It rather sums up David Bentley’s Tottenham career that when I went onto Newsnow this morning to read about his exploits last night, I found this story on the Tottenham feed. Talk about constantly attracting negative publicity.
In Bentley’s first season, he was met with two main problems. Firstly he seemed like he felt under pressure to justify his fee and was constantly trying the spectacular, which worked brilliantly against Arsenal, but no one else. Yes, he’s a skillful player, but the comparisons to Beckham were also largely down to his ability to do the simple things well and graft a bit.
Secondly, he was met by Aaron Lennon, who when put under the added pressure of Bentley’s signing, upped his game accordingly. Eventually Lennon was playing so well, it was just impossible to give Bentley any opportunities on the right wing.
In the summer it seemed likely that he might move on to the likes of Villa or Manchester City, but no one would stump up the sort of fee we wanted for him and so he started the new term with us. The most noticeable thing that he did in the first half of the season was to drive his car into a lamppost.
His performance against Manchester United in the Carling Cup seemed to encapsulate his Spurs career. Nothing came off for him, leaving me and I’m sure many other Spurs fans to get angrier and angrier, as he continued taking every set-piece, despite his lack of any success.
In a behind closed doors friendly against Grays, Harry also lost his rag with Bentley, as he accused the player of taking the piss with his constant back heeling.
It looked likely that he might be on his way again during January and perhaps he might have if Mark Hughes had kept his job at Manchester City. Instead no one came in for him and unexpectedly, he got one last chance at redemption. With Lennon injured and Kranjcar ill, Bentley returned to the side against Fulham.
We looked the better for the natural width Bentley provided and much to everyone’s surprise, he played pretty well and even scored with a deflected free kick. He started again against Birmingham and was our most dangerous player, before last night’s game against Leeds, that saw him set up two goals and be crowned man of the match.
Perhaps it took the indignity of Redknapp losing his temper in front of a bunch of part timers, to shake Bentley up a bit. It was doubtful that another chance would come for him at Spurs, but like him or not, you can’t help but be impressed with the way he’s grabbed it with both hands.
It’s still only three good games and we will need to see plenty more like them before Bentley starts repaying the millions we shelled out for him. There’s also the little matter of what will happen when Lennon returns to fitness. Such has been the little man’s form over the last 18 months, that Bentley will have to be playing out of his skin to keep him out of the side.
So whilst it’s perhaps a little too early to start talking about a possible return for England, as ITV’s commentary team did last night, it’s interesting to ponder if Bentley can really have a future at White Hart Lane.
Is it always going to be a case that Bentley and Lennon are just too good to both be at the same club, when they both only seem comfortable in the same position?
Or can they coexist? If we want Champions League football we’re going to have a large number of fixtures against top quality opposition. That means more squad rotation and the inevitable injuries. In that scenario, will we need two international quality players for every position?
Have your say below. Does Bentley have a future at White Hart Lane, or should we try again to cut our losses in the summer? If there’s one thing for sure, it’s that Bentley’s improved performances might make some other Premier League managers take another look at him.
READ TOTTENHAM BLOG’S EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH MIKE LEIGH OF THE SPURS SHOW HERE.
Absolutely chuffed for David,and I hope he goes on to rediscover the form that prompted Spurs to spend all that cash,but more so I hope he continues to enjoy playing football so we can continue to witness that amazing smile of his.
I hope so. Undoubted talent. and a spurs fan. Something we could learn to love, and yeah he’s cocky, but that’s something we’ll also learn to love if he keeps delivering. Go on son, keep it up!
bentley and pav shud stay
I’m looking forward to seeing his hampton
That article you cite is complete rubbish, read it first she says…
“The 50-year-old had given her a sexual nickname.”
Does that sound like D.Bentley the footballer? If so he is certainly looking good for his age. Fool!
Yes. I’m the idiot in this scenario.
Where did I say that I thought it was David Bentley the footballer? It just mentioned that this story appeared on the Tottenham Newsnow feed, because they have the same name and made a small joke of the fact.
I think Lennon can play behind the Striker(s) with Bentley on the left, not every game though, certainly would like to see
GOMES
CORLUKA WOODY KING BALE
BENTLEY WILSON THUDD LUKA
LENNON
DEFOE
Though I don’t want to leave, Niko amongst others out! Oh the joys it is now to be a Spurs manager!
I liked Bentley in the post-match interview on ITV yesterday. He sounded humble and from what I hear he works hard in training and isn’t always the arrogant fool most fans seem to think. I hope he continues playing well while Lennon’s out, doesn’t try all those flicks which don’t come off, and puts in a few more of those peaches of crosses for Crouch and Defoe. We should give him another chance, he’s clearly a confidence player.
His ability has never been called into question, just his attitude and desire.
It seems that he has now sorted these issues out, and he can possibly be the player we thought we had bought for £15m from Blackburn!
I for one, hope he is!
