Darren Bent

[kippaxvilla2]

The day we sell our best striker to QPR is when it's time to give up surely isn't it.  I mean, just how far down the pan do we have to go? 

Nice to see variations of "How low have we sunk" can be used on any occasion.

Not really, just when it's warranted.  You probably think I am a serial miserablist, I am at the moment, I am just really pissed off at the way the whole club has eroded over a relatively short period.  I wasn't around in the dark days of the late 60's so I recognise what I am seeing now maybe nothing compared to then, but, given the money that is swishing around these days, this decline makes it even more shocking.

[dave.woodhall]

The day we sell our best striker to QPR is when it's time to give up surely isn't it.  I mean, just how far down the pan do we have to go? 

Nice to see variations of "How low have we sunk" can be used on any occasion.

Not really, just when it's warranted.  You probably think I am a serial miserablist, I am at the moment, I am just really pissed off at the way the whole club has eroded over a relatively short period.  I wasn't around in the dark days of the late 60's so I recognise what I am seeing now maybe nothing compared to then, but, given the money that is swishing around these days, this decline makes it even more shocking.

Who a player is sold to really doesn't matter. We've sold our stars to worse, and better, than QPR when we've been worse and better than we are now.

[Mazrim]

There is quite a long way down the pan to go than where we are now, believe me.
Despite how frustrating the last few years have been I'm still fairly optimistic that we'll recover and have a team we can really be excited about in a year or two. The road will be rocky for a little while yet.

[kippaxvilla2]

The day we sell our best striker to QPR is when it's time to give up surely isn't it.  I mean, just how far down the pan do we have to go? 

Nice to see variations of "How low have we sunk" can be used on any occasion.

Not really, just when it's warranted.  You probably think I am a serial miserablist, I am at the moment, I am just really pissed off at the way the whole club has eroded over a relatively short period.  I wasn't around in the dark days of the late 60's so I recognise what I am seeing now maybe nothing compared to then, but, given the money that is swishing around these days, this decline makes it even more shocking.

Who a player is sold to really doesn't matter. We've sold our stars to worse, and better, than QPR when we've been worse and better than we are now.

In this instance it very much does matter in my view.  In the short term it could lose us £40m, in the longer term it could see us do a Forest, Southampton, Leeds, Coventry, Sheffield Wednesday.

It could of course mean nothing of the above, but it's a hell of a gamble to take considering where we are in the league.

[eastie]

The day we sell our best striker to QPR is when it's time to give up surely isn't it.  I mean, just how far down the pan do we have to go? 

Nice to see variations of "How low have we sunk" can be used on any occasion.

Not really, just when it's warranted.  You probably think I am a serial miserablist, I am at the moment, I am just really pissed off at the way the whole club has eroded over a relatively short period.  I wasn't around in the dark days of the late 60's so I recognise what I am seeing now maybe nothing compared to then, but, given the money that is swishing around these days, this decline makes it even more shocking.

Who a player is sold to really doesn't matter. We've sold our stars to worse, and better, than QPR when we've been worse and better than we are now.

In this instance it very much does matter in my view.  In the short term it could lose us £40m, in the longer term it could see us do a Forest, Southampton, Leeds, Coventry, Sheffield Wednesday.

It could of course mean nothing of the above, but it's a hell of a gamble to take considering where we are in the league.

I think if qpr are prepared to pay the asking fee and nobody else is then randy would sell to qpr- it is up to us to finish safely and not worry about what  qpr or anyone else does - I do think though that if bent went to qpr they would avoid relegation , I think we will avoid relegation too.

[Chris Smith]

I dont think there is much chance of Bent going to QPR after Redknapp's public humiliation of Bent. Not to mention they are probably favourites to go down right now and that probably (we hope) won't change much in January.

Fulham or Liverpool are more likely destinations.

Feel free to poo poo this but I think he's got a good chance of going to Chelsea or even Arsenal. Both are looking for a goalscorer, Chelsea moreso. The fact he is eligible for European competition and a proven goal getter makes me think Arsenal might take a punt on him especially if as rumoured Walcott leaves in January.

I think his technical limitations make Arsenal an unlikely destination and Chelsea will surely cast their net a bit wider if they're in the market.

[Hookeysmith]

I dont think there is much chance of Bent going to QPR after Redknapp's public humiliation of Bent. Not to mention they are probably favourites to go down right now and that probably (we hope) won't change much in January.

Fulham or Liverpool are more likely destinations.

