Darren Bent has admitted his discontent with Paul Lambert’s “rotation” management style, saying, “Any player who values himself wants to play week in, week out. In rotation it is hard to find a rhythm but it was the manager's decision."
"You have to live by that and you have to keep working hard."
Bent started his first game for Villa since he was dropped for the ‘Capital One’ Cup match with Man City. Again he failed to score.
Villa manager Paul Lambert has been quick to state that he is not worried by the clubs current lowly position. "I'm not overly concerned," he admitted.
"Yes, I want to win, like everybody else, and the crowd want to win.
"I don't think it will be long before we turn performances into results, I really don't.”
Lambert will be keen to get one over on his old club when Norwich visit Villa Park at the weekend, a task that will be made no easier by the mini injury crisis facing the club at present. Nathan Baker limped off against Fulham to join Clarke and Dunne on the sidelines. The Villa boss however has no doubt that full back Matthew Lowton can step up to a central role alongside captain Vlaar. Refering to the player taking over from Baker during the closing stages of the game Lambert said, “Matty Lowton in there looked as if he'd played there all his days, so we'll have to see.”
"I don't know yet whether Ciaran or Nathan will be able to be involved next weekend, but we've got a full week to see how they are."
Aston Villa has hit back at the Mail on Sunday’s claims that certain villa players removed their ‘Kick it Out’ anti racist t-shirts too early. Holman, Bennett, Bent, Delph and Baker were the players singled out by the newspaper, but Villa has defended themselves by saying, "As is usual practice the players were split into two groups during that warm-up to play possession football. In order to be distinguishable one group removed their Kick It Out t-shirts."
"This was not a protest. There was no controversy. Aston Villa are particularly disappointed with this irresponsible journalism, given that the journalist in question had the full facts of the matter at his disposal before this article went to press: he even asked a question regarding the issue at Saturday's post-match press conference."
Villa are now seeking an apology from the Mail on Sunday and Lambert was quick to reinforce the clubs commitment to the cause, "These efforts have been recognised by Kick It Out when Aston Villa became only the second club to achieve the highest level of the Kick It Out Equality Standard, an achievement which we are justly proud of."
image: © ell brown
Simon Bunn
I possess a swashbuckling attitude towards football writing, aiming to pillage the most exciting and thought provoking topics in the business. Blessed with savvy up to date football knowledge, a dangerous obsession for Aston Villa FC, and a mind of alternative thinking, I welcome all readers aboard.
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