I don't see what Lambert is gaining by isolating Bent like this. He's a proven Premiership goalscorer and one of the best finishers in the league. The lad Benteke looks decent, but I'm not convinced he'll score 15 goals a season yet. Agbonlahor and the young lads like Weimann definitely won't score that many.
He's dropped Bent's value massively too. A team will probably get him for under £10 million in January. Just looks like Lambert is trying to put his authority over the squad. I think he's a good manager, but I don't agree with this. Bent is a quality player and doesn't seem like a bad character either.
SillyBilly: yes, Bent can go to Everton and then we can sign him when he is fat, old and greedy..............oh hang on, we already did that, didn't we?? lol
Well if Lambert hasnt, Bent must have p1ssed in his cornflakes or something!
I'll never be his biggest fan but I cant understand what Lambert is playing at. Villa are struggling for goals in 19th place and he leaves a £15-20m rated striker out of the squad tonight! Makes no sense to me at all that.
19:15 @talkdants: Darren Bent was at Villa Park tonight. Not any more. I'm told he's now stormed off out of the stadium and driven away from the ground.
according to Radio 5 Live the person who tweeted that info has now apologised and said that Bent stayed for the game, but obviously wasn't in the squad.
Also, according to the interview i heard , Bent is fit & has been for the past couple of weeks..........Lambert just feels that Bent & Benteke can't play together, although the big question of why he isn't then on the bench was never asked.
My reckoning is that Benty will be off in Jan..............not sure why Lambert doesn't like him, but surely even if he spent millions on Benteke you'd have Benty on the bench ??
well lovable old Harry said, on Talksport last night, he regrets the comment he made about DB, he was sorry it hurt him and he likes him as a lad and a player. Typical Harry talking about another team's player
Redknapp's as much of a tool as his old man. Both talk utter bollocks and the media lap up every word. Haven't got the tactical acumen of a tin of tuna between them.
Hope DB has more sense than to go back to 'Arry...
Lambert on radio this am said that of course Bent and Benteke could play together - but he had tried it and they lost 4-1. So sounds like Darren is getting the blame for Villa having a cr*p defence!
Would love to see him back here one day, but think we'd need to get to Prem first.
There must be more to it than meets the eye regarding the situation Darren Bent currently finds himself in.
Aston Villa’s record signing is a proven goalscorer with over 100 Premier League goals, and yet he is unable to even force his way onto the bench.
It is not as if Villa are scoring freely either – they have the joint lowest goals in the league, having notched only 11 in 14 games.
I know that he’s only just returned from injury but for him to be sat in the stand where he is unable to influence the game seems very strange.
Don’t get me wrong, no player has a divine right to be in the starting line-up, or even in the squad, particularly if form or attitude have dropped below the required standards.
"Is it a contract thing? For instance Sunderland may be due another chunk of money on him reaching 50 league appearances - he currently has 47"
But I find it hard to believe that attitude could be a problem in the case of Darren.
I played with him at both Ipswich and Charlton and he was always spot-on with the way he approached both training and games.
George Burley and Alan Curbishley had to regularly drag both him and Darren Ambrose off the training field because they would spend every hour they could practising.
It was even known for them to return to the pitches when the manager had gone home so they could continue striking balls into an empty net.
Being cynical I wonder whether there is something in his contract which is making it difficult to play him.
For instance, Sunderland may be due another chunk of money on him reaching 50 league appearances - he currently has 47.
"At times his hold up play isn’t great but he is good in the air and comes alive inside the box"
I may well be reading far more into it than there is, but money is tight at Villa and my guess is that they will try to sell him in January to generate funds for the manager to spend on new players.
There is no doubt that Paul Lambert has a difficult job on his hands with a very young squad and he has shown he is willing to make some tough decisions.
For instance, Brad Guzan has come into the team in goal ahead of Shay Given which initially raised a few eyebrows, mine included, but he has been excellent.
And the system that Villa are playing at the moment with one striker has meant that Christian Benteke is currently in the side ahead of Bent rather than playing alongside him.
Lambert feels his all-round game is better and I can understand that thinking.
Darren would admit that his best work is done in the penalty area. At times his hold-up play isn’t great but he is good in the air and comes alive inside the box. For those qualities not to be utilised from the bench at least is a waste.
The hardest thing to do in football is to score a goal and that is why strikers are paid the most money.
I have been told by more than one manager that they are only as good as their frontmen because ultimately they are the ones that win you matches.
Goalkeepers and defenders keep you in a game but forwards win you them.
