ToffeeWeb - Season 2007-08

Brian Williams
1 Posted 23/06/2008 at 14:26:29

BENT ! Not Marcus though! *LOL*

Dan Mckie
2 Posted 23/06/2008 at 14:31:24

If it ended up a pretty much straight swap cash wise then I would be happy with that! I couldn't believe it when Spurs paid £16.5 million to a Championship club (or anyone for that matter) for Bent but hey, in today's market about half that sum may turn out to be good business!

Martin Cutler
3 Posted 23/06/2008 at 14:40:00

Bent could FEED THE YAK better than Johnson could.............and for about the same amount of money (plus I think Bent would flourish with more game) I think it?s a good bit of business.
It would be a shame to see AJ go but under the circumstances this would be a good deal.

Len Cartwright
4 Posted 23/06/2008 at 14:41:34

Bent, no question. I saw a lot of the lad whilst in college near Ipswich and he looked a true finisher. Whilst not possessing the workrate of AJ, I think he would prove a more natural partner for the Yak.

Erik Dols
5 Posted 23/06/2008 at 14:37:03

I?m not sure on this one. First of all I guess Bent is on a huge wage at Spurs. According to this link he earns about £90k a week. Now he might accept a drop in salary to say £70k just to get playing time but I don?t believe we pay that sort of wages. And I certainly don?t think that Darren Bent should be our best-paid player.

Secondly I think he is a pretty one-dimensional player and that his main strengths are about the same as Yakubu?s. I don?t see the two of them forming a good combination and they both will expect regular playing time.

On the other hand, I think Darren Bent is a good forward and on his day he can be better than AJ.

I won?t cry if it does happen and I won?t cry if it doesn?t...

Chris Fisher
6 Posted 23/06/2008 at 14:37:54

Are you kidding me!! Bent or AJ?!! Ummm... it's a no-brainer ? AJ!! He may've had not the best of seasons last season although he still made double figures despite the fact he was injured or didn't play a lot of the time but he is a lot better than Bent. If he can't force his way into the Spurs team, why on God's earth does anyone think he'd be good enough for Everton? Are you saying Spurs are better than us? ? becuase I wouldn't agree with that. Overall AJ has more ability and just needs our team not to play hoofball to him! If Crystal Palace could play through balls to him then we sure as hell can... if only we could get Arshavin!!

Sean McNally
7 Posted 23/06/2008 at 14:43:56

Darren Bent all the way!
He as power, pace, and can score goals!
Him an Yak would be a big, powerful front 2. Cum on Moyesy....pull it out the bag son!

Dan McKie
8 Posted 23/06/2008 at 14:45:33

£90k a week for Bent???? Not sure I believe that, I would have thought if you halved that amount, then maybe halve it again then you?d be closer! Who knows though with a club like Spurs!

Matt Bone
9 Posted 23/06/2008 at 14:56:18

I’d much rather have AJ. Bent is crap

Graham McCann
10 Posted 23/06/2008 at 14:58:03

AJ is a far better team player than Bent. Bent has proved that he can't hack it at a big club, AJ is proven at this level. We need to sign someone better than what we already have to make progress, Bent for AJ would be a sideways move at best. 3 or 4 quality midfielders would be good progress!

Paul Williams
11 Posted 23/06/2008 at 15:04:32

Reffering to Matt Bone’s comment, I agree, Bent is crap, but on the other hand AJ is not good enough either for what we need in order to go forward. I say sell AJ, and use the money to bring in someone like Podolski for example (highly unlikely I know).

Ian Short
12 Posted 23/06/2008 at 15:06:52

Seen a document of the 50 best payed footballers in the world and the big shock is that Darren Bent is no. 19 on £94,669 per week - so he would have to halve his salary to join Everton or anyone else for that matter!

