We've really been ripped apart by some. I think it's more them being annoyed that we keep the deal quiet unlike London clubs, it also makes the myth that we have zero money look stupid. Bent's also been hugely criticised for moving for money. Yeah because Villa having a bad 5 months makes us a terrible club? I suppose everyone else would put up with themselves and their mum having to put up racist abuse and having their cars smashed up every week too.

Chris Samba wants to join us. Quite like him but we've already got 5 decent CBs!

Sunderland to use Bent money to sign Roman Pavlyuchenko.

I think it's the money thing because of his previous moves as oppose to just this one.

Samba is massive, he should be in the NFL! On his day he is quality.

Again Pavlyuchenko decent... on his day.

I'm not sure, but then the media have contradicted themselves over and over with this deal.

Apparently we have no money.. but Darren Bent has gone to Villa for more money.
They reckon we turned his head in the summer, which is why he's been playing so badly.. Bent only knew about the bid this Sunday.

He turned down West Ham to go to Spurs who offered him less money a few years back, so I don't think he's exactly money driven. Villa with Bent > Sunderland with Bent, in my opinion. He's now got the service of Ash, Downing and Albrighton, rather than.. errr... Steed Malbranque? Our problem is that we probably create as many chances as any team, we just never put them away or have anyone in the box.


Only worry for me is whenever we play them, Gabby seems to have his number, think he's given us a penalty and been sent off against us in the past. Worry that he can't cope with pace.

Seb Larsson to cross the City to Villa? -Sky Sports - No thanks, he's ****.


Edit: We've actually made a bid now. Not good enough, he's terrible, Houllier out.

Edit 2: A lad on the Villa forum who knows somebody in the club says we haven't made a bid. small heath just using our name as a publicity stunt like they did with Keane it seems. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

This post has been edited by kurtsimonw: Jan 19 2011, 11:51 AM

As long as he's not another Savo Miss-a-lot-evich. You will be fine! There are a few people going on about how a lot of his goals are pens, but aren't Rooney's and Drogba's too?!

The only thing, and I believe this is true is he doesn't set anything up. I mean I know a forwards prime thing is to bang them into the net, but the lack of assists is pretty worrying, mainly because if he gets the ball he's just going to fire it as oppose to perhaps playing in a player in a better position.

Larrson isn't that bad! It's probably just a replacement/back-up for Downing.

Sao weren't that bad, 30-odd goals in 3 years. He was only 21 when he joined as well. And of course that goal!


Rooney takes most yeah, Drogba shares with Lampard I think. Most top scorers take penalties though, Tevez being another. People also seem to be missing the fact that Bent is **** at penalties, he seems to miss as many as he scores.


That's exactly what we need though. We've been screaming out for a greedy striker for years and since, you won't see someone like Nistelrooy getting assists either. We create chances, but no-one ever wants to shoot. Whenever we get to the edge of the box, suddenly we think we're Arsenal but just end up passing it backwards. Far too often Carew's too lazy to get in the box or Gabby has drifted out wide, but with Bent in the box, it'll make the job of the wingers much easier. He's got every chance of flopping for us, but then it's more likely that he'll continue the way the rest of his career has gone and get us 15 or so goals a season.

If West Ham were the team signing him, you wouldn't be hearing criticism, just how it's a genius move for a team struggling to show their ambition. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)


Really don't rate him. Got a good free kick but that's about it. If we take anyone from them, I'd have Scott Dann, brilliant defender.

Haha, I remember him from when I first began to watch football properly, the years of him Asprilla, Srnicek, Poborsky all that lot! Back when football was always enjoyable to watch, when teams used to want to attack!

Wayne does now, though CR7 would have been the #1 for quite a while I guess. I heard that it was 15 goals from pens that Bent has scored from the figure getting branded around - the one comparing him to Drogba & Rooney. I also heard that in his time at Sunderland he's only got one assist, surely that's not true?!

It was entertaining to watch! Though those teams would get smashed nowadays, there was only a handful of teams, like Arsenal, that could actually defend.


15 penalties is quite alot. I presume that means in the last 5 years if it's to do with the Rooney/Drogba thing? 3 penalties a year isn't a massive amount, probably means he's missed a few though as well because only getting 3 penalties in a season isn't many.

I'd read that as well. 1 assist isn't very good in 18 months really is it! I don't care how **** other stats are so long as he's putting the ball in the net though. Should make Saturdays game against Citeh a sell out as well I imagine, could be a good atmosphere.. until we get hammered again.

