This weekend's pressing matter

[Brend'Watkins]

Bent didn't miss a sitter on Saturday.

[willywombat]

Excellent Dave, well written and bang on the money in my opinion

[cdbearsfan]

The only part I would disagree with is the "give away a daft goal" to let them back into it. I think that's harsh bearing in mind we were down to ten men as one of their players had macheted Hutton and left him lying in a heap but for some reason the referee didn't give us a free kick. The goal was crossed from Hutton's side too.

[Concrete John]

Who knows what would have happened if we'd bought Bent instead of Heskey in 2009?

That, of course, presumes we had the extra spodulees to buy Bent, which I'm not sure we did.

[darren woolley]

Good article Dave.

[cdbearsfan]

Who knows what would have happened if we'd bought Bent instead of Heskey in 2009?

That, of course, presumes we had the extra spodulees to buy Bent, which I'm not sure we did.

We spent, when you subtract money raised from sales, about £20 million in 2009 so I see no reason why we couldn't have bought Bent then. It might have meant we wouldn't have signed one or more of Heskey, Beye, Downing, Delph or Warnock though.

[Somniloquism]

Having said that, I don't think the one he missed on Saturday was a 'sitter'  - their goalkeeper did well to close him down quickly and smother the shot away.  Good goalkeeping rather than a missed sitter for me. 

Exactly, short of hitting it first time which probably would have resulted in it ballooning over the bar, by the time the ball fell into a position to strike the keeper was right on top of him.

[Somniloquism]

Who knows what would have happened if we'd bought Bent instead of Heskey in 2009?

That, of course, presumes we had the extra spodulees to buy Bent, which I'm not sure we did.

We spent, when you subtract money raised from sales, about £20 million in 2009 so I see no reason why we couldn't have bought Bent then. It might have meant we wouldn't have signed one or more of Heskey, Beye, Downing, Delph or Warnock though.

But when we went to sign Heskey, it was January 2009 and we had spent it all in the summer. TBH, without Carews "injury" in November, I doubt we would have bought Heskey.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Who knows what would have happened if we'd bought Bent instead of Heskey in 2009?

He'd have been played at right back.

[TopDeck113]

I'd just really add to your and other's comments.  20 goals a season from on or around the 6-yard box actually requires a very high work rate.  It's just a different type of the work rate compared to the Rooney-track-all-the-way-back-to-right-back-get-stuck-in-and-be-shown-a-yellow-card type.

OK's Bent's missed a few, both on Saturday and earlier in the season, but on another occasion he'll get just one half chance all match and tuck it away earning a crucial three points or a cup victory.  That's what strikers like him do.

[Legion]

I think he has an excellent work-rate.

[JUAN PABLO]

great article .

Bent is awesome ..

[fbriai]

Another good article, Dave.

[kipeye]

I would like to be at the Bournville roast. Who is the lucky girl?

[BC54 VFC]

The only thing that pisses me off about Bent is the amount of times he's needlessly offside. Not as bad as Angel was mind you...

Worth noting that in the preceeding league match at Sunderland there was not a single offside decision, against either team, all afternoon!