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Why Aston Villa striker Darren Bent could be the answer to Liverpool's scoring problems
The Merseyside outfit are believed to be interested in the £25m-rated England international, as they look for the goals to boost their bid for a top four finish this season
13 Jan 2012 09:03:00
Getty
ANALYSIS
By Greg Stobart | Northern Correspondent
From Ian Rush to Robbie Fowler and Fernando Torres, the names of great Liverpool goalscorers roll off the tongue. If the Reds get their way this month, their latest marksman could be Aston Villa striker Darren Bent.
Liverpool have been credited with a strong interest in a £25 million move for Bent in the January transfer window as they look to add much-needed goals to the side and boost their prospects of a top four finish.
The England international is well known to Reds director of football Damien Comolli, who signed him for Tottenham for £16.5 million in 2007 and has admitted the Merseyside club considered a bid for the 27-year-old last January.
Instead, Liverpool signed Andy Carroll from Newcastle for £35m on the final day of the window, a move that has failed to work with the targetman scoring just four Premier League goals since his switch to Anfield.
Kop bound? | Liverpool are in the market for a striker this January and are keen on Bent
It seems Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish may be ready to concede he went for the wrong man. Talk within the game is rife that Bent has had his head turned and has, in the process, fallen out with Villa boss Alex McLeish. The Scot insists his star man is not for sale, but could be tempted to cash in and re-invest the proceeds to fund a rebuilding job at Villa Park.
Whether it’s Bent or not, Liverpool are in the market for a striker this month who can put the finishing touch to the excellent build-up play provided by the likes of Steven Gerrard, Craig Bellamy and Luis Suarez.
Much has been made of Liverpool’s statistical approach to recruiting new players, but it does not take much analysis of the numbers to see where the team have fallen short so far this season.
Liverpool have scored less goals in the Premier League than two of the bottom three sides, while they have won only four of their 10 home matches, drawing with the likes of Norwich, Swansea and Blackburn.
It is a frustrating record for Dalglish, especially as his side’s 331 shots on goal is the second highest tally in the top flight behind only table toppers Manchester City.
As much as Dalglish has bemoaned his side’s misfortune in coming up against inspired goalkeepers and continually hitting the woodwork, Liverpool need to improve their home form and start picking up the results their performances probably deserve.
On Saturday, the Reds entertain Stoke, exactly the sort of fixture which they have found troublesome this season. They have struggled to break teams down at home and their better performances coming on the road when they have been able to play on the counterattack.
The goalscoring problem is not going to go away, particularly with Suarez serving an eight-match suspension and Carroll continuing to misfire, lacking movement and finishing ability in the penalty area.
Bent has that razor sharp edge, having consistently scored goals in the Premier League at Charlton, Spurs, Sunderland and now Villa. It is a record that has also seen him emerge as the top candidate to partner Wayne Rooney in England’s first-choice starting XI, with four goals to his name in 13 international appearances.
In many ways, Bent appears the perfect man for Liverpool: a fast, predatory striker who can get on the end of crosses and would thrive off Gerrard’s precise through balls. Even at Tottenham, where the common perception is that he was an expensive flop, Bent scored 25 goals in 78 appearances, nearly half of which came as a substitute.
But while Bent may guarantee goals, it would come at a cost in style points. He needs teams built around him, for the whole focus to be on feeding him with opportunities to score. That may be fine at Charlton or even Villa, but there are questions whether it works at a club aiming for a top four finish.
The big issue has always been around his ability to produce at the top level - against the best teams in the country, in European competition and at international level. As Tottenham found, his build-up play can be very limited to say the least, and it often stifles the creativity and rhythm of the side.
For the money being talked - Villa will not accept any less than the £24m they paid Sunderland last January - Liverpool would have to be sure that Bent is the man to fire in the goals they have been missing, especially at Anfield.
The player himself would jump at the chance to move to Liverpool, where he could expect an increase on his £65,000-a-week wages and would join up with former team-mates Jordan Henderson and Stewart Downing.
It would be a signing that would, in some quarters, prompt the re-emergence of criticism that Liverpool have overspent on overrated British players since Dalglish’s return, but the club must show conviction in their philosophy.
Bent is not the type of player who could ever capture the Kop’s affections like Rush, Dalglish or Fowler - but he could provide a pragmatic solution to a glaring problem this January.
Follow Greg Stobart on
By Greg Stobart | Northern Correspondent
From Ian Rush to Robbie Fowler and Fernando Torres, the names of great Liverpool goalscorers roll off the tongue. If the Reds get their way this month, their latest marksman could be Aston Villa striker Darren Bent.
