Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert denies rift with Darren Bent

[supertom]

I know Bent wasn't 100% fit in August, early sept but the myth that we're not creating anything for him is untrue. His conversion rate is 15%. You'd expect a bit more from a supposed master finisher and poacher. Particularly in a few games early there were instances when Bent was put through only to dwell on it too long, or fluff chances that he'd have scored at his best. Some people like to paint him as if he should have a comic relief video telling of his harrowing plight.

If he worked harder and got more involved, taking some pressure off the midfielders, maybe in turn there'd be more chances come his way, but I don't see much desire by him. There's been instances too when we've had midfielders get into good positions only to have no one, including Bent, in the box.
He's got to stop moping and start putting more effort in. As poor as CNZ is still, he's at least beginning to put a bit more effort in now, more than Bent is IMO.
If he doesn't then I'm really not too bothered if we sell him.

Plus there's a big danger in putting all the onus on Bent. It's not that we're not creating enough for him, we're just not creating enough full stop. We need goals from midfield. We need to score more from set pieces, which we continue to look utterly toothless from. Clark has it in him to score from the back like Laursen used to, so hopefully he'll get more.

Ideal world, we spend 10-15 in Jan on some quality midfielders and the team is more effective back and front because of it, and in turn Bent scores more.

Real world, we don't have that money and would have to raise it selling Bent. Then the liklihood of us re-investing it in the team, on decent, developed players is also minimal.
For me though, selling Bent would make us no worse, and no better. Regardless of Bent staying or going, we need new players. Quality.

[Clampy]

How come Benteke is getting on the end of chances and not Bent?

You can't say Benteke has better movement than Bent in the box?

The two so called 'sitters' that Benteke had at Spurs and Fulham came from, guess what....some decent service into the box. The Spurs one came from an Albrighton cross and the Fulham one came from a ball into the box from N'Zogbia.

Other than on overhit cross that Gabby and Bent both went for, i can't remember any good balls into the box whilst Bent was on the pitch at Fulham.

[Clampy]

I don't get all this 'play to his strengths' talk. Sadly we no longer have quality wide players in the squad so how exactly can we do that? Sometimes you have to deal with the hand you are dealt with. 

The fact is that he is creating an unpleasant atmosphere within the squad at a time that we can well do without it.

We don't know that for a fact do we?

[Mister E]

Reading the two threads together - this one and the Benteke one - it seems to me that posters generally appreciate more the energy that Benteke has to at least make goal-attempts and his willingness to put in a shift; compared to Bent's rather languid performances.

I actually think Bent has been marginally more dynamic than in previous seasons: maybe what we are seeing is PL's efforts to get more of a complete game from Bent. Perhaps by January we will see a different player; one that has a more team-focussed game and creates more space for colleagues ...
.. if he has that sort of transition in him.

[eastie]

I don't get all this 'play to his strengths' talk. Sadly we no longer have quality wide players in the squad so how exactly can we do that? Sometimes you have to deal with the hand you are dealt with. 

The fact is that he is creating an unpleasant atmosphere within the squad at a time that we can well do without it.

We don't know that for a fact do we?

Come on dave clark 5, your constant criticism of bent is one thing but to say for fact he's creating an unpleasant atmosphere  is totally unfounded and uncalled for.

[eastie]

How come Benteke is getting on the end of chances and not Bent?

You can't say Benteke has better movement than Bent in the box?

The two so called 'sitters' that Benteke had at Spurs and Fulham came from, guess what....some decent service into the box. The Spurs one came from an Albrighton cross and the Fulham one came from a ball into the box from N'Zogbia.

Other than on overhit cross that Gabby and Bent both went for, i can't remember any good balls into the box whilst Bent was on the pitch at Fulham.

Sods law clampy,  I would think bent would have converted those chances but it's typical of our season so far, once we get a few breaks  I think benteke and bent will convert chances , the main thing is we create chances for them .

[SoccerHQ]

I believe Bent is the case of right club, wrong time.

I think we'd have finished top 4 if we'd signed him from Spurs in summer 2009 for 10m instead of MON signing Downing for 12m with his broken leg and generally shite level of performance when he did play that season.

Ask anyone what we were missing from those years and aswell as more creative nous, a clinical striker as even though Gabby was playing well, he still had his three month goal droughts, Carew was often injured and the other alternatives were Harewood and Heskey.

[Mister E]

I believe Bent is the case of right club, wrong time.

I think we'd have finished top 4 if we'd signed him from Spurs in summer 2009 for 10m instead of MON signing Downing for 12m with his broken leg and generally shite level of performance when he did play that season.

Ask anyone what we were missing from those years and aswell as more creative nous, a clinical striker as even though Gabby was playing well, he still had his three month goal droughts, Carew was often injured and the other alternatives were Harewood and Heskey.

You may be right, although MON probably would have ended up playing Bent at right back.

[tomd2103]

Reading the two threads together - this one and the Benteke one - it seems to me that posters generally appreciate more the energy that Benteke has to at least make goal-attempts and his willingness to put in a shift; compared to Bent's rather languid performances.
I actually think Bent has been marginally more dynamic than in previous seasons: maybe what we are seeing is PL's efforts to get more of a complete game from Bent. Perhaps by January we will see a different player; one that has a more team-focussed game and creates more space for colleagues ...
.. if he has that sort of transition in him.

I would be of that thought.  Benteke poses much more of a physical presence up front, whereas Bent often make a token effort to challenge defenders and win the ball in the air.  I still don't think it is a case of either or though, as I think it could still be our best forward partnership. 

[Dave Clark Five]

I don't get all this 'play to his strengths' talk. Sadly we no longer have quality wide players in the squad so how exactly can we do that? Sometimes you have to deal with the hand you are dealt with. 

The fact is that he is creating an unpleasant atmosphere within the squad at a time that we can well do without it.

We don't know that for a fact do we?

Come on dave clark 5, your constant criticism of bent is one thing but to say for fact he's creating an unpleasant atmosphere  is totally unfounded and uncalled for.

Just note that, Eastie. Then come back to me in January. My criticism of Bent is triggered by his own bleating to the press and information that he is causing bad feeling. Don't try to make it my
fault. Bent would do his cause no harm if he went out of his way to be more approachable to our fans. Apart from the training day, he ducks out of the way.

[villan from luton]

Who says Bent is creating an unpleasant atmosphere?

[PeterWithesShin]

Who says Bent is creating an unpleasant atmosphere?

Russ Abbott, and he knows about happy atmospheres.

[Dave Clark Five]

Who says Bent is creating an unpleasant atmosphere?

It will all be revealed very soon.

[villan from luton]

So in other words, it is heresay so far

[Dave Clark Five]

So in other words, it is heresay so far

No.