemed as surplus.
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I think Given should be kept as no 2 until there is departure as we won't know what will happens in football what if Brad Guzan broke his shoulder in an challenge to catch a cross and be out for 3 months. We need Given to be ready to step up rather than hope the two young goalkeepers to step in. Football is a cruel game.
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I think Given should be kept as no 2 until there is departure as we won't know what will happens in football what if Brad Guzan broke his shoulder in an challenge to catch a cross and be out for 3 months. We need Given to be ready to step up rather than hope the two young goalkeepers to step in. Football is a cruel game.
Indeed it is Michael, indeed it is :(
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It reminds me of an employee being sent on gardening leave once he has been told he isnt needed anymore or hands in his notice. Its not humiliating, it is an obvious business requirement. You cant have people in the team who have one foot out of the door. Pre-season is too important for that and I'm sure Bent and Given have been told man to man by Lambert rather than somehow snubbed.
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I think Given should be kept as no 2 until there is departure as we won't know what will happens in football what if Brad Guzan broke his shoulder in an challenge to catch a cross and be out for 3 months. We need Given to be ready to step up rather than hope the two young goalkeepers to step in. Football is a cruel game.
To be honest what i would like to happen is to renegotiate Givens contract to a player/goalkeeper coach for two years on lower wages and keep him as back up, and after he's retired from playing offer him a full time coaching role...
He gives the impression he would make a good coach, just not sure if PL would go for that or Given for that matter...
Just a thought lol...
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No to a coaching role for Given. A lkine goalkeeper is okay if you do zonal coverage. When you don't you need the keeper to come for crosses. How would Given coach that?
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The difference with gardening leave is that there is a defined time limit of when they will go. This little crew haven't got that. We might also need Bent or Given at some point.
There must be some serious wages though in those four players... £200k a week easy...
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My latest blog post for ESPN echoed some of the sentiment on here about this. While I totally understand the footballing reasons behind excluding Bent from the senior squad from this point on (was not aware Given was in the same position when I wrote it last night), it's still, in my opinion, a real shame that this is the way this is how his career with us ends. Bent did for us exactly what he was signed to do, and I haven't read anything at all to suggest he's been a disruptive or negative influence. While we no longer need him as a player, and have moved on without him, it's disappointing it's all come to this/
I hope his transfer away is finalised fairly swiftly and this doesn't drag on, or it could get rather ugly.
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While I'm surprised Bent and Given have received the same treatment I was expecting for Ireland and Hutton, it does put the onus on the players to pressure their agents to find them new clubs. One other thought is that with Lambert bringing in several new players that indicate new tactics and attacking threat, maybe he is reducing how much info these two can offer their new clubs when preparing to face us this coming season
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We are desperate to shift them, and as I suggested a while back, the club will do anything to move them on. They will make the players that are surplus to requirements as attractive as possible to any potential club, and clearly they are sending a message to those players that they need to move on. It might seem harsh but it's business. Just as we have lost players who suddenly lost their emotional attachment to us when a bigger club comes knocking, the club are saying they want them gone.
I'd imagine we want to shift them, but also to get as much money back for them as we can.
I understand the idea of telling the players they need to find a new club - that happens all the time, at all clubs - but I don't see how expressing how alienated they are from the way we want to move forward, ie by not letting them train with the first team, is going to have any effect other than driving down the money we get for them.
We look like we're absolutely desperate to move them on, and that is only going to drive prices down. It is playing our hand in public when there is no need to do so.
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We are desperate to shift them, and as I suggested a while back, the club will do anything to move them on. They will make the players that are surplus to requirements as attractive as possible to any potential club, and clearly they are sending a message to those players that they need to move on. It might seem harsh but it's business. Just as we have lost players who suddenly lost their emotional attachment to us when a bigger club comes knocking, the club are saying they want them gone.
I'd imagine we want to shift them, but also to get as much money back for them as we can.
I understand the idea of telling the players they need to find a new club - that happens all the time, at all clubs - but I don't see how expressing how alienated they are from the way we want to move forward, ie by not letting them train with the first team, is going to have any effect other than driving down the money we get for them.
We look like we're absolutely desperate to move them on, and that is only going to drive prices down. It is playing our hand in public when there is no need to do so.
Totally agree paulie, i said similar on the last page - we are devaluing them by isolating them from the main squad .
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I'm of the opinion transfer fees are the least of The Clubs issues. Getting them off wage bill is paramount.
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Yep I agree with that. Wages are becoming an issue with all clubs. Even with Man City
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We are desperate to shift them, and as I suggested a while back, the club will do anything to move them on. They will make the players that are surplus to requirements as attractive as possible to any potential club, and clearly they are sending a message to those players that they need to move on. It might seem harsh but it's business. Just as we have lost players who suddenly lost their emotional attachment to us when a bigger club comes knocking, the club are saying they want them gone.
I'd imagine we want to shift them, but also to get as much money back for them as we can.
I understand the idea of telling the players they need to find a new club - that happens all the time, at all clubs - but I don't see how expressing how alienated they are from the way we want to move forward, ie by not letting them train with the first team, is going to have any effect other than driving down the money we get for them.
We look like we're absolutely desperate to move them on, and that is only going to drive prices down. It is playing our hand in public when there is no need to do so.
Everyone in football will know that we're looking to sell him, Bent and his agent do not exist in a vacuum so I'm not sure that this will make much difference as anyone who needs to know will be aware that he's available.
It would be a waste of his and our time to spend time involving him in coaching sessions ahead of the new season when he's clearly not going to feature.
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Everyone knows we are looking to sell him. There's nothing unusual about a club being in that situation. Bent's agent will have been speaking to potential buyers.
By putting him in with the kids, though, it makes it clear we're not prepared to countenance him staying.
For Given, that's a bit daft, as one injury to Guzan and we're screwed for an experienced replacement, so we may actually turn out to need him.
I'd have thought that by making it so utterly clear they have no place here, our desperation to get shot of them is clear, thus our bargaining position is weakened.
If I were, say, Newcastle thinking of spending 8m on him, I'd now be revising that amount down, and waiting as long as I could before getting him in.
Plus, what happens if nobody does buy them in this window? Two expensive players we're still forking out wages for, who are not going to be prepared mentally or physically to come in and do a job.
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Everyone knows we are looking to sell him. There's nothing unusual about a club being in that situation. Bent's agent will have been speaking to potential buyers.
By putting him in with the kids, though, it makes it clear we're not prepared to countenance him staying.
For Given, that's a bit daft, as one injury to Guzan and we're screwed for an experienced replacement.
I'd have thought that by making it so utterly clear they have no place here, our desperation to get shot of them is clear, thus our bargaining position is weakened.
If I were, say, Newcastle thinking of spending 8m on him, I'd now be revising that amount down, and waiting as long as I could before getting him in.
I just don't see it, I reckon that would happen whatever we do. When clubs know players are surplus to requirements it becomes a buyers market and it's done very much on their terms.
Edit for your add on: Squad numbers are limited these days, they probably won't be listed so it becomes a moot point.
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Can see the possibility of it going right down the midnight on deadline day and us facing a take it or leave it low offer for both.
With the wages they are on we wouldn't want them training with the kids all season surely if we don't offload them?
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There may well be brinkmanship , but lets not forget somebody will need and be getting a proven goalscorer
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We are desperate to shift them, and as I suggested a while back, the club will do anything to move them on. They will make the players that are surplus to requirements as attractive as possible to any potential club, and clearly they are sending a message to those players that they need to move on. It might seem harsh but it's business. Just as we have lost players who suddenly lost their emotional attachment to us when a bigger club comes knocking, the club are saying they want them gone.
I'd imagine we want to shift them, but also to get as much money back for them as we can.
I understand the idea of telling the players they need to find a new club - that happens all the time, at all clubs - but I don't see how expressing how alienated they are from the way we want to move forward, ie by not letting them train with the first team, is going to have any effect other than driving down the money we get for them.
We look like we're absolutely desperate to move them on, and that is only going to drive prices down. It is playing our hand in public when there is no need to do so.
All of which will have been considered by the club and they clearly feel this is the right approach. They want the players gone and are making that fact absolutely clear to all concerned. If it means getting 5m not 7m for Bent, but shifting his 70k a week then that's the bigger savings as opposed to having him be here for the balance of the next two years contributing nothing to the cause. same applies to Given, Ireland, Hutton etc. Getting their wages off the books is far more important than the fee itself, and getting rid of the potential distraction the presence of all of these players causes is just as appealing.
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if these humiliated men want to leave so badly, they can always ask for a transfer to force the issue and waive their 'loyalty' bonuses.
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Has Bent been tweeting at all about this or anyone been trying to rile him on it? Footballers who use the medium must be dying to contravene their confidentiality clauses. Not that it stops Joey Barton mind you.
Lambert clearly made the bold move early on to strip back the experienced, ergo high-earning players. Not one I entirely agree with but we aren't privy to the realities of what spending power he has. I do think Randy is a bit embarassed about all this. He was very "proud Dad" in demeanour towards Bent for a long time after his arrival. Not to Uncle Doug levels, but there was stuff like stopping by especially at Bodymoor to see our record singing, giving him loads of Cleveland Browns/American Football paraphernalia when realising Bent was a fan of the game. Maybe Darren has remembered this good treatment in biting his tongue through all this. Someone mentioned moving him abroad. I imagine that is probably less-likely after his recent marriage.
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But if you are a club looking to buy a proven goalscorer like Bent, you wouldn't want to wait too long before trying to snap him up otherwise you may miss out to another club. Therefore I don't think that the price will hit rock bottom. The market price is what someone is willing to pay. I can see him leaving for around 8m to the likes of Newcastle who need a striker. If they try to wait until nearer the deadline then a deal may already be in place and they miss out. So pay the 8m now, or risk not getting him.
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But if you are a club looking to buy a proven goalscorer like Bent, you wouldn't want to wait too long before trying to snap him up otherwise you may miss out to another club. Therefore I don't think that the price will hit rock bottom. The market price is what someone is willing to pay. I can see him leaving for around 8m to the likes of Newcastle who need a striker. If they try to wait until nearer the deadline then a deal may already be in place and they miss out. So pay the 8m now, or risk not getting him.
Or if a fee is agreed for him they may step in and match it - bluff and counter bluff , i will be very surprised if we get £8m though - more likely £5m i expect.
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Whoever he signs for, he'll have a great first season, inevitably scoring against us, get in the England squad, still do well in the second and then be looking to move after the third.
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at nearly 33 by then he'll probably be retiring
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I am shedding tears of blood for our "humiliated" players. I am hoping they will find some solace in having collected £60 grand a week whilst sitting around last season and urge to club to make sure they keep on being paid on time to reduce their pain.
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What has Bent done wrong?
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be old fashioned goal poacher and not ideal for modern game who expect 11 men to play.
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What has Bent done wrong?
Nothing. I wish the bloke all the best at any club he goes to.
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We are desperate to shift them, and as I suggested a while back, the club will do anything to move them on. They will make the players that are surplus to requirements as attractive as possible to any potential club, and clearly they are sending a message to those players that they need to move on. It might seem harsh but it's business. Just as we have lost players who suddenly lost their emotional attachment to us when a bigger club comes knocking, the club are saying they want them gone.
I'd imagine we want to shift them, but also to get as much money back for them as we can.
I understand the idea of telling the players they need to find a new club - that happens all the time, at all clubs - but I don't see how expressing how alienated they are from the way we want to move forward, ie by not letting them train with the first team, is going to have any effect other than driving down the money we get for them.
We look like we're absolutely desperate to move them on, and that is only going to drive prices down. It is playing our hand in public when there is no need to do so.
All of which will have been considered by the club and they clearly feel this is the right approach. They want the players gone and are making that fact absolutely clear to all concerned. If it means getting 5m not 7m for Bent, but shifting his 70k a week then that's the bigger savings as opposed to having him be here for the balance of the next two years contributing nothing to the cause. same applies to Given, Ireland, Hutton etc. Getting their wages off the books is far more important than the fee itself, and getting rid of the potential distraction the presence of all of these players causes is just as appealing.
That is exactly the point.
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It's also disrespectful. We have a contract with Bent, which we want to end and so we are basically telling him to get lost because he's not wanted, and making him train with the kids, which for a player of his age and ability must be pretty humiliating.
We can hardly demand loyalty from players like Benteke when we treat cast-offs like this.
I'm still assuming he's done something to piss off Lambert in some way.
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Whatever happens, hes been a good servant to the club (his goals keeping us in the league 2 seasons running) and has been very professional about the whole getting-dropped-for-an-unknown-belgian thing.
So good luck to him sez I
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We are desperate to shift them, and as I suggested a while back, the club will do anything to move them on. They will make the players that are surplus to requirements as attractive as possible to any potential club, and clearly they are sending a message to those players that they need to move on. It might seem harsh but it's business. Just as we have lost players who suddenly lost their emotional attachment to us when a bigger club comes knocking, the club are saying they want them gone.
I'd imagine we want to shift them, but also to get as much money back for them as we can.
I understand the idea of telling the players they need to find a new club - that happens all the time, at all clubs - but I don't see how expressing how alienated they are from the way we want to move forward, ie by not letting them train with the first team, is going to have any effect other than driving down the money we get for them.
We look like we're absolutely desperate to move them on, and that is only going to drive prices down. It is playing our hand in public when there is no need to do so.
All of which will have been considered by the club and they clearly feel this is the right approach. They want the players gone and are making that fact absolutely clear to all concerned. If it means getting 5m not 7m for Bent, but shifting his 70k a week then that's the bigger savings as opposed to having him be here for the balance of the next two years contributing nothing to the cause. same applies to Given, Ireland, Hutton etc. Getting their wages off the books is far more important than the fee itself, and getting rid of the potential distraction the presence of all of these players causes is just as appealing.
I understand that, I just don't see how getting them to train with the kids in any way shape or form makes it easier for us to get rid of them. We did that for Hutton, for example, and he's still on our books.
If it becomes entirely about the wage bill, then we might as well just give him away.
I fail to see how what most clubs do - make their availability known to agents, and see what happens - is not good enough, and somehow humiliating them like this helps. It's not as if making them train with the kids makes anything clearer - the whole world and his wife knows Bent and Given are available, certainly the most important parties, the clubs and agents.
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We are desperate to shift them, and as I suggested a while back, the club will do anything to move them on. They will make the players that are surplus to requirements as attractive as possible to any potential club, and clearly they are sending a message to those players that they need to move on. It might seem harsh but it's business. Just as we have lost players who suddenly lost their emotional attachment to us when a bigger club comes knocking, the club are saying they want them gone.
I'd imagine we want to shift them, but also to get as much money back for them as we can.
I understand the idea of telling the players they need to find a new club - that happens all the time, at all clubs - but I don't see how expressing how alienated they are from the way we want to move forward, ie by not letting them train with the first team, is going to have any effect other than driving down the money we get for them.
We look like we're absolutely desperate to move them on, and that is only going to drive prices down. It is playing our hand in public when there is no need to do so.
All of which will have been considered by the club and they clearly feel this is the right approach. They want the players gone and are making that fact absolutely clear to all concerned. If it means getting 5m not 7m for Bent, but shifting his 70k a week then that's the bigger savings as opposed to having him be here for the balance of the next two years contributing nothing to the cause. same applies to Given, Ireland, Hutton etc. Getting their wages off the books is far more important than the fee itself, and getting rid of the potential distraction the presence of all of these players causes is just as appealing.
I understand that, I just don't see how getting them to train with the kids in any way shape or form makes it easier for us to get rid of them. We did that for Hutton, for example, and he's still on our books.
If it becomes entirely about the wage bill, then we might as well just give him away.
I fail to see how what most clubs do - make their availability known to agents, and see what happens - is not good enough, and somehow humiliating them like this helps. It's not as if making them train with the kids makes anything clearer - the whole world and his wife knows Bent and Given are available, certainly the most important parties, the clubs and agents.
I stopped reading when you mentioned Hutton. Surely comparing bent to hutton is more likely to stop people giving us lots of money for him!
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I don't see why it would be humiliating, there's probably been discussions and likely an agreement to this approach. They know they're looking for a move and they may take some joy from training with the kids - passing on their knowledge and experience in the process. They're probably more concerned with their fitness levels to ensure that they're fit for when they join their new club (I think we can be confident Bent will get a move). They'll certainly get their fitness training with kids.
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I really can't fathom why people are so bothered by this. He's not part of the first team squad for next season so he's not training with them, leaving the coaches to concentrate on those that are.
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I really can't fathom why people are so bothered by this. He's not part of the first team squad for next season so he's not training with them, leaving the coaches to concentrate on those that are.
Yep. I like Bent of all of those on the outside looking in, but if he's no longer part of the future, then who cares where he trains?
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I really can't fathom why people are so bothered by this. He's not part of the first team squad for next season so he's not training with them, leaving the coaches to concentrate on those that are.
Removing Lambert's decision, do you rate Bent?
I think while Benteke's future is a wee bit cloudy at the moment I'd rather that be sorted before doing everything we can to get shot of the other Ben(dtner).
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I really can't fathom why people are so bothered by this. He's not part of the first team squad for next season so he's not training with them, leaving the coaches to concentrate on those that are.
Removing Lambert's decision, do you rate Bent?
I think while Benteke's future is a wee bit cloudy at the moment I'd rather that be sorted before doing everything we can to get shot of the other Ben(dtner).
Bent scores goals, he's not a great player but give him enough chances and he'll put a proportion away. However, you do have to play in a certain way to get the best from him and I don't think we are set up to do that. I suppose that it's possible that either we or he can adapt, but the odds are against it.
We're also not so awash with cash that we can afford to have a player on that sort of money as a bit part player so you don't give him any encouragement to just sit on his arse taking our cash.
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Plus you have to factor in that we have a young squad, who are potentially influenced more easily by the older members of the squad.
While I don’t think Bent is necessarily that sort of character, I don’t think Lambert wants to run the risk of any members of the squad providing a corrosive effect.
Out of sight and out of mind.
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How is bentekes future a wee bit cloudy? He's a villa player with a number of years left on his contract and no club has out an offer in. He's as much of a villa player as he was 6 months ago.
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While I'm surprised Bent and Given have received the same treatment I was expecting for Ireland and Hutton, it does put the onus on the players to pressure their agents to find them new clubs. One other thought is that with Lambert bringing in several new players that indicate new tactics and attacking threat, maybe he is reducing how much info these two can offer their new clubs when preparing to face us this coming season
This is when agents earn (oxymoron) their money. When the players are off form and/or no longer wanted.