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Liverpool have been credited with a strong interest in a £25 million move for Bent in the January transfer window as they look to add much-needed goals to the side and boost their prospects of a top four finish.
The England international is well known to Reds director of football Damien Comolli, who signed him for Tottenham for £16.5 million in 2007 and has admitted the Merseyside club considered a bid for the 27-year-old last January.
Instead, Liverpool signed Andy Carroll from Newcastle for £35m on the final day of the window, a move that has failed to work with the targetman scoring just four Premier League goals since his switch to Anfield.
Kop bound? | Liverpool are in the market for a striker this January and are keen on BentIt seems Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish may be ready to concede he went for the wrong man. Talk within the game is rife that Bent has had his head turned and has, in the process, fallen out with Villa boss Alex McLeish. The Scot insists his star man is not for sale, but could be tempted to cash in and re-invest the proceeds to fund a rebuilding job at Villa Park.
Whether it’s Bent or not, Liverpool are in the market for a striker this month who can put the finishing touch to the excellent build-up play provided by the likes of Steven Gerrard, Craig Bellamy and Luis Suarez.
Much has been made of Liverpool’s statistical approach to recruiting new players, but it does not take much analysis of the numbers to see where the team have fallen short so far this season.
Liverpool have scored less goals in the Premier League than two of the bottom three sides, while they have won only four of their 10 home matches, drawing with the likes of Norwich, Swansea and Blackburn.
It is a frustrating record for Dalglish, especially as his side’s 331 shots on goal is the second highest tally in the top flight behind only table toppers Manchester City.
As much as Dalglish has bemoaned his side’s misfortune in coming up against inspired goalkeepers and continually hitting the woodwork, Liverpool need to improve their home form and start picking up the results their performances probably deserve.
On Saturday, the Reds entertain Stoke, exactly the sort of fixture which they have found troublesome this season. They have struggled to break teams down at home and their better performances coming on the road when they have been able to play on the counterattack.
| BENT'S CAREER STATS |
|||
 |
|||
| Club Ipswich (Nov 01-Jun 05) Charlton (Jun 05-Jun 07) Tottenham (Jun 07-Aug 09) Sunderland (Jul 09-Jan 11) Aston Villa (Jan 11-Present) |
Games 139 79 78 63 34 |
Goals 56 37 25 36 15 |
|
Bent has that razor sharp edge, having consistently scored goals in the Premier League at Charlton, Spurs, Sunderland and now Villa. It is a record that has also seen him emerge as the top candidate to partner Wayne Rooney in England’s first-choice starting XI, with four goals to his name in 13 international appearances.
In many ways, Bent appears the perfect man for Liverpool: a fast, predatory striker who can get on the end of crosses and would thrive off Gerrard’s precise through balls. Even at Tottenham, where the common perception is that he was an expensive flop, Bent scored 25 goals in 78 appearances, nearly half of which came as a substitute.
But while Bent may guarantee goals, it would come at a cost in style points. He needs teams built around him, for the whole focus to be on feeding him with opportunities to score. That may be fine at Charlton or even Villa, but there are questions whether it works at a club aiming for a top four finish.
The big issue has always been around his ability to produce at the top level - against the best teams in the country, in European competition and at international level. As Tottenham found, his build-up play can be very limited to say the least, and it often stifles the creativity and rhythm of the side.
For the money being talked - Villa will not accept any less than the £24m they paid Sunderland last January - Liverpool would have to be sure that Bent is the man to fire in the goals they have been missing, especially at Anfield.
The player himself would jump at the chance to move to Liverpool, where he could expect an increase on his £65,000-a-week wages and would join up with former team-mates Jordan Henderson and Stewart Downing.
It would be a signing that would, in some quarters, prompt the re-emergence of criticism that Liverpool have overspent on overrated British players since Dalglish’s return, but the club must show conviction in their philosophy.
Bent is not the type of player who could ever capture the Kop’s affections like Rush, Dalglish or Fowler - but he could provide a pragmatic solution to a glaring problem this January.
Follow Greg Stobart on
| Sign up with 188BET for a FREE bet up to £25 – Great Prices, Every Game |
|
| Open an account with Sportingbet today and get up to £50 in free bets! |
|
| Sign up with William Hill for a free bet up to £25 |
|
| Sign up with bet365 for a free bet up to £200 |
|
| Sign up with Paddy Power - Bet £10, Get £20! |
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