Redknapp dampens high spirits of his back-up David Bentley

[mawspurs]

Source: Mail

Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp has delivered an astonishing sideswipe to rejuvenated winger David Bentley, revealing the England international was nothing more than back-up at the club.

Bentley's exile from the Spurs first team ended a fortnight ago when he was handed a starting berth against Fulham, only his second start in a year.

The 25-year-old impressed sufficiently to maintain his place in the side, keeping fit again Niko Kranjcar out. Bentley, though, will face a much sterner test of time when Aaron Lennon eventually returns from his long spell on the sidelines with a groin injury.

What hope Bentley may have had of an extended run in the side certainly appears distinguished by his manager who remains unconvinced the player's improvement in form can correlate to his off-field attitude.

Redknapp said: 'He's been a problem and if Aaron doesn't get injured he probably doesn't play. I played Niko at first, because I didn't really feel at that time David deserved to play in all honesty.

'I had Niko and Luka as well, and I played Luka on the right. I just felt they were both happier on the left, so I brought David back in.

'I suppose other managers probably wouldn't have had the patience that I've shown with him. Everyone's different and I don't bear grudges.'

Bentley joined Spurs from Blackburn in 2008 for £15million but has largely failed to recapture the form that saw him daubed the natural successor to David Beckham on England's right flank.

The former Arsenal men has arguably fallen to sixth in the race to be Fabio Capello's 'right-hand side' man, behind Theo Walcott, club-mate Lennon, Beckham, James Milner and Shaun Wright-Phillips.

However with Walcott, Lennon and Wright-Phillips desperately short of form and fitness, Redknapp hopes Bentley can use the light at the end of the tunnel to maintain his improvement.

'Was I hard on David?' Redknapp added. 'Probably not that hard. If I'd been really hard on him then I probably would have isolated him.

'He knows he wasn't doing what he should have been doing. I spoke to him about the situation and he accepted that he wasn't right, his attitude wasn't right, but he was finding it hard to pull himself out of it at that time.

'I think it's like anything, when he wasn't playing his head probably went down. He saw no light at the end of the tunnel.

'When you come in every day and you're not playing it's difficult. He's not been used to that. He's been at Blackburn, where he was a big player, and he's found it difficult. He couldn't accept it really.

'It's easy for us all to say 'well, he gets paid to do this'. Fine, but I do understand how he was feeling. Now he's back playing and he's enjoying being in the team, but it's only four or five games. You hope he can keep his attitude right and that he keeps playing as he is.'

[frosteye]

Hhhmmm, not a misleading headline from The Mail, surely!?

[Real_madyidd]

The headline doesn't relate to the story. Daily Fail.

[2bearis2do]

'It's easy for us all to say 'well, he gets paid to do this'. Fine, but I do understand how he was feeling. Now he's back playing and he's enjoying being in the team, but it's only four or five games. You hope he can keep his attitude right and that he keeps playing as he is.'
THE END.

[DEFchenkOE]

The title of that article in relation to the quotes is shocking.

[gloryglory]

The former Arsenal men has arguably fallen to sixth in the race to be Fabio Capello's 'right-hand side' man, behind Theo Walcott, club-mate Lennon, Beckham, James Milner and Shaun Wright-Phillips.

And isn't that a travesty - far more talent than Wright-Phillips, and probably more than Milner or Walcott too. Actually I suspect Bentley is further still down the pecking order, because Capello is more likely to pick Joe Cole or Ashley Young on the right.

But it's all his own fault, and he's still capable of undoing that slide. Needs to do better than in the last 2 games though - has the renewed hype gone to his head already?

[dannythomas]

Personally I dont think he has been rejuvenated. He was poor against Villa and worse against Wolves. He did well in the Cup but then Leeds are only Leeds. Apart from that he puts over the occasional good cross and does not a lot else. Should have gone in Jan and I would still prefer both Luka and Niko in the team.
We need Lennon back and Bentley only reminds me of what we are missing.

[will8587]

Personally I dont think he has been rejuvenated. He was poor against Villa and worse against Wolves. He did well in the Cup but then Leeds are only Leeds. Apart from that he puts over the occasional good cross and does not a lot else. Should have gone in Jan and I would still prefer both Luka and Niko in the team.
We need Lennon back and Bentley only reminds me of what we are missing.