Anyone idiot can sell Bale or Suarez or whisper it Benteke or get them better contracts.
Time the said players respective leeches (agents) did some real work
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I think while Benteke's future is a wee bit cloudy at the moment I'd rather that be sorted before doing everything we can to get shot of the other Ben(dtner).
Maybe Lambert knows that Benteke's future is a lot less cloudy than the bed-wetters on here and elsewhere think?
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Blood was spilled in Brainerd
Words were said in Vegas
Shopping was done in Cambridge
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I think while Benteke's future is a wee bit cloudy at the moment I'd rather that be sorted before doing everything we can to get shot of the other Ben(dtner).
Maybe Lambert knows that Benteke's future is a lot less cloudy than the bed-wetters on here and elsewhere think?
Let's hope so but we have/will offer him improved terms this summer or he will be sold and so far there's not been a resolution either way.
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I think while Benteke's future is a wee bit cloudy at the moment I'd rather that be sorted before doing everything we can to get shot of the other Ben(dtner).
Maybe Lambert knows that Benteke's future is a lot less cloudy than the bed-wetters on here and elsewhere think?
Let's hope so but we have/will offer him improved terms this summer or he will be sold and so far there's not been a resolution either way.
Don't agree that it's an either / or situation. We're in a very strong position with him imo.
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A) as mentioned, he's a goalscorer. Shame MON didn't buy him instead of Heskey when he was available at Spurs.
B) don't get some of the hatred towards the player. He has a decent record for us and scored some important goals, even last season (WBA).
C) The shopping incident: fans took this completely out of context. Some months later, Shay Given was injured and chose a match weekend to go to Dublin. Not a word was mentioned by supporters. The notion that an injured player has to sit in the stand and offer support is ridiculous.
Things obviously haven't worked out due to the horrible few years at VP but that's not Bent's fault so don't get the fans' negative reactions or the banishing treatment. That's all.
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Darren Bent is a proven goalscorer. His League goal scoring percentage is .4143 Benteke with obviously less games due to his age is .4172
Just a marginal difference. I am amazed that no one has exactly rushed in for him yet. For a player of his calibre his wages are not out of sight.
It will be interesting towards the end of the window to see what transpires. Bent has had to endure quite an unsettled period with the Houllier and then AM changes and the exodus of players that he had hoped to be playing with.
If we dont sell him in this window he will end up costing the club wages in the range of 1.3 M by January. High cost to pay for a lad training with the reserves and academy.
There is an old concept in business that you never lose money by closing out merchandise that isnt selling well. You lost ALL of your money when you overpaid for it in the first place.
Bent's arrival undoubtedly saved us from relegation that season. I think that the various managers since just have never been able to find a level of quality players to help him continue scoring. However his cost may be justified by all of us in the knowledge that we are still in the Premiership and looking upwards again.
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B) don't get some of the hatred towards the player. He has a decent record for us and scored some important goals, even last season (WBA).
My son and I got the chance to speak to Dazza the summer before last. We were having a drink having just been knocked out of the Godmanchester Rovers tournament and he was trying out some new boots with some shooting practice (think he played there as a kid). He'd asked to be left alone but after about an hour of begging a club official let us past. We both shook his hand and thanked him for keeping us up. As I went to take a photo, I accidentally shut my phone down mistaking the power button for the shutter. Dazza laughed and was happy to chat about the tournament with my son for a couple of minutes while I restarted it and took a picture.
He's a bloody good striker and a thoroughly nice bloke. I've no idea why any Villa fan would hate him.
He doesn't fit with PL's plans so he'll be moving on. Nothing harsh at all about freezing him out of training it's just decisive management and I'm sure Dazza understands.
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Something has clearly gone on behind the scenes. You don't get Made Captain then demoted and humiliated in the space of a few weeks for nothing.
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Something has clearly gone on behind the scenes. You don't get Made Captain then demoted and humiliated in the space of a few weeks for nothing.
You're determined to find something wrong aren't you?
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Bent's personal goalscoring record is good but the statistics also suggest that, when at Tottenham (his only real spell at a club nearish the top of the league), the more goals he scores the fewer his team score overall. While there are many factors to be considered in this (Spurs were in the midst of a selling spree), the possibility cannot be dismissed that, in order to set up the team in a way which suits Bent's goalscoring needs, there is a sacrifice to the rest of the side's scoring ability. With Benteke and other modern forwards, the one helps the other - there's no trade-off. Teams that can afford what Bent demands are now, by and large, looking for a striker who will have a symbiotic relationship with the rest of the team, not a parasitic one.
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I'm not "determined" to find anything ? It's just my view on the subject matter which could be correct or could be completely wrong. Just seems odd he was made Capt. , stripped of it then couldn't even make the bench with Bowery being selected ahead of him? There was talk at the time that it may have been down to avoiding another £2m payment to Sunderland ? Again who knows? Bent and his style of play would have been known to Lambert when he joined us. His style hasn't changed on his debut for us he had 19 touches in 90 mins but crucially got the winner. Pretty much the same at Wigan last game, scored a great goal then barely featured. It's what you get with Bent he's made a career out of doing it.
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I'm not "determined" to find anything ? It's just my view on the subject matter which could be correct or could be completely wrong. Just seems odd he was made Capt. , stripped of it then couldn't even make the bench with Bowery being selected ahead of him? There was talk at the time that it may have been down to avoiding another £2m payment to Sunderland ? Again who knows? Bent and his style of play would have been known to Lambert when he joined us. His style hasn't changed on his debut for us he had 19 touches in 90 mins but crucially got the winner. Pretty much the same at Wigan last game, scored a great goal then barely featured. It's what you get with Bent he's made a career out of doing it.
The extra payments story was totally discredited. Maybe Lambert thought he'd be first choice striker so gave him the captaincy to get more out of him then Benteke being so good changed the gameplan completely.
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Not that I believe the Benteke situation will effect the Bent one in any way, but if CB destined to leave and possibly rot in reserves if he kicks up a stink. We do still have a 20 goal striker on our books.
Could it work with Bent? I think it could still.
Lambert has shown willingness to alter his system if needs be. I also think with how our midfield improved at the tail end of last season, we keep the ball better, we could actually get away with having a more off the ball orientated front man if needs be.
The key for me, is that if we sell Benteke, we need another midfielder and forward. Real quality. A level above the signings so far. Where the odds of Prem success are better. If we could unearth the next Modric for example, and/or get in a class number 10 type, I'd fancy we'd have a side that Bent could score goals in.
I think he's virtually gone in any case, but given Benty has never kicked up a stink, or handed in a transfer request, Lambert could concievably give him another shot.
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I doubt it, Lambert has seen the difference a complete striker can make, I can't see him being happy to fall back on a very limited player after that. I don't think the Benteke situation has any bearing on Bent who is gone regardless.
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but what a contrast in attitude.
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but what a contrast in attitude.
Was Darren Bent's move from Sunderland all that different?
Sunderland didn't want him to go, and he forced the issue.
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the observation was purely about his attitude whilst at VP and in that respect he's behaved well, or as well as can be expected of an egocentric, materialistic multi millionaire footballer.
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but what a contrast in attitude.
Was Darren Bent's move from Sunderland all that different?
Sunderland didn't want him to go, and he forced the issue.
Not entirely sure. Half and half maybe but we did make Sunderland an offer they couldn't refuse. Plus he'd had trouble with Brucie because he was shagging his daughter (allegedly).
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Bent will leave regardless. No way he wants to risk another season of benchwarming.
Way I see it we have 5 players for the current 3 attacking positions excluding Benteke and Bent: Gabby, Weimann, Helenius, Tonev and Bowery. It's hardly threadbare and N'zogbia will also be back in the middle part of the season. Obviously needs another out and out striker in there.
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No way should we keep Bent.
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Totally agree Benteke handing in his notice does not mean we should keep Bent. A player who came at the wrong time in his career unfortunately. Thanks for the goals which kept us up, maybe if you arrived instead of Marlon it might have been different.
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Just realised that we'd better never sign a striker named Eke. He'd be a brilliant goalscorer who would be transferred prematurely.
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Bent will leave regardless. No way he wants to risk another season of benchwarming.
Way I see it we have 5 players for the current 3 attacking positions excluding Benteke and Bent: Gabby, Weimann, Helenius, Tonev and Bowery. It's hardly threadbare and N'zogbia will also be back in the middle part of the season. Obviously needs another out and out striker in there.
I wish Bent the best of luck and hope that Newcastle is the place he can play to his undoubted strengths and move on with aplomb.
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Bent will leave regardless. No way he wants to risk another season of benchwarming.
Way I see it we have 5 players for the current 3 attacking positions excluding Benteke and Bent: Gabby, Weimann, Helenius, Tonev and Bowery. It's hardly threadbare and N'zogbia will also be back in the middle part of the season. Obviously needs another out and out striker in there.
I wish Bent the best of luck and hope that Newcastle is the place he can play to his undoubted strengths and move on with aplomb.
I hope he goes there, has a stinker, they get relegated and are forced to sell us Moussa Sissoko next summer in a cut price deal.
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Fulham
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west brom
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Bent will leave regardless. No way he wants to risk another season of benchwarming.
Way I see it we have 5 players for the current 3 attacking positions excluding Benteke and Bent: Gabby, Weimann, Helenius, Tonev and Bowery. It's hardly threadbare and N'zogbia will also be back in the middle part of the season. Obviously needs another out and out striker in there.
I wish Bent the best of luck and hope that Newcastle is the place he can play to his undoubted strengths and move on with aplomb.
Well said, no one should forget this guys contribution to the Villa cause during the wilderness years. All the best DB.
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I wish Bent well also. Certainly a player of his goalscoring pedigree in the premier league shouldn't be training with the reserves imo.
The 6 months from when he signed were a hint at what could've been achieved had he been signed a year or two early so classic case in my mind of right player, wrong time.
Inevitable he'll score against us next season.
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just read on my FB page that the mail have said Newcastle and Fulham are both upping there interest in Bent
now that's the sort of news we would have had before the paper was even printed if eastie was still on site
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It does make you wonder what the hell is going on as both clubs have shown an interest for a couple of months now. Fulham, I can understand, what with their takeover but Newcastle, they really are a joke. I can only imagine Joe Kinnear has brought in David Levy to help out on his transfer dealings.
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I reckon Fulham for DB.
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He'll do well at Fulham, nice club now Al Fayed has gone, nice ground, rather than that odious bunch of dreamers in Scotland.
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I think him and Berbatov would do very well together
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http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2381229/Fulham-increase-offer-Aston-Villa-striker-Darren-Bent.html
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He is a goal poacher and will score goals wherever he goes I also wish him well.
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He is 29 now and needs a move which could give him a chance of stability where he could be top scorer for maybe the next three seasons. That may just be possible at Fulham, being part of the pantomime that is Newcastle you never know what's happening from one week to the next.
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£6 million and a clause included for number of goals scored would be ok.
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A 4m bid for a proven premier league goalscorer still under 30 is taking the piss just a little bit.
Didn't Fulham sign Andy Johnson for 12m a few years back? How much did they sign Berbatov for last summer?
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I think him and Berbatov would do very well together
Not so sure, both a bit too languid. Berbatov is class don't get me wrong but I'm not sure.
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I'm still awaiting the 'stampede' promised in the first post.
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I'm pretty sure Berbatov's contract expired so they didn't pay a penny for him.
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I'm pretty sure Berbatov's contract expired so they didn't pay a penny for him.
He had 12 months left on his contract, so they got him for a fairly paltry £5m.
As for Berbatov and Bent working well, they were pretty mediocre together at Spurs, I don't see why they'd be any better at Fulham.
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Pardew is saying he won't pay over the odds for a player but he can hardly think he's doing that for Bent at £5/6m. A bargain really, he should be snapping Villa's hand off, but of course he has to negotiate the Kinnear hurdle first. ;D
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I wonder how Newcastle would use Bent. As another option for Cisse? Has Bent ever done consistently well playing alongside another striker?
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http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11677/8849121/transfer-news-fulham-leading-race-to-sign-aston-villa-striker-darren-bent
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I'm pretty sure Bent will score bags of goals at Fulham alongside Berbatov. Looks a good pairing that.
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I'm pretty sure Bent will score bags of goals at Fulham alongside Berbatov. Looks a good pairing that.
I can see how it'd maybe work with Berbatov, as Berbatov is the sort of player who floats around all over the final third rather than a typical half of a striker pairing.
I wish we'd signed him.
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I'm pretty sure Bent will score bags of goals at Fulham alongside Berbatov. Looks a good pairing that.
I can see how it'd maybe work with Berbatov, as Berbatov is the sort of player who floats around all over the final third rather than a typical half of a striker pairing.
I wish we'd signed him.
They're so different that it almost has to work. Some of the lay offs, flicks and first time passes Berbatov made last season were class and I think Bent will thrive on that.
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I'm pretty sure Bent will score bags of goals at Fulham alongside Berbatov. Looks a good pairing that.
I can see how it'd maybe work with Berbatov, as Berbatov is the sort of player who floats around all over the final third rather than a typical half of a striker pairing.
I wish we'd signed him.
They're so different that it almost has to work. Some of the lay offs, flicks and first time passes Berbatov made last season were class and I think Bent will thrive on that.
These.
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Yes, on paper it's a good partnership.
I'd also back him to do well at West Ham or Stoke. Not so much Newcastle.
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I'm pretty sure Bent will score bags of goals at Fulham alongside Berbatov. Looks a good pairing that.
I can see how it'd maybe work with Berbatov, as Berbatov is the sort of player who floats around all over the final third rather than a typical half of a striker pairing.
I wish we'd signed him.
They're so different that it almost has to work. Some of the lay offs, flicks and first time passes Berbatov made last season were class and I think Bent will thrive on that.
Why were they hardly ever played together at Spurs then? I seem to remember that on the few occasions that they did they seemed to be playing two different sports.
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Personally, I don't think it would work all that well!
For a start, you've got two strikers who give you very little off the ball, so you'll be playing with 9 men when defending.
Attacking wise, they could click, but if Berbatov plays deep, will Bent hold the ball up well enough to allow him to get on it. And if they play more patiently through the middle, meaning Berbatov sees more of the ball, will that hurt Bent who likes it forward quickly as he plays on the shoulder?
It just seems to me that you have two players there who need the team set up to suit them to get their best.
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I'm pretty sure Bent will score bags of goals at Fulham alongside Berbatov. Looks a good pairing that.
I can see how it'd maybe work with Berbatov, as Berbatov is the sort of player who floats around all over the final third rather than a typical half of a striker pairing.
I wish we'd signed him.
They're so different that it almost has to work. Some of the lay offs, flicks and first time passes Berbatov made last season were class and I think Bent will thrive on that.
Why were they hardly ever played together at Spurs then? I seem to remember that on the few occasions that they did they seemed to be playing two different sports.
Because Arry had a hard on for Defoe
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I'd back Bent to do well anywhere that has a system to get him the ball. It means though that those teams have to be dedicated to it. Bent's running off the ball helps in that regard, but he's not going to score a wide range of goals, so it's quite narrow as to what kind of service he'll benefit from. If he ends up at Fulham, it they can get some good wide play and maybe have Berbatov sitting in behind him, then it would be quite good.
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I think Jol's plan is to have Berbatov playing a little deeper this season, behind an out and out striker. I could see it working in some regards, but when they're under the cosh, Berba and Bent will go missing, and also could concievably get marked out the game. That said, it'd be difficult to mark both of them out the game.
Even if they don't work that hard in build up, the way Jol plays, which is quite direct, you'd fancy both to score at least 10-15 a season regardless. Maybe more.
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I'm pretty sure Bent will score bags of goals at Fulham alongside Berbatov. Looks a good pairing that.
I can see how it'd maybe work with Berbatov, as Berbatov is the sort of player who floats around all over the final third rather than a typical half of a striker pairing.
I wish we'd signed him.
They're so different that it almost has to work. Some of the lay offs, flicks and first time passes Berbatov made last season were class and I think Bent will thrive on that.
Why were they hardly ever played together at Spurs then? I seem to remember that on the few occasions that they did they seemed to be playing two different sports.
Because Arry had a hard on for Defoe
Arry wasn't Spurs' manager at the time.
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Martin Jol would know how to use Bent and Berbatov and know their strength and weakness. I wish they hurry up so Bent can get some game time before the season start and allow us to buy one more player. I wonder do Bent still have his house in London.
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I'm pretty sure Bent will score bags of goals at Fulham alongside Berbatov. Looks a good pairing that.
I can see how it'd maybe work with Berbatov, as Berbatov is the sort of player who floats around all over the final third rather than a typical half of a striker pairing.
I wish we'd signed him.
They're so different that it almost has to work. Some of the lay offs, flicks and first time passes Berbatov made last season were class and I think Bent will thrive on that.
Why were they hardly ever played together at Spurs then? I seem to remember that on the few occasions that they did they seemed to be playing two different sports.
Because Arry had a hard on for Defoe
Arry wasn't Spurs' manager at the time.
Defoe was and I think I would prefer Defoe to Bent
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I bet whoever Bent plays for next season, he doesn't reach double figures
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If he could manage 9 in 22 in a McLeish team he'll reach 10 for someone else as long as he plays 25+ games.
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Martin Jol would know how to use Bent and Berbatov and know their strength and weakness.
He probably thinks he can, but he'll still basically have two strikers who both need and expect the side to be set up to suit them.
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That's possible though. Fulham are quite workmanlike but disciplined enough for that to work.
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With them two up top that team could quite easily get over run. I would not want both those players up front together. That is a lot of work for the rest of the team.
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Nah, they'll be grand. We'll do battle with them for "The Magnificent 7th" on the final day next May with Sky hyping it up in lieu of 'owt else to be determined after Mourinho has romped home with the title and Hull, Cardiff and Palace go back to where they came from.
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I see the Bent move to the Jokers is off with the Barcodes only offering £2m..
From the Torygraph:
Bent and his agent are understood to have been far from impressed following a meeting with Newcastle’s Director of Football Joe Kinnear, who suggested he would only offer Aston Villa £2m for the England international.
Newcastle were also well adrift of the player’s wage demands and Bent will now almost certainly join Fulham as they have already offered double what Newcastle were prepared to pay and are willing to offer him close to the £65,000-a-week he earns at Villa.
