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Sunderland After Villa Pair?

There was a rumour a good while back that MON wanted to take Gabby Agbonlahor and James Collins to Sunderland.

Recently that seems to have re-surfaced, the latest being on the Ladbrokes site. I`m not sure if these re-hashes are just done because of a shortage of real links or if there is something in it.

However, the one bit of the rumour is surprising. It says that Sunderland only want to pay £10m for the pair.

Maybe Collins will just be shipped out to get rid and then the £10m is more the fee for Gabby?

Personally, I`d not mind seeing what he can do at Villa now we have a new manager - if he likes this one obviously, as I`m told he was a big fan of MON and obviously hasn`t played in his favoured position all the time in the last two seasons. If he`s not happy, then maybe pastures new are best?

£10m? I`d have thought a while back he`d have fetched more, he was flirting with the England set up and getting into double numbers for Villa. He`s scored over 50 PL goals. However, the last two seasons, despite being on the wing at times, is 9 goals a good enough tally? Bent got 9 last season during what turned out to be an injury ravaged season for the England striker.

James Collins Profile.

James Collins Forum Thread.

Gabby Agbonlahor Profile.

Gabby Agbonlahor Forum Thread.

I must admit, I`m just as interested as to who goes this summer as to who Lambert brings in!

Most in the Vital Villa interviews seem intent on seeing the defense majorly changed at the very least.

Related polls:

Would You Sell James Collins?
Poll Date: 14 Jun 2012
Suggested By: JP Fear

Yes, ship him out asap 89%
No, keep him 9%
Unsure/not bothered 2%

Would you sell Gabby Agbonlahor?
Poll Date: 03 Jun 2012
Suggested By: JP Fear

Under no circumstances 37%
Yes, for £6m or over 32%
Yes, for £10m or over 23%
Only if he put in transfer request or wanted to go 7%
Unsure 1%

Previous links:

Gabby Agbonlahor to Sunderland: Click Here
Gabby again: Gabby Agbonlahor Again Linked To Sunderland

James Collins to Swansea for £5million: Almost An Entire Villa Defense To Be Sold?
James Collins would have to half wages to move to Swansea: Aston Villa Press Transfer Talk.. Collins No Go?
James Collins to West Ham: James Collins Exit (?) Not Exactly A Hammer Blow!

Vital F1 Prediction League - Join now for Monaco

Click here to join in the debate on the club forum.

Writer: J P Fear

Date:Tuesday July 10 2012

Time: 10:41AM

Your Comments

I'd like them both to stay and get back to their best form under Lambert. Would much rather see the exit of Dunne, Hutton etc than either of these two

AVbornandbred

2005/06 he played 9 times, (6 as a sub) 1 premiership goal.
2006/07 he played 38 games, 9 premiership goals, 2 Cup goals
2007/08 he played 37 games, 11 premiership goals
2008/09 he played 36 games, 12 premiership goals, plus one goal in Europe
2009/10 he played 36 games, 13 premiership goals, 1 FA Cup goal, 2 league cup goals.
2010/11 he played 25 games, 3 premiership goals, 1 league cup, 1 in Europe
2011/12 he played 33 games, 5 premiership goals, 1 FA Cup goal

The Fear

Yes, both should stay to be squad players if not guaranteed starters. Far worse to get rid of before them. Can't compare the ultra selfish and goalhanging exploits of Bent to Gabby's running of the channels and hold up play for the cause of the team. In fact, has Bent passed to anyone since he's been here?? If so, it was probably a miss-hit and he was shooting.

Villan444

Sorry, much as I have tried to like Gabby, he is not a natural goalscorer. In a one on one I'd always back the keeper. he has scored some extra-ordinary goals but generally he has not looked a world beater. Maybe the impetus to sell him is coming from the thought that we are paying £60K for what? (I have onlt read this wage figure elsewhere and do not know its true. It seems totally over the top for what he produces.) I thought the idea to make him captain last year was a strange one and then saw nothing in his performances to sugest that it was deserved in any way. Patting the badge does not make a good player. Even I can do that. £6m or over, sell. As someone else said not long ago, his asset is pace but the need for two touches to control the ball negates his speed.

Gordonsleftboot

Only just saw those stats Fear. Steady 10 goals per season. Not amazing BUT when he has the ball or the ball is near him, it takes a lot of pressure off the defence and he's not a one touch wonder.

