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

[Gregorys Boy]

He won't play for us again yet we will still be paying a huge chunk of his wages til the summer when our record signing will walk on a free

I know it isn't great, but the clubs hands are a bit tied at this stage because of Bent's lack of form of recent seasons it would hard to presuade anyone of note to buy him straight out without a loan first.  If his good form keeps up then I think he will stay at Derby next season.

[Handsworth Wood Villa]

[oldham_villa]

Can we get him back from Derby? He would be the type to gamble on those balls we played to the front post yesterday.

[Pete3206]

Yes I appreciate that, just think with our goal scoring record it was stupid allowing him to leave . In my opinion he should be in our squad and sat on our bench today for example .

Spot on.

Someone above mentioned he only scores tap ins. Jesus, how we could do with some of that now. Still, if he's only Championship standard, he could do a job for us next season. No?

[passitsideways]

You do realise that having a striker around who scores tap-ins doesn't necessarily mean that the rest of the team will suddenly gain the ability to create the tap-in opportunities necessary for him to be able to score, right?

[Pete3206]

You make a good point there mate

[OCD]

Can we get him back from Derby?

Fast becoming this year's 'Why didn't Barry take the penalty' question (the loan deal won't allow it).

[PeterWithesShin]

As has been asked before, which of our 'chances' yesterday would Bent have scored?

[oldham_villa]

Can we get him back from Derby?

Fast becoming this year's 'Why didn't Barry take the penalty' question (the loan deal won't allow it).

Thanks pal, I didn't know that.

[dcdavecollett]

Yes, like others, I struggle to recall the plethora of six-yard box tap-ins that our Darren would have capitalised on last Saturday.

As for the comparison between DB and Jimmy Greaves, I have now really heard it all!!!

[Damo70]

Yes, like others, I struggle to recall the plethora of six-yard box tap-ins that our Darren would have capitalised on last Saturday.

As for the comparison between DB and Jimmy Greaves, I have now really heard it all!!!

They both played for Spurs, both owned sports shops and both drove rally cars.*



*I don't actually know if Darren Bent has ever owned a sports shop or driven in a rally but I wanted to 'flesh out' the comparison a bit more than just the Spurs link.

[LeeB]

Yes, like others, I struggle to recall the plethora of six-yard box tap-ins that our Darren would have capitalised on last Saturday.

As for the comparison between DB and Jimmy Greaves, I have now really heard it all!!!

They both played for Spurs, both owned sports shops and both drove rally cars.*



*I don't actually know if Darren Bent has ever owned a sports shop or driven in a rally but I wanted to 'flesh out' the comparison a bit more than just the Spurs link.

Is 'Benty' fond of the sauce at all?

[IAmTheOneIanOlney]

[adrenachrome]

Torygraph

Aston Villa outcast Darren Bent in talks for surprise new deal

Exclusive interview: On-loan Derby County striker claims Villa were '100 per cent right' to sack Paul Lambert and eyes return, once he has won promotion for the Rams

By John Percy 12:02PM BST 02 Apr 2015

 Darren Bent has revealed he has had talks over a surprise new deal with Aston Villa and insists the club were “100 per cent right” to sack Paul Lambert.

Bent is rebuilding his career on loan at Derby County and enjoying playing under Steve McClaren – Villa’s £24million record signing, who was exiled by Lambert for more than two seasons, had resigned himself to a sour end to his time at the club, with his contract expiring in June.

But Lambert’s dismissal in February, and the subsequent appointment of Tim Sherwood, has raised the remarkable prospect of Bent agreeing a new deal.

“There have been conversations with Villa regarding the future and I need to have a think about things in the summer,” he told Telegraph Sport.

 “I’m not ruling out going back, just like I wouldn’t rule out staying at Derby because they have given me a lifeline to play football and score goals again. But yes, there’s been discussions [with Villa] and we will have to look at it.

