He’s scored 105 goals in 250 Premier League games and, since the 2008-09 season, only three men have scored more Premier League goals than him: Robin van Persie, Wayne Rooney and Frank Lampard.
The problem is he doesn’t get involved in the link play, he doesn’t show for the ball and wants to play on the shoulder of the last defender.
Reliable goalscorer: Fulham's Darren Bent knows how to find the back of the net
He’s good at that, but when a team plays one up, the centre forward is required to do more, like a Romelu Lukaku or a Christian Benteke.
If Darren played with a hardworking No 10 who puts the work in for him, dropping off and allowing
him to play as a spearhead, that might work.
But Fulham have a team of passengers and so that creates its own problem. Dimitar Berbatov isn’t going to do that for him, nor Adel Taarabt or Brian Ruiz.
Bent’s goal should give Martin Jol breathing space in this international break and a chance to work out how to best use his team of mavericks.
Relief: The under-pressure Martin Jol desperately needed Fulham to win
He may be a boy, but the first thought Adnan Januzaj has when he gets the ball is: ‘I’m running at you, I’m going past you.’
He will terrorise full backs as a young master of the dying art of dribbling.
He was different class for Manchester United at Sunderland and made everyone else on the pitch look average by comparison.
I said last week that he might help turn the tide for David Moyes and he drowned Sunderland with his dare and dynamism.
Long term, he will become a No 10. Now he’s wide and learning his trade but with that much ability, he has to end up central — behind the striker and causing maximum chaos.
Highly rated: And Adnan Januzaj looks to be a No 10 in the making
When my dad took Steve McClaren to relegated QPR as a coach, the first call from a friend of mine was to ask: ‘Is your dad all right? Has McClaren been brought in over his head?’
It was absolutely my dad’s idea and it worked out brilliantly. The players loved having him there and so did my dad.
Now he has gone to Derby to dip his toe back in the madhouse of management and I wish him well.
Much-maligned: But Steve McClaren is proven as a quality coach
It takes a second to get a bad reputation in football and a long time to repair it. Steve hasn’t started badly, with a 3-1 victory over Leeds.
In this age when everyone wants a foreign accent in the dug-out, Steve deserves another chance.
There may well be doubters in the media, but just ask the players who have worked with him. He is a bright, innovative coach.
At a dinner with Sir Alex Ferguson, I asked him if he had any more good young players coming through.
He told me about a boy called Ravel Morrison. ‘Jamie, he will either end up in serious trouble — or playing for England.’
After that stunning goal at Tottenham, in a comprehensive 3-0 win for West Ham, and his performances this season I’m pleased to see that he’s closer to the latter.
Promising talent: Ravel Morrison could earn an England call up
Kevin Ball should get the Sunderland job.
They have the two-week break now to get their house in order, but he knows the club and the players.
I’m sure they will be tempted by a foreign coach, but why not give it the man who is already one step ahead of a newcomer?
Manager in the making? Kevin Ball has impressed since stepping in for Sunderland
The players are performing for him. Even though they have lost two games, he’s the man to turn it around.
We keep talking about giving English players a chance, but what about an English coach too?
Steven Gerrard is one goal away from 100 for Liverpool. He’s come a long way from the boy who cleaned my Mizuno boots.
The first time I saw him play as schoolboy, I knew he would be a player. The way his right foot connected with the ball, it just sounded different, like a golfer hitting the sweet spot.
Captain of club and country, more than 100 caps, almost 100 goals; it couldn’t happen to a nicer fella.
World class: Liverpool's Steven Gerrard has been a truly great player
Loic Remy loves to hit the ball early, catching goalkeepers by surprise.
Most strikers like to take a touch to set themselves before shooting for the target.
But Remy, who scored twice for Newcastle on Saturday, doesn’t need that. He is clinical. He sets his sights and, bang, he gets the shot away. He’s a one-touch finisher, among the best I’ve seen.
Classy finisher: Loic Remy has made a promising start to life at Newcastle
We learned two things about Jack Wilshere on Sunday: he can’t play wide left and he has character.
He played well in the second half, but he was terrible before then. Myself and Jamie Carragher said he was so poor that he should come off, but Arsene Wenger persevered and he got his rewards.
Young players suffer periods of inconsistency, but he doesn’t look a happy player out wide. When he came inside to a more central role, he looked more at home.
Character: Jack Wilshere again proved his class when scoring for Arsenal away to West Brom
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