Darren Bent

[Villanation]

Not convinced as to how successful we would have been under MON and Bent, that's a difficult call, if you look at the stats (for what they are worth) goals to games ratio Bent is not a million miles different from Carew and his ratio is falling big time, Gabby goes out to something like 3.6 games per goal over his career, but what you have to take on board is, length of Gabby career and the fact for getting onto 2 seasons he's been played out of position, so you can't call him as a striker.

I can see where people feel a lack of confidence with Gabby in certain situations on the park such as 1 to1's, but I was always told these where by far the most difficult positions a striker can find himself in (most difficult to score) another point to that I've seen Bent miss some absolute unbelievable sitters 1 to1's and no more than a couple of yards out from goal, namely last season for England. (not knocking Bent)

Another point where Gabbs is concerned , you can see his coaches are working with him to try and give him a quick fix to the problem, anybody notice his quick step of late, not saying it is the reason but that is a problem solver for Gabby, because when you have an unusual player like Gabby who moves at such a fast pace, then gets himself into the 1 on 1 with Cech his whole body is surging forward, so is his brain and his adrenalin, no brakes, so little composure, he just goes for it, that's the price you pay, sometimes it pays of sometimes he misses, Walcott the same, Lennon the same, Bale the same, what Gabby is doing now I've noticed is taking a step to steady himself and bring his foot to side of ball to balance and stop himself then follows through with his shooting foot. However, when Gabby does have time and can compose himself we have all seen how clinical his finishing can be as in earlier in the season v Blackburn i think.

This shows his step before taking his shot.
http://www.soccerclips.net/videos/bristol-rovers-v-aston-villa-highlights

If I had to make a choice between Benty and Gabby, have to say it, Gabby every time purely because if he's not scoring them he's making sure someone else does, whereas old Benty drifts out of game almost disinterested.

That my version anyway.

[Rick_avfc]

When you say when he is not scoring them he is making sure someone else does, who exactly?  Just wondering thats all. 
Gabby and Bent are 2 different types of striker and I think they would work in a 4-4-2 formation.

[Shrek]

Gabby Has assisted 4 of Bents 7 goals this season (I think)

[TheSandman]

Then lets play them together, rather than sell one of them.

[villadelph]

Can we try a four four two now?

[Shrek]

Then lets play them together, rather than sell one of them.

Problem is, it's been against the bottom teams where Gabby has had an absolute stormer.

Against better teams Gabby won't create as much on the wing.

[Nastylee]

I love the way people expect a striker to score every chance they get. Comments like, "I've seen Bent miss a sitter." I remember greats such as Lineker and Shearer go on droughts, shit happens but strikers with a 100% conversion of chances do not exist.

[Villanation]

I love the way people expect a striker to score every chance they get. Comments like, "I've seen Bent miss a sitter." I remember greats such as Lineker and Shearer go on droughts, shit happens but strikers with a 100% conversion of chances do not exist.

The point I'm making is that Bent is not infallible, personally I think this is more than just a drought that Bent is going through, reason I say that is because he's listless in a lot of games, by and large he's not even getting himself into a position to miss, that's the problem.

Personally I think he's just being played wrong and there will come a point if this carries on where we will have to say "its not working" and that has nothing to do with drought, saying that in defence of Bent.

The other thing to consider is, unlike Gabbs, if Bent is not scoring goals what else is he there to do.

[Villanation]

Then lets play them together, rather than sell one of them.

Problem is, it's been against the bottom teams where Gabby has had an absolute stormer.

Against better teams Gabby won't create as much on the wing.

This is true, and for that reason he should get closer into Bent and AM should have a natural winger there.

[Dave]

So Darren Bent is in the same league as Linekar, Cole and Rooney...

Can I suggest you have a look at a list of top Premier League goalscorers over the last say, five seasons?

[Villanation]

So Darren Bent is in the same league as Linekar, Cole and Rooney...

Can I suggest you have a look at a list of top Premier League goalscorers over the last say, five seasons?

Good point:

1    Alan Shearer   260
2    Andrew Cole   187
3    Thierry Henry   174
4    Robbie Fowler   163
5    Les Ferdinand   149
         Michael Owen   149
6    Frank Lampard   148
7    Teddy Sheringham   147
9    Wayne Rooney   130
10    Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink   127

[Risso]

So Darren Bent is in the same league as Linekar, Cole and Rooney...

Can I suggest you have a look at a list of top Premier League goalscorers over the last say, five seasons?

Good point:

1    Alan Shearer   260
2    Andrew Cole   187
3    Thierry Henry   174
4    Robbie Fowler   163
5    Les Ferdinand   149
         Michael Owen   149
6    Frank Lampard   148
7    Teddy Sheringham   147
9    Wayne Rooney   130
10    Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink   127

Which of the last 5 seasons did Shearer, Cole, Henry, Fowler, Ferdinand, Sheringham or Hasselbaink score in?

[tricky dicky]

decided not to trawl through all the posts so i'm unaware whether this is in there other than villanation's post i think we need to get a genuine left sided player in and go 442 with gabby and bent up front this i feel would give us more balance with pace and bent scoring would scare many teams

[Steve kirk]

If someone can post a list of top goalscorers in the premier league in the last 5 seasons I am sure you will find Bent would be very near the top.

[Legion]

Amazing. Bent is shit?