darren bent

[dazby]

From the Top teams Bent scored against Tottingham, Chelsea, Scouse2, Arsenal, Scouse1 and Rags. Interestingly a lot of early and late goals in that mix.

That's very respectable.

[Ted Hughes]

From the Top teams Bent scored against Tottingham, Chelsea, Scouse2, Arsenal, Scouse1 and Rags. Interestingly a lot of early and late goals in that mix.

That's very respectable.

He was under no pressure to do it though. Imo his arse goes as soon as the pressure is ramped up.

[dazby]

Got an example Ted? A lot of those goals were in result matches for Sundyland.

[Ted Hughes]

Got an example Ted? A lot of those goals were in result matches for Sundyland.

Can't think of a particular recent instance as Sunderland don't really have high pressure games so he's not really had the opportunity to bottle it. Can remember pulling my hair out in the past when he was at Spurs though.

Oh hang on, didn't he miss 2 pens v Spurs for Sunderland or something? Can remember I was shouting at the screen that day but can't remember exactly what he did.

[Blue2]

Ade is miles better. Would be better than RCS though for the subs bench.

[Esky]

Don't think there's any comparison to be made; Ade is by leagues the better player. I'd be very surprised Bent replicates that form next season. He and Cana would be good squad players, mind.

[john@staustell]

Don't think there's any comparison to be made; Ade is by leagues the better player. I'd be very surprised Bent replicates that form next season. He and Cana would be good squad players, mind.

I'm hoping the squad will be built from the top, rather than buying 'squad players'!

[Im_Spartacus]

Imo he's the opposite to a 'big game player' & would be a massive step backwards. Offers absolutely nothing outside the box, has no brains or skill & never ever scores when under pressure.

To be fair though mate, what does Torres (for example) offer outside the box? We have Tevez and Adebayor to run around the pitch leaving nobody in the middle, we desperately need someone a little more direct.

Not saying Bent is that man, but he seems as good as any around currently in the PL for that sort of role.

[john@staustell]

Imo he's the opposite to a 'big game player' & would be a massive step backwards. Offers absolutely nothing outside the box, has no brains or skill & never ever scores when under pressure.

To be fair though mate, what does Torres (for example) offer outside the box? We have Tevez and Adebayor to run around the pitch leaving nobody in the middle, we desperately need someone a little more direct.

Not saying Bent is that man, but he seems as good as any around currently in the PL for that sort of role.

'What have the Romans ever done for us' eh?

Apart from playing up front on his own and putting in a huge amount of work/challenges, and scoring goals out of nothing from any starting point in the oppo last third, nothing at all!

[Im_Spartacus]

Imo he's the opposite to a 'big game player' & would be a massive step backwards. Offers absolutely nothing outside the box, has no brains or skill & never ever scores when under pressure.

To be fair though mate, what does Torres (for example) offer outside the box? We have Tevez and Adebayor to run around the pitch leaving nobody in the middle, we desperately need someone a little more direct.

Not saying Bent is that man, but he seems as good as any around currently in the PL for that sort of role.

'What have the Romans ever done for us' eh?

Apart from playing up front on his own and putting in a huge amount of work/challenges, and scoring goals out of nothing from any starting point in the oppo last third, nothing at all!

The point being is that we already have 3 forwards who do that, and so when we get the ball in a position of promise (usually Tevez or Adebayor on the wing, there is never any fucker in the box

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

I wouldn't swap Ade for him. I'd just buy him. Whenever I saw him play for Tottieham he always scored yet was a benchwarmer. Goals for Sunderland is a good return.

like I said just the other day, I think he'd be excellent to have on rotation no way is he any sort of replacement to Ade and personally I can't see why we'd sell him anyway unless we are going to do massive striker changes in summer. Which I doubt will be the case unless Marwood goes mental.

Partially agreed, would much rather have Bent on the bench than RSC however he didn't exactly flourish at Spurs under similar conditions. Maybe he just needs to play week in week out to produce the goods and if so we have better options

that's bit of a myth though. He did relatively well Spurs considering the playing time he got. And to my recollection scored fair few from the bench.

