Darren Bent

[McGraths Dry Cleaning]

Reading the post match interview on the BBC webshite and other bits and pieces it looks like its more about Bent's attitude than anything. "Darren Bent just has to play well and train well," is the line that most interests me. He started with Bent as Captain so obviously in Lambert's original thinking he saw Bent as a key player and a leader - something we need looking at the youth and inexperience in our team. Clearly Lambert thinks hes either lazy or is showing a poor attitude. If you throw in a sulky strop on Bent's part (its not inconceivable hes done this) then you set up a situation where no one is going to back down - Lambert is not going to pick him without an attitude improvement and Bent is not going to buckle down and up his work rate as hes angry that hes not even getting on the bench when less able players are.

I'm guessing there have been a few dressing room bust ups at Villa over the last few seasons (we only know about the ones that have been reported) so I think part of Lambert's brief is to keep the poison away so its easy to see why Lambert might react extremely harshly to even a hint of disrespect. Anyway, thats my thoughts - I think the fitting in to the team style/system is not the reason hes not playing.

[LeeB]

Reading the post match interview on the BBC webshite and other bits and pieces it looks like its more about Bent's attitude than anything. "Darren Bent just has to play well and train well," is the line that most interests me. He started with Bent as Captain so obviously in Lambert's original thinking he saw Bent as a key player and a leader - something we need looking at the youth and inexperience in our team. Clearly Lambert thinks hes either lazy or is showing a poor attitude. If you throw in a sulky strop on Bent's part (its not inconceivable hes done this) then you set up a situation where no one is going to back down - Lambert is not going to pick him without an attitude improvement and Bent is not going to buckle down and up his work rate as hes angry that hes not even getting on the bench when less able players are.

I'm guessing there have been a few dressing room bust ups at Villa over the last few seasons (we only know about the ones that have been reported) so I think part of Lambert's brief is to keep the poison away so its easy to see why Lambert might react extremely harshly to even a hint of disrespect. Anyway, thats my thoughts - I think the fitting in to the team style/system is not the reason hes not playing.

You could well be on the money.

And the manager would be right.

[He wears a magic hat]

The 'play well and train well' is all we need to know. This for me spells it out plain and simple. DB is obviously displaying a bad attitude and until it improves we ain't gonna see him.

On this I back the manager 100%

[Percy McCarthy]

As well as scoring, Bent also missed a tap-in at Southampton, from a worldy ball by Benteke.

And we're not playing a diamond in midfield anymore (stating the obvious I know, but just for anyone who doesn't know what they're looking at).

[QBVILLA]

As well as scoring, Bent also missed a tap-in at Southampton, from a worldy ball by Benteke.

And we're not playing a diamond in midfield anymore.

All players miss chances. Benteke had a stinker against Albion but has been on the whole one of our better performers.

[QBVILLA]

Pat murphy had a long interview with lambert on 5 live last night and repeatedly pressed lambert on bent, he said bent and benteke can play together as they did at st Mary's, he said bent is fit and available and there has been no bust up between them and that to get picked bent needs to train well and play well.

Pat Murphy "On the face of it they look like they could play together "
Lambert "They did at Southampton........"

Eastie pal, Lambert was pointing out that when he played them together it was probably our worst showing this season.

Do bent score that day ? Yes!
Was bent responsible for our shit second half defending ? No

Bent scored and benteke missed a couple of great chances, the reason we lost was crap defending !

Aye, he gets his tap in and does fuck all else.

If Bent were more flexible as a player he'd be playing, but he's not, and unfortunately we've got a better player in his position.

I'd rather that than a player who covers 7 miles a game and doesn't produce. Centre forwards should score goals and that's what Bent does.

Our centre forward is producing, he won the game for us last night.

I'm not disputing Benteke's place in the side. Personally i'd have Bent alongside him but each to their own. I do find it baffling though if there are those who don't think he's worthy of a place in the 18.

[eastie]

As well as scoring, Bent also missed a tap-in at Southampton, from a worldy ball by Benteke.

