Darren Bent has certainly been around the block throughout his career, but the Derby forward deserves more recognition.
32-year-old Derby County striker Darren Bent was strongly tipped to be one of England’s next top strikers early on during his Charlton days, and whilst some may think he has not lived up to that potential, the forward has still performed at an extremely high level for many years now.
This only underlines how underrated he is, and has been, during his career.
Bent’s unorthodox style and finishing ability made him one of the more unpredictable strikers of recent times. The former Villa man always seemed to make things look so effortless when it came to running for the ball and edging his way past defenders, and for every other person’s one stride Bent seemed to take three or four.
General view at Pride Park
The thing about him is that he enjoys being the main man up top, and doesn’t really work that well with another striker alongside him. Much like Chris Martin, the former England international requires alot of focus to be on getting him the ball which can work well depending on the strength of the midfield around him.
It appears as if Bent isn’t slowly drifting off into the distance, either. As was proven by the veteran’s delightful finish against Wolves earlier in the season, he still has alot left to offer for a Derby team that could greatly benefit from his experience in the game.
Bent always seems to make an impact wherever he goes, perhaps beside Tottenham, and it always felt like he was underutilised at White Hart Lane. But even there he eventually made a mark, scoring 17 times in his final season before moving to Sunderland.
Things haven’t been easy at Pride Park either, but Bent has made a place for himself during the impressive run that has marked Steve McClaren’s return. For a promotion chasing side, there is no doubt that Bent is a great forward to have in your locker.
Derby’s Darren Bent in action with Norwich’s Wes Hoolahan
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