Crystal Palace are also interested, but Fulham appear to be the clear favourites to land the 29-year-old with manager Martin Jol preparing to make a third bid which will bring them close to Villa’s £6m valuation.
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Fuck sake, Newcastle. What a bunch of timewasters.
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Jo Kinneare is doing well with the transfer negotiations then. What a strange set up they have there. I'm not a fan of Pardew but he must be right pissed off. When he gets sacked who else in their right mind will want to come in and work under that way either?
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I think Newcastle are going to struggle big time this season, all is not well at that club.
Bent will go to Fulham (hopefully soon)
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I find it interesting that every time I read what he earns a week it's a different figure, I've heard £70k, £80k, and now £65k. Bent's always going to be ok in my eyes and I'll always look out for him. Good luck son
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Martin Jol would know how to use Bent and Berbatov and know their strength and weakness. I wish they hurry up so Bent can get some game time before the season start and allow us to buy one more player. I wonder do Bent still have his house in London.
Where's Eastie when you need him?
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I think Newcastle are going to struggle big time this season, all is not well at that club.
Bent will go to Fulham (hopefully soon)
I agree. A sneaky bet on them to go down with probably reasonably good odds at this stage might be worth looking at
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After Pardew's comment yesterday that Newcastle will only pay what a player is worth, they obviously don't rate Bent very highly.
Of course, it's more like Kinnear is intent on undermining Pardew to force him out, perhaps because Ashley wants rid of Pardew.
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Joe Kinnear .... DoF
We missed an opportunity there to appoint a top notch creme de la creme Executive to steer us back to glory days. Now all I can do is to sit back and sigh as Newcastle march towards the Champions League!
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After Pardew's comment yesterday that Newcastle will only pay what a player is worth, they obviously don't rate Bent very highly.
Of course, it's more like Kinnear is intent on undermining Pardew to force him out, perhaps because Ashley wants rid of Pardew.
If Ashley wanted rid of Pardew he'd can him in a heartbeat. I believe they get on very well. They take windy walks together, holding hands.
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Bent is worth at least £10m in today's striker market.
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Bent is worth at least £10m in today's striker market.
Problem is we've made clear he doesn't have a future at Villa, so other clubs know that and they know they can get him for a lot less.
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After Pardew's comment yesterday that Newcastle will only pay what a player is worth, they obviously don't rate Bent very highly.
Of course, it's more like Kinnear is intent on undermining Pardew to force him out, perhaps because Ashley wants rid of Pardew.
If Ashley wanted rid of Pardew he'd can him in a heartbeat. I believe they get on very well. They take windy walks together, holding hands.
Not necessarily, Ashley's a devious business man and kicking Pardew out could cost a lot more than him resigning, especially with that long term contract they gave him.
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We should not freeze out DB and keep him involved so he will get 12 millions bid. I hope when Fulham make a serious bid and make and offer then another club will join in the action. Newcastle is hoping no one is making a bid for him to get him cheap. If I were DB I would turn down Newcastle as they only offer 2 millions. I hope there is an oversea club waiting to pounce.
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We should not freeze out DB and keep him involved so he will get 12 millions bid. I hope when Fulham make a serious bid and make and offer then another club will join in the action. Newcastle is hoping no one is making a bid for him to get him cheap. If I were DB I would turn down Newcastle as they only offer 2 millions. I hope there is an oversea club waiting to pounce.
Why would Bent give a shiny shite about the transfer fee?
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We should not freeze out DB and keep him involved so he will get 12 millions bid. I hope when Fulham make a serious bid and make and offer then another club will join in the action. Newcastle is hoping no one is making a bid for him to get him cheap. If I were DB I would turn down Newcastle as they only offer 2 millions. I hope there is an oversea club waiting to pounce.
Why would Bent give a shiny shite about the transfer fee?
Because he'll get a percentage of it as a signing on bonus?
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Bent is worth at least £10m in today's striker market.
Problem is we've made clear he doesn't have a future at Villa, so other clubs know that and they know they can get him for a lot less.
yep, if we get £6m we'll have done well, because it represents that figure plus pretty much the same again in basic wages, plus whatever incentives etc he's due. He is worth a lot more given the sums being paid for players that don't have half the CV as Bent, but given that we want rid it does suggest we'll accept the lower end of his market value.
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We should not freeze out DB and keep him involved so he will get 12 millions bid. I hope when Fulham make a serious bid and make and offer then another club will join in the action. Newcastle is hoping no one is making a bid for him to get him cheap. If I were DB I would turn down Newcastle as they only offer 2 millions. I hope there is an oversea club waiting to pounce.
Why would Bent give a shiny shite about the transfer fee?
Because he'll get a percentage of it as a signing on bonus?
So he'd be gutted then if we told him he could have a free transfer.
Come on PWS, don't join the rapidly expanding HandV half-wits ' club.
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After Pardew's comment yesterday that Newcastle will only pay what a player is worth, they obviously don't rate Bent very highly.
Of course, it's more like Kinnear is intent on undermining Pardew to force him out, perhaps because Ashley wants rid of Pardew.
If Ashley wanted rid of Pardew he'd can him in a heartbeat. I believe they get on very well. They take windy walks together, holding hands.
Not necessarily, Ashley's a devious business man and kicking Pardew out could cost a lot more than him resigning, especially with that long term contract they gave him.
If Kinnear's antics did force Pardew to resign, I'm sure he'd have a strong enough case for constructive dismissal that he'd end up with the same amount he'd get if Ashley just sacked him anyway.
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Mike Ashley could sign Bent on a Sportsdirect.com-style zero hours contract.
The fat slave driver
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After Pardew's comment yesterday that Newcastle will only pay what a player is worth, they obviously don't rate Bent very highly.
Of course, it's more like Kinnear is intent on undermining Pardew to force him out, perhaps because Ashley wants rid of Pardew.
If Ashley wanted rid of Pardew he'd can him in a heartbeat. I believe they get on very well. They take windy walks together, holding hands.
Not necessarily, Ashley's a devious business man and kicking Pardew out could cost a lot more than him resigning, especially with that long term contract they gave him.
If Kinnear's antics did force Pardew to resign, I'm sure he'd have a strong enough case for constructive dismissal that he'd end up with the same amount he'd get if Ashley just sacked him anyway.
This, and the money Ashley might save on Pardew jacking it in, he's probably spending a large chunk of to hire Kinnear. It's hardly a master plan. I think Ashley genuinely believes Kinnear will help the club. Which he's very much mistaken about.
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After Pardew's comment yesterday that Newcastle will only pay what a player is worth, they obviously don't rate Bent very highly.
Of course, it's more like Kinnear is intent on undermining Pardew to force him out, perhaps because Ashley wants rid of Pardew.
If Ashley wanted rid of Pardew he'd can him in a heartbeat. I believe they get on very well. They take windy walks together, holding hands.
Not necessarily, Ashley's a devious business man and kicking Pardew out could cost a lot more than him resigning, especially with that long term contract they gave him.
If Kinnear's antics did force Pardew to resign, I'm sure he'd have a strong enough case for constructive dismissal that he'd end up with the same amount he'd get if Ashley just sacked him anyway.
This, and the money Ashley might save on Pardew jacking it in, he's probably spending a large chunk of to hire Kinnear. It's hardly a master plan. I think Ashley genuinely believes Kinnear will help the club. Which he's very much mistaken about.
And he'll rapidily discover when they are in the bottom three at Christmas ;D
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If the transter fee that is being quoted by some of the press is correct, then somebody is going to get a hell of a bargain with Bent.
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Why does everyone think him being frozen out is the reason for the low prices being quoted? If I was buying him I'd be bidding low on the basis of his injury record in the last 2 years. He's been unavailable for at least a third of season 2 years in a row. He might go on and not have an issue for another 3-4 years or it might be the start of a run of niggles for the rest of his career.
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plus he has to have time off for shopping
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Plus we were constantly being told that Bent struggled because of his supply line being sold and thus a lack of chances created. An issue that doesn't seem to bother Christian Benteke.
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You don't like Dazza at all, do you Percy?
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You don't like Dazza at all, do you Percy?
I questioned Percy's sanity over this issue last summer.
It was a mistake.
But I think the Weller one hurt more.
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Bent is better than Gabby and Weller combined. I think Percy's head just exploded.
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You don't like Dazza at all, do you Percy?
I questioned Percy's sanity over this issue last summer.
It was a mistake.
But I think the Weller one hurt more.
I do like him Eamonn, it's just a reaction to how much stick I got for suggesting a while ago that we sell him and buy some decent defenders with the money. I remember Dorset Villain coming up to me when I was selling the fanzine and saying I'd started a hate campaign against him, when really, pretty early on, I just thought that despite his goals we'd be a better team with a more rounded centre-forward.
Lee - I'm trying to forget what you said about Weller. I don't want to hate you.
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Bent is better than Gabby and Weller combined. I think Percy's head just exploded.
Only if you're on about Weller's football skills and Gabby's song-writing.
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I do like him Eamonn, it's just a reaction to how much stick I got for suggesting a while ago that we sell him and buy some decent defenders with the money. I remember Dorset Villain coming up to me when I was selling the fanzine and saying I'd started a hate campaign against him, when really, pretty early on, I just thought that despite his goals we'd be a better team with a more rounded centre-forward.
Fair dos. And I know you've been consistent with a similar point over how Liverpool get better results without Suarez.
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Bent is better than Gabby and Weller combined. I think Percy's head just exploded.
Only if you're on about Weller's football skills and Gabby's song-writing.
Never thought I'd be on here defending Weller but I agree, Percy.
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I do like him Eamonn, it's just a reaction to how much stick I got for suggesting a while ago that we sell him and buy some decent defenders with the money. I remember Dorset Villain coming up to me when I was selling the fanzine and saying I'd started a hate campaign against him, when really, pretty early on, I just thought that despite his goals we'd be a better team with a more rounded centre-forward.
Fair dos. And I know you've been consistent with a similar point over how Liverpool get better results without Suarez.
Yeah, it's just a matter of fact. I'm a bit worried that I first started banging on about it when everyone was pissed off that he was going to miss the Newcastle game at the end of last season. Anyone remember how that turned out?
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I do like him Eamonn, it's just a reaction to how much stick I got for suggesting a while ago that we sell him and buy some decent defenders with the money. I remember Dorset Villain coming up to me when I was selling the fanzine and saying I'd started a hate campaign against him, when really, pretty early on, I just thought that despite his goals we'd be a better team with a more rounded centre-forward.
Fair dos. And I know you've been consistent with a similar point over how Liverpool get better results without Suarez.
Yeah, it's just a matter of fact. I'm a bit worried that I first started banging on about it when everyone was pissed off that he was going to miss the Newcastle game at the end of last season. Anyone remember how that turned out?
Liverpool getting better results without Suarez?
I am sure I recall seeing a graphic last week that suggested the opposite. Or am I getting confused?
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Bent is better than Gabby and Weller combined. I think Percy's head just exploded.
Only if you're on about Weller's football skills and Gabby's song-writing.
Never thought I'd be on here defending Weller but I agree, Percy.
NOW my head's exploded.
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I do like him Eamonn, it's just a reaction to how much stick I got for suggesting a while ago that we sell him and buy some decent defenders with the money. I remember Dorset Villain coming up to me when I was selling the fanzine and saying I'd started a hate campaign against him, when really, pretty early on, I just thought that despite his goals we'd be a better team with a more rounded centre-forward.
Fair dos. And I know you've been consistent with a similar point over how Liverpool get better results without Suarez.
Yeah, it's just a matter of fact. I'm a bit worried that I first started banging on about it when everyone was pissed off that he was going to miss the Newcastle game at the end of last season. Anyone remember how that turned out?
Liverpool getting better results without Suarez?
I am sure I recall seeing a graphic last week that suggested the opposite. Or am I getting confused?
I think they did well for a period without him towards the end of last season. However, to think that they are somehow better without him is a bit ludicrous because despite being a nut and a wanker, he's bloody good.
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I do like him Eamonn, it's just a reaction to how much stick I got for suggesting a while ago that we sell him and buy some decent defenders with the money. I remember Dorset Villain coming up to me when I was selling the fanzine and saying I'd started a hate campaign against him, when really, pretty early on, I just thought that despite his goals we'd be a better team with a more rounded centre-forward.
Fair dos. And I know you've been consistent with a similar point over how Liverpool get better results without Suarez.
Yeah, it's just a matter of fact. I'm a bit worried that I first started banging on about it when everyone was pissed off that he was going to miss the Newcastle game at the end of last season. Anyone remember how that turned out?
Liverpool getting better results without Suarez?
Yeah, they won 6-0 away.
Toronto - it's not really to do with the end of last season, although it continued then. Sky did the graphics because of the biting incident, and it showed that since they signed him, in a fairly large sample of games that he'd missed, their results were quite surprisingly better without him. The reason I'm a bit worried about it is we're celebrating him missing our game to the same extent we were bemoaning him missing that Newcastle game which they won 6-0. You see my point? Feel my fear?
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I do like him Eamonn, it's just a reaction to how much stick I got for suggesting a while ago that we sell him and buy some decent defenders with the money. I remember Dorset Villain coming up to me when I was selling the fanzine and saying I'd started a hate campaign against him, when really, pretty early on, I just thought that despite his goals we'd be a better team with a more rounded centre-forward.
Fair dos. And I know you've been consistent with a similar point over how Liverpool get better results without Suarez.
Yeah, it's just a matter of fact. I'm a bit worried that I first started banging on about it when everyone was pissed off that he was going to miss the Newcastle game at the end of last season. Anyone remember how that turned out?
Liverpool getting better results without Suarez?
Yeah, they won 6-0 away.
Toronto - it's not really to do with the end of last season, although it continued then. Sky did the graphics because of the biting incident, and it showed that since they signed him, in a fairly large sample of games that he'd missed, their results were quite surprisingly better without him. The reason I'm a bit worried about it is we're celebrating him missing our game to the same extent we were bemoaning him missing that Newcastle game which they won 6-0. You see my point? Feel my fear?
I appreciate the point about Newcastle, but that's one match, so not really a sample worth much consideration, and probably says more about the shitness of Newcastle in the run-in than the strength of Liverpool.
There's this collection of data, however, which is interesting:
(http://www.talksport.co.uk/sites/default/files/imagecache/ts_magazine_big_picture/Untitled-1_91.jpg)
The problem there is that the sample of games without him is pretty small.
Probably the most important thing about Suarez is how much they want to keep him. He's a very good player and has done well for them. For us, the rest of the football world, it is therefore our duty to hope he fecks off ASAP
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Look, we said last season "Shit! He's banned against Newcastle, our relegation rivals". I said "Don't worry, they get better results without him".
Now we're saying "Great! He's banned against us". I'm saying "Worry, they get better results without him".
It was meant to be light-hearted, I certainly didn't expect the Spanish Inquisitionn.
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Somewhat touchy if you think that was the Spanish Inquisition. I didn't have to call for Cardinal Fang once.
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Back on topic....Bent for £6m is astonishing value for the right team. Suppose that's what happens when a player is benched for the season, obviously not challenging the decision to do so...
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Back on topic....Bent for £6m is astonishing value for the right team. Suppose that's what happens when a player is benched for the season, obviously not challenging the decision to do so...
Don't know Ross. He looked a shadow of his former self when he featured last season. He's not going to have had much of a pre season this time round either so is going to take time to get up to speed wherever he goes.
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Somewhat touchy if you think that was the Spanish Inquisition. I didn't have to call for Cardinal Fang once.
Lol, yeah it was a bit touchy wasn't it? Every time I explained myself I got caught not working by the gaffer.
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You have to be pretty special to command big money when you near the 30 mark these days.
6mill might seem cheap but it's not like we are overrun with offers. I don't think his situation is depressing the price too much. He was hardly a regular at Spurs when they sold him.
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Somewhat touchy if you think that was the Spanish Inquisition. I didn't have to call for Cardinal Fang once.
Lol, yeah it was a bit touchy wasn't it? Every time I explained myself I got caught not working by the gaffer.
And I think Paulie's stats were bearing out your point, albeit from a smaller number of games.
Sturridge and Coutinho look good without Suarez. Thankfully Daniel, the would-be-Villan, will miss our game too, I think?
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Look, we said last season "Shit! He's banned against Newcastle, our relegation rivals". I said "Don't worry, they get better results without him".
Now we're saying "Great! He's banned against us". I'm saying "Worry, they get better results without him".
It was meant to be light-hearted, I certainly didn't expect the Spanish Inquisitionn.
(http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lvbzfyTGuV1qjlctro2_250.gif)
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Somewhat touchy if you think that was the Spanish Inquisition. I didn't have to call for Cardinal Fang once.
Lol, yeah it was a bit touchy wasn't it? Every time I explained myself I got caught not working by the gaffer.
And I think Paulie's stats were bearing out your point, albeit from a smaller number of games.
Sturridge and Coutinho look good without Suarez. Thankfully Daniel, the would-be-Villan, will miss our game too, I think?
Hope so.
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plus he has to have time off for shopping
and it's a long way from Newcastle to Bicester Village!
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Can we please refrain from using data in this debate. Data is the enemy of a good discussion!
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Can we please refrain from using data in this debate. Data is the enemy of a good discussion!
Have you got the statistics to prove that.
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Pfft. You can use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true.
Facts, schmacts.
[/Homer]
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Pfft. You can use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true.
Facts, schmacts.
[/Homer]
Illiad or Odyssey?
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You have to be pretty special to command big money when you near the 30 mark these days.
6mill might seem cheap but it's not like we are overrun with offers. I don't think his situation is depressing the price too much. He was hardly a regular at Spurs when they sold him.
Would hope for a bit more, but you've convinced me.
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A fact is only a fact when followed by End of. It's the modern day equivalent of arley barley.
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Back on topic....Bent for £6m is astonishing value for the right team. Suppose that's what happens when a player is benched for the season, obviously not challenging the decision to do so...
Villa have managed to compress four and a half years' amortisation into two.
Not good.
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Expecting any more than £6m for an out of favour player is daft. Only got ourselves to blame by not playing him more often but when someone is pushed to the side in such an obvious fashion, there's no way of then claiming he's worth more. He's worth more than £6m to a team willing to use him, but not to us it seems. Shame, but there you go...
