Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert denies rift with Darren Bent

[not3bad]

My take on it is that Bent probably would have started yesterday were it not for his outbursts in the media. And if my theory is correct, then I wouldn't blame PL at all for that decision.

That was my take also.

[Percy McCarthy]

It's a puzzle. Without Bent, we have more possession in good areas, we play much more fluently, and we create more chances. The downside is we then bloody miss them. With him in the team, we hardly create anything. Basically, we either need to find a combination of ten players who can carry him, or hope that Gabby and Benteke can replicate their Man City performance more regularly.

[N'ZMAV]

Let's try Bent & Gabby. I think that'll be the answer. It'll also mean we play the ball on the ground more.

[PeterWithesShin]

I'm curious who this mythical striker is that we have who never misses an easy chance.

[bertlambshank]

I'm curious who this mythical striker is that we have who never misses an easy chance.

Gary Shaw.

[kippaxvilla2]

I'm curious who this mythical striker is that we have who never misses an easy chance.

Your shin.

[dutchvilla]

We have four strikers and they all have to accept that their place is conditional on how they perform and how many they score. Even if Benteke missed two good chances yesterday, that's two more chances than Agbonlahor had. It was disappointing how little pressure the centre back at left back was put under. Albrighton and N'Zogbia are a big part of the problem too.

For the next game, I'd be tempted to play Bent, Agbonlahor and N'zgobia in front of KEA, Delph and Herd. It's a coherent formation even if N'Zogbia doesn't really warrant a place in the starting 11.

[SW9-VILLA]

Bent is just a bit of a prick, probably why he's had such a journeyman-like career despite being a superb goalscorer.

Anyone remember when he missed a game to go shopping in Cambridge? I'd rather Lambert assert himself than have his authority undermined by Bent.

[Percy McCarthy]

He's certainly a very selfish player, which I'm not sure fits in with politics of a Lambert team. He's kind of a Tory footballer in a socialist team.

[pauliewalnuts]

Bent is just a bit of a prick, probably why he's had such a journeyman-like career despite being a superb goalscorer.

Anyone remember when he missed a game to go shopping in Cambridge? I'd rather Lambert assert himself than have his authority undermined by Bent.

In fairness, he was injured at the time, so it's not like he faked a bit of manflu and went off shopping instead.

[Aston Villa]

It's a coherent formation even if N'Zogbia doesn't really warrant a place in the starting 11.

Really? Since being dropped from the starting 11 he has looked quite lively whenever he has come on as a sub and also he produced his best performance in a Villa shirt against City. PL's philosophy seems to be you are as good as your last game. So if Gabby deserved to start on the back of that game then surely the Zog did too? With Ireland out, I do think he way be the one to plug that gap. It should be noted that I am not particularly a fan of the Zog.

[Nastylee]

Strikers should be selfish, that's what makes them effective. The last unselfish striker we had was Heskey and he was laughed at by 99% of Villa fans for being shit.

[Percy McCarthy]

There's being selfish in front of goal and then there's being unwilling or unable to take part in team play.

I'll raise your Heskey with a Messi.

[kippaxvilla2]

I would agree with Bent being kept on the bench on merit.  But the fact of the matter is Bent had started to find his scoring feet against Southampton and was then dropped for Benteke and Gabby.  This worked for Man Citeh but was again largely ineffectual against The Throstles so was replaced by Bent, who came on and rescued the game.  So on the basis of you earn the right to keep the shirt Bent should have started yesterday no question.  If we are on about who they should look at it appears Gabby is a one in 5 good game player.

[ez]

All I know is, I am suddenly starting to see a stark reality of a monumental struggle to survive this season given the all round quality and/or experience we have on the pitch.  Whether his overall contribution is in question or not, the fact is he can finish, we don't have anyone of his like in the club.  To alienate him unecessarily is therefore entirely counter productive and will only end one way, us losing him and struggling even more than we already are.  These are worrying times indeed.

I keep going on about this, but I just do not get the happiness a lot of people seem to have for a squad of "hungry, young players". A squad entirely consisting of players of that ilk would ultimately result in one thing - relegation.

For every Man United of 15 years ago with probably the best crop of young players ever produced in this country, there are tens of squads full of young players who produced nothing like the standard needed to do well in the Premier League.

Look how weak the squad is right now. The best players have been sold and not replaced properly. How many players do we currently have who would be coveted by other clubs? One. Bent.

Selling him would not only weaken the club masively, it would be the ultimate message that we really had totally given up trying.

I reckon we'll survive and probably finish bottom half but i'm factoring in Bents scoring about 20 goals as he usually does. If he has broken the rules then Lambert needs to find a different punishment from dropping him. He may be a goal hanger but he's a very good one.