Anyway, I don't know why I keep harping about him as I don't think Mancini has any intention of buying him and I'm just saying he would be decent option as back up should our other targets fail. Maybe I'm just desperate to see someone else than Santa or Benjani there.

[Beeks]

Good Player Bent...I'd take him

[Im_Spartacus]

I wouldn't swap Ade for him. I'd just buy him. Whenever I saw him play for Tottieham he always scored yet was a benchwarmer. Goals for Sunderland is a good return.

like I said just the other day, I think he'd be excellent to have on rotation no way is he any sort of replacement to Ade and personally I can't see why we'd sell him anyway unless we are going to do massive striker changes in summer. Which I doubt will be the case unless Marwood goes mental.

Partially agreed, would much rather have Bent on the bench than RSC however he didn't exactly flourish at Spurs under similar conditions. Maybe he just needs to play week in week out to produce the goods and if so we have better options

that's bit of a myth though. He did relatively well Spurs considering the playing time he got. And to my recollection scored fair few from the bench.

Anyway, I don't know why I keep harping about him as I don't think Mancini has any intention of buying him and I'm just saying he would be decent option as back up should our other targets fail. Maybe I'm just desperate to see someone else than Santa or Benjani there.

And was Spuds top scorer last season.

So in the last 2 seasons, he has been the top goalscorer for 2 different clubs, and has 120 goals in around 280 games (according to wiki - disclaimer). Seems like he is very under-rated to me when you factor in the number of those games at spurs he started from the bench.

[Bluez]

Ade next year will be much better than this year, even this year his goals to games ratio is good, just some cannot see past his languid style. Ade is a much better striker than Bent. Bent as a back up would be ok, but he wouldn't be happy thats why he left spurs.

One of the other strikers apparently offered to us is Ibrahimovic for €40 mil. If we buy him I will be well pissed off, he is one of the laziest over-rated players I have ever seen and would guarentee that we would not be building team spirit any time soon.

[Dubciteh]

a big fat no from me and not for 20m being quoted. I just dont rate him and theres no way capello brings him to WC.

As for comparing him to ade, thats ridiculus.

As i said in another thread we have to move from the "a" list to the "b" list of targets, but lets not pay "a" list prices for someone on "b" list. As a backup striker id rather caicedo or boj.

[btajim]

Bent's moved around a bit because he craved First Team Football. He's not surely arrogant enough to think he'd be starting week in week out for City.

[patrickblue]

I've always rated him, and would love us to sign him. As pointed out before was Spuds top scorer from the bench. Think he would be superb in a good team,

[LookMumImOnMCF.net]

Some players come across as being a bit rubbish but bang goals in, I think Bent's one of these.

I don't know how he'd get on at City mind, he seems a bit moody and would not get the same love, pitch time or partial anonymity he gets at Sunderland.

[bluechester]

i would take bent,he excells at the 1 up front position, swap santa for bent plus £5m, job done

[Beefymcfc]

If I'm not mistaken Bent was bought by Spurs DoF and not by the manager who, didn't really have too much time for him. He was also left out of the FA Cup Final and lost out in the pecking order to the likes of Berbatov! The final insult came when Harry publicly humiliated him with 'My wife could've scored that' jibe, even though he was the clubs top scorer.

Bent, like anyone, needs confidence to play at his best, which Spurs didn't give him. At Charlton, and now playing for Sunderland, he's proved that he can do it and I think his time at Spurs was marred; if the manager had bought him he'd have had a great time.

Personally I don't think we would take to him unless he proved it again for another season, those 2 seasons at Spurs killed his growing reputation in the eyes of many supporters, even though there were contributing factors.

Would I have him? Not yet.

Would I have him if he had another season like this? Oh yes, and I do hope he proves himself at the WC. Hopefully Fabio will choose him over Heskey 'cos let's face it, you take a striker to score goals, not just play half a role of holding the ball up!