David Bentley

[Blue Hater 0]

Many of the team have been hammered on this site but Bentley seems to have escaped everyones wrath.For my money he hasnt performed all season and looks now like he couldnt give a toss!! There is no way at this moment that he is a better player than McVeigh and why are we giving valuable premiership experience to a player who clearly would never join us? Surely we would be better off giving Jarvis or Henderson his shirt and give them a bit of experience.

[Dame to Blame 108]

Sadly i have to agree although he may as well stay here because he has no chance of making the arsenal first 11 , he disappoints every week a young guy with loads of hype and no end product i hope he proves me wrong but i doubt it. 

[Mcsncfcmcs 0]

I think the criticism of him is fair in a sense. But I think he was brought in on the basis that he had some quality about him. Now that''s a decent reason to add someone to your squad. But I don''t think it was ever really considered how he was going to fit into the team. Fact is, he is not a winger and thats where we always play him. He played behind the front two in the diamond, but the whole formation was flawed (playing Damo and Holt in roles they were not suited to for example) and so its hard to blame him too much for not shining at the time.

Perhaps we could play him uprfont, just behind Leon, with Hucks and Jonson or Macca on the wings. Maybe that would give him better opportunities on the ball.

I don''t think he is going to be very effective on the wing, and so maybe Worthy needs to find a way to accomodate him better. Otherwise he should play someone else.

Personally so far this season I have seen nothing from Bentley or Jonson which makes me think either can do a better job on the wing than Macca, and I would go as far to say Macca is also a harder worker at both ends of the pitch.

I''ve also been saying for a while that I would like to see Hucks on the right wing (say swapping flanks during the game to do something different) as he would be able to provide better service for the strikers from there I feel. He put in one good cross with his left foot on Saturday (when Jonson put the header wide) but I think he could do that much more often if he had the ball on his right foot from the off. Macca can perform on either flank, so you could swap the two over easily.

[ZLF 335]

The only problem with Macca is that when he has started too has not looked up to the task - a good sub but that is all. He is also far more effective on the left than the right.

Whoever has played wide right for the last two seasons has suffered, whether its Jonson, Hendo, Macca, Helveg or Bents this year, or last season when we went through Macca, Holt, Rivo, Francis, Mullers and Cooper. I didnt see it last season when teams were always on the back foot against us but it cant be a coincidence that whoever plays right wing ends up doing more defending than attacking?

It was the same on Sat - Bents did work hard on his defensive duties but, as a result, rarely got as far forward as he should have done and where his skills are best seen.

A strong flank only comes through a partnership with the right back. Until we play a defensively aware right back we will continue to struggle to find a right midfielder who will impress us.


As far as Bents is concerned he has not lived up to the over expectancy following the hype of his arrival but in my view has performed OK despite being played out of position.

OTBC

[Big Rob 0]

Personally I think Worthy should send Bentley back with Wengers Christmas card. He has not lived up to all the hype and doesnt appear to be someone who will dig deep and fight when it comes to the relegation dog battle...after all what does he care.. he is more likely than not to go back to Arsenal if/when we drop back down to Div 1.

[FilletTheFishWife . 0]

I can''t believe ZLF you can blame Edworthy for Bentley''s performances.
I must remember to barrack Eddy next time one of DB''s shots approaches upper barclay!
I think its a poor midfield that exposes the defence not vice versa.

[ZLF 335]

Eddie does not get the blame for Bentleys performances - Bentley has probably performed to his ability as an out of position striker.  Like Henderson Bentley seems acutely aware of job detail given by the manager - defend deep get forward only when safe to do so and work hard.  I think he has done that task and the criticism of not caring seem well wide of the mark. There isnt a player at the club who hasnt run themselves into the ground this season.

what I do blame eddie for is the ineffectiveness of all the right midfielders - all have taken the blame down that flank except the cause.  Watch whoever sits in front of eddie against bolton.  They are frequently covering space left by eddie and assist in covering flank attacks - cover drury does not get on the left.  Completing this defensive duty is always overlooked by fans whoever the right sided midfielder is and means that they are always working from near their own penalty box rather than nearer the opponents..  The same problem was evident last season in our fruitless search for a right flanker (fnar) but was less obviously a problem as the quality of attackers was that much less.      

OTBC

 

[ZLF 335]

Eddie does not get the blame for Bentleys performances - Bentley has probably performed to his ability as an out of position striker.  Like Henderson Bentley seems acutely aware of job detail given by the manager - defend deep get forward only when safe to do so and work hard.  I think he has done that task and the criticism of not caring seem well wide of the mark. There isnt a player at the club who hasnt run themselves into the ground this season.

what I do blame eddie for is the ineffectiveness of all the right midfielders - all have taken the blame down that flank except the cause.  Watch whoever sits in front of eddie against bolton.  They are frequently covering space left by eddie and assist in covering flank attacks - cover drury does not get on the left.  Completing this defensive duty is always overlooked by fans whoever the right sided midfielder is and means that they are always working from near their own penalty box rather than nearer the opponents..  The same problem was evident last season in our fruitless search for a right flanker (fnar) but was less obviously a problem as the quality of attackers was that much less.      

OTBC

 

[Brum Uni Canary 0]

Watching Arsenal in the first half tonight, I thought to myself where/how Bentley would fit in with the rest of their squad. Every player knew exactly where their teammates were, where and when to pass; and crucially made a 100% effort, particularly in running on to and intercepting balls. This may be more of a squad issue, but in my mind he doesn''t fit neatly into that mould. Route 1 balls rarely occured as it was swift passing, 1-2s and triangles all over the park.
All football players should look at that performance and take inspiration.

[ZLF 335]

I agree with that brum - the same happened in the first 45 mins against us - a video well worth watch for the three parts of the game that simply we do not or even attempt to do which are passing, movement and organisation.

OTBC