Darren Bent, can he keep us up??

[Monty]

Every conversation about the qualities of Bent highlight the problem. People say he'd do fine if he had 'service' - and that's how Bent sees the rest of his team, set up for the purpose of serving him chances on a silver platter. Where we are, how frankly poor we are, we need everyone on the pitch to contribute to every part of play, and for that reason I would play Weimann over Bent every time.

[pestria]

Every conversation about the qualities of Bent highlight the problem. People say he'd do fine if he had 'service' - and that's how Bent sees the rest of his team, set up for the purpose of serving him chances on a silver platter. Where we are, how frankly poor we are, we need everyone on the pitch to contribute to every part of play, and for that reason I would play Weimann over Bent every time.

I understand your point - but don't underestimate how valuable a 'finisher' is.  Apart from Weiman we don't have a nother player who hits the six yeard box or attacks the near post.  I've lost count of the number of times Benteke has drifted to the back post when the ball is out wide leaving no one in the box to cross to.

[Monty]

Every conversation about the qualities of Bent highlight the problem. People say he'd do fine if he had 'service' - and that's how Bent sees the rest of his team, set up for the purpose of serving him chances on a silver platter. Where we are, how frankly poor we are, we need everyone on the pitch to contribute to every part of play, and for that reason I would play Weimann over Bent every time.

I understand your point - but don't underestimate how valuable a 'finisher' is.  Apart from Weiman we don't have a nother player who hits the six yeard box or attacks the near post.  I've lost count of the number of times Benteke has drifted to the back post when the ball is out wide leaving no one in the box to cross to.

Then Weimann can do it. Benteke does it more than he used to as well. The point is that Bent just stands around on the edge of the area before occasionally attacking the goal expecting the ball to be perfect.

[Damo70]

Do any stattos know Bent's goals total this season compared to his minutes on the pitch? Off the top of my head I would say it's not bad considering the lack of service/playing to his strengths.

[supertom]

I'd like to see N'Zogbia and Bent given the rest of the season in the sides. Two talents who could make something happen. We've got to pray that CNZ can save us like he saved Wigan, and Benty might save us again as his first 6 months.

Play our best talents and hope they do something. I don't include Ireland because he's just too far gone IMO.

Hopefully Sylla adds some midfield bite. I want to see Vlaar really emerge now too and lead from the back. If Dunne gets back fit enough he has to play. Big IF though.

Forget the stubbornness Paul, we need to put our money on our biggest names. Bent attracted a big fee for a reason. CNZ for a reason too. They can dribble out of Villa in the "might have beens" club with little to show (especially in Charles' case) or they can provide the goals that keep us up and kick on into next year.

Benteke as a focal point can really help Bent and I'm amazed PL is so reluctant to partner them up. Benteke can make chances for Bent. Even if we have to resort to long balls, Benteke wins 8,9/10 headers and Bent reads these well.

Get some width. 2 up top. We need more goals. The defence is unsalvageable this season, so we've got to try and outscore teams.

[eamonn]

Benteke scores about the same as Bent does, so can't see how much difference he will make.  Unless we convert him to a centre half!

Benteke plays every game though, Bent doesn't.
I'd stick Bent in a leave him there till the end of the season. I like Benteke but he misses lots of chances. We need Bent's clinical finishing to save us, and as long as we have width (N'Zogbia are you listening?) we have a chance. It's our few remaining big players that will get us out of this god damn mess.

I meant in terms of goals to games.  Someone put the stats on the transfer thread the other day and we actually get more from Benteke than Bent.   

Bent never plays 90 minutes though.
The fairest comparison would be goals per minutes and I imagine Bent would pwn Benteke on that score.

[PaulMcGrathsNo5Shirt]

To supply Bent effectively we need width, something we rarely see under Lambert. Playing Bent and one other striker would mean we would have to play with 2 central midfielders - something that causes us problems.

Personally I think if we play Bent we have to play 4-5-1, but then again I wouldn't leave out Benteke either.

Bent showed very very little against Newcastle, and the game changed when we had Gabby and Weimann running the channels showing pace and work rate. I would go 4-5-1 for Everton with Gabby and Weimann playing wide withTHREE central midfielders to enable us to at least compete and then Benteke up top.

 

[Monty]

Seriously, how badly and anonymously does Bent have to play and how clearly better do we have to look with Benteke and Weimann in the side before people see how overrated Bent is? Seriously, I thought the Newcastle game would have been the clincher. I can't believe this debate is still happening.

[jonzy85]

When starting this thread, I had in mind us adopting a system to bring out the best in Bent.

Benteke has been our player of the season so far, but if it comes to that one chance to get a win, I would rather it fall to Bent.

I think there has to be room in a 4-4-2 for them, with CNZ and maybe Gabby out wide. The problem with this is that we become very soft in the middle, so it is dependent on Sylla stepping up to the plate.

I think if we had the above players playing to their potential, we would steer well clear of relegation. Of course we would have to learn to defend set pieces first.

[jonzy85]

Seriously, how badly and anonymously does Bent have to play and how clearly better do we have to look with Benteke and Weimann in the side before people see how overrated Bent is? Seriously, I thought the Newcastle game would have been the clincher. I can't believe this debate is still happening.

The thing about Bent is that he will have games like that and then pop up with the crucial goal. I've watched a few Man Utd games this year when Van Persie has done the same.

[Lee]

Nige is still available isn't he? On a free I'd snap him up now. Are we able to sign free agents now?

Said the same to an Evertonian I work with this morning

[Monty]

But Bent makes it actively harder for us to create chances, in any system, because he just stands around and expects people to feed him the ball like he's Zlatan. I'd also rather a chance fell to Weimann, he might do more than try and sidefoot it into the keeper.

The thing about Bent is that he will have games like that and then pop up with the crucial goal. I've watched a few Man Utd games this year when Van Persie has done the same.

But Van Persie has God knows how many assists. He even takes their corners! The comparison just isn't there.

[ktvillan]

Bent will always score if provided with the right service.  I don't think we have the manager, players or formation to do that so probably not.  Besides he'd have to get 3 per game to overcome our defensive deficiencies.

[VillaAlways]

Bent practically kept us up the season before last scoring some fantastic goals,the two at Arsenal spring to mind.I don't remember anybody calling him lazy then? The fact is we have had two consecutive shit managers who haven't the first clue about how to play to his strengths.Bloody hell even Steve Bruce managed it.The constant chopping and changing of the team hasn't helped and refusing to play him must have dented his confidence( he is human).It's the manager that's overrated and basically useless not Bent.If he went to any other team in the league he'd be scoring hatfuls as he has done all his career

[neo_Villan]

As some have already said, our strikers aren't having a problem goal-wise. It is the rest of the team who are not chipping in. We should probably ask the same question about N'Zogbia really.