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We didn't pay a value fee for Bent. We were desperate for him in Jan 11. Sunderland were comfortable an with no desire to sell. The only reason we got him was because we paid a ridiculous fee of up to 24. I'd guess it was 18 plus a few other add ons, of which we've probably paid a few. I figure we had to pay some extra upon our survival that year for starters.
His goals kept us up that year, and indeed the goals he scored in the first half of the following season played a big part in keeping us up. Given what we stood to lose from relegation he's proved good value IMO.
At this stage we've made it clear he's dead weight now. We have a player with questionnable injury record, approaching 30 who won't even make our 25 man squad. So we're probably luck if we get 6 million to be honest. We've made it abundantly clear we don't want his wages on our books. If Darren Bent came out and said he's willing to drop his wages to 30k a week, we'd have clubs willing to pay us a 10 mill fee, but that's not gonna happen. Our fee has to be low in order that someone else takes on a player who'll earn 80k a week.
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We didn't pay a value fee for Bent. We were desperate for him in Jan 11. Sunderland were comfortable an with no desire to sell. The only reason we got him was because we paid a ridiculous fee of up to 24. I'd guess it was 18 plus a few other add ons, of which we've probably paid a few. I figure we had to pay some extra upon our survival that year for starters.
His goals kept us up that year, and indeed the goals he scored in the first half of the following season played a big part in keeping us up. Given what we stood to lose from relegation he's proved good value IMO.
At this stage we've made it clear he's dead weight now. We have a player with questionnable injury record, approaching 30 who won't even make our 25 man squad. So we're probably luck if we get 6 million to be honest. We've made it abundantly clear we don't want his wages on our books. If Darren Bent came out and said he's willing to drop his wages to 30k a week, we'd have clubs willing to pay us a 10 mill fee, but that's not gonna happen. Our fee has to be low in order that someone else takes on a player who'll earn 80k a week.
How can £18 million for the best English goalscorer be ridiculous coming as it did in a month when Andy Carroll went for £35 million and Fernando Torres for fifty?
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We didn't pay a value fee for Bent. We were desperate for him in Jan 11. Sunderland were comfortable an with no desire to sell. The only reason we got him was because we paid a ridiculous fee of up to 24. I'd guess it was 18 plus a few other add ons, of which we've probably paid a few. I figure we had to pay some extra upon our survival that year for starters.
His goals kept us up that year, and indeed the goals he scored in the first half of the following season played a big part in keeping us up. Given what we stood to lose from relegation he's proved good value IMO.
At this stage we've made it clear he's dead weight now. We have a player with questionnable injury record, approaching 30 who won't even make our 25 man squad. So we're probably luck if we get 6 million to be honest. We've made it abundantly clear we don't want his wages on our books. If Darren Bent came out and said he's willing to drop his wages to 30k a week, we'd have clubs willing to pay us a 10 mill fee, but that's not gonna happen. Our fee has to be low in order that someone else takes on a player who'll earn 80k a week.
How can £18 million for the best English goalscorer be ridiculous coming as it did in a month when Andy Carroll went for £35 million and Fernando Torres for fifty?
Always been a fan of Bent. I thought we had overpaid but not ridiculously so.
Especially as we didn't have much choice as we were in a relegation battle and half the squad were either margainalised/antagonised by management and/or acting like spoilt unprofessional divs and we needed a couple of sparks.
In hindsight £20m was a bargain when compared to the 2 examples you site and without him we may well have ended up relegated in 2010-11 and almost certainly in 2011-12.
I wish him all the best (except when playing v us) especially after the winner in his first game v Cit-eh - it was a very loud Villa Park that day.
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I'm not a fan of paying big money for players, then flogging them for buttons two years later, but if we lost 12m on Bent, and his major achievement here was keeping us up in that Houllier season, then at least we got something for that 12m.
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We didn't pay a value fee for Bent. We were desperate for him in Jan 11. Sunderland were comfortable an with no desire to sell. The only reason we got him was because we paid a ridiculous fee of up to 24. I'd guess it was 18 plus a few other add ons, of which we've probably paid a few. I figure we had to pay some extra upon our survival that year for starters.
His goals kept us up that year, and indeed the goals he scored in the first half of the following season played a big part in keeping us up. Given what we stood to lose from relegation he's proved good value IMO.
At this stage we've made it clear he's dead weight now. We have a player with questionnable injury record, approaching 30 who won't even make our 25 man squad. So we're probably luck if we get 6 million to be honest. We've made it abundantly clear we don't want his wages on our books. If Darren Bent came out and said he's willing to drop his wages to 30k a week, we'd have clubs willing to pay us a 10 mill fee, but that's not gonna happen. Our fee has to be low in order that someone else takes on a player who'll earn 80k a week.
How can £18 million for the best English goalscorer be ridiculous coming as it did in a month when Andy Carroll went for £35 million and Fernando Torres for fifty?
Compared to them, it is of course value. But then if those were inflated fees, as they very much were with Carroll, then perhaps not.
Given the limitations in his all round game, and the fact Sunderalnd were unwilling sellers, then we did pay a premium to get him. All be it a premium I was happy with us paying at the time. It's similar with Benteke earlier this summer, where we asked for more than anyone would ever be willing to pay as we didn't want him to go and were in a strong position given his contract.
It seems to me that the actual ability of a player is becoming less relevant in his transfer value and the contract/desire to sell ever more pertinent
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Only got ourselves to blame by not playing him more often but when someone is pushed to the side in such an obvious fashion, there's no way of then claiming he's worth more.
If we had played him more often last season there's a good chance we'd be attending our first proper game of this season tomorrow.
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I'm not a fan of paying big money for players, then flogging them for buttons two years later, but if we lost 12m on Bent, and his major achievement here was keeping us up in that Houllier season, then at least we got something for that 12m.
Cheap compared to the cost of relegation and I don't think McLeish would have got us back up some how.
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Only got ourselves to blame by not playing him more often but when someone is pushed to the side in such an obvious fashion, there's no way of then claiming he's worth more.
If we had played him more often last season there's a good chance we'd be attending our first proper game of this season tomorrow.
Indeed.
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Only got ourselves to blame by not playing him more often but when someone is pushed to the side in such an obvious fashion, there's no way of then claiming he's worth more.
If we had played him more often last season there's a good chance we'd be attending our first proper game of this season tomorrow.
Indeed.
Especially as the majority of games he missed were because of injury.
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We paid a fair price for Bent IMHO and he more than repaid that fee seeing as his goals helped keep up us for two seasons.
SSN say conflicting reports as to whether Fulham have made an increased offer.
He will score plenty for them if their system suits him and the best of luck to him as he had done nothing wrong here.
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We paid a fair price for Bent IMHO and he more than repaid that fee seeing as his goals helped keep up us for two seasons.
SSN say conflicting reports as to whether Fulham have made an increased offer.
He will score plenty for them if their system suits him and the best of luck to him as he had done nothing wrong here.
Agreed!
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Only got ourselves to blame by not playing him more often but when someone is pushed to the side in such an obvious fashion, there's no way of then claiming he's worth more.
If we had played him more often last season there's a good chance we'd be attending our first proper game of this season tomorrow.
Indeed.
Not arguing with that - not suggesting we should have played him more, just that we can't be too surprised his valuations have dropped as a result. If he was still worth £20m, then he would have played (when fit).
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I don't think a fee of £6m rising to £8m is bad at all. Ignoring how much we paid for him (as we all know how inflated it was due our precocious position) it's about right. Or physiologically even better is to see it as someone giving us Benteke, as Bents fee will outweigh what we paid for him.
Bents 30 years old, on big big wages and has a recent questionable injury record. £8m and 80k a week off our books is a result
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Only got ourselves to blame by not playing him more often but when someone is pushed to the side in such an obvious fashion, there's no way of then claiming he's worth more.
If we had played him more often last season there's a good chance we'd be attending our first proper game of this season tomorrow.
Indeed.
Not arguing with that - not suggesting we should have played him more, just that we can't be too surprised his valuations have dropped as a result. If he was still worth £20m, then he would have played (when fit).
Your right and his age is another thing.
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If/when Bent does go to Fulham, they'll have spent a combined £10m on a pair of strikers who were transferred for over £50m in the last few years.
Bit of a bargain really.
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If/when Bent does go to Fulham, they'll have spent a combined £10m on a pair of strikers who were transferred for over £50m in the last few years.
Bit of a bargain really.
Or one Fernando Torres - shudders
if they can work together then they are potentially a deadly combination though (pinch of bias added) I'd put our front line up against the best in the PL this season
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We didn't pay a value fee for Bent. We were desperate for him in Jan 11. Sunderland were comfortable an with no desire to sell. The only reason we got him was because we paid a ridiculous fee of up to 24. I'd guess it was 18 plus a few other add ons, of which we've probably paid a few. I figure we had to pay some extra upon our survival that year for starters.
His goals kept us up that year, and indeed the goals he scored in the first half of the following season played a big part in keeping us up. Given what we stood to lose from relegation he's proved good value IMO.
At this stage we've made it clear he's dead weight now. We have a player with questionnable injury record, approaching 30 who won't even make our 25 man squad. So we're probably luck if we get 6 million to be honest. We've made it abundantly clear we don't want his wages on our books. If Darren Bent came out and said he's willing to drop his wages to 30k a week, we'd have clubs willing to pay us a 10 mill fee, but that's not gonna happen. Our fee has to be low in order that someone else takes on a player who'll earn 80k a week.
How can £18 million for the best English goalscorer be ridiculous coming as it did in a month when Andy Carroll went for £35 million and Fernando Torres for fifty?
Obviously in relation to other transfers of that time its a bargain but it's just an indication as to how silly transfers are. We had ample opportunity in years previous to buy Bent for at least half of the 24 odd million we had. Like most big january transfers we paid well over the odds. i like Darren Bent. He's actually proved good value in the end by keeping us up, but there's no way he's a 24 million standard player. But then again if Andy Carroll is worth 35 million apparently, then I guess you could argue we got Bent at half price.
I thought we paid too much for Downing at 12 million, given he's an okay player at best. Of course the insanity of football transfer figures then saw him move for 20 million to Liverpool.
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If/when Bent does go to Fulham, they'll have spent a combined £10m on a pair of strikers who were transferred for over £50m in the last few years.
Bit of a bargain really.
Or one Fernando Torres - shudders
if they can work together then they are potentially a deadly combination though (pinch of bias added) I'd put our front line up against the best in the PL this season
I think it's a front line that will get goals but it's also the sort of front-line that probably means you won't be much more than mid-table. You'd be bloody good to watch at times, but you've got two front men who are gonna go missing a lot when they're needed.
I also think the way Jol wants to set up now, he's probably going to sacrifice some of Berbas goal threat. He wants Berb as a second striker to link attack and midfield and hopefully make a few for Benty. Sometimes it'll work, others there'll be a dearth in energy that'll see them struggle in games.
That said when Berba is on it he's an absolute delight to watch.
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If/when Bent does go to Fulham, they'll have spent a combined £10m on a pair of strikers who were transferred for over £50m in the last few years.
Bit of a bargain really.
Or one Fernando Torres - shudders
if they can work together then they are potentially a deadly combination though (pinch of bias added) I'd put our front line up against the best in the PL this season
I think it's a front line that will get goals but it's also the sort of front-line that probably means you won't be much more than mid-table. You'd be bloody good to watch at times, but you've got two front men who are gonna go missing a lot when they're needed.
I also think the way Jol wants to set up now, he's probably going to sacrifice some of Berbas goal threat. He wants Berb as a second striker to link attack and midfield and hopefully make a few for Benty. Sometimes it'll work, others there'll be a dearth in energy that'll see them struggle in games.
That said when Berba is on it he's an absolute delight to watch.
What we're going to get are those highlights of them combining for a great goal, but the bit of the story that goes untold is where they have been missing for a good chunk of each game. Now, if Fulham find a way to compensate for that, easier said than done then they will discovered a quite magical formula.
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Ive been away but it appears Newcastle's talks with Bents people collapsed when they found out Joe had only bid 2mil for him. Even taking his wages into consideration thats plainly ridiculous. More about Joe trying to get Pardew out I think than getting Darren in.
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Ive been away but it appears Newcastle's talks with Bents people collapsed when they found out Joe had only bid 2mil for him. Even taking his wages into consideration thats plainly ridiculous. More about Joe trying to get Pardew out I think than getting Darren in.
the appointment of Kinnear is right up there with TSM,
the moment you start to look for answers it just creates more questions
its one of those decisions that defy any logic or reason, theres no point looking for it as it wont be found
Bent will be far better of down at Fulham if he can negotiate a move there,
good club, good manager, some good players including Berbatov who is extra special
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Ive been away but it appears Newcastle's talks with Bents people collapsed when they found out Joe had only bid 2mil for him. Even taking his wages into consideration thats plainly ridiculous. More about Joe trying to get Pardew out I think than getting Darren in.
the appointment of Kinnear is right up there with TSM,
the moment you start to look for answers it just creates more questions
its one of those decisions that defy any logic or reason, theres no point looking for it as it wont be found
Bent will be far better of down at Fulham if he can negotiate a move there,
good club, good manager, some good players including Berbatov who is extra special
Couldnt agree more.
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I don't think a fee of £6m rising to £8m is bad at all. Ignoring how much we paid for him (as we all know how inflated it was due our precocious position)
Do we?
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I think the original £18m fee wasn't that bad business.
He certaily helped repay it that season.
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This idea that the fee was over the odds is all part of the strange situation with Bent. At the time it was seen as reasonable, he was going to be the big hero and score loads of goals. He kept his part of the bargain but he was never idolised as he should have been and his fee is now regarded in some quarters as excessive, even though by any standards he did well for us before getting injured.
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I don't think a fee of £6m rising to £8m is bad at all. Ignoring how much we paid for him (as we all know how inflated it was due our precocious position)
Do we?
Quite. Darren Bent was the second top English born scorer at the top level after Rooney. Worth every penny of £18mil or 24mil depending on what the club paid.
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I don't think a fee of £6m rising to £8m is bad at all. Ignoring how much we paid for him (as we all know how inflated it was due our precocious position)
Do we?
Quite. Darren Bent was the second top English born scorer at the top level after Rooney. Worth every penny of £18mil or 24mil depending on what the club paid.
Aye.
It was money well spent,however much it was.
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He has repaid his transfer fee, something the media are far too stupid to ever realise. I'm glad we signed him, or we may have been playing Yeovil today.
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He has repaid his transfer fee, something the media are far too stupid to ever realise. I'm glad we signed him, or we may have been playing Yeovil today.
It boils my piss that the Bent fee is the only fee that the media continues to get wrong and continues to overlook the impact of that investment. He repaid the fee almost immediately as you point out given that we have remained a PL club. Not only will we not be making a loss on him, we'll be bringing in £6m or so for his tranfer fee plus saving another £6m in wages. Is it really that difficult to understand that he's served his purpose, and served it well?
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And it wasn't £24 million.
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Wasn't the 24 million a maximum figure based on him scoring fifty goals a season whilst helping us win the PL and CL? As reported at the time by the same media outlets who now just lazily and dramatically label him our £24 million pound signing.
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Wasn't the 24 million a maximum figure based on him scoring fifty goals a season whilst helping us win the PL and CL? As reported at the time by the same media outlets who now just lazily and dramatically label him our £24 million pound signing.
It was the maximum add-ons, which would almost certainly have included trophies and European qualification. I still say the press had it in for us because they were ready to run with "HOULLIER SACKED" and had to change their stories.
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I think part of is we're only little Villa, so an easy safe target to dig at. I also think we stole the jam out of a lot folks doughnuts when we signed him for that amount and he hit the ground running, considering what was paid by the super big n glamorous clubs for Torres and Carroll. Plus we were meant to be skint at the time, so how dare we spend £18+m on a player.
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All the above is true, but the media will never say so now. In a few years time they'll wise up to what's happening now and will be fawning all over us, albeit in an incredibly patronising manner. So fuck 'em.
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All the above is true, but the media will never say so now. In a few years time they'll wise up to what's happening now and will be fawning all over us, albeit in an incredibly patronising manner. So fuck 'em.
Thanks to this bright new digital age I can quite easily avoid the patronising ramblings in the media. What I will struggle to avoid will be the watercooler idiots who will regurgitate said ramblings word for word to me and try to pass it off as their own thoughts.
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I think part of is we're only little Villa, so an easy safe target to dig at. I also think we stole the jam out of a lot folks doughnuts when we signed him for that amount and he hit the ground running, considering what was paid by the super big n glamorous clubs for Torres and Carroll. Plus we were meant to be skint at the time, so how dare we spend £18+m on a player.
Or the tiresome "Why didn't you just give that money to O'Neill? He wouldn't have left and would have spent it far better?". To which the only response could be "No! You just...you just don't get it, do you?"
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I think part of is we're only little Villa, so an easy safe target to dig at. I also think we stole the jam out of a lot folks doughnuts when we signed him for that amount and he hit the ground running, considering what was paid by the super big n glamorous clubs for Torres and Carroll. Plus we were meant to be skint at the time, so how dare we spend £18+m on a player.
Or the tiresome "Why didn't you just give that money to O'Neill? He wouldn't have left and would have spent it far better?". To which the only response could be "No! You just...you just don't get it, do you?"
No he had more than enough to spend in his time especially in 2008 close season. Too many of his signings were not value for money especially on the wages side
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All the above is true, but the media will never say so now. In a few years time they'll wise up to what's happening now and will be fawning all over us, albeit in an incredibly patronising manner. So fuck 'em.
Thanks to this bright new digital age I can quite easily avoid the patronising ramblings in the media. What I will struggle to avoid will be the watercooler idiots who will regurgitate said ramblings word for word to me and try to pass it off as their own thoughts.
Ain't that the truth.
"I've heard (meaning our brother read it the paper and then told me) that Benteke's 'price tag' is 20 mill blah blah blah Spurs preparing a bid blah blah blah Liverpool waiting in the wings blah blah blah".
I wouldn't mind the transfer window if I only discussed it with people on here who generally understand transfers. But the water-cooler idiots you refer to make it almost unbearable.
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All the above is true, but the media will never say so now. In a few years time they'll wise up to what's happening now and will be fawning all over us, albeit in an incredibly patronising manner. So fuck 'em.
Thanks to this bright new digital age I can quite easily avoid the patronising ramblings in the media. What I will struggle to avoid will be the watercooler idiots who will regurgitate said ramblings word for word to me and try to pass it off as their own thoughts.
Ain't that the truth.
