Club that cannot stop scoring lets yesterday's man go forth.

[supertom]

I wanted Bent to get another go, particularly after a fairly promising pre-season, but his performances this season have been dreadful. His last outing was awful to watch. It was like watching Apollo Creed staggering around the ring in Rocky 4, but Ivan Drago wasn't around to put Bent out of his misery. His legs were gone, he looked out of shape and more than anything he played with a look of deflated indifference. He didn't look like he cared at all. That could well be down to how he's been treated here, and I do think there has been more use we could have got out of him, particularly in Lamberks first season. Though his legs had gone he didn't look woefully out of shape on top of that. This season however he's just looked ready for the knackers yard. Having only just turned 30 too, that's quite a shame really.

His last goal for us was the best and worst of Bent. One chance against Wigan. Brilliantly taken. He then did nothing for the rest of the game. Trouble is too, he's not fit enough to start games at this level anymore, and he's never been great as an impact player really. It takes him too long to get into a game.

[silhillvilla]

Bent has always been a bit languid.
His first game for us - 1 goal not much else , 19 touches all game.
His last PL start for us - very similar - a goal and not much else.

[Somniloquism]

Please tell me - one of his staunchest defenders - what Bent has done in the past two years to make him worth keeping.

Not defending him necessarily but how many chances has he been given in that time ? Has lambert handled him well ? I don't think so

He made him Captain and started him in most early matches. However he then wasn't doing it after an initial goal scoring burst (sound familiar) and Benteke showed more up front, then injuries, poor form and potentially poor attitude in training meant his chances became limited. The goal you have so often quoted came when Benteke was suspended for the last match. It was the last decent contribution he did but for the other 89 minutes of that match he showed the same frustrating no show he had for most matches after the injury. He then had several managers at Fulham, none of whom rated him as guaranteed starter, even when they were struggling including the one who I assume signed off the loan.

[john2710]

If Bent was so prolific & such a goal threat then why has he only been able to get a loan move to Brighton /& now Derby? Surely other PL teams would be queueing up to sign him.

[SoccerHQ]

The situation now is comparable to McLeish's season given how horrible we are to watch.

Bent scored at a steady rate that year but he was a passenger in a lot of games as he offers little beyond the 6 yard box and we still weren't winning many games back then either.

[PeterWithesShin]

We only won 1 of the last 12 after Bent got injured. In fairness to McLeish, losing Bent and then Petrov a month later was a real loss.

[silhillvilla]

We only won 1 of the last 12 after Bent got injured. In fairness to McLeish, losing Bent and then Petrov a month later was a real loss.

I imagine if they'd stayed fit we'd have gone on to finish mid table , McLeish would still be here and Karl Henry would be captaining the side.

[Matt C]

Good signing for Derby, smart move for Bent - good luck to him.

Hopefully it frees up wages we can use to make signings. We need them.

[Olof's Beard]

Prolific a few years ago when he kept us up. He's not the same player now but no worse than Agbonlahor.

Actually he is now. Worse scoring rate over the last 45-50 games since his injury, despite Gabby playing wide and Bent playing through the middle.

That surprises me with the amount of starts each has had but ok i'll take your word for it.

He has only made 61 appearances overall for us and hardly any of them have been in the last two years (and when he has played, it's usually been from the bench).  He made 24 appearances for Fulham and I would guess at least half were as a substitute.  So I severely doubt that the record being referred to here counts starts.

He isn't really the answer but he is an option.  We didn't have a senior striker on the bench yesterday.  But overall, I'm pretty ambivalent towards this one.

[Dave]

It's mismanagement on steroids. He didn't even have a squad number last season and had Jordan Bowery ahead of him just to rub salt in.
Pathetic.
So he scored on his last PL start for us ?

What he managed 18 months ago is irrelevant. It's what he can do now that matters. Which isn't much apart from waddle around looking for stray cream buns.

Your opinion.
Can you confirm he scored on his last PL start ?

Kieran Richardson scored (what I think was his last goal) on Darren Bent's last Premier League start.

Didn't really help either of them though as they lost 4-1 to Stoke.

[silhillvilla]

This surely means we will sign a n other striker in January's window?

[PeterWithesShin]

This surely means we will sign a n other striker in January's window?

We've been linked with a loan move for Sanogo of Arsenal.

[silhillvilla]

This surely means we will sign a n other striker in January's window?

We've been linked with a loan move for Sanogo of Arsenal.

Don't know much about him but I'd take him.

[b23]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/30657286

The former Charlton, Tottenham man has scored 25 goals in 72 appearances for Villa.

Thanks Darren and good luck.

[PeterWithesShin]

This surely means we will sign a n other striker in January's window?

We've been linked with a loan move for Sanogo of Arsenal.

Don't know much about him but I'd take him.

I've just looked him on the t'internet and it seems he's injured. So he'll fit right in!