Villan444

Bent is a natural goalscorer Gordon BUT you can't have 11 of these on the pitch. Even attackers/strikers need other qualities. I would ship out Bent well before Gabby. He is a passenger for 88 minutes, and if we don't give him the ball within 12 yards of the goal, he is absolutely useless. As for 2 touches to control it, Bent never touches it more than once as he is always shooting.

Villan444

Mr. 444 I will never listen to your opinions again... Ship out Bent... Before Gabby? LMFAOROFLCOPTER :)

CDX_EIRE

Im with you Gordon - I think Villan444 hasnt noticed how lazy Gabby is - so to call Bent Lazy is just plain daft - to be a decent striker you have to make the right, well timed runs and follow up runs - Gabby doesnt do that, Bent Does. "Steady 10 goals pers Season" - you want to be taking those rose coloured glasses off - try putting it this way "11 goals in his last 58 games" even Carew outscored him when he was here.

Mat777

Ship out the 2nd best prem goalscorer of all time(English player) who's goals have kept us in the prem and keep gabby who runs around like a headless chicken and scores a few!I'm sick of these fans " he has passion because he's a supporter so let's keep him"get rid of him and Collins,rip the 10million from sunderlands hands as his value keeps falling!collins can go for free or shall we keep him because he does stick his head in to stop goals,normally because he's the one who cocks it up!

mickatkins21

Ship out Bent before Gabby????? thats the most ridiculous comment EVER. So what if he does pass or run around like Gabby, his job is to stick the ball in the back of the net, which he does better than anyone in our team and almost as good as anyone else in the league. Weve been crying out for a player like Bent for years and now hes here people want him out???? He was our top goalscorer last year in a team that was *****e and he was injured for half of it. Who else do you suppose we have upfront???? The fonz maybe???? Behave yourself.....

GibboVilla

gabby is on 60k ????? realistically no player should receive this amount just to kick a ball around and fall over but gabby certainly imho should not be on so much and agreed with Gordon he just is not a natural goalscorer and added to that not a natural footballer either i like the lad ive met him before nice down to earth guy and a hard worker but to be honest i think its time we let him go and already i like the names we are being linked to PL seems to have a vision not like the other scotsman we had

black_villian

Mr 444 are you actually Gabby?? 11 goals in the last 58 matches works out at a goal in ever 5.27 games Not good enough for someone on £60k a week. Darren Bent 41 games for the Villa 19 goals works out at a goal every 2.16 games I know which striker I would prefer. I got Bents stats from wiki before anyone says thats incorret just making a point

randylerneravfc

You gotta laugh at the comment " Bent never touches it more than once cus he is always shooting" 444, that my dillusional friend is what the man is paid to do. Its what we as fans want to see, and hes far more likely to score goals with such actions as what Mr Icantscoreatall is likely to do. Maybe you prefered the last regime where people wasnt allowed to shoot???

GibboVilla

Keep Gabby. Collins - take or leave. The healthspa and stripclub incidents haven't done him any favours.

teale's tash

Anyone can goal hang and let the rest of the team like Gabby do all the graft for them. It's quite obvious who hasn't played the game before listening to some comments. He isn't good enough to base a whole team around. He has NO other qualities whatsoever other than tapping in FFS. Collymore and Redknapp and many more who didn't waste their money on him were right. Why isn't he at a top club if he's so good?? For the money that we'd get for him, I'd sell tomorrow and reinvest. And 2nd best english striker in the prem ever lolol. Shearer, rooney for starters.

Villan444

Bent has kept us up. End of. Gabby has one more season to prove himself....Bent has done it under different managers so let's have none of that blaming the manager merry-go-round. V444 - fair enough for voicing an opinion - it has caused debate as intended.

koolbill

Strangely FrankieB has said nothing in public ref Gabby (unlike Bent, Ireland etc. The challenge for him is to try and play these three together effectively. If Ireland is in The Keane Role behind Bent (as DB9 has strongly hinted he wants recently..ok he said thats what he wants) where does Gabby fit in ? He was not brought through the Academy to be a winger, lets be fair. Dont think Ireland or Gabby will accept rotation either. But its good to have these choices. Lets not forget how unplayable GA could be back in the ONeill regime (Wembley, penalty, 4mins, red card.....oops sorry, woke up at that point)

malacaxeta

Reinvest in who? Can we purchase anyone on the apparent money Bent would bring? Anyone who could settle so quick and score so many? We have the best striker outside the Top 5 - and believe me that is still a fantastic striker - there is no argument for saying why hasn't he been picked up by the big boys because when they do come calling we are all gutted that our players leave. So damned if they are good and damned if they aren't?

koolbill

All depends on what style lambert plays. Can't see him carrying any passengers. Can bent add more strings to his bow or can Gabby get back to his best whilst getting a better goal ratio. I don't have any tinted glasses on and I don't buy into the "Bent is one of the best" just because he's one of us either.

