Bent out for rest of season

[kippaxvilla2]

we can't be choosers Nicey.

[hipkiss92]

I never remember Sunderland playing the dominating, possession football required for Bent when he was there and he scored a shit load of goals, why is it any different for us?

[Phil from the upper holte]

Terrible news, get well soon Benty

[VillaAlways]

I made a note in my diary.It simply said bugger

[Karl Bridges]

I think the N'Zog, Gabby, Albrighton frontline with Ireland in the hole and Petrov & Herd breaking up play behind could make us more fluent than we have been at any time this season.

[eamonn]

Apparently we're giving a trial to Tony Grealish who is a free agent.

Great. What's he been doing for the last... er... 30 years?

His grandson Jack is our best 16 year-old.

[Dante Lavelli]

I never remember Sunderland playing the dominating, possession football required for Bent when he was there and he scored a shit load of goals, why is it any different for us?

Personally I think Bent plays better for teams that play counter attacking (long ball) football.  Look at Ipswich, (especially) Charlton and sunderland, they're all teams that hit the front man early so he could play off the last man, whereas he failed at spurs where (arguably) the team were expected to dominate possession and he was required to play a more expansive game.

I'm not saying he's a bad player but I think his injury could help us.

[damon loves JT]

I am going to be optimistic and say that any change forced on McLeish could shake up the side and make us play better.

All the same I am going to keep learning how to fire a shotgun with my feet. I think the trick must be to take one's shoes and socks off.

[Mister E]

What really iritated me at Wigan was that the ref booked four of our players, with no cards to theirs. IIRC, the defnder went straight through DB from behind. Gabby also took a couple of crap hits that went unpunished.

Anyway, tough on Bent; we will miss him.

Gives McL a great excuse, though.

[moetvillain]

I honestly think we have had better team performances this year without Bent than with.  It will play out whether we can take the opportunities in front of goal though.  I think I would play Heskey and Gabby up front, as at least the ball sticks when Heskey is near it.  Bents hold up play reminded me of when I played as a striker.  Woeful.  Get better soon Bent

[Small Rodent]

This injury may even help MCLeish keep his job in a bizarre way, as it's a ready-made excuse for any failure from now on.

My negative outlook sees Gabby still on the wing and Heskey upfront.

[N'ZMAV]

Whatever Bent doesn't do right, hold up play, link play etc he'll out score the rest of our strikers put together, even if they all played every week. We'll miss that danger that he could nick us a goal, where as Gabby goes for games without even getting a half chance. This only makes things tougher.

[Hookeysmith]

I honestly think we have had better team performances this year without Bent than with.  It will play out whether we can take the opportunities in front of goal though.  I think I would play Heskey and Gabby up front, as at least the ball sticks when Heskey is near it.  Bents hold up play reminded me of when I played as a striker.  Woeful.  Get better soon Bent

The ball sticks!!!!!

To paraphrase Big fat Ron

"He traps a ball further than most can kick it"
"His 2nd touch is a tackle"  closely followed by falling over and waving his arms about

If our season relies on that big buffoon then God only can help us.

I actually have said a few times - if Bent is not tapping them in (which he is fantastic at by the way) then we actually play with 10 men as his link up play and allround game is very poor. gabby on the other hand does not have the killer touch around the box but is far more effective playing as the lone striker soley down to his mobility and channel work

Its a bummer personally for Bent and i am gutted for him but for us - it could really be a turning point

[Greg N'Ash]

Who knows, this could be the catalyst for Heskey to get back to the blistering form of last season when he was putting them away every 6 games. We could certainly do with the 3 goals a season the Heskey of old virtually guranteed a side.

[mrfuse]

Feel sorry for Bent but I don't think it will make a lot of difference, McLeish has no idea how to incorporate Bent into the Team anyway.

Hitting long balls and high balls up to him is pointless hes been wasted in our team I reckon Keane is more of a loss  than Bent.