Realistically there is no world class English out and out striker, we do however possess three of the best attacking players in the world in the likes of Lampard, Gerrard and Rooney. If Heskey playing means the other three all bang in three or fours goals each in the World Cup then i'd take that over Defoe scoring 5 goals and Lampard, Gerrard and Rooney having to play deeper and not picking up goals
Bent might not have the touch of Defoe, the airial ability of Crouch, the ability to play with his back to goal like Heskey, the all round game of Cole but he does have the knack to consistantly score goals which if you look at the others don't (Defoe is the top English scorer in the league but has bagged 8 of his 14 goals in two games, a very impressive feat none the less, but Bent has 13 for the season without scoring more than two in a game) and thats a very useful person to have in your squad. That said i don't think he'll get there either, and in all honesty wouldn't pick him in my squad either unless there were injuries to others.
Heskey and Rooney are on the plane, Defoe and Cole can probably dig out their passports Defoe as a 'super sub' and Cole as a direct replacement for Heskey. Looks like Crouch, Bent, Abongolohor are fighting it out for one place at best and thats not taking into account late runs of form by a big man up front or a smaller faster 'finisher'
England don't deserve Benty. If England want to play with one up, then he's your man. I can't wait for him to make a return trip to The Valley to see us. I reckon he'd get the biggest welcome ever received for a returning legend. Hell, I'd even clap if he scored for the opposition.
[cite]Posted By: oohaahmortimer[/cite]i agree with Chris , i love him dearly but not sure Bent is good enough for the top top top level of the game ....
Got to agree. If he was then he'd be at Liverpool, Arsenal, Man U or Chelsea.
Not Sunderland.
Love him though.
Agree and am confused why Owen managed to get back into a top 4 club?!?!?
Because he was on a free.
I, and i'm sure plenty of others, thought it was a good signing at the time. Yet Fergie continues to play Berbatov in an attempt to justify the £30m he spent on him.
Owen actually has 7 goals in 9 starts for United but isn't getting a chance.
hat-trick in the Champions League away to the German champions - hardly cheap goals IMO!
however, I agree with Ooh Aah and others that Benty - much as I love him (and I have him each-way at 50/1 to be top prem scorer) is not quite top-class
still remember his two early misses away to Boro in the Cup replay
if a late chance had to fall to someone in a World-Cup semi, Owen would still be the man for me as shown in the 7th minute of 'injury-time' in the Manchester derby
[cite]Posted By: kinveachyaddick[/cite]hat-trick in the Champions League away to the German champions - hardly cheap goals IMO!
however, I agree with Ooh Aah and others that Benty - much as I love him (and I have him each-way at 50/1 to be top prem scorer) is not quite top-class
still remember his two early misses away to Boro in the Cup replay
if a late chance had to fall to someone in a World-Cup semi, Owen would still be the man for me as shown in the 7th minute of 'injury-time' in the Manchester derby
yeah but Owen did a good job of missing a sitter against Leeds? Who's the quickest Owen or Bent?
If Bent was European he'd be a sqaud player at one of the big teams or a regular at one of the top sides in one of the smaller leagues (France, Germany etc). Because he's English his price tag makes him too expensive to be a squad player at one of the big 4 (he's just as good as Eduardo or Owen, in his present form, and better than the likes of Sturridge, Ngog and Kalou) and wouldn't get a gig in Europe for the same reason. Which all means he won't get the exposure to Champions League football that he needs to develop his game into the international class, but it's not really his fault.
Capello clearly feels a big target man will bring the best out of his best players and I'm in general agreement with that. Bent can do a job but he's not got the same bulk that Heskey or Crouch have - they can cause real problems just by being on the pitch so Benty needs to learn ways to do what they do but without the height advantage and he needs regular exposure to the best continental defenders to do that because, sadly, I think Defoe will always be deadlier finisher and better bet to bring on to try and conjure a winning goal in a tight game.
Much as it gauls me to say it, I think Carlton Cole will be the long term solution, he's developing quite nicely at West Ham and brings as much pace and power as Heskey, plus more height and more goals but this summer is probably a year or two early for him. The next Euros however...
I do feel for Benty, he'd have 20 to 30 caps by now for an awful lot of International teams and he'd be playing for England if he was 3 or 4 inches taller, but them's the breaks. I'm sure the adulation of the Mackems and his bulging bank account serves as decent compensation.
I don't see why a top 4 side has not taken a punt on Bent, especially as when looking at who he scores goal against since 2005 he has consistently scored against the top 4. This season he has scored winners against Arsenal and Liverpool as well as goals against Chelsea and United. I am not 100% but I reckon his goals to minutes ratio is one of the best in the country inc Ronaldo/Torres since 2005 and he has not really had a bad injury since early 2007 with us.
