Darren Bent

[Zapsta]

I just keep reassuring myself that he has a role to play and was brought for a reason. He has to for 16m! hasn't he?

Lol. Best name ever.

 

[idlepete]

Bet you wish you'd thought of it first.

 

[justfookinhitit]

Enough outings to show some hope? He's had 9 starts and 9 sub appearances scattered over the season, with a lengthy spell of injury. That's a grand total of 831 minutes, or nine and a quarter games. Nevertheless, despite not playing very well (and on two or three occasions being downright poor) he's still contrived to score four goals, and that should have been five. I'd say that's not a bad return. Actually, it's as many as Defoe put away in his spell of ten full games when Keane was out in the middle of last season.

He also gets as high a percentage of shots on target as Berbatov, and puts one in two of the ones he gets on target away. Berbatov manages one in three. Maybe you've got the wrong bloke brandishing the banjo. :grin:

Unlike you to be so harsh on a player who's had limited and fragmented appearances to show what he can do.

SS57 - I generally like to read your opinions on here so I'd be curious as to how you'd go forwards with Bent. Personally I think he will struggle to adapt to our style of play but if he can then he will be a real asset.

 

[thfc_2004]

Defoe, Bent, Mido & Kanoute all struggled at Spurs, i think when it's that consistent, we need to start having a look at our system rather than the players.

Kanoute, Defoe and Keane have always shown their quality, even when not on form.

Keane is a team player who always makes things happen for others and gives 100%. With Defoe on the pitch you know he'll shoot on sight/take players on with pace so there is always a chance he'll create something.

Mido was outstanding during his first season - he was winning absolutely everything in the air and the only question was who would play alongside him.

Unfortunately Bent wins very little in the air, has a poor first touch, doesn't have the confidence to take players on and apart from a few taps in/easy chances has done very little.

Looked ok playing for Charlton but in a Spurs shirt he looks like a Championship player next to Defoe/Berbatov/Keane. I hope he'll be moved on in the summer as he's simply not good enough (even as a 4th choice striker) if we're to have Champions League ambitions.

 

[SpurSince57]

SS57 - I generally like to read your opinions on here so I'd be curious as to how you'd go forwards with Bent. Personally I think he will struggle to adapt to our style of play but if he can then he will be a real asset.

In the first place, he needs a run of games, which is the first problem; with Keane and Berba making such an effective partnership it's going to be difficult for him to break in unless one of them gets injured or suffers a major loss of form. One problem this season has been that neither Jol nor Ramos has wanted to bugger about with one of the things that has been working pretty consistently. Another has been that Defoe wasn't supposed to be here in August, so that meant the opportunities were still further reduced.

We need a better class of ball from midfield (and I don't mean punts over the defence for him to run on to), and more and better crosses. How thfc_2004 can claim he never wins anything in the air I don't know. It also seems to me that he plays too far apart from his strike partner—and you simply can't develop the required understanding on the training ground. It's got to be done in the real world.

 

[justfookinhitit]

In the first place, he needs a run of games, which is the first problem; with Keane and Berba making such an effective partnership it's going to be difficult for him to break in unless one of them gets injured or suffers a major loss of form. One problem this season has been that neither Jol nor Ramos has wanted to bugger about with one of the things that has been working pretty consistently. Another has been that Defoe wasn't supposed to be here in August, so that meant the opportunities were still further reduced.

We need a better class of ball from midfield (and I don't mean punts over the defence for him to run on to), and more and better crosses. How thfc_2004 can claim he never wins anything in the air I don't know. It also seems to me that he plays too far apart from his strike partner—and you simply can't develop the required understanding on the training ground. It's got to be done in the real world.

I'd agree with that. His performances don't merit displacing either Berba or Keane, so he needs to grasp any opportunity he gets when coming on as a sub. Ultimately the only midfielder who appears half able to make telling through balls is Hudd, but as he isn't a mainstay of the team I think Bent will struggle to prove himself this season.

So it comes down in my mind to 2 things - who does Ramos buy in the summer (specifically midfielders), and will he give Bent until next season to prove his worth? We can't answer either of those questions so I guess it is a case of "watch this space."