"I've heard (meaning our brother read it the paper and then told me) that Benteke's 'price tag' is 20 mill blah blah blah Spurs preparing a bid blah blah blah Liverpool waiting in the wings blah blah blah".
I wouldn't mind the transfer window if I only discussed it with people on here who generally understand transfers. But the water-cooler idiots you refer to make it almost unbearable.
Agreed.
Regarding the traditional media, though, one positive of having spent the best part of three seasons fighting relegation, and therefore losing a lot, was I found myself wanting to avoid all forms of football coverage in the media.
That meant the Sports sections of the Sunday papers (I rarely buy a daily these days), MOTD, SSN, that utterly horrible Sunday Supplement thing on Sky, the lot.
I think it made me a much happier person as a result. For example, even just not wasting an hour or two watching those smug insight-free dinosaurs on MOTD regurgitating cliches about us made my weekends far more bearable after a bad result.
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All the above is true, but the media will never say so now. In a few years time they'll wise up to what's happening now and will be fawning all over us, albeit in an incredibly patronising manner. So fuck 'em.
Thanks to this bright new digital age I can quite easily avoid the patronising ramblings in the media. What I will struggle to avoid will be the watercooler idiots who will regurgitate said ramblings word for word to me and try to pass it off as their own thoughts.
I've got round this problem by losing my job.
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I think part of is we're only little Villa, so an easy safe target to dig at. I also think we stole the jam out of a lot folks doughnuts when we signed him for that amount and he hit the ground running, considering what was paid by the super big n glamorous clubs for Torres and Carroll. Plus we were meant to be skint at the time, so how dare we spend £18+m on a player.
Or the tiresome "Why didn't you just give that money to O'Neill? He wouldn't have left and would have spent it far better?". To which the only response could be "No! You just...you just don't get it, do you?"
That is the single most annoying football comment I have heard in the last several decades, and it used to get reeled out quite a lot, too.
Really, really frustrating stuff.
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I think Bent should head off to MLS.
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I think part of is we're only little Villa, so an easy safe target to dig at. I also think we stole the jam out of a lot folks doughnuts when we signed him for that amount and he hit the ground running, considering what was paid by the super big n glamorous clubs for Torres and Carroll. Plus we were meant to be skint at the time, so how dare we spend £18+m on a player.
Or the tiresome "Why didn't you just give that money to O'Neill? He wouldn't have left and would have spent it far better?". To which the only response could be "No! You just...you just don't get it, do you?"
That is the single most annoying football comment I have heard in the last several decades, and it used to get reeled out quite a lot, too.
Really, really frustrating stuff.
Ya.
I often get the old "Ye had a good manager but he couldn't hold on to him" rubbish spouted to me in work about MON.
His Sunderland escapade has but that one to bed.
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Tbf the only one who still thinks MON is a decent manager is Oliver Holt surely?
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"I'll never understand why Villa sacked O'Neill." Then again it was a Wolves fan who said it, so some slack can be cut.
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Tbf the only one who still thinks MON is a decent manager is MON surely?
Corrected:)
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I am sure there was a Darren Bent thread here somewhere ...
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"I'll never understand why Villa sacked O'Neill." Then again it was a Wolves fan who said it, so some slack can be cut.
Please tell me nobody other than his Mother said or wrote this. Even the Blowsers only ever said it 'in jest'
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"I'll never understand why Villa sacked O'Neill." Then again it was a Wolves fan who said it, so some slack can be cut.
Please tell me nobody other than his Mother said or wrote this. Even the Blowsers only ever said it 'in jest'
I heard it at a Stourbridge match.
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"I'll never understand why Villa sacked O'Neill." Then again it was a Wolves fan who said it, so some slack can be cut.
Please tell me nobody other than his Mother said or wrote this. Even the Blowsers only ever said it 'in jest'
I heard it at a Stourbridge match.
How soon after his non sacking?
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"I'll never understand why Villa sacked O'Neill." Then again it was a Wolves fan who said it, so some slack can be cut.
Please tell me nobody other than his Mother said or wrote this. Even the Blowsers only ever said it 'in jest'
I heard it at a Stourbridge match.
How soon after his non sacking?
Last year.
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I am sure there was a Darren Bent thread here somewhere ...
Kinnear said today that they spent two hours in talks with Bent and his agent to thrash out a deal. Other clubs were showing an interest but he was quite hopeful of a deal.
Benty might need to bring his bodyguards with him when he plays at the Stadium of Light this season.
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I am sure there was a Darren Bent thread here somewhere ...
Kinnear said today that they spent two hours in talks with Bent and his agent to thrash out a deal. Other clubs were showing an interest but he was quite hopeful of a deal.
Benty might need to bring his bodyguards with him when he plays at the Stadium of Light this season.
Joe Kinnear sounded almost normal today when being interviewed by sky, non of the normal twaddle and bullshit we have come to expect
maybe his meds are working at last
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I am sure there was a Darren Bent thread here somewhere ...
Kinnear said today that they spent two hours in talks with Bent and his agent to thrash out a deal. Other clubs were showing an interest but he was quite hopeful of a deal.
Benty might need to bring his bodyguards with him when he plays at the Stadium of Light this season.
Joe Kinnear sounded almost normal today when being interviewed by sky, non of the normal twaddle and bullshit we have come to expect maybe his meds are working at last
I wouldn't count on it. Matt Kendrick had this to say earlier today:
Meanwhile, Villa are baffled at suggestions from Joe Kinnear that they are “still in negotiations” with Newcastle about Darren Bent.
And despite the Magpies’ interest in Bent this summer Villa have not received any offers or entered into discussions with the St James’ Park club about the striker.
Wrong kind of meds by the sound of it.
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Palace want him according to Steve Parish, who I think is their co-owner.
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Fulham are taking Taarabt on-loan. Not exactly renowned for his work-rate either is he? Not sure if it effects their interest in Bent.
Up-front with Super Kevin Phillips would be interesting but I imagine the number of current Palace players it takes to match the wages Bent is on would be a horrific figure - half a dozen or more.
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I am sure there was a Darren Bent thread here somewhere ...
Kinnear said today that they spent two hours in talks with Bent and his agent to thrash out a deal. Other clubs were showing an interest but he was quite hopeful of a deal.
And he then said that they were still negotiating with Villa about a price. I thought it was illegal to talk to a player under contract until permission had been granted by his club?
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And he then said that they were still negotiating with Villa about a price. I thought it was illegal to talk to a player under contract until permission had been granted by his club?
Considering we've made it very obvious that we want to sell him, why wouldn't we have given him permission to talk to other clubs?
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Remy gone to Newcastle now
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If Newcastle get both Remy and Gomis, which is obviously highly likely, would Bent want to go there? With Cisse and Ameobi, that's some competition for places. Even though he's definitely better than the latter two, he's still got another 2 to get past.
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If Newcastle get both Remy and Gomis, which is obviously highly likely, would Bent want to go there? With Cisse and Ameobi, that's some competition for places. Even though he's definitely better than the latter two, he's still got another 2 to get past.
Not sure he's better than Cisse, but Ameobi is absolutely shite. He's one of those players who seems to have managed to persist at a PL side for years, for no apparent reason.
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If Newcastle get both Remy and Gomis, which is obviously highly likely, would Bent want to go there? With Cisse and Ameobi, that's some competition for places. Even though he's definitely better than the latter two, he's still got another 2 to get past.
Not sure he's better than Cisse, but Ameobi is absolutely shite. He's one of those players who seems to have managed to persist at a PL side for years, for no apparent reason.
He scores some good goals for a big pile of shite.
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If Newcastle get both Remy and Gomis, which is obviously highly likely, would Bent want to go there? With Cisse and Ameobi, that's some competition for places. Even though he's definitely better than the latter two, he's still got another 2 to get past.
Not sure he's better than Cisse, but Ameobi is absolutely shite. He's one of those players who seems to have managed to persist at a PL side for years, for no apparent reason.
He scores some good goals for a big pile of shite.
4 in 35 last season, 2 in 30 the season before.
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If Newcastle get both Remy and Gomis, which is obviously highly likely, would Bent want to go there? With Cisse and Ameobi, that's some competition for places. Even though he's definitely better than the latter two, he's still got another 2 to get past.
Not sure he's better than Cisse, but Ameobi is absolutely shite. He's one of those players who seems to have managed to persist at a PL side for years, for no apparent reason.
He scores some good goals for a big pile of shite.
4 in 35 last season, 2 in 30 the season before.
He's basically Heskey, but scores more 😉
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I think both Cisse and Ba are overrated. I don't have too much to back that up exactly, just one of those gut feelings. I'm probably wrong.
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If Newcastle get both Remy and Gomis, which is obviously highly likely, would Bent want to go there? With Cisse and Ameobi, that's some competition for places. Even though he's definitely better than the latter two, he's still got another 2 to get past.
Not sure he's better than Cisse, but Ameobi is absolutely shite. He's one of those players who seems to have managed to persist at a PL side for years, for no apparent reason.
He scores some good goals for a big pile of shite.
4 in 35 last season, 2 in 30 the season before.
I'm not disputing their regularity, just the last few goals I remember him scoring have been belters, the kind you wouldn't expect from that big lumbering ox.
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Shola is a welcome constant of calmness to the circus up there. He'll always be there eager to please like a war hero's wife.
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I think both Cisse and Ba are overrated. I don't have too much to back that up exactly, just one of those gut feelings. I'm probably wrong.
I agree, both are decent players but I think they both arrived at Newcastle and had a purple patch before settling on a lower level. They're both decent premier league strikers but long term I doubt either of them will average much over 12-15 a season, still good but not in line which their respective first 6 months.
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so Newcastle's strategy in reducing the supposed French clique situation at the club is to bring in more French players.
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Didn't Remy actually reject Newcastle at the very last minute last season, to take more money on offer at QPR?
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Didn't Remy actually reject Newcastle at the very last minute last season, to take more money on offer at QPR?
Correct
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Didn't Remy actually reject Newcastle at the very last minute last season, to take more money on offer at QPR?
Correct
And doesn't he have some potentially very troubling legal difficulties hanging over him?
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I am sure there was a Darren Bent thread here somewhere ...
Kinnear said today that they spent two hours in talks with Bent and his agent to thrash out a deal. Other clubs were showing an interest but he was quite hopeful of a deal.
Benty might need to bring his bodyguards with him when he plays at the Stadium of Light this season.
I thought Kinnear was quoted as only offering Villa £2m for him, which will get our standard response of "no chance"
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I am sure there was a Darren Bent thread here somewhere ...
Kinnear said today that they spent two hours in talks with Bent and his agent to thrash out a deal. Other clubs were showing an interest but he was quite hopeful of a deal.
Benty might need to bring his bodyguards with him when he plays at the Stadium of Light this season.
I thought Kinnear was quoted as only offering Villa £2m for him, which will get our standard response of "no chance"
Newcastle are probably still awaiting our response as we haven't finished laughing yet.
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Didn't Remy actually reject Newcastle at the very last minute last season, to take more money on offer at QPR?
Correct
And doesn't he have some potentially very troubling legal difficulties hanging over him?
He does.
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Express (http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/419731/Aston-Villa-claim-Darren-Bent-is-not-close-to-Newcastle-switch)
ASTON VILLA deny Newcastle have made a bid for Darren Bent.
A club spokesman said last night there are no talks between Villa and Newcastle for the striker, who is available at £6m.
Joe Kinnear, Newcastle’s director of football, is under pressure to make signings, but the only offer Villa have had for Bent is from Fulham for £4m.
That was turned down and there has been no revised bid from them.
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Crystal Palace is fine..better than Yeovil anyway, and he'll be near the shops! Still laugh at the Gabby story of being told to bond with him, in the first week's training, by saying nice things, ..'You have nice hair and your Mum's very pretty....'
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Crystal Palace is fine..better than Yeovil anyway, and he'll be near the shops! Still laugh at the Gabby story of being told to bond with him, in the first week's training, by saying nice things, ..'You have nice hair and your Mum's very pretty....'
Eh - what's all that about?
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If Newcastle get both Remy and Gomis, which is obviously highly likely, would Bent want to go there? With Cisse and Ameobi, that's some competition for places. Even though he's definitely better than the latter two, he's still got another 2 to get past.
Not sure he's better than Cisse, but Ameobi is absolutely shite. He's one of those players who seems to have managed to persist at a PL side for years, for no apparent reason.
He scores some good goals for a big pile of shite.
4 in 35 last season, 2 in 30 the season before.
He's basically Heskey, but scores more 😉
Scores v Sunderland a lot
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One day away and i am confused as fuck. :o
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According to the Express and star Martin Jol wants to sign Darren Bent by the weekend.
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Good Luck Darren on your next choice! Martin Jols last signed Bent in 2007 for Spurs. At that time Martin had this to say
"Darren's strength is his stamina. Normally players will make runs three or four times in 45 minutes, he will do it all the time and if you manage to play balls behind the defence, he will be there. That's what I like about him.
"He has pace, he links play well and can see a pass - he can exploit the space and play as well" Quoted from BBC (http://tinyurl.com/37k9el)
The other signing that Jols made that summer was Gareth Bale! Martin Jols was replaced by the shortlived Juande Ramos and of course Bent came to us via Sunderland.
If Bent signs for Jols again he will be reunited with Dimitar Berbatov who played with him at Spurs in 2007/8 .
Jols, Berbatov and Bent are all 6 years older. Will they be as sharp as they used to be ?
One thing is certain in my mind for ₤6m and ₤60k a week FFC would be getting a bargain. With Benteke and Helenius, Bent's opportunities with us are slim and if he goes to the right club and recovers the form we know he is capable of perhaps he does have an outside chance of getting back into the England Squad.
In the meantime I will be forever thankful that Houillier did that one good thing of signing Bent to score those 9 invaluable goals. Life at B6 would probably be very different without his contribution.
Thanks Darren! KTF
#Daholteend
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Just for Jols
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Crystal Palace is fine..better than Yeovil anyway, and he'll be near the shops! Still laugh at the Gabby story of being told to bond with him, in the first week's training, by saying nice things, ..'You have nice hair and your Mum's very pretty....'
Eh - what's all that about?
It's a joke. Paul Lambert says to Gabby "I need you and Darren Bent to compliment each other..."
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Crystal Palace is fine..better than Yeovil anyway, and he'll be near the shops! Still laugh at the Gabby story of being told to bond with him, in the first week's training, by saying nice things, ..'You have nice hair and your Mum's very pretty....'
'Compliment each other' yes, sorry; memory is cattle trucked. It made me laugh.
Eh - what's all that about?
It's a joke. Paul Lambert says to Gabby "I need you and Darren Bent to compliment each other..."
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What the blazes are people on about?
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28 pages on one player due to leave at various stages of the last two months. Totes amazeballs as they say these days.
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Is he off, then? :o
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Yeah. Two bottles of San Valentine and 3 bottles of Yaiza smooth white wine. Sell him now !
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having a medical at Fulham now according to 'Sky sources'
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Really hope this isn't going to come back on bite us on the ass
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Good luck to him if the Fulham move goes through, good player for a couple of years and hasn't really don'e anything wrong, he's just not in the same place as the club now. If he can stay fit he'll do well for them.
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£4,999,976 profit can't be bad! (http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11661/8871283)
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£4,999,976 profit can't be bad! (http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11661/8871283)
Still think we should have tried to knock them down to £22.50
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No disrespect to Fulham, but I can't really fathom how Bent's not spent a career knocking around Champions League football rather than mid-table mediocrity. The guy should be a club and England legend but he's never really cemented a place anywhere, has he?
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with the bent fee and what Liverpool owed us on downing
marque signing soon ?
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No disrespect to Fulham, but I can't really fathom how Bent's not spent a career knocking around Champions League football rather than mid-table mediocrity. The guy should be a club and England legend but he's never really cemented a place anywhere, has he?
Because he can only do one thing and demands the whole team is set up so he can do it. Not to knock him, but he kind of extends his limitations to an entire team. He kept us up and my god we needed some reinstating of football basics when he came in, but he's being left behind by our style now.
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with the bent fee and what Liverpool owed us on downing
marque signing soon ?
Why would Liverpool owe us any more on Downing? Unless we had a sell on clause it wouldn't make any difference whether they'd sold him or not - ie if the agreement was 5m a year for four years, that'd still be the agreement now.
Transfer fees never get paid in one lump sum.
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No disrespect to Fulham, but I can't really fathom how Bent's not spent a career knocking around Champions League football rather than mid-table mediocrity. The guy should be a club and England legend but he's never really cemented a place anywhere, has he?
Because he can only do one thing and demands the whole team is set up so he can do it. Not to knock him, but he kind of extends his limitations to an entire team. He kept us up and my god we needed some reinstating of football basics when he came in, but he's being left behind by our style now.
Very true.
It's also because CL clubs will have strikers who can score the same, and oftten more, goals as Bent, but also offer much more to their side in terms of all round game. If you're not playing well, Bent won't pick up the ball, beat two players and stick it in the top corner from 25 yards. CL clubs want strikers who can, such as Rooney, Tevez, etc.
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I think jol actually plays football the right way and he has wingers . Bent will score loads there and do well . good luck to him. Always liked him.
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with the bent fee and what Liverpool owed us on downing
marque signing soon ?
Plumbutt doesn't do marquee signings.
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I think jol actually plays football the right way and he has wingers . Bent will score loads there and do well . good luck to him. Always liked him.
Just looking at the Fulham squad on SSN, they've some very good players there.
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I'm going to miss this thread. Maybe we can change it to a Stephen Ireland one and run it for another two years?
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with the bent fee and what Liverpool owed us on downing
marque signing soon ?
Why would Liverpool owe us any more on Downing? Unless we had a sell on clause it wouldn't make any difference whether they'd sold him or not - ie if the agreement was 5m a year for four years, that'd still be the agreement now.
Transfer fees never get paid in one lump sum.
There is no point asking Liverpool for a sell on clause. That is for clubs who sell players on at a profit. Any club would end up owing them compo for their loss.
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We're probably still paying money back on Bent to Sunderland. Maybe his incoming fee will cover the remainder.
Without the impetus he gave us between Feb and May 2011 we may well have been relegated so despite him being of little use for half of his time here and costing us more in wages and fee than any player in our history - and possibly ever again, bizarrely he still probably represented value for money.
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We're probably still paying money back on Bent to Sunderland. Maybe his incoming fee will cover the remainder.