Villan444

I have nothing against Gabby. I just dont think he is good enough. I think we should get some money for him while we can before he starts to lose his pace as that is his only main attribute. No not everyone can goal hang ask Emile I think he finds it a tough job to do. lol

randylerneravfc

I thought, for a so called fan, Gabby's lack of effort in Bent's absence last season was a disgrace. Trudged around looking completely uninterested, chased nothing and couldn't hold up the ball to save his life. To be honest I'd sell Gabby if a half decent offer came in - no footballing brain at all.

McGrath4Pope

Bent is 1 dimensional Bill. If we don't play a certain style and revolve everything around him, he's useless. My honest opinion whether right or wrong. Redknapp got rid and kept Defoe, who can at least play in a partnership with another striker.

Villan444

In fact, having seen him in interviews, maybe I needn't have added the word 'footballing' there!

McGrath4Pope

The way i see it is, we are not Man City or Utd who will create chances galore. In reality we are probably more likely to create 3 very good chances in an average game. If you ask me who i would like those 3 to fall to, it would be Bent over Gabby all day long. I dont know where this 'Bent is lazy' idea came from, he doesnt wander around sulking like Berbatov or Balotelli. Ok he doesnt pick the ball up deep but frankly i dont care, all teams need a guy in the box. If he only touches it twice and he scores then who cares? Did anybody care in his first game againt Man City? As for Gabby i'd keep him as an impact player ala Walcott at the Euros. However if MON offers 7mil or more i wouldnt be too upset, thank him for the good times and wish him well for the future.

Lion Heart

147 EPL goals so far and counting.

koolbill

So lionheart, these 3 chances apart, what on earth is Bent going to do. He can't pass, dribble, tackle, cross, header etc. get rid of both and play Wiemann and a new signing....

Villan444

No-ones slating you 444. Facts speak for themselves re my 147 stat. Defoe has hardly played at Spurs and Redknapp rates Pav, Adebayor and others above him so that hardly counts against Bent. My honest view is that strikers are here to score and Gab ain't doing that. Midfielders are here to do the passing. Gabby can't do either, so, he either gets scoring again or goes. Oh and 147 goals does make him one of the best around.

koolbill

It's cool KoolBill. I really don't rate his ability or endeavour and think that there's a lot better around. Kevin phillips, Andy cole of old both has more than him. Bent can't even take a touch to set himself up, it has to be first time laid on a plate for him, Pre cut up into chewable size morsels and spoon fed!!

Villan444

v444 you talk about he fact bent only has one string to his bow, that string though in football is the most important, his stats speak for themself. i wouldnt class gabby in the same bracket, however he is our poor mans version of walcot/forest gump - he runs fast but thats about it. i do think though that his movement when used effectivly and in a good understanding partnership, creates the space bent needs to do the thing he is paid to do. i would keep gabby for 2 reasons and neither of them is sentiment. firstly he can when used correctly be a good player to have (impact/back-up). secondly and this may seem cynical, it would hurt to see him go to the judas on wearside and turn into an amazing player, come back to haunt us and dare i say score in front of the holte wearing judas' uniform. in lambert i trust though and i am guessing he already has an idea in his mind of how to solve a problem like gabriel