That is why I’m baffled by what is going on with Darren and hope for the sake of him, Villa and Lambert that the situation is resolved and quickly.
The comments about the extra few games triggering an additional transfer payment clause was mentioned on Talksport earlier and would seem to make some sort of sense. Perhaps Lambert is trying to avoid having to lay out several million quid extra on a player that he doesn't rate, but logic suggests that he would be better off playing DB if it means staying in the prem.
Comments
I don't see what Lambert is gaining by isolating Bent like this. He's a proven Premiership goalscorer and one of the best finishers in the league. The lad Benteke looks decent, but I'm not convinced he'll score 15 goals a season yet. Agbonlahor and the young lads like Weimann definitely won't score that many.
He's dropped Bent's value massively too. A team will probably get him for under £10 million in January. Just looks like Lambert is trying to put his authority over the squad. I think he's a good manager, but I don't agree with this. Bent is a quality player and doesn't seem like a bad character either.
And obvious he wont ever come back here unless we are in Premier and doing ok
he might come back to us in the Championship even if we're doing crap
I'll never be his biggest fan but I cant understand what Lambert is playing at. Villa are struggling for goals in 19th place and he leaves a £15-20m rated striker out of the squad tonight! Makes no sense to me at all that.
Heard a lot of Villa fans saying he's lazy and has a poor attitude. Not the Darren Bent I remember.
19:15 @talkdants: Darren Bent was at Villa Park tonight. Not any more. I'm told he's now stormed off out of the stadium and driven away from the ground.
Also, according to the interview i heard , Bent is fit & has been for the past couple of weeks..........Lambert just feels that Bent & Benteke can't play together, although the big question of why he isn't then on the bench was never asked.
My reckoning is that Benty will be off in Jan..............not sure why Lambert doesn't like him, but surely even if he spent millions on Benteke you'd have Benty on the bench ??
Just watched a mini interview on BBC.
Just another Rednap talking bollox
Lambert on radio this am said that of course Bent and Benteke could play together - but he had tried it and they lost 4-1. So sounds like Darren is getting the blame for Villa having a cr*p defence!
Would love to see him back here one day, but think we'd need to get to Prem first.
Aston Villa’s record signing is a proven goalscorer with over 100 Premier League goals, and yet he is unable to even force his way onto the bench.
It is not as if Villa are scoring freely either – they have the joint lowest goals in the league, having notched only 11 in 14 games.
I know that he’s only just returned from injury but for him to be sat in the stand where he is unable to influence the game seems very strange.
Don’t get me wrong, no player has a divine right to be in the starting line-up, or even in the squad, particularly if form or attitude have dropped below the required standards.
"Is it a contract thing? For instance Sunderland may be due another chunk of money on him reaching 50 league appearances - he currently has 47"
But I find it hard to believe that attitude could be a problem in the case of Darren.
I played with him at both Ipswich and Charlton and he was always spot-on with the way he approached both training and games.
George Burley and Alan Curbishley had to regularly drag both him and Darren Ambrose off the training field because they would spend every hour they could practising.
It was even known for them to return to the pitches when the manager had gone home so they could continue striking balls into an empty net.
Being cynical I wonder whether there is something in his contract which is making it difficult to play him.
For instance, Sunderland may be due another chunk of money on him reaching 50 league appearances - he currently has 47.
"At times his hold up play isn’t great but he is good in the air and comes alive inside the box"
I may well be reading far more into it than there is, but money is tight at Villa and my guess is that they will try to sell him in January to generate funds for the manager to spend on new players.
There is no doubt that Paul Lambert has a difficult job on his hands with a very young squad and he has shown he is willing to make some tough decisions.
For instance, Brad Guzan has come into the team in goal ahead of Shay Given which initially raised a few eyebrows, mine included, but he has been excellent.
And the system that Villa are playing at the moment with one striker has meant that Christian Benteke is currently in the side ahead of Bent rather than playing alongside him.
Lambert feels his all-round game is better and I can understand that thinking.
Darren would admit that his best work is done in the penalty area. At times his hold-up play isn’t great but he is good in the air and comes alive inside the box. For those qualities not to be utilised from the bench at least is a waste.
The hardest thing to do in football is to score a goal and that is why strikers are paid the most money.
I have been told by more than one manager that they are only as good as their frontmen because ultimately they are the ones that win you matches.
Goalkeepers and defenders keep you in a game but forwards win you them.
That is why I’m baffled by what is going on with Darren and hope for the sake of him, Villa and Lambert that the situation is resolved and quickly.