“I had some great times there and I loved pulling on that shirt. I know they’re not quite out of trouble but it’s great to see them going the right way in the league and at a Wembley semi-final.

“A club that size should not have had the seasons we’ve had for the last couple of seasons. I enjoyed the first few years but Paul Lambert came in and it all changed, it all went downhill for me from there.

“He made those decisions but ultimately he’s not there any more and I think it was 100 per cent right, the best thing for the football club. I know Tim Sherwood from Tottenham, he’s an unbelievable motivator and it’s the perfect job for him. He’s got that spark about him and he’s what Villa needed at the time. Maybe I could go back, this summer I’ve got a decision to make.”

 Bent was nicknamed ‘The Mailman’ by Villa chairman Randy Lerner during his first 18 months at the club – because he always delivered.

But Lambert’s arrival in June 2012 and the emergence of Christian Benteke sparked a downspiral in fortunes for a player who is in the elite club of having scored over 100 Premier League goals.

The support of his father, Mervyn, helped him through the difficult days. “During the whole Lambert thing I’ve never seen my dad so frustrated in his life. He said things I can’t repeat but he was low because I obviously was too. It was hard seeing him like that,” he said.

“He was there the day I signed for Villa, he’s been there all through my career from when I started training with the Ipswich first team at the age of 15.

 “He was the one telling me I couldn’t sit at Villa and rot. I needed to get regular minutes and it was my dad who advised me to get out on loan to Brighton.

“In football you get forgotten very quickly, especially when you’re not playing. I got myself back out there at Brighton, then Derby came in and it was the right move.”

Bent, 31, has already scored seven goals since joining Derby on loan in January and will face Watford on Friday determined to revive McClaren’s hopes of automatic promotion. Mention the words ‘play-offs’ to Bent and he shudders, after suffering successive semi-final defeats at Ipswich, both to West Ham United.

 Though Derby have endured an untimely wobble, enduring six games without a win, they are still only six points behind leaders Bournemouth. Bent insists McClaren is one of the best managers he has ever played under.

“He’s being linked with Sunderland and Newcastle and that shows you how good he is. Whether we get promoted or not, we’ll definitely be trying to hold on to him this summer. He’s up there with the best of them,” he said.

“I don’t think I’ve come across a manager, bar maybe Gérard Houllier, who is unbelievable at managing and coaching. Iain Dowie [at Charlton] was a great coach, Steve Bruce [at Sunderland] was a really good manager but he had Eric Black who was a brilliant coach. But Steve McClaren and Houllier, they are the best at doing both.

 “He’s someone you can talk to. At Villa you couldn’t have conversations with Paul Lambert, a lot of the other guys felt the same. You’d go into his office and be twiddling your thumbs, whereas with someone like Steve McClaren you can have a rapport and talk to him. That’s half the battle.

“He’s given me a chance and deserves to be in the Premier League.”

This is Bent’s first experience of a nervy promotion attempt for 10 years, yet there is an added incentive within the Derby dressing room after last season’s shattering experience at Wembley.

 Derby were broken by Bobby Zamora’s late winner for Queens Park Rangers in the play-off final, despite dominating the game.

“I watched that game and it must have been heartbreaking,” said Bent. “A couple of my friends are asking me what will happen if Derby don’t go up, but I’m not even thinking about that.

“The main thing is everyone is still positive and for me personally, it would be fantastic to get back into the Premier League. I’m always telling the younger lads like Will Hughes they won’t have experienced anything like it, I’d love them to play on that stage.

“When you’re doing well in the Premier League there is nothing better. It was only a couple of months ago we were five points clear at the top so there’s no alarm bells ringing. We’ve got seven cup finals

[brian green]

He and Marcus Bent were very cooperative with my son when he was making the Ipswich youth side documentary, he sent a very nice card to my brother's funeral and he made a very generous donation to Ely Cathedral for being able to have his wedding there.   I have known worse Villa players (as individuals that is).