deaf dean

My argument for keeping Gabby is thus. 1) he cares and works his arse off - thse who say he is lazy or didn't put in a shift last season conveniently forget that he played with injury for most of last capaign clearly watch a different player to me. The one I watch leaves the pitch spent every game. 2) playing Bent alone simply allows the opposition to mark him out of the game and cut ff his supply. Gabby has bulked up and has improved his first touch, he holds the ball upwell, wins it in the air and always carries a threat with his pace. 3) when played up top in a pair he averaged 1 in 3 which is a decent return. His drop in goals coincides with being played out of position on the wing or being asked to play up front alone with no support 4) for the alledged £10M that the pair (yes both) will fetch which better forward and centre half are we going to buy? Forwards that sore a goal every other game or even 1 in 3 cost way north of that figure. For those touting Weiman, whilst I love his workrate, movement and one touch play his record since being in the first team, out on loan and in the reserves doesn't suggest that he will deliver beter than 1 in 3. 5) In Bent, Gabby and weiman we have three very different forwards who each bring different things to the team and can each play with anyof the others 6) IMHO we need four forwards for two spots and at th mo that mean we need another, which will be two if Gabby goes. FWIW I don't see it as a Bent or Gabby thing at all, I would keep both and wouldn't sell Bent even for silly money. 1 in 2 forwards are like rocking horse ****

AVbornandbred

I am getting fed up with the anti-Gabby talk. Ridiculous. Taking Gabby out of the side is tactical madness. His incredible pace, his upper body strength, his movement, his running into channels etc etc etc. HE is not the problem. It's one dimensional managers who keep sticking him on the wing and having balls hoofed over the top for him to chase into the corner. How about some creative, smart footballers around him who can actually PLAY a through ball or give it him through the middle. Lazy footballers using him as a get out. Hoof and lob football from the back and midfield. That's why his goal record is 'low' though given where he starts from -left wing- that is not a bad return. Did some of you actually sit through last season? Bent missed a bag full last year. He missed good chances against Norwich, Sunderland, Baggies, Bolton, Newcastle to name a view. These are games, if he had been on target we could have won. We're paying him a fortune to score and if managers are playing him as a sole out and out striker then you can hardly criticize Gabby for not scoring from the left wing when his confidence is being run down in his natural position. He is a player after all who needs mental confidence. Can't be great when your hugging the chalk. Put the kid in a 4-4-2 or up top in a 4-4-1-1 and let him go for it. As for Collins. Good bye and good luck.

Villa_Grizzly

Sack Collins but keep Gabby.

Green Villan

lol, got the debate going at least! Can't understand why people call Bent lazy, he scores, that is all I want from an out and out striker!

The Fear

Getting rid of both sounds good to me, but nearer 12m. Gabby calls himself a Villa fan?..... so why was he standing hands on hips looking so disinterested when we needed some effort on the pitch..... don't tell he was injured again....pleaseeeee

Pride of Lions

Agreed Fear. Grizzly, 442 - if you're right then Gab will profit immensely but if he doesn't come better than 10 goals in a favoured position then surely he CAN be questioned...just because some, including I, dare to state it may be his time to move on doesn't mean we are anti. Keane came in and scored goals and he plays everywhere, Bent scores despite missing but if you are telling me Gab can't score because he's on the wing too much then that's not true...plenty of strikers, Rooney included, play wide and score and it's up to Gab to know when to come in off the wing and go for goal...it can be done. I agree with the lazy footballers and tactics sentiment entirely. The likes of Dunne and Warnock and Collins just hoofed when passing was easier and McLeish substitued attacking players when we were 1-1 against Newcastle and starved our strikers and THAT GAME ALONE summed up his management and mental defeat of all the players. Thank God Keano cae in and helped out and then thought:" THANKS FOR THE BONUS BUT I'M NOT STICKING AROUND FOR YOU TO BE MY REAL BOSS, YOU'D DO MY HEAD IN. LATERS".

koolbill

Have to say if I was Lambert and was offered 10 mill for the two of them I would feel personally insulted. If MON was to offer that he would be saying both are worth as much to him as Curtis Davies was, there is a higher price for strikers and even more so for English ones. Gabby is to valuable to us (both due to his pace and our lack of numbers), yes the last couple of seasons have not been good for him but we were not being managed correctly GH's passing game did not work for him and as we all know McCleash could not manage to find is way out of a plastic bag let alone a football team. 4/5 mill would be more than fair for Collins, but I would not take anything less than 15 mill for Gabby alone (again I think he still could be a quality player).