Seamus Murphy
13 Posted 23/06/2008 at 15:11:14

AJ

Patty Beesley
14 Posted 23/06/2008 at 15:16:16

Neither!! Would rather have an on-form injury-free Vaughany!! But go along with trying to get Podolski - think he is our type of player.

Frank Bird
15 Posted 23/06/2008 at 15:05:50

The Liverpool Echo states that no business will be done pending on the outcome of the ground move. What a fuckin joke, sounds to me once again that the club is starving the manager the fans, time for the board to sell up and go as I believe that there are investors waiting in the wings.

Gordon Byrne
16 Posted 23/06/2008 at 15:22:06

Bent is shite!!! Can't get a game for a shite Spurs team so why would we ditch AJ for him? Plus he is way overpaid.

Connor Rohrer
17 Posted 23/06/2008 at 15:32:49

I?d take Bent over AJ any day of the week. A lot more effective and scores more goals. Bent isn?t crap at all; he hasn?t been given a chance at Spurs due to the excellent partnership of Keane and Berbatov. Even quality players like Yakubu would struggle to break up that striker force. They compliment each other excellently and score alot of goals.

Bent?s record in the Premier League is excellent. 22 goals in his first season, 15 goals in his second season and 8 goals in 16 starts last season. A player with that record can?t be shit; he?s consistently scored goals over the past three seasons despite playing for average clubs.

Bent would compliment Yak excellently. He has AJ?s pace but he?s also decent in the air, a hard worker, and good finisher and strong. He?s a better version of AJ and if we where to go 4-4-2 he?d do well here.

Adam Carey
18 Posted 23/06/2008 at 15:51:35

AJ!
Plus, I?ve had an idea to counter his constant wing play. We have signs in the crowd that we can hold up when he gets the ball saying ?IN FIELD? a la Forrest Gump and his Stop sign!

Mike Smith
19 Posted 23/06/2008 at 15:57:14

I say both. We shoud be playing 442 and for that we need at least 3 first team strikers with the two youngsters competing for that extra spot on the bench.

Then we just need that holding / playmaker / gritty tackler / captain material / experienced / young / english midfielder that is clearly in the abundance.

Dan McKie
20 Posted 23/06/2008 at 16:05:48

AJ needs to be reminded that the aim of the game is to stick the round thing into the goal and not to try and capture the flag!

Mike Coates
21 Posted 23/06/2008 at 16:03:31

Bent 6 - Andy J 6

Unsure 1 Neither 2

I say AJ. Bent even in his few appearances doesn’t look that capable, of team playing the way AJ does even. AJ may have had an off season, but his non stop play and tireless efforts support him over Bent. I’m surprised Bent was ever worth the money he went for..

AJ will tear past and kill off the opposition next season. Just wait and see. Once the balls are provided by quality, the finishers will finish! :)

Mike Coates
22 Posted 23/06/2008 at 16:13:24

LoL..

by the time I counted and posted more people had replied ;)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bm6i70m4-Oo

Mike Coates
23 Posted 23/06/2008 at 16:16:24

Plus, I?ve had an idea to counter his constant wing play. We have signs in the crowd that we can hold up when he gets the ball saying ?IN FIELD? ala Forrest Gump and his Stop sign!

NO NO.. We have BIG arrows in the crowd, and people in the crowd run them around to direct him where just in case he’s getting lost ;)

Martin Cutler
24 Posted 23/06/2008 at 16:05:52

The question was: Bent or AJ.
Not Bent or AJ or Vaughan or Podolski etc.
I should add that Vaughan is a star in the making if he can stay fit.... way more potential than Anichebe but I digress.
Based on what I?ve seen of AJ and Bent I would say Bent would benefit the team more..........the fact that he hasn?t played for Spurs that much is not necessarily a bad thing. That just means the new manager doesn?t like him....or Bent doesn?t speak Spanish (who knows?). Ramos didn?t buy him so why would he pick him?
Looking at the stats for this season just finished, AJ has played a lot more and scored 10, Bent has scored 8.
Ideally, if we could somehow get the best out of AJ and consistently do it I?d say keep him but it?s looking more and more like he?d be?d better moving on and we get the money for him.
As to the argument that just because Bent plays for Spurs we shouldn?t have him, isn?t that a bit ludicrous... that?s like saying we shouldn?t have bought Lescott from Wolves as they are even lower down the league than Spurs?!?!?!?
Not quite apples and apples I know but I trust Moyes to get more out of Bent than Spurs ever did.