I am not sure Defoe is necessarily cut out for top level international football, he has scored goals against the likes of Andorra and Kazakstan but when it comes to the world cup semi finals or more, I think Defoe is not quite the type of player we need. Bent has pace, power, strength, good finishing ability and good lnk up play. Defoe won't hold the ball up or link the play as well, he doesn't work as hard as Bent imho and Bent is a better finisher and scores a wider variety of goals. (Have you seen Defoe score many headers).
This is why Bent should be Englands third/fourth choice striker. I would go with (in order)- Rooney, Heskey, Bent, Crouch and Owen. The reason Owen should go is because imho he remains Englands best finisher and natural scorer. He is vastly experienced and in a world cup semi final when we could be chasing the game, Owen is the type of player we need to come off the bench and the type that could generally be relied upon to carve a chance for himself. Also Owen is a very intelligent player and another option for us. We need 5 strikers incase of injuries/suspensions (Rooney), IMHO there is room in the squad for both Owen and Bent.
Comments
Owen isn't playing that much for Man U - at least he's not starting enough games and that might count against him.
Bent might not have the touch of Defoe, the airial ability of Crouch, the ability to play with his back to goal like Heskey, the all round game of Cole but he does have the knack to consistantly score goals which if you look at the others don't (Defoe is the top English scorer in the league but has bagged 8 of his 14 goals in two games, a very impressive feat none the less, but Bent has 13 for the season without scoring more than two in a game) and thats a very useful person to have in your squad. That said i don't think he'll get there either, and in all honesty wouldn't pick him in my squad either unless there were injuries to others.
Heskey and Rooney are on the plane, Defoe and Cole can probably dig out their passports Defoe as a 'super sub' and Cole as a direct replacement for Heskey. Looks like Crouch, Bent, Abongolohor are fighting it out for one place at best and thats not taking into account late runs of form by a big man up front or a smaller faster 'finisher'
I will be outraged if Owen goes ahead of Bent! I'd rather Agbonlahor went instead of Owen as well.
Because he was on a free.
I, and i'm sure plenty of others, thought it was a good signing at the time. Yet Fergie continues to play Berbatov in an attempt to justify the £30m he spent on him.
Owen actually has 7 goals in 9 starts for United but isn't getting a chance.
Didnt know they were his stats - pretty good!
however, I agree with Ooh Aah and others that Benty - much as I love him (and I have him each-way at 50/1 to be top prem scorer) is not quite top-class
still remember his two early misses away to Boro in the Cup replay
if a late chance had to fall to someone in a World-Cup semi, Owen would still be the man for me as shown in the 7th minute of 'injury-time' in the Manchester derby
yeah but Owen did a good job of missing a sitter against Leeds? Who's the quickest Owen or Bent?
Capello clearly feels a big target man will bring the best out of his best players and I'm in general agreement with that. Bent can do a job but he's not got the same bulk that Heskey or Crouch have - they can cause real problems just by being on the pitch so Benty needs to learn ways to do what they do but without the height advantage and he needs regular exposure to the best continental defenders to do that because, sadly, I think Defoe will always be deadlier finisher and better bet to bring on to try and conjure a winning goal in a tight game.
Much as it gauls me to say it, I think Carlton Cole will be the long term solution, he's developing quite nicely at West Ham and brings as much pace and power as Heskey, plus more height and more goals but this summer is probably a year or two early for him. The next Euros however...
I do feel for Benty, he'd have 20 to 30 caps by now for an awful lot of International teams and he'd be playing for England if he was 3 or 4 inches taller, but them's the breaks. I'm sure the adulation of the Mackems and his bulging bank account serves as decent compensation.
I am not sure Defoe is necessarily cut out for top level international football, he has scored goals against the likes of Andorra and Kazakstan but when it comes to the world cup semi finals or more, I think Defoe is not quite the type of player we need. Bent has pace, power, strength, good finishing ability and good lnk up play. Defoe won't hold the ball up or link the play as well, he doesn't work as hard as Bent imho and Bent is a better finisher and scores a wider variety of goals. (Have you seen Defoe score many headers).
This is why Bent should be Englands third/fourth choice striker. I would go with (in order)- Rooney, Heskey, Bent, Crouch and Owen. The reason Owen should go is because imho he remains Englands best finisher and natural scorer. He is vastly experienced and in a world cup semi final when we could be chasing the game, Owen is the type of player we need to come off the bench and the type that could generally be relied upon to carve a chance for himself. Also Owen is a very intelligent player and another option for us. We need 5 strikers incase of injuries/suspensions (Rooney), IMHO there is room in the squad for both Owen and Bent.
...yet still not worthy of the World cup??
disgracful