Iv actually spoke to David Bentley the day of the Greys match, he seemed low but stated that he wanted to stay with us and as a spurs fan succeed. I really hope he can maintain his current form, if anything his love of spurs may have made him want to impress to much when he first signed. I think he now realises what he needs to do to become a success and he is grabbing his chance to shine while he can, and once his confidance is high i see no reason why he cannot really push Azza for the right hand birth.
Everyone seems to be saying ‘he’s not the arrogant fool people think he is’ only after acting like a spoiled child for the best part of a year!! Let’s not get carried away, it was a good performance and he’s not being doing to bad in the couple of Prem games he’s had recently too. However, he was playing against a full-back two divisions below and apparantly a midfielder pressed into that position cos of injuries… I hope he has sorted his attitude out and he ends up being a great player for Spurs but as soon as Lennon gets fit, we’ll really see how he copes with some competition again. I frankly think the bloke has got a hell of a lot to prove us Spurs fans after driving drunk and wrapping his luxury motor round a tree, taking the mickey in a friendly game he wasn’t interested it and putting in shockingly bad, lazy displays when he has had a chance in the 1st team. Yes well done for man of the match against Leeds, just keep it up every week now and don’t slip back into spoiled child mode, then he’ll properly deserve some praise. Until then the jury’s still out for me, no matter how much ‘talent’ he’s supposed to have…
Everyone seems to think it’s either David Bentley or Aaron Lennon and forget he (DB) can play across the mid-field. He’s not frightened to get stuck in and put himself about – he did, after all stop Birmingham’s attacks down our right until taken off. He could probably take the place of JJ – now there’s a bit more of an attacking option to consider plus he’s quite prepared to track back and help out.
This year i have wrote a few blogs standing up for Lennon Hudds Bale Bentley and Gio before the summer window closed because they where all being savage by our fans for underachieving Lennon has no end product Hudds has the turning speed of an oil Tanker Bentley wont run in case is hair is out of place Bale cant tackle still 21 Lennon was 21 Huddlestone was 16 stone when he was always on the bench the more he is losing the more mobile he is becoming twice a week will be better for him could yet gatecrash the south African World Cup Lennon a cert if fit . Bale looking more like the reason he had a ten mill price tag we got him cheep 5 mill David is more complicated he was a shoe in for Beckhams replacement Till Lennon and Milner gazumped him and losing is England place snd is Tottenham place spiralling in to depression and bad form and he also had problems at home
I’m sorry, this is a complete crock. Bentley has ‘turned around his attitude’? Rubbish.
He is – and will always be – a complete twat. He thinks he’s better than he is: he has all of the bad qualities of Beckham without any of the good ones. He’s petulant, he’s lazy, he’s a show-off, he makes ridiculous tackles, he moans at referees, and he can’t even put a dead-ball in the same place twice in a row. But the worst thing is that he just doesn’t understand it’s a team game.
Against Fulham, we were 1-0 up, just about – and he starts doing back-flicks on the halfway line!! He gave the ball away and got rescued by Wilson Palacios who regained possession. Then he did exactly the same again!! I couldn’t believe it. Imagine if we conceded a goal from those?
He’s not really a winger as he has no pace at all. He started as a no.10 – second striker – at Arsenal, but they sold him as he didn’t have enough to his game and clearly has a bad attitude. He always drifts inside instead of stretching the play. When Corluka has the ball at right-back, Bentley never shows for it out wide, he doesn’t anticipate other people’s movement – and if he gives the ball away he is really slow getting back to defend.
He makes awful choices – shooting from range when there are better positioned players ahead of him, he can’t run with the ball – he slows down the play when we’re on a counter-attack.
Admittedly he can put in a good cross if he’s not under any pressure and there are people in the box – but that is all he can contribute.
On top of that he’s just such an infuriating show-boater – way worse than Jenas (of the 1-0 up back-heels) – and is petulant in the way Beckham can be – except Bentley has never achieved anything in his career at all – NOTHING – except drunk-driving.
Twat. End of story. When Lennon gets back, Bentley will go back to sulking on the bench.
Bloody hell Dc Samuel has he bean with your partner or run over your dog don’t you believe in giving credit when its due you must be hard work at home .I love flicks tricks have you not noticed all the players are doing it Moderic done it okay there is a time for it and you are right to criticizes but in a fair way.If he has no Talent then you must have bean a great sportsman and no matter what he does he wont match your idea of a winger and Lennon would shift most players .So Just enjoy some excellent crosses and Hope it lasts and we demolish Villa.COYS
Davspurs,
Ok, you’re right: Bentley does annoy me too much. Deep breath.
I don’t say he has no talent – it’s just that he is all about himself and not the team. You can see it in all the little things he does.
I love flicks when Modric does it – in the opposition box – to beat a man. It’s about the time and place. Bentley does it to try and look good when it’s easier to play the ball on the floor.
I’ll happily eat my words if he puts in the performances – but nothing I’ve seen so far suggests he’s any more than a right wally.