Without the impetus he gave us between Feb and May 2011 we may well have been relegated so despite him being of little use for half of his time here and costing us more in wages and fee than any player in our history - and possibly ever again, bizarrely he still probably represented value for money.
Exactly. He was brought in to do a job, and he did it. Nobody can ever take that away from him.
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Can't see the argument for Fool'em's wingers providing Bent with the service he needs, as they play pretty narrow. Perhaps that's about to change.
There's always Berba to put him in, of course.
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Bugger. I always go to Fulham ( one of the worst away days if you've never been before - especially south of the river).He is bound to score.
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Bugger. I always go to Fulham ( one of the worst away days if you've never been before - especially south of the river).He is bound to score.
Seriously?
Fulham is my favourite away trip by miles.
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Bugger. I always go to Fulham ( one of the worst away days if you've never been before - especially south of the river).He is bound to score.
Seriously?
Fulham is my favourite away trip by miles.
And it's only about 10 yards south of the river. It's hardly Croydon
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Bugger. I always go to Fulham ( one of the worst away days if you've never been before - especially south of the river).He is bound to score.
Seriously?
Fulham is my favourite away trip by miles.
And it's only about 10 yards south of the river. It's hardly Croydon
Indeed.
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Can't see the argument for Fool'em's wingers providing Bent with the service he needs, as they play pretty narrow. Perhaps that's about to change.
There's always Berba to put him in, of course.
so you cant see Duff , Taarabat and Ruiz providing the service from the wings at times
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Is he going on loan or permanently? If he's on loan then he might not be available to play against us.
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Bugger. I always go to Fulham ( one of the worst away days if you've never been before - especially south of the river).He is bound to score.
Seriously?
Fulham is my favourite away trip by miles.
And it's only about 10 yards south of the river. It's hardly Croydon
Indeed.
I must have been going to the wrong place all these years. I always found it north of the river.
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Is he going on loan or permanently? If he's on loan then he might not be available to play against us.
He definitely won't be allowed to play against us if it is a loan.
I think they should stop PL clubs taking loans. It's all a bit nonsensical, really.
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Bugger. I always go to Fulham ( one of the worst away days if you've never been before - especially south of the river).He is bound to score.
Seriously?
Fulham is my favourite away trip by miles.
And it's only about 10 yards south of the river. It's hardly Croydon
Indeed.
I must have been going to the wrong place all these years. I always found it north of the river.
An even better point.
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Is he going on loan or permanently? If he's on loan then he might not be available to play against us.
He definitely won't be allowed to play against us if it is a loan.
I think they should stop PL clubs taking loans. It's all a bit nonsensical, really.
don't disagree but I'm sure Villa held on for a team to pay his wages in full, or close to it, and there will likely be a smaller transfer fee at the end with him having one year left on his deal. I'm sure they'll be paying us something every month too. You also know if it was permanent he'd be bagging a brace against us so maybe the loan is better. But yes, as a principle loans between PL clubs makes no sense.
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Bugger. I always go to Fulham ( one of the worst away days if you've never been before - especially south of the river).He is bound to score.
Seriously?
Fulham is my favourite away trip by miles.
And it's only about 10 yards south of the river. It's hardly Croydon
Indeed.
I must have been going to the wrong place all these years. I always found it north of the river.
Clever Clogs
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How it's come to this I don't know. A guaranteed goalscorer shipped out on loan. It's not like we were falling over ourselves with goals last season
I just hope Benteke doesn't get injured and we have to bring on Bowery ... AARGGHH
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How it's come to this I don't know. A guaranteed goalscorer shipped out on loan. It's not like we were falling over ourselves with goals last season
I just hope Benteke doesn't get injured and we have to bring on Bowery ... AARGGHH
That's what gladiators are for
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Having medical at Fulham according to SSN, never famous half arsed manager sounded pissed off because he thought he'd got him.
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£4,999,976 profit can't be bad! (http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11661/8871283)
Still think we should have tried to knock them down to £22.50
You're both wrong. According to this report on the Beeb (http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/23711266) we paid even less than that - "Bent, a club record £18 signing in 2011"
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I must have been going to the wrong place all these years. I always found it north of the river.
In ancient times before the start of the Premier League the river used to run down Fulham Broadway therfore ground was south of the river. Amazing how the landscape has changed since 1992!
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Not to be pedantic but I'm fairly sure the river is running North to South when it passes the Fulham ground so it's technically on the east side of the river. :P
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Yes but no-one in London calls it 'east of the river' ; South of the border , Out of Order as them cockerney types like to say.
There is certainly quite a difference north and south in my experience, different outlook on life.
There's no such great geographical divide in Brum that I know of : Discuss.
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Yes but no-one in London calls it 'east of the river' ; South of the border , Out of Order as them cockerney types like to say.
There is certainly quite a difference north and south in my experience, different outlook on life.
There's no such great geographical divide in Brum that I know of : Discuss.
Yes. South of the river is best.
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Yes but no-one in London calls it 'east of the river' ; South of the border , Out of Order as them cockerney types like to say.
There is certainly quite a difference north and south in my experience, different outlook on life.
There's no such great geographical divide in Brum that I know of : Discuss.
Yes. South of the river is best.
True. South east, if I'm being technical
They're all soft bummers up north
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£2m loan fee plus 100% of his wages to be paid by Fulham (and with no set future fee/option-to-buy)? Pretty happy with that.
Worst case scenario - Bent has a stinker of a season, no clubs want to buy him and we're stuck with him for the last year of his contract (assuming we can't find another club to loan him out to), but we get his wages off the books for a year plus £2m in the bank to offset against the last year of his contract with us. Effectively, we've just got Fulham to pay the majority of the remainder of Bent's contract with us.
Best case scenario - Bent has a blinder (plus can't play directly against us), sparks interest from a host of clubs (as Fulham didn't agree an option-to-buy) and we'll likely get our asking price for him, on top of that £2m we'd already made from loaning him out.
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Yes but no-one in London calls it 'east of the river' ; South of the border , Out of Order as them cockerney types like to say.
There is certainly quite a difference north and south in my experience, different outlook on life.
There's no such great geographical divide in Brum that I know of : Discuss.
Yes. South of the river is best.
Nice bits, but Clapham ruins everything.
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One of either Martin Jol or the new owner is clearly mental:
"I don't know what's happening. Darren's probably doing his own thing. We're not sure about it," the Fulham boss said.
"We don't speculate on players and can only give an answer when a deal is finalised. We'll see in the next day or two."
"We need quality up front and we're trying to get someone in that position in the next week. We need some pace up front," Jol said.
"People were telling me yesterday that he was having a medical at Crystal Palace. That is changing every day," Jol said.
"I thought yesterday that he was going to Ian Holloway. It's tough in the Premier League.
"I'm not sure if other managers should say things like that, because we are not 100 per cent sure about any player and I have a few players on the list.
"Maybe some geezer told him he was coming to us. Maybe he's right, maybe not. We'll see in the next day."
"The new owner's not interfering with anything. The only thing he said was try to create a nice sausage.
"He knows that we like sausages here. As long as it's a nice sausage he'll be happy."
I also like the idea of Jol saying the word 'geezer' in his Dutch accent.
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One of either Martin Jol or the new owner is clearly mental:
"I don't know what's happening. Darren's probably doing his own thing. We're not sure about it," the Fulham boss said.
"We don't speculate on players and can only give an answer when a deal is finalised. We'll see in the next day or two."
"We need quality up front and we're trying to get someone in that position in the next week. We need some pace up front," Jol said.
"People were telling me yesterday that he was having a medical at Crystal Palace. That is changing every day," Jol said.
"I thought yesterday that he was going to Ian Holloway. It's tough in the Premier League.
"I'm not sure if other managers should say things like that, because we are not 100 per cent sure about any player and I have a few players on the list.
"Maybe some geezer told him he was coming to us. Maybe he's right, maybe not. We'll see in the next day."
"The new owner's not interfering with anything. The only thing he said was try to create a nice sausage.
"He knows that we like sausages here. As long as it's a nice sausage he'll be happy."
I also like the idea of Jol saying the word 'geezer' in his Dutch accent.
That reads like a text message where predictive text has suggested the wrong word.
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Yes but no-one in London calls it 'east of the river' ; South of the border , Out of Order as them cockerney types like to say.
There is certainly quite a difference north and south in my experience, different outlook on life.
There's no such great geographical divide in Brum that I know of : Discuss.
Yes. South of the river is best.
True. South east, if I'm being technical
They're all soft bummers up north
Well, yeah, cottagers.
Isn't Craven Cottage actually in Putney though just like Stamford Bridge is in Fulham and on the Fulham Road, not the Kings Road?
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Moxley in the Daily Mail reporting it like it is a done deal
I never fell out with Bent, insists Lambert... Benteke has just been so good
By Neil Moxley
PUBLISHED:11:57 EST, 15 August 2013| UPDATED: 11:57 EST, 15 August 2013
Darren Bent's career at Aston Villa has been cut short due to the form of Christian Benteke, according to Paul Lambert.
As the former England striker left for Fulham following a loan deal that has been arranged between the two clubs, the Scot clarified why the £24m forward fell out of favour under him.
Villa have accepted a 'substantial' loan fee for the frontman who has two years left to run on the four-and-a-half year contract he agreed after joining from Sunderland in January 2011.
The Cottagers have also agreed to pick up all of his £65,000-a-week wage while he is on their books.
Lambert denied reports that the pair had fallen out, claiming that there had 'not been one crossed word.'
He said: 'Darren's down there (Fulham) having a medical.
'There's not been one crossed word between us. I don't know where people have got that from.
'I brought in Benteke. If anyone can tell me that was the wrong decision, then the boys in white coats would take you away.
'It's just been the way I play and the way I look for people to play football under me.
'That's football. All over the world. That's that game. It's nothing to do with faces. I just had to make decisions about who I played.
'The big man has come in and been exceptional.'
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Substantial loan fee and all the wages sounds good.
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From £20m to a £2m loan fee. When you think about Bent, Andy carroll and Downing there hasn't half been some money wasted by clubs lately.
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From £20m to a £2m loan fee. When you think about Bent, Andy carroll and Downing there hasn't half been some money wasted by clubs lately.
Even if we'd given him away for free then it wouldn't have been money wasted.
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From £20m to a £2m loan fee. When you think about Bent, Andy carroll and Downing there hasn't half been some money wasted by clubs lately.
Even if we'd given him away for free then it wouldn't have been money wasted.
Well he did help us keep us up so you have a point. I bet Lerner is a bit upset about writing off another big fee though.
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The best thing about the loan is that he won't be scoring against us.
covering the wages and get a laon fee seems like a good way to get his salary off the books.
Now, anyone for that scrote Ireland?
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It is a shame we can't keep him to put pressure on 3 strikers and the gladiator. I think Bent is the victim of awesome Benteke plus cost cutting on wages.
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I do hope Holloway gets sacked before seasons end. I am already tired of his gobby antics.
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It is a shame we can't keep him to put pressure on 3 strikers and the gladiator. I think Bent is the victim of awesome Benteke plus cost cutting on wages.
Totally agree but not necessarily in that order.
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From £20m to a £2m loan fee. When you think about Bent, Andy carroll and Downing there hasn't half been some money wasted by clubs lately.
Even if we'd given him away for free then it wouldn't have been money wasted.
Well he did help us keep us up so you have a point. I bet Lerner is a bit upset about writing off another big fee though.
He'd be even more upset if our season had already kicked off.
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From £20m to a £2m loan fee. When you think about Bent, Andy carroll and Downing there hasn't half been some money wasted by clubs lately.
If I remember right that was a very silly "january" window. You could even include Torres and Henderson in that group as they have failed to deliver expectation. Bent did his job in the first season but still the money drop on these players is astonishing.
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Bit of a weird deal though, why didn't they just buy him? I'm guessing he has two years left on his contract?
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Yeah, he does. I guess Fulham don't want to commit to a long-term deal in case he doesn't deliver the goods this season. He should be at his peak but has been injured or benched for the past 18 months so I guess they want to mitigate that risk.
It's interesting to compare Downing and Bent's situations. Both moved for similar money - big money within a few months of each other and today both have been offloaded at a fraction of the cost.
Bent's initial importance to us far outweighs anything meek Stewie managed at Anfield though.
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Good job 'The Mighty Reds YNWA' weren't relying on Downing's goals to keep them up!
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Decent deal for us in the end (if you think of the saving in the wages we got to the 6m in the end), hopefully mean we can get another attack minded player in the squad with the extra 6m or so.
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I'd prefer a decent defender.
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I'd prefer a decent defender.
And me, although hopefully Okore will be amazingly good.
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How quick are we going to spend the cash...
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As stated previously, at least this means he won't score against us next season.
If they pick up his wages, then that can't be a bad thing.
I think he could well be in the top 10 goalscorers this season (not that I want him to stay as he doesn't fit into our system).
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Sounds like a good move all round. Thanks for the goals to that kept us up. Now go get a hatrick against Crystal Palace.
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Torygraph:
Darren Bent's frustration is over as he prepares to complete a loan move to Fulham, with Martin Jol agreeing to pay a substantial loan fee and all of the England international's £65,000 a week wages.
Bent's departure ends a nightmare 12 months in which the £24 million record signing was first stripped of the captaincy and then spent the majority of the season on the sidelines, largely due to the emergence of Christian Benteke.
Lambert insisted there had been no rift and claimed he had been vindicated in his decision to exile the forward.
"There has been not one crossed word between us," he said. "I brought in Benteke. If anyone can tell me it was the wrong decision (to pick him ahead of Bent) then they'd take you away in a white van!
"It's just the way I play and the way I look for people to play under me. That's football. All over the world that's the game. It's nothing to do with faces, I just had to make decisions about who I played."
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This medical must be the longest ever, what are they doing to him they must be giving Bent open heart surgery!
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The best thing about the loan is that he won't be scoring against us.
covering the wages and get a laon fee seems like a good way to get his salary off the books.
Now, anyone for that scrote Ireland?
Unless King Kenny gets another job I fear we are stuck with him.
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I'd prefer a decent defender.
Me too. I'm staggered to think we're going into a new season with that back line.
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I'd prefer a decent defender.
Me too. I'm staggered to think we're going into a new season with that back line.
This is my biggest concern. I see us being entertaining and scoring a good few but any team with some nous / guile will be able to pick us off relatively easy.
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The best thing about the loan is that he won't be scoring against us.
covering the wages and get a laon fee seems like a good way to get his salary off the books.
Now, anyone for that scrote Ireland?
Unless King Kenny gets another job I fear we are stuck with him.
Ireland has many abilities, most of them he never uses but the one he makes full use of is his ability to put the least amount of effort in and get the most financial gain out. Ireland will therefore see out the rest of his contract twiddling his thumbs. There is a gulf in class between Bent and Ireland.
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I'd prefer a decent defender.
Me too. I'm staggered to think we're going into a new season with that back line.
I kind of like it. Lambert's balls are so big it must give the players confidence that they're good enough.
And for the club I'd expect two of Clark, Okore, Baker, and Luna/Bennet to be considered "a safe pair of hands" by the end of the season (like Lowton last season). As a result there will only be one critical place left to fill in the defence and the others can be sold.
It's a slow process but the club will grow bigger as a result. Buying so called finished articles like Collins and Dunne can only get us so far as - as players - they've already acheived their potential. Virtually all of the current squad are of the age to improve, and the current set up seems to want to coach them.
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I don't think the defensive problems we have will necessarily be solved by an individual defender we can afford.
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Assuming the loan fee isn't peanuts (let's say 2m), Faulkner's actually played a blinder here. By loaning him we're not liable for the loyalty payment, so that 2m is 'clean' money - with the potential to do the same (or just flog him) next year.
If we'd sold him for £6m we'd have had to pay the vast majority of that fee directly to Bent as his loyalty payment.
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Assuming the loan fee isn't peanuts (let's say 2m), Faulkner's actually played a blinder here. By loaning him we're not liable for the loyalty payment, so that 2m is 'clean' money - with the potential to do the same (or just flog him) next year.
If we'd sold him for £6m we'd have had to pay the vast majority of that fee directly to Bent as his loyalty payment.
We don't actually know any of the things you mention, though, do we? I mean we don't know about there being a 2m loyalty payment which we've dodged or that he'd be due the majority of the fee.
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I'd prefer a decent defender.
Me too. I'm staggered to think we're going into a new season with that back line.
Without sounding doom and gloomy, I agree.
We haven't seen much of Okore, but it's an awful lot to expect of such a young player who has never played in this league before.
I am very excited at the thought of watching us go forward, but equally terrified at the thought of us having to defend.
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where are we with Bents transfer/loan, as he actually signed for anyone yet ?
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I think teamvillage is on the right lines though,
If you assume that had be sold bent we'd be liable to pay up the rest of his contract (I believe this is the case? )
A loan of £2M plus wages paid for a season has saved us having to pay a year of Bents wages, plus we get £2M as a bonus.
Selling for £4M now and paying Bent £6.7M for the rest of his contract VS Loan for £2M now and wages paid then sell next year for £3.5M and we're £2M better off.
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Assuming the loan fee isn't peanuts (let's say 2m), Faulkner's actually played a blinder here. By loaning him we're not liable for the loyalty payment, so that 2m is 'clean' money - with the potential to do the same (or just flog him) next year.
If we'd sold him for £6m we'd have had to pay the vast majority of that fee directly to Bent as his loyalty payment.
We don't actually know any of the things you mention, though, do we? I mean we don't know about there being a 2m loyalty payment which we've dodged or that he'd be due the majority of the fee.
Well, we do know that if he were sold without requesting a transfer then we'd need to pay up the majority of his contract.
Just as we will next year if we sell him, but it still reduces what he needs to be paid.
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It's officially gone through.
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If we weren't getting much better than offers of 4 million quid for a permanent then this deal makes a lot of sense. As said, we get a loan fee, and we get his wages off the books for a year. I think we've got a good deal to be honest. If he scores 20 goals, come next season we'll be in a position to ask for a better fee than we can now, even with him in his final contract year. And in addition we'll have less loyalty bonus to pay Benty this time next season.
In addition, for at least a year, we won't see Bent scoring against us either.
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where are we with Bents transfer/loan, as he actually signed for anyone yet ?
there's a pic of him stretching a white shirt on the Fulham OS. Good luck to him. Not too much though mind you.
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Be interesting to hear what he says about us in his interviews after signing.
