Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert denies rift with Darren Bent

[Clampy]

I'd rather keep him and play to his strength's than flog him and watch him score goals for someone else, which he will.

[Brian Taylor]

Very difficult to spend any money well in our position,no quality prem player would give us the time of day unless by January the manager has worked a miracle and got us in the top half. Players move for two reasons money and prestiige, we are no longer offering silly wages so the first is a no go and our prospects of a good season are improbable.

Lambert is not looking at PL players to replace Bent imo. He can get someone of DB's quality elsewhere. He has proved that to me already with his Dutch signings.
The idea that DB can score goals elsewhere is the peg to hang a transfer on, for the right money.
I have every faith in Paul Lambert and slightly less in DB.
I do not run AV! I hope those in charge after the debacle of the last few seasons can now do the right thing.
I have nothing against DB. I think he is an excellent player given the right circs..those circs may well be elsewhere for him..that is all.

[mal]

It's strange how it's all gone wrong for DB so quickly. I thought he was bad news when he arrived as he was always going to marginalise Gabby which is exactly what happened disrupting his development as the main striker.  Would have liked to have seen us go to 4-5-1 with Gabby (who has been prolific when played in that system) for an extended period at that time with Delfouneso and Weimann getting brought on behind him. Would have been risky at the time though.... Lambert must have liked Bent initially to have handed over the armband but now seems to have reached the conclusion that he takes more than he offers and we are a better team without him. Shame to see him go but I think it's inevitable now.

[Clampy]

The problem i have with people who say we'd be better off without Bent is that they don't offer any alternative suggestions as to who to replace him. Mal above has suggested Gabby in a 4-5-1 which did work for a while but other than that i've not heard many other ideas.

[PaulWinch again]

I don't think we should get rid of Bent, as I've made clear on numerous occasions. However if we did the money must be reinvested in a relatively proven creative midfielder, to create chances for the remaining strikers. I'm not expecting us to sign Iniesta, but we need someone to give us an attacking threat.

[Irish villain]

I think Darren Bent's time at villa has been quite sad. He was the right player but he arrived a year (or two?) too late. I am convinced we would have challenged for the title if we had got him in say 2009. Instead we ended up getting him as that side was being dismantled and so he hasn't had the creativity he thrives on.

SO frustrating.

[sid1964]

Supposedly Bent was laughing and joking with Jol, after the final whistle on Saturday!

[Hookeysmith]

Is it any coincidence that he has not been picked up by any of the "top" teams considering how good his record was.
The fact of the matter is outside of the  box and you may as well play with 10 men - he offers nothing as part of the team so to accomodate him emand we have to be light elsewhere

He does not tackle
Not good in the air
Does not track back
His positional sense is questionable

Thats not to say he is not a great goal poacher - he is, but just like Rush, Lineker, Owen et al in the modern game the striker has to be more than that - they have to be an allround player - Henry, RVP, Bergkamp, Rooney, Tevez etc

The ideal time to have bought Bent was when we had both Young / Milner and even then it was the pace of Gabby that made that front 3 very dangerous

[myf]

Supposedly Bent was laughing and joking with Jol, after the final whistle on Saturday!

Wow.  Engaging with his former boss.  Hanging offence

[Merv]

It's not really a rotation policy, Darren. You've started the majority of games this season, been sub twice (coming on both times), and started the last league game, without doing too much.

I like Bent and rate him, in terms of the type of striker he is, but he does seem to have a habit of moving on whenever things get slightly tricky at a club. If you're agitating for a move after starting two games on the bench, it doesn't say a lot for your strength of character.

[David_Nab]

Agreed Merv even Rooney gets put on the bench sometimes , the bottom line is yes we could create more but dear me when we don't his contribution is non existent so moaning doesn't reflect well on him.

[Clampy]

Agreed Merv even Rooney gets put on the bench sometimes , the bottom line is yes we could create more but dear me when we don't his contribution is non existent so moaning doesn't reflect well on him.

He was probably the same at Sunderland but we saw his name on the scoresheet nearly every week. Every now and then you'll get a goalscorer who dose'nt contribute as much as other strikers and Bent is one of them but i bet Sunderland fans would have him back.

[Merv]

His game's always been like that, yes. Not so sure if Sunderland fans would have him back. That all turned sour very quickly. He had a fantastic first season, was reportedly looking for a move the following summer. Not surprised at all he's getting itchy feet again (apparently) after 18 months with us.

[Clampy]

His game's always been like that, yes. Not so sure if Sunderland fans would have him back. That all turned sour very quickly. He had a fantastic first season, was reportedly looking for a move the following summer. Not surprised at all he's getting itchy feet again (apparently) after 18 months with us.

Well no, they would'nt be clamouring his signature but you know how fickle fans can be, if MON signed him back they'd very quickly forgive. And anyway, there's no suggestion that he's getting itchy feet.

[Merv]

No suggestion Bent is getting itchy feet? You don't think? It's all hearsay at the moment but the momentum is building. It feels quite disruptive right now. January will be interesting.