Gould: Bent Too Long in the Tooth to Embrace Lambert Ideas

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The rumour mill has been in full flow since the lads at AVFanSide got a video of Darren Bent saying he hopes to be leaving Villa in the near future.

Many, like myself, have questioned Bent’s commitment to the cause since he joined the Villans back in January 2011. The England International went on to score 9 goals in 16 league appearances, saving Villa from relegation in the 2010-11 season. Since then the forward has only scored 12 goals in 38 league appearances over the last two seasons due to injury and political issues at Villa.

One person who has a view on the Bent situation at Villa is English sports radio presenter Jonny Gould. The TalkSPORT presenter and TV sports pundit has been a Villa fan since 1976 and doesn’t pull any punches when it comes to his beloved Villa.

Jonny spoke about his dissatisfaction regarding Bent’s time at Villa:

I’m disappointed his career has declined so rapidly at Villa. His injury in the McLeish season coincided with Lambert’s appointment and Lambert had a clear plan to build a team based on youth and his own ideals. Bent was clearly too long in the tooth to embrace his ideas.

It’s clear Bent’s continued time at Villa Park is a strain on the squad. He’s still got another club in him although his career is littered with false starts and moves capitalising on good form and self improvement or sudden failure. However it’d worked out at Villa, he’d have left in exactly the same way.

On a brighter note, Gould commented as well about BentekeGate and his excitement about the new season under Lambert:

I’m delighted about Benteke and all our signings and re-signings too. Benteke and Villa’s fortunes are entwined together this season. Statistically no Premier League team relies on one player as much as Aston Villa does. He was responsible for 40% of our goals last season. At Tottenham, Bale is back at 32%. He was badly advised to hand in a transfer request but it precipitated a first class response from both Paul Lambert and the board so all’s well that ends well.

I am among thousands of other Villa fans when I say this coming season is the first I’m looking forward to since the start of O’Neill’s last season. Villa can improve to at least midtable with an exciting brand of football.

I for one share Jonny’s views on the above topics. What do you think? Leave your comments in the section below.

7 comments

  1. Lambert can do no wrong in Gould’s eyes. The most overrated manager in the clubs history. So much praise for so little achievement. Are fans that desperate for a hero after McLeish they will praise anything Lambert does?

    Countless good hidings and the lower league humiliations all seem to be forgot because of a couple of results against teams in the bottom 6 at the end of the season.

    Good luck to Darren Bent, ill enjoy watching him prove Lambert wrong next season wherever he goes.

  2. chris that is the most blind sighted comment i have heard about PL lol, under McLeish we were not shite we were super shite and bent may well suit the likes of fulham or newcastle, but thats because they have less pace than us and he will surely look ok in that respect. regarding our style of play and the wins at the end of the season, we hadnt had back to back wins since 2011 (i think) and lambert achieved that with a team he basicly had no time to gell together to his style of play, this season regardless of who u support is certainly gonna be an exciting one, and for the likes of ur comments it sounds like ur a blue nose, so back to the championship with ya were u belong. UTV

  3. So I’m a bluenose because I don’t rate Lambert?

    sorry I don’t share the view he’s a messiah.

    I forgot you’re not allowed to have a different opinion when you support Villa.

    I know realise why avoided Villa sites for the past 8 months

  4. Look guys, it’s quite difficult to make a judgement of Paul after one season. he kept us up, which was vital, and he’s left us with a great plan for the future. obviously PL doesn’t rate Bent, and who are we to disagree? he’s the manager now, he hasn’t done anything wrong by us so far, so we have not excuse not to have faith in him.

    We’ll never build anything for the future if we shout for a new manager before he’s had time to nail his name on the door. Give him a chance, and maybe it’ll work out. that’s all we can do.

    I don’t want to make a controversial comparison, but Ferguson wasn’t Ferguson after one season.

  5. Chris Hearn says “I know realise why avoided Villa sites for the past 8 months.” Actually Chris, I now realise why you did too. Not only do you have no idea about football, but you can’t spell or construct sentences in English. Let’s hope you don’t comment for another 8 months.

  6. ben, i agree. but in respect of PL and the team, i beleive they have come leaps and bounds from last season, i cant believe someone to say they cant rate this manager by what he has already done. its clearly a transition year and maybe next year will be too but to argue that hes not done much or to rate him on it, there is a big plus from every villa fan i have spoken to about the manager or even fans of other clubs. u would have to go around with ur ears plugged and ur eyes shut to think otherwise. sorry but thats how i feel no disrespect to u

  7. I feel a bit sorry for Bent if I’m honest. Whilst I think it’s true that he simply doesn’t fit in with Lambert’s plan for the team, I also can’t help but feel there’s something personal in there too. He’s too good a goalscorer to have had such limited opportunities otherwise. Lambert wants 11 players out there all working their nuts off for the team. Bent isn’t that guy. He might be a great poacher, but he’s not a workhorse. In some teams you have the quality to cope with that. In our young, inexperienced team we don’t (or didn’t last season, at least). So he got the chop. And I’d be amazed if a few cross words weren’t said about it, hence the slightly shady way it all seems to have been handled. But, obviously, that’s all just pure speculation…!

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