He's been quite diplomatic in practically everything he's said to the press in the past that I can remember and not just regarding stuff with us that might have pissed him off - the situation with Lambert or Downing and Young being sold six months after he joined. Don't think he ever bleated over Redknapp's quip about Sandra being able to bury that chance he missed for Spurs either.
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The best thing about the loan is that he won't be scoring against us.
covering the wages and get a laon fee seems like a good way to get his salary off the books.
Now, anyone for that scrote Ireland?
Unless King Kenny gets another job I fear we are stuck with him.
You would thin Ireland is in breach of contract. We should be able to tear it up and get rid of him, after all he was signed to play football.
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Good luck Darren, try not to score too many goals and send us down
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Good luck Darren, try not to score too many goals and send us down
Well, he can't play against us so unless you're suggesting that the final relegation place will be between us and Fulham I struggle to see the above could possibly happen.
As far as I'm concerned he can score as many goals as he wants. The more the better.
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Good luck Darren, try not to score too many goals and send us down
Well, he can't play against us so unless you're suggesting that the final relegation place will be between us and Fulham I struggle to see the above could possibly happen.
As far as I'm concerned he can score as many goals as he wants. The more the better.
So much is clear.
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Good luck Darren, try not to score too many goals and send us down
Well, he can't play against us so unless you're suggesting that the final relegation place will be between us and Fulham I struggle to see the above could possibly happen.
As far as I'm concerned he can score as many goals as he wants. The more the better.
I'd even be happy if he'd pipped Benteke to the Golden Boot. Good luck to him, we can not lose from this deal.
His game does not suit us but hopefully Jol will get the best out of him cause he seems a very decent professional.
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Tis done.Best of luck Darren
http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~3358077,00.html
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I'd prefer a decent defender.
Me too. I'm staggered to think we're going into a new season with that back line.
Without sounding doom and gloomy, I agree.
We haven't seen much of Okore, but it's an awful lot to expect of such a young player who has never played in this league before.
I am very excited at the thought of watching us go forward, but equally terrified at the thought of us having to defend.
Worries me too. I still think that we need some experience in the squad. Not one of our new signings has Premiership has actually played in the Premiership.
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Also slightly concerned about our defence and I can see us being involved in a fair few 4-3s and 3-2s this season.
I wish Darrent Bent all the best, really rate the guy, he's never bad mouthed the club or the manager and he's just been unlucky the style and requirements of the new manager didn't particularly suit his undoubted talents - although I think it's as much to do with reducing the wage bill as anything else. I still think he could have played alongside Benteke but we'll never know now.
Onwards and upwards.
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Also slightly concerned about our defence and I can see us being involved in a fair few 4-3s and 3-2s this season.
I wish Darrent Bent all the best, really rate the guy, he's never bad mouthed the club or the manager and he's just been unlucky the style and requirements of the new manager didn't particularly suit his undoubted talents - although I think it's as much to do with reducing the wage bill as anything else. I still think he could have played alongside Benteke but we'll never know now.
Onwards and upwards.
Agree - except if him and Benteke played we would be even more open defecsively.
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He's just a nice guy....
Aston Villa striker Darren Bent has completed his season-long loan move to Fulham.
The 29-year-old has been used sparingly by manager Paul Lambert during his time in charge and has looked elsewhere in search of first team football.
Bent tweeted: 'Delighted to be joining Fulham and really excited about getting started. It's an exciting new challenge for me and one that I'm relishing.
'Can't wait to get going. Also want to say thank you to Villa & especially the Villa fans who have shown me amazing support during my time there.'
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Good luck Darren.
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Good luck to him. I've got Benty in my dream team. He was a bargain. Up top with Benteke and Soldado.
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I think Bent will be there or thereabouts for the Golden Boot this season.
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Best club you could have gone to Darren. I think you were at the right club at the wrong time. If only MON had bought you instead of Heskey we could have qualified for Europe.
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I think Bent will be there or thereabouts for the Golden Boot this season.
Then you should fill your boots, since 80/1 against this scenario is being offered at several leading bookmakers.
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I hope he does well.
Great pity he didn't fit PL's plans.
His goals a couple of seasons ago saved us and I thought we'd have him doing that for at least 3/4 seasons.
Good luck DB.
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All the best, but we move on.
I'd imagine one of those we've enquired about will now be a viable option. Interesting to see who.
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Good luck Darren. You have been professional which more than can be said for some others on our books.
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I think Bent will be there or thereabouts for the Golden Boot this season.
Then you should fill your boots, since 80/1 against this scenario is being offered at several leading bookmakers.
I don't bet. I'm either quietly smug or forget I ever said anything.
I know he's not likely to finish top of the pile, but 80 to 1 against seems like massive odds for a natural finisher like Bent. Unless he's going to miss six months of the season I'd say he'll easily make double figures in the league alone.
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Not one of our new signings has Premiership has actually played in the Premiership.
Neither have Man city's, Liverpool's and Spurs.
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I'd prefer a decent defender.
Me too. I'm staggered to think we're going into a new season with that back line.
OK who?
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I'd prefer a decent defender.
Me too. I'm staggered to think we're going into a new season with that back line.
OK who?
I'm not bothered.
I see all of our defenders improving, along with the team.
Serious question, do the best teams have the best defenders, or do they dominate teams further up the pitch and take their chances?
Do Barca look like they worry about building from the back?
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I would just like to wish Darren all the best, secure in the knowledge that he won't be able to play against us, and really hoping that he finds his scoring boots so we can have him back again!
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Good luck Darren. kept us up, did what he always said he would. Score goals. Good result for both sides.
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Quality player - quality attitude. For all the rightful gurning on here about unprofessional players (yes - I'm looking at you Steven Ireland) Bent retains my respect....
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Good luck to him - wish we had bought him three years earlier - think we would definitely have got Champions League signing him rather than Ivanhoe- he kept us up and scored two crackers at the Emirates for one of the best away days ever (with the running commentary of the blues losing in the background).
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Said it before and will say again Thanks Darren for keeping us inthe Top League 2 seasons running. We would likely have been relegated under Houlivepooliier and definitely would have under He Who Shall Remain Nameless without your goals. Good luck at Fulham and score bucketloads against others.
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I wish Bent well. Seeing him go to Fulham gives us the best of both worlds. We are paying his wages and he's potentially still an option in future for us.
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Not one of our new signings has Premiership has actually played in the Premiership.
Neither have Man city's, Liverpool's and Spurs.
Kolo Toure has.
[/pedantry]
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The moves makes sense, if we do sell him in a years time I hope we can make at least six mil on him.
If Bent stays fit I can see him being a good signing for them, knows the manager, knows a couple of the players (from his Spurs days) and just fits their style of play and that size of club a little more. Good luck to him.
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I think if Bent stays fit (which is possibly questionnable given the last 2 years) then he'll play most games for Fulham. He's going there to play up top with Berba. Jol won't switch his system and play one at a time, he'll go all out.
I see him doing very well there. He scores goals where-ever he goes. He's in both my dream teams this season because he's a bargain player. You cannot go wrong. He's a 1 in 2 striker. So if he chalks up 30 games, he'll probably get 15 goals. Berbatov is fantastic at spotting runs and also drawing defenders out. With him playing a little deeper in a number 10 role, Benty will be rolling in goals.
I think Bent has to be the absolute Dream Team given that everyone should go for.
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I wish Bent well. Seeing him go to Fulham gives us the best of both worlds. We are paying his wages and he's potentially still an option in future for us.
I'm pretty sure Fulham are paying his wages.
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Can we recall him if its a loan for a whole season?
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Can we recall him if its a loan for a whole season?
Probably not. They're paying his wages and paid a substantial loan fee, so I think the recall option is a no go. That said I don't think Lambert would recall him even if injuries dictated we had to play Bowery up front for a dozen games on the spin.
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I have never been a massive fan of his
But as others have said, whatever the fee whatever the loss we have made on DB
He owes us nothing
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Anyone seen Pardew bleating on that Newcastle was a better option for him? Yes Allan, it may be a better option, but Kinnear offered 2m for a permanent deal like a buffoon and you never came back with anything decent. Had you, you might have the player. Complete oik. Ashley, Pardew, Kinnear, is there a more loathsome, ridiculous, car crash trio than them in the league. Ashley is a useless lout, Kinnear is pissed and generally a complete cock in all he says and does and Pardew has no self respect for not walking away and hitting Newcastle with a law suit for the way they put Kinnear in. Their hopes lie with Remy, who has a fun court case ahead. Lovely.
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If he stays fit, I can see him getting at least 15 goals this season.
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The ease at which Pardew reveals telling information in interviews about the club (specifically mentioning players that they want, don't want, commenting on the weaknesses of their current squad etc.) would make me feel queasy as a supporter but I guess we're used to Lambert - and Lerner/Faulkner's, more guarded, professional approach to any questions.
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Anyone seen Pardew bleating on that Newcastle was a better option for him? Yes Allan, it may be a better option, but Kinnear offered 2m for a permanent deal like a buffoon and you never came back with anything decent. Had you, you might have the player. Complete oik. Ashley, Pardew, Kinnear, is there a more loathsome, ridiculous, car crash trio than them in the league. Ashley is a useless lout, Kinnear is pissed and generally a complete cock in all he says and does and Pardew has no self respect for not walking away and hitting Newcastle with a law suit for the way they put Kinnear in. Their hopes lie with Remy, who has a fun court case ahead. Lovely.
If we had told them , his name was Dareau Courbé , We would have got £15 million off them.
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I would like to wish darren all the best at Fulham , sad to see him go but he wasnt part of the managers plans so it is best for all- i an grateful for the goals he scored that helped us stay up during his time with us.
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On the bench for them today.
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Good luck to Darren. He will have a good season at Fulham.
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So it looks like Darren and Paul did have a spat after all...
And I too was going to wish him luck. Oh well, everything else surrounding the club is positive at the moment.
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So it looks like Darren and Paul did have a spat after all...
Tell me more....
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So it looks like Darren and Paul did have a spat after all...
And I too was going to wish him luck. Oh well, everything else surrounding the club is positive at the moment.
If you're on about his quotes today then he pretty much says there wasn't a spat, there was literally nothing, jut dropped.
I feel bad for him, it's obviously for financial reasons for the good of the club, it's just a shame he had to go under a bit of a cloud as he's honest pro. I wish him well.
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although Gabby just tweeted this
Red Power Ranger @g15bes Protected account 1m
Every club ur at u say ur treated badly I wonder wat u do that u don't tell everyone 🙈
hehehe
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His comments are fine. Just expressing his disappointment. This is good for him and us.
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Darren Bent has revealed the extent of his "horrible" misery at Aston Villa last season and stressed his determination to make the England squad for next summer's World Cup finals in Brazil.
Roy Hodgson's team have still to qualify but, after escaping Villa on a season-long loan to Fulham, Bent is looking to the future with confidence. "It's been a long, long summer," said the striker. "There's been a lot of speculation about where I was going to go and where I was going to play my football but it was Fulham who did the most work in getting me to the club and that's why I'm their player.
"It was really difficult at Villa because we weren't allowed to play in any matches, a few of us were kind of alienated to train with the kids. It has been difficult. There were times when I was thinking‚ 'Do I really deserve this?' It's all well and good not being part of the squad but to be treated like we have is bad.
"It was horrible. It wasn't so much the injuries, although they certainly didn't help, it was just the uncertainty. There were times I was in the squad and times I wasn't and there was just no explanation why. I understand that not every player can be every manager's cup of tea but to be alienated like that, to be kicked out of the first-team dressing room, when I've played a long time, when I'm an international, just felt a bit disappointing."
As for why he chose Fulham ahead of Newcastle United, whose manager, Alan Pardew, he had worked with at Charlton, he said: "I know Martin Jol. I've worked with him before, he signed me at Tottenham and I respect him hugely.
"Fulham are a strong, solid team and a good, solid club who have got some fantastic players. It's no secret that Newcastle were in for me, too, and there was a lot of speculation and I spoke to them but it never really materialised. Crystal Palace are a good side and I'd like to thank them for their interest but at this stage of my career I just felt that the best place for me was Fulham."
Bent, a £24m buy from Sunderland by Villa's former manager Gérard Houllier, clearly feels he can exorcise the recent past at Villa Park under Paul Lambert with a new start at Craven Cottage.
"I'm not just hungry to play football again. I'm absolutely starving," he said. "I'm ready to get going. Hopefully for the next game I'll get a piece of the action.
"I've missed on a couple of major competitions with England but I just hope this is my year. I need to get back to playing regularly, scoring goals for Fulham and that's my priority. That's what I do best."
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One day, in a parallel universe thousands of light years away there will be a journalist who actually realises that there is no way in the World we ever paid £24million for Darren Bent.
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One day, in a parallel universe thousands of light years away there will be a journalist who actually realises that there is no way in the World we ever paid £24million for Darren Bent.
In that same universe, Ciaran Clarke never gets spelt that way again. Barry Bannan actually realises it his fault he isn't wanted at Villa. Stephen Ireland actually cares about anything.
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One day, in a parallel universe thousands of light years away there will be a journalist who actually realises that there is no way in the World we ever paid £24million for Darren Bent.
In that same universe, Ciaran Clarke never gets spelt that way again. Barry Bannan actually realises it his fault he isn't wanted at Villa. Stephen Ireland actually cares about anything.
And nobody will ever write to Heroes and Villians.
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Can't see anything wrong in Bent's comments.
Is that tweet from Gabby? He writes less clearly than he speaks. The only supposed ''goss'' on Bent I can recall being mentioned is of some alleged rift involving him, Herd and Herd's partner. Possibly rubbish. Anyway, Dazza's a married man now and he plays by the river. He'll be happy.
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Can't see anything wrong in Bent's comments.
Is that tweet from Gabby? He writes less clearly than he speaks. The only supposed ''goss'' on Bent I can recall being mentioned is of some alleged rift involving him, Herd and Herd's partner. Possibly rubbish. Anyway, Dazza's a married man now and he plays by the river. He'll be happy.
I highly doubt Gabby is on twitter. It's probably just some muppet.
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One day, in a parallel universe thousands of light years away there will be a journalist who actually realises that there is no way in the World we ever paid £24million for Darren Bent.
In that same universe, Ciaran Clarke never gets spelt that way again. Barry Bannan actually realises it his fault he isn't wanted at Villa. Stephen Ireland actually cares about anything.
And nobody will ever write to Heroes and Villians.
You make those letters up, don't you?
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One day, in a parallel universe thousands of light years away there will be a journalist who actually realises that there is no way in the World we ever paid £24million for Darren Bent.
In that same universe, Ciaran Clarke never gets spelt that way again. Barry Bannan actually realises it his fault he isn't wanted at Villa. Stephen Ireland actually cares about anything.
And nobody will ever write to Heroes and Villians.
You make those letters up, don't you?
No, and note the spelling.
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I don't really have a problem with his comments. I think it's one issue that Lambert could address, if only from our business perspective. I'm not sure freezing players out and making it very obvious we don't want them is particularly conducive to helping sell them at a good price. I like Lambert a lot, but he does have some faults.
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I can see what Bent's getting at, but we needed a really extreme transformation. The team was still basically the unwanted remnants of MON's famously canny transfer policy, followed by the disjointed collected efforts of GH and TSM. The methods may have been brutal, but this is now Lambert's team and Lambert's Villa.
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Can't see anything wrong in Bent's comments.
Is that tweet from Gabby? He writes less clearly than he speaks. The only supposed ''goss'' on Bent I can recall being mentioned is of some alleged rift involving him, Herd and Herd's partner. Possibly rubbish. Anyway, Dazza's a married man now and he plays by the river. He'll be happy.
I highly doubt Gabby is on twitter. It's probably just some muppet.
Nope, it is him.
He posts videos of himself or other players all the time, such as on the plane to Dublin
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Benteke's style suits us better. Bent is to expensive to keep as a reserve. The rest is pretty much irrelevant.
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Sometimes you have to adapt or die. Bent couldn't adapt to our way of playing. Whether he's generally acted with decorum here or not, he probably could have worked harder to fit into how our manager wanted to play. There's aspects of his game that he could have worked on to improve. There were times in games where he wasn't getting a touch and could have tried force himself upon the game a bit more. He could have worked harder in games.
Bent has been mostly professional but he's certainly not someone you'd say has worked his balls off to stay in Lambo's plans. He could conceivably have worked very well with Benteke. This time last year he was our captain too. He's had his chance. Like most of the rest of the bombers he's not done enough. Certainly not to justify the wages paid.
I know it must frustrate him and all but it's Lamberts prerogative. He came out and always made his point clear. He didn't need to molly coddle Bent, Ireland, Hutton etc on a weekly basis. Hold their hand and tell them it was going to be okay. He made his and their position clear and got on with the job at hand, working hard with his first team squad.
As Gabby says though and he has a point. There seems to be some problem that Bent has at most of his clubs. Then you compare Gabby and Bent. Before last season many might have argued that Gabby's time here had passed. Time to move on. When Lambo strolled in, most betting men thinking a year down the line as to which player out of Gabby or Bent would be turfed out, would probably have opted for Gabby. Gab works his nuts off, aside from his love of the club.
Good luck to Benty. But if he's expecting a lot of sympathy, he better not look to me. I stand by Lambert's decision. A little harsh, but why keep him with the first team squad if he's not part of the plans, if he's not gonna make the 25 man selection? Lambert has pretty much 2 players in every position. He's got to blend together all of the players who he actually wants to feature. He doesn't owe Bent, Ireland etc their fitness. They can stay fit training with the youngens. Why give pre-season match time to Bent, where it could be given to Helenius, or a youngster we might need to call upon at some point, like Grealish say. As for affecting his value, well that side of things isn't Lamberts perogative so much. He's got his budget. He's got his players to work with. A few friendly appearances won't add that much to Bents value. His wages are the main issue more than a fee we can get too.
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@DarrenBent: really enjoying life at Fulham. just to clarify I feel some of quotes after the game on the weekend don't do what I said justice....
@DarrenBent: ...as I said on Friday the fans and those at the club at Villa have always been great with me. Looking forward to saturday's game now
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Darren is justified in having a slight moan but he has gone to the right club and will do well.
His standing with the Villa fans is still high and will continue to be so in the future.
He didnt behave like Ireland or Benteke for that matter but conducted himself in a professional manner.