Patty Beesley
25 Posted 23/06/2008 at 16:23:07

Martin - Consider my wrist well and truly slapped for daring talk about Vaughan. The question was who would you rather have - Bent or AJ and my answer was neither - okay?

Martin Cutler
26 Posted 23/06/2008 at 16:47:55

Yes, your wrist is firmly slapped!
Bent or AJ? Neither? Fair enough.

And I?m not defending what Kenrick said (he was in the wrong) but if I had had his job on this site (with all the time and effort he puts in) I think I?d lose my rag a few times too!

Dutch Schaffaer
27 Posted 23/06/2008 at 17:03:04

Bent is a better goalscorer who will make us more dangerous in front of goal but AJ is a better team player who works himself into the ground.

On-form injury-free Vaughany? As if that's ever going to happen.

Jay Harris
28 Posted 23/06/2008 at 17:07:50

I dont' know why we?re even promoting a player swap.

We have already lost: Stubbs, McFadden, Carsley, Gravesen, Fernandes and Wessels not to mention a number of fringe players.

If new players do not come in because we are waiting for a decision on Kirkby then we really have become a joke of a club.

We got in the region of £45 million from Sky, £5.5 million from Faddy and £12 million? from the non-purchase of Fernandes last August. Less £2.5 million paid for Pienaar.

If we are left to scrap over bargain basement players then this board definitely need to go.

John Andrews
29 Posted 23/06/2008 at 17:20:39

AJ every time. All the time people like Jagielka lump the ball towards the corner flag............

Aidy Dews
30 Posted 23/06/2008 at 17:12:14

Neither of them really both similair types of player to me except AJ?s more of a team player and works a hell of alot harder, but for me AJ is?nt an out n out striker and he is?nt a second striker that links the midfield and attack either! I?d rather see Everton bring in a striker to partner Yakubu that drops in to the holes between defence and midfield whos clever on the ball and can slip in those through balls down sides of defenders for the Yak to get on the end of and i think Arshavin would be perfect IF we could afford him!!! too many times towards the end of last season the Yak kept dropping deep to link the play or pulled wide and then when we created a chance sometimes he wasnt there to finish it!, I?d much rather see someone like Arshavin in there doing those things and letting the Yak stay up front to finish the moves off!! for me Everton shud do everything to get Arshavin in, stuff Bent and lets stop going in for Spurs rejects, Samways, Davies, Gardner anyone?!!!

Martin Lucas
31 Posted 23/06/2008 at 17:23:56

AJ, simply - I think he works harder than Bent and has proved himself at a big club where as Bent has kinda spluttered.

Jim Feeney
32 Posted 23/06/2008 at 17:30:04

Speculation and thats all it is about who we will sign, nothing will move forward until after 3rd July when the Government makes a decision on the ?Kirkby? project. If there is an enquiry its likely that there will be substantially less than the £25 million supposed transfer budget.
What we will be left with Ebanks-Blake from Wolves, more than likely, the board backing the manager, somehow I don?t see it this time around.

Mike Williams
33 Posted 23/06/2008 at 17:55:18

What does LOL mean?

Karl Saegaran
34 Posted 23/06/2008 at 18:11:42

AJ!!!!! I think DB is overated and does not have AJ?s hard work.

Simon Templeman
35 Posted 23/06/2008 at 18:43:23

@Mike Williams,
I believe it means "laughs out loud". Oh and AJ for me, DB is VERY one footed.