Tell me about it, I don't know I've certainly not lost my love of the game it's just plateaued in these past few years. Now, I'm not expecting a 3-3 every game but there are so many times I sit to watch a match and the urgency is just not there anymore. I'm interested in the art of defending (used to be a GK) though when there are tackles being made to stop attackers coming through or defenders playing well, not as a whole team 10 men behind the ball unit.

The WC summed up my feelings of the game, the way it's changing to the mentality of lets not lose, rather than lets win bar a few teams is a bit frustrating. I think that's why I've picked up more on other sports that I used to watch but never religiously followed properly before like the NFL/NHL.

I still love watching teams like Arsenal & Barca, because they go at people in the main and play absolutely world class football when they want to. Recent games have got a bit better again, hopefully that will continue.

Yes, I'm pretty sure that figure is over 5 years not like Andy Johnson when he had his top-scoring record and 95% were penalties (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

True, just hopefully he bangs them in for your lot as I do like Villa as a neutral, just as you're well aware not particularly fond of Houllier! Will Makoun play? Interested to see how he does in this league.

Should be a sell out no doubt City will bring their new man in Dzeko too. Makes up for flop of the season so far in Balotelli. I know he scored a hat-trick against you but that was 2 penalties and a tap-in. So far he'd be my pick for flop signing of the season bearing in mind his fee. Closely followed by Squillaci, this guy simply cannot defend in the EPL. VDV would be the opposite to me, signing of the season so far again when you account for what he cost Spurs.

I'd agree with van der Vaart being signing of the season so far. Milner would have to be up there as a flop, though that's more on the manager playing him out of position. Ireland for us as well, dreadful player, never puts in any effort either.

Not sure if Makoun will play, don't think his work permit has gone through yet - no idea why these things take so long.

Ah going to be one of these frustrating deals where he gets accepted then gets injured then you first see him in like April!

Leeds Arsenal replay tonight, come on Leeds. Whatever the score I just hope it's not the referee at the centre of it - again.

Edit: Bradley Johnson, take a bow son. 2-1 Arsenal at HT.

Arsene taking the Cups seriously this year, strong team out again.

Sunderland clutching at straws accusing us of tapping up Bent as he's been 'terrible for months' apparently, they reckon we were ther reason he handed in a transfer request in the summer too. Funny really, considering we've had 3 different managers this season, have all 3 tried to tap him up then? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) Apparently there's 'no other reason' as to why he would leave them for us.

1 trophy in 38 years and a best finish of 13th in the best decade begs to differ. Even small heath have acheived as much as that!

Sue them for trying to tarnish our reputation without evidence.

Playing Nasri against a Championship side is cheating this year! Fair play to Leeds again, hope they get in the Prem as oppose to teams that aren't even English...

This was obviously what they were always going to come out with, due to the fact he's been playing so badly. They don't suddenly want a mass exodus now, though with Wellbeck and Gyan they certainly won't be terrible up front without him.

Their logic is so flawed though. They're saying we illegally approached him in the summer - which is he supposedly handed in his transfer request - then they talked him out of it. Surely if that were the case he would have been bad all season? Yet he started off the season awesome and bagged his first England goal.

They're just making themself look small time throwing a strop. I could understand them being pissed if was played out in the media for a while like the Barry and Lescott transfers because that isn't good form. Sometimes you have to accept it though, like with Milner leaving us, City did nothing wrong and we understood he was going to leave and that's that, everyone stood up and applauded him when he was subbed. Bent is the same, gone there done a fantastic job and made them a big profit.

This just stinks of them not used to having a star and now they've lost him they're throwing a little hissy fit at big bad Villa.

Agreed on the Championship, don't want Cardiff up.

This post has been edited by kurtsimonw: Jan 20 2011, 09:55 PM

It's probably because of the transfer request, fans hate it. I don't get it at times like I was speaking to a Leeds fan who was on a mad one because Beckford left, I mean after what he did for them. I guess they've forgot about people like Harry Kewell, very quickly.

I'm pretty sure Sunderland have had just as big, if not bigger players than Bent in the past, but I know what you're getting at.

Yeah fans are very fickle, hero to villain within seconds.

It's Bruce that's the worst, how can he call Bent disloyal? I don't think there's another manager that's walked out on a club when a better offer comes along more than him, he's as bad as Redknapp in that respect.

United still unbeaten, anyone reckon they'll go the whole way? I agree with Ray Parlour in that it'd be more impressive than when Arsenal did it because of the strength of the league. I can't see them doing it though.