Stats

Played: 66 Goals: 8

Fee Agreed

After an agreement between Everton and Charlton for a fee of £2m rising to £2.5m has been made. Bent will now discuss personal terms. Surely Everton must buy a striker even if it is to make the numbers up.

Keith 'Bully' Wyness say: "The two clubs have been speaking over the weekend and have agreed a deal. We have now given permission to Marcus to travel to London to discuss personal terms. I would like to say how much we appreciate the approach from Charlton throughout. It shows how these transfers can be done in a good professional manner." (16/101/06)

Goal Target

Benty wants to beat his goals tally of 7 from last season. So he better get a move on as he has only scored one this season.

Marcus says: "In a way the August match with Bolton is a good memory and in a way it is not because it is the only goal I have scored this season. I am a trier and I give 100% every game and I try and achieve more personally than I did last year and that is scoring more goals than I did last year. The Bolton game on Saturday is a godsend because we can get straight back into it and put it right after Wednesday's defeat.

We have had a good run in the last couple of weeks. We went into the game with West Ham confident - there was a lot of buzz about the place. It was our game in hand and we were ready to get three points. It started really well but didn't work out like that. It was frustrating, but West Ham have been doing really well and they probably deserved the win because we did not play as well as we could have done or should have done.

I was pleased for Faddy because he had waited a long time to get in there and he was doing really well. He had a little run earlier in the season but then the gaffer decided to change it round and he lost his chance there. But then he came back in and set it alight again so I was really happy for him. It is hard because I want to play up front as well. When I did come on I played on the wing. I haven't had the most starts in the last couple of weeks, so I am just trying to get myself back into it and get myself up to top quality. As a forward, when you are not playing you are looking for that little boost but I am quite a confident person anyway and I will keep plugging away and keep getting on with it and when called upon I will try and perform to my best ability.

Early on in the game I put a few good balls into the box, I had a few touches here and there but not to the standard I want to be at and I want to be consistent all the way through the game, so hopefully if a do get my chance on Saturday I will put that right. How easy it is to get into the game when you are on the wing depends on whether you play there week-in, week-out or whether you come on as sub and try and get yourself involved in the game. I came on early so I had the first half and the second half to get into the game. Sometimes when you come on with 20 minutes to go it is hard to get into how sharp the game is and how quick it is. But that is what you are there for; that is what you are paid for. You are a professional to go out there and perform on the big occasions. Bolton are going to kick, they are going to hustle, they are going to tackle they are going to head and that is what you can expect from Bolton. I will give them their due - they can play football, and they do score goals so it is going to be a hard one." (16/12/05)

Pull Together

Benty has revealed that Moyesy tore into the players after the 4-0 defeat at WBA, but says that everyone will pull together to get the show on the road again.

Marcus says: "The manager had words with us after the game. No matter who the manager was, Sven-Goran Eriksson or whoever, they would have a shout after that result. The gaffer is still with us though. He sticks together with us, we work together and he is Everton through and through. This was a missed opportunity for us. No disrespect to West Brom, who did well and had a lot of good performances, we expected to go there and get a win.

In the first half we thought we started off well passing the ball without creating a lot of chances, but then just before half-time they got the penalty. Whether it was one or not I'm not sure, the tackle was outside the box but Tony's arm hit him when he was inside.

Coming out in the second half, we had to show a bit more determination and a bit more hunger to want to get back into the game and get the three points. But that wasn't 100% in every department and I think that showed with the score. Everton are all about going out and every player working 120%, not just grinding results out but sometimes playing good football and always working for each other. But on Saturday it didn't happen for whatever reason. We didn't play well as a unit and maybe if we'd done that we'd have got a result.

We are big men in the dressing room and we blame ourselves, so we will go in next week and try to put things right. We can do that by doing the same things we always have, sticking together, working hard, grinding out results be it 1-0 or 2-0, even a 1-1 we'd have got a result and we'd be moving on.

