Darren Bent

[Chris Smith]

Martinez was telling him how we weren't playing CNZ in the right way to get the best out of him. Maybe Alex could give Martinez a bell and ask him

Doesn't seem to know how to get the best out of his own players so why should anyone take any notice?

[LeeB]

Martinez was telling him how we weren't playing CNZ in the right way to get the best out of him. Maybe Alex could give Martinez a bell and ask him

Doesn't seem to know how to get the best out of his own players so why should anyone take any notice?

He could get the best out of Caldwell and Alcaraz by selling them as horsemeat.

[PeterWithe]

I'm a little bemused by those suggesting selling Bent as 'we dont play in a way that suits him', he's the best English goalscorer of his generation, why don't we fucking start playing in a way that suits him?

[Chris Smith]

I'm a little bemused by those suggesting selling Bent as 'we dont play in a way that suits him', he's the best English goalscorer of his generation, why don't we fucking start playing in a way that suits him?

I'm not sure it's true, the problem seems to me to be a lack of form from Bent. He can be excused the other night as he's been out for a while but his last start at Bolton he was missing sitters.

[LeeB]

I'm a little bemused by those suggesting selling Bent as 'we dont play in a way that suits him', he's the best English goalscorer of his generation, why don't we fucking start playing in a way that suits him?

I'm not sure it's true, the problem seems to me to be a lack of form from Bent. He can be excused the other night as he's been out for a while but his last start at Bolton he was missing sitters.

In todays shit/greatest ever culture, loss of form doesn't seem to be considered.

[Concrete John]

Someone on here was sat next to Roberto Martinez at one of our matches recently, and engaged him in conversation.

Martinez was telling him how we weren't playing CNZ in the right way to get the best out of him. Maybe Alex could give Martinez a bell and ask him.

Didn't he play a free roll/ second striker roll at Wigan and sometimes at Newcastle? He seemed to have been falling into that roll with Gabby up front and playing better. He's another one on why we don't seem to have a forward formation that works when all our players are fit.

I thought he played fullback for Newcastle?

At Wigan he was in freer role, but then he was their best player, so they accomodated him the same way we did Ashley Young.  Although I think he's good and his form is improving, he's not good enough for us to give him the same freedom with Gabby, Bent Ireland and Super Marc knocking about.   

[pauliewalnuts]

Martinez was telling him how we weren't playing CNZ in the right way to get the best out of him. Maybe Alex could give Martinez a bell and ask him

Doesn't seem to know how to get the best out of his own players so why should anyone take any notice?

Because he got the best out of the only player we really give a shit about?

[PeterWithe]

I'm not so sure he is out of form, its hard to tell as he does so little but put the ball in the net. Over the years he's always missed a lot of chances but only a fool would bet against him scoring 15-20 a season.

It was a massive coup to get him to come in the first place, selling him 6 months later would be sheer lunacy.

[Chris Smith]

Martinez was telling him how we weren't playing CNZ in the right way to get the best out of him. Maybe Alex could give Martinez a bell and ask him

Doesn't seem to know how to get the best out of his own players so why should anyone take any notice?

Because he got the best out of the only player we really give a shit about?

Did he? He stood out in a poor team but I'm not sure that's down to the manager.

In any case how many different ways of playing are we going have to adopt in order to get the best out of him, Bent, Ireland, Albrighton and Gabby? It's a team game and the players have to fit into that, not the other way round.

[Concrete John]

In any case how many different ways of playing are we going have to adopt in order to get the best out of him, Bent, Ireland, Albrighton and Gabby? It's a team game and the players have to fit into that, not the other way round.

Maybe that's the problem?

N'Zogbia - signed by McLeish
Bent - signed by Houllier
Gabby & Super Marc - developed by K-Mac & Sid, with Gabby then adapted to the first team by MON and Marc by Houllier 
Ireland - signed without a manager

There's a lack of consistency of approach there, which is understandable when you look at the managerial changes we've had since MON walked 18 months ago.  which is one of the reasons I think we have to give AM some time and back him in the market to evolve the squad as he wants.  The big question is, whether it be him or someone else, the money is there to do that?

[pauliewalnuts]

Martinez was telling him how we weren't playing CNZ in the right way to get the best out of him. Maybe Alex could give Martinez a bell and ask him

Doesn't seem to know how to get the best out of his own players so why should anyone take any notice?

Because he got the best out of the only player we really give a shit about?

Did he? He stood out in a poor team but I'm not sure that's down to the manager.

In any case how many different ways of playing are we going have to adopt in order to get the best out of him, Bent, Ireland, Albrighton and Gabby? It's a team game and the players have to fit into that, not the other way round.

I'm not saying anything to the contrary, but I'd have thought getting the best out of your players is pretty key to being successful on the pitch, whichever way you're going to play.

[JB1811]

Would you trust AMC with the money from selling Bent?  He might go and buy Zigic!! 

[Chris Smith]

Would you trust AMC with the money from selling Bent?  He might go and buy Zigic!! 

Why would he when he didn't buy him in the first place?

[Concrete John]

Would you trust AMC with the money from selling Bent?  He might go and buy Zigic!! 

It's pretty much a known fatc that AM didn't want Zigic, but their board bought him anyway.

AM's signings have been a bit hit and miss (Hutton poor, CNZ getting better, Jenas unlucky & Given good), but that was working with very limited funds, plus we're a very short time into all their Villa careers, so who knows how they'll pan out eventually. 

[Fuse]

I think McLeish needs to be given some help by the board. He is being hung out to dry at the moment with the lack of investment.