Darren Bent

[LeeB]

Has there ever been such a keen discussion on the line up of our subs bench?

We've never had a player that cost £24m before.

Surely it's a good thing that the manager doesn't take that into account.

My thinking too pal.

[garyshawsknee]

Eric B & Rakim would have.

But we do have to follow the leader.

[JUAN PABLO]

Has there ever been such a keen discussion on the line up of our subs bench?

We've never had a player that cost £24m before.

that scores goals when we are not actually scoring many

[Risso]

Has there ever been such a keen discussion on the line up of our subs bench?

We've never had a player that cost £24m before.

Surely it's a good thing that the manager doesn't take that into account.

His cost is irrelevant, the fact is he's an excellent goal scorer, and should at least be on the bench ahead of the likes of Bowery and Albrighton.  Especially when we haven't even averaged a goal a game this season.

[LeeB]

Has there ever been such a keen discussion on the line up of our subs bench?

We've never had a player that cost £24m before.

Surely it's a good thing that the manager doesn't take that into account.

His cost is irrelevant, the fact is he's an excellent goal scorer, and should at least be on the bench ahead of the likes of Bowery and Albrighton.  Especially when we haven't even averaged a goal a game this season.

The only 'fact' , Rafa-isso, is that he has been an excellent goalscorer.

[pauliewalnuts]

Has there ever been such a keen discussion on the line up of our subs bench?

We've never had a player that cost £24m before.

Surely it's a good thing that the manager doesn't take that into account.

His cost is irrelevant, the fact is he's an excellent goal scorer, and should at least be on the bench ahead of the likes of Bowery and Albrighton.  Especially when we haven't even averaged a goal a game this season.

The only 'fact' , Rafa-isso, is that he has been an excellent goalscorer.

True, but that stacks up pretty well against the players who got ahead of him and got a place on the bench.

[olaftab]

I don't want the manager of Villa to be 'media trained'.  I want a hard as nails, tactically aware, honest achiever.   Fuck the 'media'.

Agreed and you don't need any media training!

[Clampy]

I have'nt got too much of a problem with him being left out the starting 11 if Lambert feels it's right for his system, but leaving him out altogether is just wrong.

[danlanza]

Does he put the effort in ? Is he really willing to put his heart and soul into Villa ? Does he just want the ball played onto his toe and then take all the praise for hitting it into the back of the net from 4 yards ?
I don't think he is a team player. The only thing that matters to Darren Bent is... Darren Bent, and that is why Lambert is not playing him IMO.

[Eigentor]

Lambert doesn't strike me as a manager who would leave out Bent because of his the player's lack of popularity in the squad.

The players are paid handsomely to be professionals, and even if they don't get on too well with another member of the team their duty is to do their outmost to help the team win. If Lambert backs down from that principle, he's skating on thin ice, and I doubt that he's stupid enough to do that.

So my guess is that the reason that Bent isn't being picked is that Lambert doesn't rate him. And that Lambert isn't overly concerned about what others may think or believe about the matter.

[Risso]

Has there ever been such a keen discussion on the line up of our subs bench?

We've never had a player that cost £24m before.

Surely it's a good thing that the manager doesn't take that into account.

His cost is irrelevant, the fact is he's an excellent goal scorer, and should at least be on the bench ahead of the likes of Bowery and Albrighton.  Especially when we haven't even averaged a goal a game this season.

The only 'fact' , Rafa-isso, is that he has been an excellent goalscorer.

Hard for him to carry on when he's not in the match day squad.  Even if he isn't good as before (which I dispute, he just isn't [not] playing in a very good team), he's still got to be a better bet than Bowery or Albrighton.  I'll bet you a shiny Isle of Man pound that Bowery doesn't score a single league goal this season.  Not because he isn't any good, or indeed a decent future prospect, but because he's a young lad who's just come from a much lower division.

[Dave]

Has there ever been such a keen discussion on the line up of our subs bench?

We've never had a player that cost £24m before.

Surely it's a good thing that the manager doesn't take that into account.

His cost is irrelevant, the fact is he's an excellent goal scorer, and should at least be on the bench ahead of the likes of Bowery and Albrighton.  Especially when we haven't even averaged a goal a game this season.

The only 'fact' , Rafa-isso, is that he has been an excellent goalscorer.

You can say that about any player. Falcao, Messi and Ibrahimovic will all struggle to score if you ostracise them and refuse to pick them.

If you then stop playing them, they find it difficult to carry on doing what they were doing before.

[ktvillan]

Has there ever been such a keen discussion on the line up of our subs bench?

We've never had a player that cost £24m before.

Surely it's a good thing that the manager doesn't take that into account.

His cost is irrelevant, the fact is he's an excellent goal scorer, and should at least be on the bench ahead of the likes of Bowery and Albrighton.  Especially when we haven't even averaged a goal a game this season.

The only 'fact' , Rafa-isso, is that he has been an excellent goalscorer.

So what's that supposed to mean?  That his record counts for nothing since Lambert decided not to pick him? 

[nornironvillain]

is it true that we are only 3 appearances away from paying a big whack off the transfer to Sunderland?

[PeterWithesShin]

Why didn't Barry take the penalty?