Darren Bent

[Drummond]

The long and short of it is that none of us have a clue.

It's all opinion based in what we want to believe. There is no evidence to support any viewpoint. Except that the manager hasn't picked him, for the last two games when he's supposedly fit.

We got a draw against Arsenal and a win against Reading. Most of us would have settled for that beforehand, with or without Darren Bent. So the manager got it right.

[kippaxvilla2]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2239734/Darren-Bent-Paul-Lambert-row--Aston-Villa-misfit-playing.html

He is a stubborn son of a gun for sure.

Well with a stout defence like that it's perfectly clear why a man with a 1 in 2 goalscoring ratio in his time at the club wouldn't get in a side that has scored less than 1 goal a game on average so far.

[VillaAlways]

Darren Bent will not hand in a transfer request at Aston Villa, but accepts he will be forced out of the club in the January transfer window, according to ESPN sources close to the striker.

Bent is set to be shipped out of Villa Park during the winter transfer window by manager Paul Lambert as a result of the mystifying break down in relations between the pair, paving the way for the England international making a potential move to Queens Park Rangers.

Aston Villa will be prepared to accept around half of the £24 million record transfer fee they paid Sunderland for the England international and new QPR manager Harry Redknapp is considering a reunion despite his own fall-out with Bent when the pair were together at Spurs.

Stoke City and Fulham have asked to be kept informed of Villa's intentions, but they appear clearer now that sources close to Bent claim the 28-year-old has been fit for the last three weeks, despite his manager claiming he was unavailable because of an ankle injury.

A source close to Bent said: "He won't ask for a transfer, but he has not been given any explanation for what has happened. He is frustrated and angry with the situation. He was left out of the squad for games with Arsenal and Reading, but he was fit to play against Manchester United and Manchester City before those matches."

Bent has been left out for the last four games and against Reading and Arsenal and for the last two matches lost his place in the 18-man squad to Jordan Bowery, a £600,000 signing from Chesterfield in August, amid claims from Lambert that all is "fine" with Bent.

"Darren is confused at what has been going on. He is as confused as everyone else. He does not feel he has a future at Villa beyond January. He will continue to be professional and train hard and wait to see what Villa do in the New Year."

Redknapp had a well-publicised dispute with Bent when he claimed his wife Sandra would have scored one of the chances the forward wasted in a game against Portsmouth, but his need is greater than most with key forwards Andrew Johnson and Bobby Zamora out of action long-term.

He is willing to bury the hatchet because of the need for goals at Loftus Road and Bent has 102 Premier League goals to his name at a ratio of almost one every two games.

"I like Darren. I've got no problems with Darren Bent," the QPR boss said. "I just made a comment that maybe I shouldn't, when I said I think my missus would have scored when he missed a header that day. I can laugh at myself, I don't mind.

"It was obviously difficult, he didn't like it and that was sort of it really, and within no time he decided that he didn't want to stay.

"But I think he's a good player. I'd like to have Darren Bent available, believe you me. He can score goals. I've got no problem with Darren as a boy or as a player. I think he's a good player."

Bent has over two years left on his £65,000-a-week contract, but there is no interest from Liverpool as he does not fit the profile for Anfield manager Brendan Rodgers. In an ironic twist, Bent will most likely be left out again for Saturday's trip to Loftus Road and Redknapp's first home game in charge since replacing Mark Hughes.

It has been reported by the Daily Mail that Villa are keen to offload Bent in order to stop a seven-figure payment being made to Sunderland when the striker reaches 50 appearances.

Bent moved to Villa for an initial fee of £18 million in January 2011, with further instalments factored in after significant milestones are reached. Bent has made 47 appearances for the Midlands club, leading to a stand-off.

© ESPN EMEA Ltd

[supertom]

Fuck off Redknapp!! That bloody rent-a-quote has to stick his beak in again.

Something's obviously not right with the whole Bent situation. Lambert's the man with the plan though. We'd be no better off had Bent been playing more. Possibly worse off, as Gabby and Weimann have worked extremely hard over the last few weeks.

We need to make some sort of clear statement. We can't have this issue dragging over xmas. We don't need it. If he's surplus to requirements then so be it, by why not just come out and say it. Some players and managers don't gel. For me, Bent joined us for money. I can't see in all seriousness how we could in his mind fulfil any other ambitions. Clearly we were in decline.
Lambert has a long term vision and I feel like a few results, and some good january signings mean we can turn a corner. The way we're currently set up, and at least seem to be getting some results, doesn't suit Bent. That's clear.

I didn't think so before, but the more it drags on, I can't really discount the theory Randy's had a say in this too.

[eastie]

This will just keep on rumbling in the press and is a distraction we can do without- its time to be open with fans and clear this matter up once and for all - if the club are holding him back to avoid paying the next instalment then it smacks of poor management at the top, we are hardly in a position of safety to take such a gamble.

[Can Gana Be Bettered!?!?]

Never understasnd why Redknapp can talk about other players like that.

[Drummond]

This will just keep on rumbling in the press and is a distraction we can do without- its time to be open with fans and clear this matter up once and for all - if the club are holding him back to avoid paying the next instalment then it smacks of poor management at the top, we are hardly in a position of safety to take such a gamble.

Why? The club shouldn't share confidential information so that it can be broadcast all over the place.

[N'ZMAV]

Fucking sell him. Get this circus over. Boring as fuck now. Rant over.

[Irish villain]

They have done very well to keep Bent as quiet as they have.

[Dave]

Never understasnd why Redknapp can talk about other players like that.

Why can't he? There's nothing in the rules that says that he shouldn't.

[eastie]

This will just keep on rumbling in the press and is a distraction we can do without- its time to be open with fans and clear this matter up once and for all - if the club are holding him back to avoid paying the next instalment then it smacks of poor management at the top, we are hardly in a position of safety to take such a gamble.

Why? The club shouldn't share confidential information so that it can be broadcast all over the place.

The distraction is not good for the club or the manager, these stories will continue and we can nip it in the bud by clearing up the situation with a simple statement .

Clearly lambert can do without the constant questioning regarding bent and it seems that he will be leaving , it would be simpler to say that Darren is not part of the managers plans and  then we can move on .

I feel sorry for bent , he came here with a good supply line which has been sold and has been left cast aside in a shabby manner If his sources are correct - poor management .

[VillaAlways]

I don't believe Bent came to us purely for money. GH had a clear plan which DB bought into and he fitted into the system perfectly. We were showing Top 6 form after Jan and had the likes of Cabaye in our sights in the Summer. Pity it all went tits up

[QBVILLA]

Think the way Rodgers handled the Andy Carroll situation in the summer is a good example of why it's better to keep it in house. The fact Bent, record signing, England international and proven goalscorer can't make the 18 man matchday squad of a side 17th in the league tells us that he's on his way out. Whether it's because of transfer clauses, a bust up with the manager, shagging of Herd's bird.... Whatever. He's on his way out. A mistake in my opinion, but my opinion means the same as everyone elses, absolutely bugger all. It's Lambert's call.

[supertom]

The trouble is also, if Lambert puts Bent back in the 18, or back in the side, there'll be naysayers wondering if he bowed to fan pressure, or even worse, press pressure.
I also hope that we sell him as early as possible in january. The sooner we can move on and also re-invest his fee, the better.

[PaulWinch again]

Ah Redknapp talking about other teams players what a fucking surprise. We shouldn't consider selling to QPR. Also this situation still makes no sense and Lambert could solve it just by including him in the squad.