Bentley you're my zero....I mean hero...
Wednesday, May 27, 2009 at 10:13AM Morning all. The DML Awards continue...
Player of the Season
It’s like something out of a comic book or the tv show Heroes. The main protagonist has lost his powers and is disillusioned and alone. Past glories a distant memory, doubts lingering as to whether he'll be able to regain his talent. And then a new beacon of hope takes centre stage and surely now the day is lost. But alas, this new dashing superman is more zero than hero. And with the centre stage empty again, our protagonist decides its now or never and reaches out for the bright lights, reclaiming that which was his all along. A star is re-born.
The menacing pace. The unplayable jinking runs. It's suddenly clear to all that his full abilities have returned.
Aaron Lennon is back.
With intent and purpose. And with improved end product and an eye for goal. Whether its on the right or left or through the middle, ball at feet, he causes havoc and is altogether a different type of creative outlet than the more subtle craftwork of the cultured Modric. Aaron is far more in your face and then in front of your face and then about five metres ahead of your face. Counter-attacking has never been so much fun.
Harry still has work to do with developing the lads composure and decision making and there is no doubt he has to improve his final ball - but the signs that progression has been made are there for all to see.
He is the player of the season for us simply because he has epitomised the type of determination that has pulled us out of the mire and up the table. Where the £15M Bentley has stalled, Lennon has raced away. Confident and assured. Always threatening. Bums constantly off seats, when he's full pelt.
We have been here before with Lennon. Last time out he failed to live up to the hype. He now has to do just that otherwise it's not just him that will suffer the consequences.
Goal of the Season
Sit down, buckle up. Because you're about to read something that would constitute positively in the way of David Bentley. The goal - the opening goal - in the thrilling 4-4 derby day classic at the Emirates was one of ridiculous audacity. It's one of those attempts that hits the back of the net because destiny will not allow otherwise. There's no way its not going to be a goal. The flick and the hit and the second before it happened is where this beauty of a strike was birthed. As the ball was bouncing around on peoples heads in the middle of the park and found its way towards Bentley, what raced through his mind?
"I'll have a crack. If it goes in, it goes in"
"He's off his line, I could lob the ball over him"
I prefer to believe nothing much went through his head. Which arguably most would agree is the standard brain activity of most footballers.
Bentley instinctively shot towards goal because in that moment he knew he could score. You've done it yourself I'm sure. Goal of your life on the Hackney Marshes when you've chested it, controlled and hit it and next thing you know its breaking the back of the net and you wheel off in celebration asking yourself, 'how the heck did I just do that?'
The moment Bentley thought about doing it is the moment he scored. Before the ball even left his foot. It was a majestic wonderful moment. And sweet for the fact that he once played for them lot and is always prone to a bit of abuse from their home support.
If he never plays for us again, at least he left us with the memory of a goal that left all that witnessed it gob smacked.
More to follow...
Reader Comments (6)
Spooky
Goosebumps mate, goosebumps!!
That description of Bentley's goal has taken me back to the second I saw it leave his foot, the moment I thought "What the f*ck are you doing shooting from there?" Then........... the sudden realisation that it wasn't a wasteful effort but the ball was arching its way over the despairing dive of Almunia, it wasn't just on target it was flying into the back of the net.
The joy, the sheer unadulterated joy of not only seeing it hit the net but the fact I'd just witnessed one of the best goals i'll ever see being scored by a Spurs player against our mortal enemies. People will still be talking about THAT goal for years to come much like Gazza's free kick at Wembley or Ricky Villa's mazy run and finish against Citeh. For that David Bentley I thank you.
Summed up perfectly -
It's one of those attempts that hits the back of the net because destiny will not allow otherwise
Incidentally, the second best goal of the season???? Jermain Jenas' goal in the same game. It summed up the player JJ COULD be if he applied himself. Robbing Clichy, advancing at pace then when faced with Arsenal defenders on the edge of the box he took them out of it by curling a delicious effort with the outside of his foot into the top corner. From the second that hit the back of the net you just knew we weren't going to lose that match.
Am still trying yo get over trying to grasp Jones from Sunderland for twenty million squid in Jan transfer window...!
'arry, what the feck where you thinking? Did you loose all faculties my ginger friend? Why do we have to spend that kinda money on average players every single bloody season?
first of all ,when i played at hackney marshes i dont remember nets.bentleys goal at arsenal was a classic.why cant he play at near that level regularly.im sure arry has tried to bring him up to this level but has failed.think the same for jj.both players think they are the greatest.thats the problem.you cant teach somebody who thinks they know it all already.maybe when they both mature somebody will find their talents on a regular basis.they both have something. i wish them well in the future.
Bentley has had a lot of criticism etc but the goal was straight was awesome, something unique
redknapp, can mature players into where they belong so .........
thnx Mr levy (spooky)
Blog of the year!
Bentley's goal given the game it was scored in was easily the goal of the season for us, I have really mixed feelings about Bentley, i'd love to see him stay another year but I doubt it'll happen. If Bent would have stuck away that chance against Portsmouth that Bentley practically laid on a plate for him who knows, that would have been a huge 3 points for us with DB getting the plaudits. Immensely frustrating as I really felt that a little moment like that would have given him the confidence that he needs to play well for a sustained amount of games, on the other hand of course if he'd have just tried to do the basics well instead of the needless Hollywood flicks and tricks he wouldn't have offended the fans so badly. If he does leave I fully expect the trend of 45 yard thunder bolts against previous clubs to continue.
Id like to propose the Pav 90min goal against Liverpool as goal of the season. Not because of how spectacular it was, but because that 2-1, I believe, was the catapult we needed as a club. As a result of that goal we finished 8th instead of 18th - of course, in my opinion.