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I still don't understand how he went from captain to been dropped from the squad altogether in the space of about 8 months... There must have been some disagreement with PL, otherwise why would have he picked him as skipper at the very beginning.
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@DarrenBent: really enjoying life at Fulham. just to clarify I feel some of quotes after the game on the weekend don't do what I said justice....
@DarrenBent: ...as I said on Friday the fans and those at the club at Villa have always been great with me. Looking forward to saturday's game now
The press twist shit. Darren is fine by me. Time to move on.
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@DarrenBent: really enjoying life at Fulham. just to clarify I feel some of quotes after the game on the weekend don't do what I said justice....
@DarrenBent: ...as I said on Friday the fans and those at the club at Villa have always been great with me. Looking forward to saturday's game now
The press twist shit. Darren is fine by me. Time to move on.
This. He's been around the block, he knows the nature of the game. He's now at a club where he'll do well. If they make the deal permanent he might find himself under a different manager than Jol at some point, and may fall out of favour again, no matter how he's done there. You can't be the right player for every manager, unless course you're Messi who I'm sure could be fit into any gaffers side anywhere around the world, unless Christiano Ronaldo is managing a side of course!
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barney ronay from the guardian on Bent's performance v West Ham
There were, of course, no shortage of Things That Went Wrong in Martin Jol's Fulham team. Point at it. You can be fairly sure, in one way or another, it went wrong. From managerial drift to a listless squad, to yet another case of Adelusion, a condition whereby sufferers remain convinced, even with mounting evidence to the contrary, that the answer to the question "how are we going to score goals in the Premier League?" is "by signing a meandering, brilliantly talented Moroccan who's very good at dribbling with his head down". Most striking during Saturday's abject 3-0 defeat at West Ham was the spectacle of England's Darren Bent, scorer of 151 league goals, but just three in the last two years. Bent was not to blame for Fulham's defeat, but he has a symbolic kind of anti-value. At times against West Ham he broke into a jog, most often when finding himself standing significantly offside. For the rest of the match he didn't so much walk around as walk slightly slower than most people walk even when they're not playing a football match. Perhaps he was slowed by the size of his shorts which seem to have grown rather in the last couple of years. Perhaps he was simply waiting to explode into life given the right kind of service. Either way, as the first half began to drag, it was tempting to ponder the interesting philosophical question of whether the presence of Bent in Fulham's attack was having have more or less influence on the match than Andy Carroll's absence from West Ham's.
This is perhaps a little unfair on Modibo Maiga, who was energetic as the lone striker, while Bent, who really should be looking to earn himself an endorsement deal as the face of a popular brand of walking boot, strolled the periphery, starved of the right kind of pass, but also seeming content to remain so. What a waste all round. Bent is still only 29. At a time when possession of a pair of boots and a shirt with the right kind of number on it is enough to earn a call-up, he might have spent the last two years playing for England. Instead his performances at Fulham look like a salutary example of late-career Premier League congealment, not to mention an indictment of Jol's allegedly wondrous contacts book. Barney Ronay
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Barney Ronay is such a brilliant writer. He's wasted on sport.
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Loved that article, a perfect description of the Darren Bent many of us saw but some couldn't.
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Barney Ronay is such a brilliant writer. He's wasted on sport.
I always start to read his column on a Saturday and never make it to the end, he's not anywhere near as funny as he thinks he is.
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He doesn't take into account Bent's injuries and benched time over the past couple of years which in fairness wasn't really his fault. Both benders - Bent and eke are having poor times though we made the right decision with regard to both.
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Barney Ronay is such a brilliant writer. He's wasted on sport.
I would recommend his book on Sunday parks football 'Any Chance of a Game' . Brilliant!
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Loved that article, a perfect description of the Darren Bent many of us saw but some couldn't.
151 league goals. In the top flight. Perfect description of Darren Bent.
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For a top level striker he does touch the ball ridiculously few times. Pretty sure when we went to West Ham last season he only touched it 7 times in the entire game.
Can't argue with his goalscoring record generally but you expect more from strikers in the modern game.
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That Guardian report on Bent sounds exactly like his performance at Spurs under TSM.
Maybe it wasn't his night, and God knows he wasn't alone, but I can't think of many Villa players so content to amble the game away.
I really took a dislike to him that night.
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Loved that article, a perfect description of the Darren Bent many of us saw but some couldn't.
151 league goals. In the top flight. Perfect description of Darren Bent.
He hasn't scored a 151 top flight league goals. About a third were in the Championship with Ipswich.
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That Guardian report on Bent sounds exactly like his performance at Spurs under TSM.
Maybe it wasn't his night, and God knows he wasn't alone, but I can't think of many Villa players so content to amble the game away.
I really took a dislike to him that night.
did you see Benteke v Sunderland?
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Ha! No I didn't, but I can imagine he does a decent amble as well. But at least he normally looks a bit pissed off in the process.
Bent that night in Tottenham didn't, I'm convinced, care less. I'm not normally one for taking against players but I'm delighted we got shot of him.
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Had Bent come up 10 years earlier his record would have been even better. Very similar to Wrighty and a young Andy Cole. He's reliant on his service.
In the last five years the Prem has had a shift. It started moving that way before then but it's become more so of late, that the old school poacher is becoming a thing of the past. Teams favour a big man, or a more all round forward who can get involved in the game.
What also hasn't helped Bent in the last two years has been injuries. They've ruined him because he now doesn't have the pace to play on the shoulder of the last defender. That was a big part of his game and that's gone now. All he has is the danger he poses in and around the 6 yard box. If you don't get him the service, he's buggered. The thing with Bent I guess is, he could touch the ball maybe 200 times a season but still get you 20 goals. The problem is what about all those minutes in games where you're playing with 10 men essentially? What about the points you drop if he misses a chance or never gets it. Or all the times his lack of presence contributes to how effectively the opposition attack. If he scores one but you still lose the game then it's all for naught. Occasionally Bent would also score and that would be him done for the game. He'd go from ambling to reclined on a deck chair, sipping a pina colada. That happened in McLeish's season, also we saw that against Wigan last day last season.
Lambert identified this pretty quickly and dealt with it with real strength of will. To just leave out the clubs record signing took balls.
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Had Bent come up 10 years earlier his record would have been even better. Very similar to Wrighty and a young Andy Cole. He's reliant on his service.
In the last five years the Prem has had a shift. It started moving that way before then but it's become more so of late, that the old school poacher is becoming a thing of the past. Teams favour a big man, or a more all round forward who can get involved in the game.
What also hasn't helped Bent in the last two years has been injuries. They've ruined him because he now doesn't have the pace to play on the shoulder of the last defender. That was a big part of his game and that's gone now. All he has is the danger he poses in and around the 6 yard box. If you don't get him the service, he's buggered. The thing with Bent I guess is, he could touch the ball maybe 200 times a season but still get you 20 goals. The problem is what about all those minutes in games where you're playing with 10 men essentially? What about the points you drop if he misses a chance or never gets it. Or all the times his lack of presence contributes to how effectively the opposition attack. If he scores one but you still lose the game then it's all for naught. Occasionally Bent would also score and that would be him done for the game. He'd go from ambling to reclined on a deck chair, sipping a pina colada. That happened in McLeish's season, also we saw that against Wigan last day last season.
Lambert identified this pretty quickly and dealt with it with real strength of will. To just leave out the clubs record signing took balls.
Well said. This should be copied and pasted everytime the Bent debate rears it's ugly head. I think it sums up his pros and cons brilliantly.
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Loved that article, a perfect description of the Darren Bent many of us saw but some couldn't.
151 league goals. In the top flight. Perfect description of Darren Bent.
He hasn't scored a 151 top flight league goals. About a third were in the Championship with Ipswich.
I stand corrected. 128 in the top flight. Obviously he is utter rubbish then.
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Loved that article, a perfect description of the Darren Bent many of us saw but some couldn't.
151 league goals. In the top flight. Perfect description of Darren Bent.
He hasn't scored a 151 top flight league goals. About a third were in the Championship with Ipswich.
I stand corrected. 128 in the top flight. Obviously he is utter rubbish then.
Bobby Charlton scored 49 times for England, but he wouldn't get a game now,
same for Bent, yes he was a good goal getter, but the player you remember is no longer there
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Had Bent come up 10 years earlier his record would have been even better. Very similar to Wrighty and a young Andy Cole. He's reliant on his service.
In the last five years the Prem has had a shift. It started moving that way before then but it's become more so of late, that the old school poacher is becoming a thing of the past. Teams favour a big man, or a more all round forward who can get involved in the game.
What also hasn't helped Bent in the last two years has been injuries. They've ruined him because he now doesn't have the pace to play on the shoulder of the last defender. That was a big part of his game and that's gone now. All he has is the danger he poses in and around the 6 yard box. If you don't get him the service, he's buggered. The thing with Bent I guess is, he could touch the ball maybe 200 times a season but still get you 20 goals. The problem is what about all those minutes in games where you're playing with 10 men essentially? What about the points you drop if he misses a chance or never gets it. Or all the times his lack of presence contributes to how effectively the opposition attack. If he scores one but you still lose the game then it's all for naught. Occasionally Bent would also score and that would be him done for the game. He'd go from ambling to reclined on a deck chair, sipping a pina colada. That happened in McLeish's season, also we saw that against Wigan last day last season.
Lambert identified this pretty quickly and dealt with it with real strength of will. To just leave out the clubs record signing took balls.
Well said. This should be copied and pasted everytime the Bent debate rears it's ugly head. I think it sums up his pros and cons brilliantly.
Spot on
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Bobby Charlton wouldnt get a game now? Quite right. Neither would Jimmy Greaves, Tom Finney, Gerry Hitchens or for that matter Andy Gray or Brian Little.
They all played in a different era but if they were playing today with modern training methods and diet all of them would be performing at the top level.
Especially Bobby Charlton!
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Bobby Charlton wouldnt get a game now? Quite right. Neither would Jimmy Greaves, Tom Finney, Gerry Hitchens or for that matter Andy Gray or Brian Little.
They all played in a different era but if they were playing today with modern training methods and diet all of them would be performing at the top level.
Especially Bobby Charlton!
I thought John meant he wouldn't get a game because he was too old, not because he was from a different era. I could be wrong though.
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Well he is 76! I think John is saying players of that type wouldnt get a game nowadays because they didnt work hard enough.
Just scored goals!
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Had Bent come up 10 years earlier his record would have been even better. Very similar to Wrighty and a young Andy Cole. He's reliant on his service.
In the last five years the Prem has had a shift. It started moving that way before then but it's become more so of late, that the old school poacher is becoming a thing of the past. Teams favour a big man, or a more all round forward who can get involved in the game.
What also hasn't helped Bent in the last two years has been injuries. They've ruined him because he now doesn't have the pace to play on the shoulder of the last defender. That was a big part of his game and that's gone now. All he has is the danger he poses in and around the 6 yard box. If you don't get him the service, he's buggered. The thing with Bent I guess is, he could touch the ball maybe 200 times a season but still get you 20 goals. The problem is what about all those minutes in games where you're playing with 10 men essentially? What about the points you drop if he misses a chance or never gets it. Or all the times his lack of presence contributes to how effectively the opposition attack. If he scores one but you still lose the game then it's all for naught. Occasionally Bent would also score and that would be him done for the game. He'd go from ambling to reclined on a deck chair, sipping a pina colada. That happened in McLeish's season, also we saw that against Wigan last day last season.
Lambert identified this pretty quickly and dealt with it with real strength of will. To just leave out the clubs record signing took balls.
true enough, Ive been critical of Lambert but getting rid of Bent was a massive statement.
Saw Bent play recently for Fulham (cant remember the opposition), got in a couple of great positions but missed the chances. Injuries have robbed him of mobility bit like JPA.
Was some player for a short while when Young and Downing were playing. Some brilliant goals and his movement was superb. Was going on to be England's main striker at the Euros before injury struck. How quickly your luck can change.
Sunderland have done well out of it.
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Sunderland have done well out of it.
So have we to be fair. He pretty much kept us up when Hoillier was in charge.
On that basis I'll never have a axe to grind with Bent. Unfortunately he face no longer fits.
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Loved that article, a perfect description of the Darren Bent many of us saw but some couldn't.
151 league goals. In the top flight. Perfect description of Darren Bent.
He hasn't scored a 151 top flight league goals. About a third were in the Championship with Ipswich.
I stand corrected. 128 in the top flight. Obviously he is utter rubbish then.
He scored 47 of his league goals in the Championship. So it's not 128 either :P
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I stand further corrected. I think,however, you would agree that as Darren Bent has scored over 100 goals in the top flight and saved us from relegation he should be afforded more credit than he sometimes gets on this forum.
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I see berbatov has already requested to leave the sinking ship - tough times at the cottage.
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Well he is 76! I think John is saying players of that type wouldnt get a game nowadays because they didnt work hard enough.
Just scored goals!
Someone for the young lads to look up to though.
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Whilst looking at the above Berbatov story (I knew it would be on Sky) I found this (http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/12384/8303297/) from last year.
David Ginola talks Aston Villa and French football on Goals on Sunday sofa
David Ginola told Goals on Sunday that Aston Villa can move forward if they keep faith with Paul Lambert.
Lambert took charge at Villa Park over the summer after a highly successful stint at Norwich, but the Scot's new charges are hovering just above the relegation zone this term having won just three of their first 15 games.
However, former Villa winger Ginola believes the Claret and Blues can climb the table if Lambert is given time to stamp his authority on the club, something the Midlanders' previous two managers, Gerard Houllier and Alex McLeish, were unable to do during their season-long spells at the helm.
"Aston Villa is a huge club and they should be doing a lot better so the fans are frustrated and have been for many years now," said the Frenchman, who joined Villa from Tottenham in 2000.
"But the manager is doing a good job and it looks like they are going to have him for the next two or three years, something that is important if you want to get results.
"Players need to work with the same manager week in, week out so that they understand the message, as if you change managers every year, the players won't understand and they might have to work with different languages and theories."
Ginola was restricted to just 32 league appearances during his near two-year stay at Villa and revealed that he didn't always see eye-to-eye with then manager John Gregory.
"When you reach your mid-30s you need to count on the manager to understand you as you are not the same kind of person as you were when you were 25," said Ginola.
"When I played for Villa I wasn't able to play my best and it was frustrating for me, so I want to say sorry to the fans."
"I wanted him to understand my stature and know that I didn't want to run on a Tuesday morning like I did when I was 20 and that I needed to rest sometimes to give my best on the Saturday, which is what I was bought for.
"When I played for Villa I wasn't able to play my best and it was frustrating for me, so I want to say sorry to the Villa fans because I wanted to give so much more than I did."
Struggle
Ginola won the French league title in 1994 whilst at Paris-Saint Germain, a club now bankrolled by hugely wealthy Qataris.
The men from the French capital are currently sitting third in Ligue 1 but Ginola says the pressure is on them to take top spot, while the ex-winger also explained why Joey Barton is probably enjoying his loan period at Marseille.
"Most people expected Paris Saint-Germain to be at the top and dominate considering the players they have got, like Zlatan Ibrahimovic, but smaller teams are coming in and knocking on the door," said Ginola.
"I thought Paris would struggle this year because for teams like Nice and Bastia playing PSG is their game of the season - but if PSG don't finish first there will be a problem."
Ginola concluded: "Marseille is probably the club where you can find the same kind of passion from the supporters that you get in England - though it is sometimes too much and they go a bit over the top with their reactions when the team is struggling."
Some unexpectedly kind words there from the Housewife's Favourite.
Although past his best when he joined us, I don't think he was a complete disaster as a signing.
In the final third he was able to provide that bit of quality to win a match, either scoring himself or setting others up. Bradford, West Ham and Man Citeh at home stand out, West Ham away he played well too, IIRC.
Any fault on that move lies with Gregory. No point signing a player like that and asking him to track back -something he never did throughout his career.
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There was some suggestion at the time that Ginola was an Ellis signing. Whether that's true I don't know, but I'm not sure JG ever really took to him. I think perhaps Doug thought that Daveed could be the marquee signing the fans were crying out for around that time, but sadly he was 33 and the legs had gone. We still saw brief glimpses but it was a shame we didn't see more from Ginola. In his pomp at Spurs he was an absolute delight to watch play. Very classy player on his day.
As for Bent again. I think in the end he's just about proved his worth for us. He kept us up in Houlliers season. I also think the goals he scored in the first half of the McLeish season, played a big part in us scraping by in the end. He played half a season and was still our top scorer. I've no beef with Benty, but his time has past. In a year or two he'll probably be playing in the Championship. I think one of the strugglers or promoted sides next season will take a punt on him, but the more his legs go, the more the second tier will beckon.
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I'm fully convinced Ginola was an Ellis signing.
The thing about the whole Bent debate that often gets overlooked is just how good Benteke was last season. If you played Bent he may have scored the same goals, but given nowhere near the all round contribution. So, for a manager it's a pretty easy decision who to pick.
After that, who have a saleable assett on your books costing you money for very little contribution. There are very few clubs that could afford to keep a sub around earning what Bent does.
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I guess the one thing the signing of Ginola (and Hadji and Kachloul to a lesser extent) did do was highlight that if the managers tactics at the time are limited, that one flair player (or three) doesn't alter the pattern of play all that much.
It's often been said on here that we need a No.10 - and we probably do. But ultimately how much difference would he make if the current crop can't read his runs, or aren't intelligent enough to read where the ball will drop.
Tactics and a defined pattern of play that the whole team can buy into is how you create, and how you beak down the opposition. It's too much for one player on his own to carry the burden.
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Loved that article, a perfect description of the Darren Bent many of us saw but some couldn't.
151 league goals. In the top flight. Perfect description of Darren Bent.
I wasn't knocking his career goal scoring record. I don't think he will score many more at the top level and without goals his contribution is nil.
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Some people just can't seem to get their heads round the concept that a player who scores goals can make a team worse.
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Some people just can't seem to get their heads round the concept that a player who scores goals can make a team worse.
Dunne, Ridgewell. At least Bent puts them in the right end.
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Some people just can't seem to get their heads round the concept that a player who scores goals can make a team worse.
Glenn Hoddle used to say the same about Steve Archibald.
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Some people just can't seem to get their heads round the concept that a player who scores goals can make a team worse.
I think I'm one of them.
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Some people just can't seem to get their heads round the concept that a player who scores goals can make a team worse.
I think I'm one of them.
I think 'concept' is an abstract idea. One I dont subscribe to.