Bargain Bent’s timely tonic for Houllier

PLENTY of things have gone wrong for Gerard Houllier since he arrived at Aston Villa, not least his latest health scare.

But, in signing Darren Bent, the Frenchman, who was admitted to hospital last week complaining of chest pains, looks to have pulled off one of the great masterstrokes of his managerial career.

By the time the biggest of all the January transfers, £50 million Fernando Torres, had finally got off the mark for Chelsea with his first goal in 14 attempts, Bent had already celebrated his seventh in 12. Not bad going for under half the money.

His latest strike, which cancelled out by an opener from his old strike-partner at the Stadium of Light, Kenwyne Jones, was arguably his best since he joined from Sunderland for a fee which could one day rise to £24 million.

The cross from the right wing, delivered by Kyle Walker, was inviting but Bent was still outnumbered three to one by Potters bodies. It mattered little, though, as he rose highest to plant a pinpoint glancing header beyond Asmir Begovic and in off the inside of the left post.

It was a goal for Houllier, said Bent afterwards, whom he claims took a “big gamble” signing him.

“We wanted to try to get a result for him,” Bent said. “He texted me at about quarter to one and said, ‘keep going, keep playing well and all the best,’ that was nice.

“He won’t let it go but that’s just him. He is passionate about his football but there are times where your health comes first. Hopefully he realises that. I texted him back and said ‘thank you very much and I hope we will win’.

And, according to caretaker manager Gary McAllister, the striker is starting to look like a bargain.

He said: “I don’t think you can argue that he’s been a fantastic signing. When you look at some of the prices that followed that it’s starting to look very good. Maybe he could be Fabio Capello’s main man.”

Houllier’s illness comes a decade on from him undergoing emergency life-saving heart surgery while he was manager of Liverpool.

McAllister, who played under the Frenchman at Anfield, visited him on Saturday night and revealed the 63-year-old could not resist making contact prior to kick-off.

“I know him better than most,” McAllister said. “He has spent quite a bit of time working in the French Football Federation, maybe pushing a pen around a desk. So I know what he wants, what he loves, where he wants to be, and it’s on the training ground with players every day.”

It was hardly the resounding result Villa would have liked to have given Houllier, but it could have been far worse after starting the game on the back foot, having to defend six corners one after the other.

It appeared a case of when, not if, and the goal duly arrived in the 20th minute thanks to their most infamous weapon.

Love them or hate them, Rory Delap’s throw-ins have been a staple source for Stoke’s goals in their three years in the Premier League and it proved so again in the 20th minute when Jones rose highest to power a header beyond Friedel.

It was not until the 31st minute that Asmir Begovic’s goal came under threat when Walker’s floated cross was headed narrowly over by Emile Heskey.

At least there were signs, though, and the crowd roared into life soon afterwards when Bent claimed he should have been awarded a penalty after his shirt appeared to be tugged by Marc Wilson.

Bent may have been disappointed on that occasion but the last laugh belonged to him when he levelled matters two minutes before half-time.

That, sadly, was as good as it got.

Neither team offered much in the way of attacking threat in the second half, Villa perhaps shading matters.

While Villa were dealing with Houllier’s health scare, the Potters have been rejoicing in reaching their first ever FA Cup final.

Tony Pulis, the manager, admitted his team were still feeling the effects of their 5-0 battering of Bolton Wanderers at Wembley last weekend.

Now on 39 points, safety is not quite yet assured but a victory over Wolves tomorrow night would soon change that.

“We all know what we’ve got to do,” Delap said. “We are still not safe. I don’t think there will be any easing off with the players here.”

However, they will have to cope without Ricardo Fuller whose Wembley place appears in jeopardy after being stretchered off with what is feared to be an Achilles injury.