I agree. His crosses haven't been what you'd expect from Bentley. This is supposed to be his strong point- his precision makes up for his lack of pace and ability to beat his man. But he had maybe two good crosses against Wolves, and didn't do much of anything out of the ordinary against Villa.
He was better vs Leeds, but was very fortunate to score off the deflection against substantially inferior opposition.

It's only because everyone's expectations of him are so unbelievably low (with good reason) that anything more than a truly abysmal display would be perceived as playing well. That's what has happened. He's not embarrassing himself, but I don't think he's adding anything to the squad. I too would much rather see Kranjcar on the right and Modric on the left than Bentley anywhere on the pitch.

[the shelf]

I agree. His crosses haven't been what you'd expect from Bentley. This is supposed to be his strong point- his precision makes up for his lack of pace and ability to beat his man. But he had maybe two good crosses against Wolves, and didn't do much of anything out of the ordinary against Villa.
He was better vs Leeds, but was very fortunate to score off the deflection against substantially inferior opposition.

It's only because everyone's expectations of him are so unbelievably low (with good reason) that anything more than a truly abysmal display would be perceived as playing well. That's what has happened. He's not embarrassing himself, but I don't think he's adding anything to the squad. I too would much rather see Kranjcar on the right and Modric on the left than Bentley anywhere on the pitch.

Yes, because having two wingers virtually playing in the middle really worked last time didn't it... Oh yes, it worked against Peterborough.

[dannythomas]

Yes, because having two wingers virtually playing in the middle really worked last time didn't it... Oh yes, it worked against Peterborough.

There is no point playing Bentley just because he is a wide right player unless he contributes more . Hopefully Lennon will get back soon. The only thing I can see we got out of the Bentley signing was that the challenge for his place lifted AL to a new level.

[Dr Know]

Just read the headline and I thought bloody Harry! but after reading it, I thought bloody daily mail :roll:

[JimmyG2]

Bentley is too slow to get to the byline which is both Lennon's and Bale's strength. This gives the defenders more problems because they are facing their own goal from the cross.
Bale and Lennon still have the option of cutting in or whipping in a cross from wide but the defender doesn't know what option they will choose.
Bentley crosses from too far out and from too deep because of his lack of pace.This means that the defenders are facing upfield and can judge the flight of the ball better than the forwards.
Both Bale and Lennon used the option of the pulled back cross along the ground which again Bentley rarely has.
He has certainly made a contribution in the last few games but it is a limited one. He might be better playing off the front man if Gudjohnsen fails to claim the position. I think Kranjcar might be more effective in this role although he seems to have lost his goal touch. Haven't they all.

[GlennHoddle]

If match reports and loan watch or anything to go on, I would love to see Andros Townsend given 20 mins at the end of some games. Have him knock around on the bench to gain some more experience. More likely next season though

[the shelf]

There is no point playing Bentley just because he is a wide right player unless he contributes more . Hopefully Lennon will get back soon. The only thing I can see we got out of the Bentley signing was that the challenge for his place lifted AL to a new level.

I'm not disagreeing with you, it's a given that whatever position you play in you should be expected to deliver (unless you are Jermain Jenas obviously), my point is that having Modric and Kranjcar on either side didn't work despite the relative merits of both players simply because with both constantly cutting inside we had no width at all. Bale on the left alongside Modric does provide width on that side but on the right we are limited if the winger constantly cuts inside and the full back isn't 'up and down'.

[laneoflegends]

If match reports and loan watch or anything to go on, I would love to see Andros Townsend given 20 mins at the end of some games. Have him knock around on the bench to gain some more experience. More likely next season though

Being a local I have been down and watched Townsend a few times at MK and he has been doing really well. He seems to have pace, skill and he keeps the width. He is more than a handful for the defenders but they are only league 1 remember.

Not sure if he would be as effective in the EPL though. May well be worth giving him a go in the early rounds of the cup next season though.

[peter123]

Personally I dont think he has been rejuvenated. He was poor against Villa and worse against Wolves. He did well in the Cup but then Leeds are only Leeds. Apart from that he puts over the occasional good cross and does not a lot else. Should have gone in Jan and I would still prefer both Luka and Niko in the team.
We need Lennon back and Bentley only reminds me of what we are missing.

Totally agree. Sometimes watching him we give him more praise that he deserves because you want him to turn it around. Problem is against quality he doesnt shine and while his delivery is more than occasional is certainly is not consistant.