Feel free to poo poo this but I think he's got a good chance of going to Chelsea or even Arsenal. Both are looking for a goalscorer, Chelsea moreso. The fact he is eligible for European competition and a proven goal getter makes me think Arsenal might take a punt on him especially if as rumoured Walcott leaves in January.

Bent would score a shedload of goals at arsenal - wherever he goes he will score goals .

The point is being missed here
I am not against Bent, far from it go back to the days when we had Young / Milner / Barry providing brilliant service we ended up with Heskey when Bent would have been possibly the final piece in the jigsaw to get into the top 4. Everyone could see it but Pube head
You have to ask ourselves with Bents impressive goal to game ratio why the likes of Arse / Man U / Chelsea were never in for him?  Look at the strikers they have and all of them not only score goals but also work their collective balls off for the team - it is the way of the modern CF
Long gone are the days of the likes of Ian Rush / Lineker almost goal hanging and scoring shed loads. The game is about 10 outfield players attacking and defending as a unit and Bent regrettably in ours (and almost all other teams) set up just does not fit in. Add to this the great service we could have provided previously for a multitude of reasons is not there today and instead we have a very young team who needs the ball held up front more now than ever so they can join up play. DB is not a natural at hold up play, does not like working towards his own goal and could almost be called a lazy footballer (in the nice way). All managers have a way that they set up and we have to accept that PL's way does not include DB, just like Carroll  was told very early and publically that he was not for Rodgers. To accomodate Bent would mean PL completely changing the set up he is now getting settled into and it is easy to see that includes a big man to hold the ball up and terrorise defences hence buying Benteke. Now i do not claim to know anything at all about Bowery apart from he is a big bugger but i would not mind betting that he offers more in the shape of what PL wants from a CF than DB does hence having him on the bench. Player slots into way of playing rather than changing the wehole set up to accomodate a single player.
All Managers buy players to fit into their systems not the other way round

Or if thats not the case then its obvious DB has shagged PL's missus before 50 games means loads of money going to pube heads coffers

[Irish villain]

It would be stupid to sell to QPR. As things stand (especially if we beat them) they probably mean we only have to worry about being better than two other teams. Sell them Bent and we may as well hand them 10 points on a plate.

[eastie]

By Brendan McLoughlin | 28/11/12 

QPR chief Harry Redknapp is willing to make up with Darren Bent and could offer him a shock escape route out of Aston Villa.

The new Hoops boss is desperate to bolster his attack in January and remains an admirer of Bent, who has been frozen out by Paul Lambert.

The striker quit Tottenham in a sulk in 2009 just months after Redknapp blasted him for missing a chance against Portsmouth he claimed his “missus could have scored.”

But Redknapp has ­indicated he is ready to bury the hatchet with the England ace as he bids to pull off another of his ‘Harry Houdini’ acts with rock-bottom Rangers.

Redknapp said: “We lack a bit of a cutting edge. It’s a lopsided squad, we could do with a couple of front men to give us a chance.

“I like Darren, I have no problems with him. I just made a comment that maybe I shouldn’t have.

“It was difficult, he didn’t like that and within no time he decided he wanted to go. But he’s a good player and he can score goals.”

While such a prospect was unthinkable not so long ago, it is move which could prove mutually beneficial with Bent out in the cold at Villa.

A January exit is now inevitable for the 28-year-old, whose last start came over a month ago.

Liverpool and Fulham are also keen on the £24million attacker, who could be sold for as little as £8m.

[PaulWinch again]

Better not be as little as £8 million, that would be utter insanity.

[Can Gana Be Bettered!?!?]

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.

I seem to recall one of our managers talking about another player a few years back and getting fined for it. Can't remember who it was.

[eastie]

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.

I seem to recall one of our managers talking about another player a few years back and getting fined for it. Can't remember who it was.

O Leary I think.

[dave.woodhall]

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.

I seem to recall one of our managers talking about another player a few years back and getting fined for it. Can't remember who it was.

O'Leary over James Beattie. Only Villa could be fined for poaching a player we didn't sign.

[amfy]

David O'Leary and Beattie, then of Southampton
We are the only club that aren't allowed to do this.
On the other hand, if we don't talk about players before we sign them - as was the case with Bent where everyone was surprised - then we are "Desperate".

[dave.woodhall]

David O'Leary and Beattie, then of Southampton
We are the only club that aren't allowed to do this.
On the other hand, if we don't talk about players before we sign them - as was the case with Bent where everyone was surprised - then we are "Desperate".

I still wonder if much of the reason the media have always had a downer on us and Bent is that we caught them totally by surprise when signing him and upset a few generally-agreed theories into the bargain.