And we're not playing a diamond in midfield anymore.

All players miss chances. Benteke had a stinker against Albion but has been on the whole one of our better performers.

Also bent scored one and missed a sitter while benteke missed a couple of good chances which disproves the theory they can't play together, they could have scored a couple each that day and had chances.

[caster troy]

Substitution: 'Brett Holman replaces Chris Herd'

[QBVILLA]

As well as scoring, Bent also missed a tap-in at Southampton, from a worldy ball by Benteke.

And we're not playing a diamond in midfield anymore.

All players miss chances. Benteke had a stinker against Albion but has been on the whole one of our better performers.

Also bent scored one and missed a sitter while benteke missed a couple of good chances which disproves the theory they can't play together, they could have scored a couple each that day and had chances.

I'm with you mate. For me Bent played his best football at Sunderland alongside Kenwyne Jones and together they were very effective. I can't see why this wouldn't be the case with Bent and Benteke.

[teamvillage]

As well as scoring, Bent also missed a tap-in at Southampton, from a worldy ball by Benteke.

And we're not playing a diamond in midfield anymore.

All players miss chances. Benteke had a stinker against Albion but has been on the whole one of our better performers.

Also bent scored one and missed a sitter while benteke missed a couple of good chances which disproves the theory they can't play together, they could have scored a couple each that day and had chances.

It's not that they can't play together. It's that them playing together appears to leave us woefully short in other areas of the pitch. To the extent that we get hammered by the worst team in the division.

[QBVILLA]

As well as scoring, Bent also missed a tap-in at Southampton, from a worldy ball by Benteke.

And we're not playing a diamond in midfield anymore.

All players miss chances. Benteke had a stinker against Albion but has been on the whole one of our better performers.

Also bent scored one and missed a sitter while benteke missed a couple of good chances which disproves the theory they can't play together, they could have scored a couple each that day and had chances.

It's not that they can't play together. It's that them playing together appears to leave us woefully short in other areas of the pitch. To the extent that we get hammered by the worst team in the division.

It happens. That Reading side beat Everton last week. The same Everton that gave us a whopping at Villa Park. I think we can all find arguments to  be for or against a Bent/Benteke partnership.

[nigel]

£24m for a bench player is ridiculous. Start him, he guarantees goals.

But he doesn't 'Guarantee' goals.
If he guaranteed a goal a game then fair enough, but it's around 1 in 5 this season, which isn't good enough for a 'Guaranteed Goals' striker.

DB is good when the system suits, our system doesn't appear to suit him.
The majority on here wanted Lambert as manager, so let him get on with it.
We all knew this was going to be a tough season, but, this young, hungry team will come good

[QBVILLA]

£24m for a bench player is ridiculous. Start him, he guarantees goals.

But he doesn't 'Guarantee' goals.
If he guaranteed a goal a game then fair enough, but it's around 1 in 5 this season, which isn't good enough for a 'Guaranteed Goals' striker.

DB is good when the system suits, our system doesn't appear to suit him.
The majority on here wanted Lambert as manager, so let him get on with it.
We all knew this was going to be a tough season, but, this young, hungry team will come good

I wanted Lambert as manager and still do but it doesn't mean I don't agree with all of his decisions.

[nigel]

£24m for a bench player is ridiculous. Start him, he guarantees goals.

But he doesn't 'Guarantee' goals.
If he guaranteed a goal a game then fair enough, but it's around 1 in 5 this season, which isn't good enough for a 'Guaranteed Goals' striker.

DB is good when the system suits, our system doesn't appear to suit him.
The majority on here wanted Lambert as manager, so let him get on with it.
We all knew this was going to be a tough season, but, this young, hungry team will come good

I wanted Lambert as manager and still do but it doesn't mean I don't agree with all of his decisions.

Likewise QB

[PaulTheVillan]

Do you think if Lambert was our gaffer a couple of years ago and he went into the January window with £18m in his pocket, he'd have bought Darren Bent?