Roy Coyne
36 Posted 23/06/2008 at 18:50:00

Jay Harris the cash you mention has some how been overlooked as Bill is concerned about Kirkby. Now, whether you're for or against the move, I can't see anyone being happy with Moyes getting scraps to compete for players to help in the push for fourth. If he walks who could blame him so we might end up full steam to Kirkby with no manager. Missing fans and players.... not really good enough to match the ambition we have. It could only happen at Everton.

Brett Bradshaw
37 Posted 23/06/2008 at 19:08:46

Got a bit worried whilst reading the first few posts!

AJ all the way for me! Give him one more season before we start thinking of an upgrade. Who knows, Vaughan may even step up this year.. ifs and buts etc..

Alex Foxx
38 Posted 23/06/2008 at 19:36:31

According to The Times, Moyes?s priority is a striker - why?? Even if we sell AJ we still have Yakubu, Vaughan and Anichebe - and this is in a team that clearly prefers to go one up front.

Forget Bent - We need midfielders.

Currently we are down to Cahill, Arteta, Pienaar and Osman.

Sign Fernandes. Replace Carsley and splash out on a quality (Russian) attacking midfielder.

Bent is good, and certainly a better goalscorer than AJ, but we can?t afford to blow half our budget on him. The Yak will do a job up top. The defence is rock-solid.
Invest in the middle of the park and we might just keep our noses ahead of the free-spending chasing pack.

Moyes must realize that this is where we are short. I can only hope that he is given a decent figure to spend. We talk about breaking the Sky 4 (and so we should, they are there to be beaten), but there is a group of 5 or 6 teams just below us who are getting heavy financial backing, and we need to match this not just to move forward, but to avoid slipping back.

Joe McMahon
39 Posted 23/06/2008 at 19:52:28

BENT all the way. I can?t stand any more of Johnson's weak shooting & awful ball control.

Connor Rohrer
40 Posted 23/06/2008 at 19:56:58

The midfield is definitely key, improve that and where more or less ready to go. Hopefully the likes of Johnson, Vaughan, Cahill and Anichebe stay fit so we?ve got enough forward options. I?m hoping James Vaughan breaks through next season. If he does which is 50/50 at the moment we won?t have to count on AJ and we won?t have to spend money on Darren Bent.

I?d be happy if we could get four midfielders in. Two centre midfielders and a versatile midfielder who can play left, right and centre and a winger with pace.

Defense and attack should be our last priorities.

Phil McRacken
41 Posted 23/06/2008 at 19:50:50

Bent for me, AJ is too limited in his play, his touch isn?t good enough and he doesn?t score enough goals. Bent is a more direct player, has better all around play (with the ball) also I think he is more focused on putting the ball in the net, than running all over the final third just to lay it back again. Having said that I think AJ has been a good lad for us he just doesn?t get, or look like hes gonna get enough goals.

Joe Merson
42 Posted 23/06/2008 at 20:35:50

AJ is a good team player we need people who can adapt to the way we play, are strengths are our determanation and team work/effort Bent would not fit in our team hes not the right kind of player AJ gives a 100% every time he plays if he can hit form him and the YAK are good together I wouldn't rush into things wait until January see how AJ is getting on and from what I've heard no other clubs are going after DB. I don't rate him and like a few people have said if he can't get into the Tottenham team then he shouldn't be good enough for Everton
AJ to stay
COYBB

Alan Flynn
43 Posted 23/06/2008 at 20:47:00

AJ dosen’t score enough goals because he plays in front of a midfied that isn’t good enough. As a result we play 4-5-1 half the time and expect him to hold the ball up or tear arse toward the corner flags from hoofs up to him. Tim Cahill benefits from this tactic, AJ does not. He needs to be played in behind the back four - unfortunately we do not have the players to do this in a 4-4-2. Plus he is being robbed of probably 5 penalties (and goals) a season due to that twat Arsene Wenger. His confidence dropped but he will recover - get a couple of decent centre midfield players and maybe a winger and judge him then.

