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Are You Really Watching Fabio?

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The Sunderland fans were singing “Are you watching Fabio?” as he scored his 20th league goal this season in a struggling Sunderland team against Birmingham on Saturday but it is a valid question, even if the fans were mocking the English manager.

What has Bent got to do to get the nod ahead of the unbelievably bad Heskey? The out of form Walcott? And the injured Defoe? Score another 20 goals before the plane to South Africa hits the ignition key?

It is frightening how a player who is the second highest English scorer in the league behind Rooney is not even considered by some pundits and fans. Mark Lawrenson said on Match of the day that he “should be considered but it will never happen”?.why Lawro? Because he is no longer based in Cappello`s home territory of London anymore?

If Cappello decided to look as far north further than Peckham he may realise that Bent is in the form of his life and with the correct service he could do a job for England in the World Cup this summer.

We have to start playing the players who are in form and Bent is by far the form player at the moment with a record of every two games he scores a goal. No matter which club he has played for he has made it into double digits and this should not be thrown away by Cappello as he looks at journey men like Heskey to carry the task of supporting Rooney in June.

Bent has made himself top goal-scorer for one reason only, to make people recognise he is talented and capable of scoring goals. He is becoming a legend on Wearside with his commitment, passion and belief in front of goal and if he is picked for the 22 man squad this Summer he will not disappoint.

VOTE BENT FOR ENGLAND ALL FANS!

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12 comments

  • Phartman87 says:

    The thing about Bent is in the right system i.e. counter attcking, with a target man and lots of balls over the top he truly is one of the best in the business but out side of that niche he adds very little and if that’s not the way Fabio would play then it doesn’t bode well for Bent

  • GazJohnson says:

    He had no target man yesterday and scored two….

  • Phartman87 says:

    I’m could find examples of Henry scoring headers too, doesn’t make him a centre forward though. My point is that (much like at United) the whole England set-up is geared towards supporting Wayne Rooney and without the interplay (or ability to offer in similar ‘fox in the box’ goal threat in his absense) he won’t go to the world cup imo

  • gunnerkid107 says:

    He deserves to be on the plane, no doubt. If Capello doesn’t think he’ll fit into the system with Rooney, at least have Bent on the bench for a plan B. FFS

  • HuddersfieldYiddo says:

    Hes really uneasy on the eye and his first touch is pants, its why we sold him and kept Defoe who has skill on the ball and more guile than Bent. But the man IS goals, he has a knack for being in the right place at the right time. Sunderlands style is perfect for him, balls down the channel or over the top and consistantly under pressue. With England where ball retention is key, moves are structured and skill is required Darren Bent is found wanting, badly. Sad but true. The same can also be said for Jermaine Defoe aswell. However if HESKEY goes instead of either it will be a travesty as the guy is horse *****

  • bernio3000 says:

    The problem Bent has is that every goal he scores looks flooky. It’s obviously not the case because you’d have to sell your soul to the devil on the condition you get arse raped for eternity when you die to get that much luck. He is genuinely a goalscorer. It doesn’t look pretty but he gets the job done. I’d still have him at the lane and switch him with Defoe when he goes off the boil and vice versa. I’d have anyone on the plane instead of Heskey. I’m sorry but a striker has to score goals. It’s not enough to say “there’s more to his game” because other people can hold it up and flick the ball on who also have goals in their locker (Carlton Cole, Crouch for England does well). He has the goalscoring record of an average central midfielder, averaging a goal every 6.5 games for Villa. If that gets you to a World Cup then John Parkin and Steve Howard are surely still in with a shout.

  • jjburch says:

    “Every goal he scores looks flooky”? Sorry, but that’s simply not true. He is, without question, one of the best finishers in England and is the third-top goalscorer over the last five years in the Prem. If that doesn’t get you a trip to the WC then I don’t know what does.

  • tuscan3000 says:

    Englands problem with strikers is that we tend to produce strikers who are world class in one particular aspect, but have an equal and glaringly obvious flaw in another aspect of their game. The best international strikers are good all rounders – most dont stand out because they are brilliant at one thing – its usually that they’re fairly decent at everything – they’re not weak, not short, not terrible headers, not slow, not poor finishers, dont have a terrible first touch and dont have poor movement. With English strikers (apart from Rooney) what you’ll usually find is that in one or two of those areas they’ll be very poor and in international football, where you will only get one or two chances and you cannot guarantee what type it will be – you cannot afford to have such obvious weaknesses to your game. If you look at any english striker (apart from Rooney and maybe carlton cole) you’ll see I’m correct. They all have that one thing about them which is just pretty much terrible.

    England need players with the ability and desire to get on the ball keep possession and then do something intelligent with it. That is not Darren Bents game I’m afraid, nor is it Defoes. At the top level pace and movement can be accounted for by top defenders using positioning and intelligence. England cant afford to take another player who is “brilliant off the ball”. We’re already lacking players who are good with it. In the recent friendly where defoe, lampard and walcott were replaced by crouch, milner and carrick england looked a much better side. Bent, Defoe and Agbonlahor have all failed to deliver on the few chances they’ve had with england because international defenders are not as suceptible to a simple ball over the top as most premier league defenders. I’d not be suprised to see Rooney, Crouch, Heskey and Cole as the strikers this summer.

  • The Fear says:

    have to agree, Bent should be in contention, Heskey (I’m a Villa fan so not being biased at all!) should not, he doesn’t score or set up that many goals.

  • GazJohnson says:

    Bent will run his socks off and given the right service he will score.

  • mackem1971 says:

    Bent – does not need a Big target man, his strength is being in the right position at the right time. Give him a quality through ball like the ones Malbranque has been putting through. Maybe Englands problem is do we really have any midfielders with vision??? Only thing I can say against Bent is that he seems to need a lot of chances at goal before scoring which at a World Cup level he wont get.
    Mackem1971

  • av-jc-86 says:

    Tuscan3000 bit unfair on Gabby, he hasnt had amount of chances that Defoe, Bent and co. Also he is the only one to have not played with Rooney

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