We owe the fans a good performance next week, and we owe ourselves one too. We didn't do as well as we could. We'd won a few games but that isn't the end of the season. We need to do what we did last season, get back to winning ways. We may not have won games last season by lots of goals, but we ground out wins and that gave the fans the voice to get behind the side. When the fans see stuff like at the weekend, then you can't blame them for booing or shouting one or two things. They've paid their money and come a long way to support us.We don't want to be down where we are for much longer, we want to be in the top end of the table come the New Year, and I'm sure we will be because we are a confident bunch." (21/11/05)

Still In My Plans

Moyesy has reassured Marcus Bent that he still has a future at Goodison Park. Benty who has lost his place of late to Biffa and Big Dunc was not even on the bench for last Saturdays away win at Brum. With Moyesy now happy to play 4-4-2, Benty’s options to be in the starting line up seem to be limited. James Vaughan is also on the comeback trail, so the powerful striker may be forced more out of the picture.

Moyesy says: "Marcus has been great for us but I just felt I wanted other options on the bench. We are beginning to get a bigger squad here and the decisions are going to get tighter. Your performances are the thing you will be judged for." (03/11/05)

Under Siege

Benty is urging his team mates to adopt the siege mentality that served the so well last season. Everton who are trying to avoid their eighth defeat of an nine game season on Saturday, find themselves seated near the foot of the table.

Benty says: We have had a slow start. We have been beaten seven times (in all competitions) when we should have pushed on and got results. It hasn't happened like that and it is still early doors. There is a bit of panicking going on and there is some confidence lost at the moment. A few people are feeling tired. People will ask how we are feeling tired but we are mentally tired more than anything. But we are a together bunch. We will pull each other out of it. Every game is difficult and we will give Wigan every respect because they are professionals and have just got into the Premiership.

We are looking forward to Saturday, though, because we think that is where our season is going to start. We lost 2-0 against Arsenal but we can take some confidence. We tried to do things right.

We aren't creating many chances at the moment and that is frustrating. We played one up front last season and it worked. It still can work. We just need to find our form at the minute. I thought we started quite well. It gives you a bit of confidence when you pass the ball around but it was disappointing to give the goals away that we did, because we are quite good from set pieces. But it was better. Last year we lost by a big margin at Highbury. Hopefully we can take some confidence because we have got Wigan coming up on Saturday. That isn't going to be a pushover but we have got to go and get three points." (20/09/05)

First of the Season

Benty had a incident packed game against Bolton, scoring the only goal and then coming off after injuring his knee.

Everton skipper, Davie Weir says: "You know what you are going to get from Bolton. You know you have to stand up to them. If you can do that you always have a chance of getting something. Marcus showed we have got players at the front who can finish them." (22/08/05)

Staying Put

Moyesy has rubbished reports that he is about to sell striker Marcus Bent. With Charlton, and Shitttteeehhhh apparently hovering before deadline day, Moyesy has said the striker is going nowhere.

Moyesy says: "It was a big plus seeing Marcus play like that. He has missed quite a bit of training because of an Achilles problem and missed a few pre-season games, so that was a positive. Of course he could do with a few goals but couldn't we all. Hopefully it won't be too long before they come his way. But nobody has come in for Marcus and nor would we want them to. How could we possibly think of selling him or anyone at the minute?" (17/08/05)

I Should Have Scored More

Benty scored one, but could have had a few more in Everton's opening game in Thailand.

Marcus says: “I was disappointed because I should maybe have scored the first one, which I sliced. It went quite near and then the second one I should have got my body in the way instead of letting him tackle me. It’s a long trip over here and the climate is very hot and we’ve just been getting used to it for a couple of days.

We knew they were going to be lively because the gaffer and Alan had warned us that they would be. I felt we got back into the game later on after not starting too well but they were a good outfit, fit and strong and quick. As a professional you want to win every game regardless of whether it’s a friendly or a league game. We’ve got a big season ahead of us and we’ve got to start lively and get the confidence throughout the team like we did last season.” (21/07/05)

Benty Wants The shite

Benty is wanting to draw the shite out of the Champions League hat, come the draw in late July. With the shite already drawing TNS, and with the hoo haa, over five English clubs in the Competition, me thinks Benty will get his wish. Hot balls, cold balls, jumpers for goalposts, its inevitable isn't it.

Benty says: ''Let's get Liverpool and go all out and try to achieve some more. Now it's time for us to get back to work and try to achieve something this season. To try and work on it and get a lot of confidence from it - we need to push on and hopefully do well in the Champions League.'' (02/07/05)

Marcus Last Season      Full Squad 2005/2006