Joe Martin
44 Posted 24/06/2008 at 00:59:43

Please, not Darren Bent instead of (or even as well as) AJ.. As someone further up said, that’s a sideways step at the very best, and AJ is due a confidence building run. Plus there’s his weekly wedge, as has been mentioned several times.

Arshavin isn’t coming to England, let alone EFC, you dreamers on certain boards, although he’d be great for the Yak. Podolski? First I have heard of that, but he’d be great too. Although very expensive, and is there any evidence he wants a transfer?

My preferred option is for Moyes to spend whatever few quid he gets on the midfield, scout out a likely-lad striker from lower leagues, and hope, pray, cross fingers and toes that Jimmy has recovered and can stay fit. I know it’s a cliche, but a few years back in the boys team, he was much tastier than Rooney even.

To sum up: AJ is just fine, especially if Jimmy and Vic are fit. Spend it in the midfield to support Tim and Mikky

Jason Lam
45 Posted 24/06/2008 at 02:41:42

Bentley

Ean Palese
46 Posted 24/06/2008 at 05:25:01

Not Bent. If anyone from Spurs then Huddles. How about more of an Eastern Block search? Players from countries like Czech Rep, Croatia, Russia - they are blue collar and have high work rates (yes a blanket statement but for the most part it?s true). They are technically gifted and are team players.

Vishal Poorundersingh
47 Posted 24/06/2008 at 06:32:22

We need to keep AJ and on the other hand Bent must be purchased. Our first attacking choice should be Yak and Vaughan, Aj and Bent are perfect substitute. Our attacking line then will be completed. Believe me Vaughan has the potential and with lots of matches to play we need to have AJ (experienced) and Bent as a quality and proven striker. Then the remaining available money should be thrown on quality midfielders like Fernandes, Arshavin etc....If we want to progress we need to have around twenty quality and proven players where when replacing one with other should always be a threat for our opponents. One example like replacing peinaar by fernandes.

Paul OHanlon
48 Posted 24/06/2008 at 08:30:55

Opinion seems fairly split and the goalscroring stats for the last two seasons don’t help settle the argument...

AJ - 22 in 74 apps
Bent - 23 in 70 apps

I’m personally not a fan of AJ, you can’t fault his attitude but he’s too weak and not a goalscorer at the highest level. Although after compiling the stats above maybe Darren Bent isn’t either!

Everton have quashed these rumours now anyway :(

patty beesley
49 Posted 24/06/2008 at 09:23:37

I see McFadden wants to leave Birmingham - that didn’t last long did it? Perhaps he wants to come back and they could reuse his 5 mil to buy him!!

Tom Abdy
50 Posted 24/06/2008 at 10:00:15

For what it’s worth... AJ. He works his arse off and for those who say he can’t shoot, did you not see the game against Brann when he hit a freaking pile driver of a shot that would have secured it’s hattrick if it had just nipped under the bar?? He is quality and I think he was just low on confidence last season after the two penalty misses against the Mentalists.

John Pickles
51 Posted 24/06/2008 at 13:36:57

AJ, strikers thrive on confidence, for that they need regular matches which means fully fit & playing week in week out, when AJ is doing that & has decent service he has delivered (3-0 v RS anyone?). Bent is no different, wouldn’t improve us & can’t match AJ’s engine.

Nick Xenos
52 Posted 25/06/2008 at 02:03:55

Neither are any good to be honest. Maybe we should take a chance on Greek international, Angelos Charisteas. He is a tall lad (6ft 4), powerful in the air, has a great work ethic and would be relatively cheap. Scored lots of goals at international and at club level with sides like Ajax, Werder Bremen, and Feyenoord. At 28 years of age, we’ll be getting a man at his peak.