Tallaght Villan

Koolbill, Gabby can play in a 442, Bent cannot. It has to be 4411 as he's so selfish. He got the hump at Sunderland and went on a barren spell when Gyan turned up. At Spuz, he was unpairable with anyone. He is a finisher and nothing else. Why the ***** don't we go and get someone who can finish aswell as other things. It's pathetic that in this day and age, a striker can do nothing else. Even Andy Cole, who I don't rate much struck up an amazing partnership with Yorkie etc. Bent is just a 12 yard finisher. There's no-one else as singley talented that I can remember. Kevin Philips could take a few touches and he's chipped keepers before. We can't afford that luxury when he's stood with his thumb up his backside for most of the game. Robbie Keane was hero worshipped by Eck and told that he could play wherever he wanted. He had a wonder game against Wolves but it wasn't worth half a mil. And some will say that kept us up but some could easily say that 1 of Gabby's goals kept us up. You are seriously joking if you expect Gabby to run in off the wing and score when Bent can't even run more than 2 paces with it FFS.

Villan444

Would keep Gabby no question. We ask for loyalty from players and then in cases like this have none in return, amazing. I agree with avbornand bred, we need 4 strikers in bent, gabby and weiman we have 3 of all different qualities, one more striker in rather then one out. I also think under lambo gabby will flourish. We would be mad to get rid now

Randy bollox

Seriously, there's no way Bent can be criticised for scoring goals...noooooo F-ing way. Gab can't do wing or striker in my opinion. Take Bents goals away and we would have gone down. Take Gabs goals away and there'd have been no difference at all to our position. I'd take that fact over any attribute. Also, yes, please, a striker that can move and shoot and is available....name him please...then name all the team with more money than us that could outbid us or already own, and, take Man U for instance, they've bought that young feller to make sure no-one else did because they have the current squad capable of playing him whenever they want without affecting their EPL stability. I think a reality check is needed...without Bent we'd be down and I'm grateful he's so selfish. Gabby doesn't have to run in off the wing and score, that'd be a silly stupid expectation...what he could do is lay the ball off in MF, use his blistering pace for a through ball and bloody shoot...lots of other wingers do it...Don't get me wrong, I'd love Gabby to succeed, just can't see it happening if we keep giving him excuses...

koolbill

I've NEVER heard Gabby call himself a Villa fan. Has said lots of things about being from a Villa family, having been with the club man and boy, etc etc, but never directly that he was a fan. Shouldn't matter anyway, for the money they all earn, effort and passion should be a given. Unlike a few on here, I've never doubted his effort, would just like to see more end product.

teale's tash

444, are you seriuosly slagging off Bent because he scores goals???? I know, lets not play him and then see where we end up. Oh, hang on a minute, that happened last year when he was injured and look where we nearly ended up.......Ur pal Gabby hardly "stepped up" now did he????

GibboVilla

That's not what I said FFS. What I said is that everything has to revolve around Bent for him to be able to score goals and he can't score from more than 12 yards away anyway. It's not like he scores 100% from inside there anyway!!! Some of you are like Eck and just think hoof the ball to Bent and he'll score every time!!!! NO, the whole set up has to mean that he gets support in numbers. If he's playing up front, it has to be on his own. That means that he has 4 defenders to deal with so you then have to attack in numbers to drag some of these defenders away from him. He also isn't very good atall at winning the ball. He is useless in the air, not very strong and it's only the timing of his runs which save him. Against a top defence he will not score as these runs will be picked up easily. His best role is from the bench when we're chasing a game and the opposition is tired. He shouldn't be the first name on the team sheet as what happens to the other 2-3 strikers (seeing he can't play with anyone else??) Do they get stuck on the wing like Gabby or just sat on the bench to get out of form. People have got to face the facts. I know it's good bragging about things like we won the European cup 30 years ago and all things AVFC are great but Bent is not that good and 2nd best English striker in the prem ever, as someone said, LOL.

Villan444

LOL, in fact just looked, Shearer, Andy Cole, Robbie Fowler, Les Ferdinand, Michael Owen, FRANK LAMPARD, Sheringham, Rooney, Ian Wright, HESKEY, Dublin, Defoe and Letissier are all English and ahead of him. Let's stop the false rumours and ghost stories and realise that he is good if you play in a certain way which is all too easy to counteract and a very average player in all other aspects.

Villan444

V444, I checked that site you used to but it's waaaaay out of bate bruv. It's almost as if you went round taking him off the sites as he doesn't feature at all....hmm are you a hacker extraordianire and is your hacker name GabNeo?

koolbill

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