Re: Gareth Bale
This was the problem AVB dealt with all last season (despite having Bale) once Sandro got hurt. He isn't Zidane but he could deliver a very quick pass from deep to the bolting runners in wide positions, thus the fast breaks we saw in early season away games. Yeah, Hudd has the vision but he will never be mobile enough/versatile enough for what AVB wants IMO.
One of the things Paulinho gives us is choice. he can play deep or he can play box-to-box. Ditto Dembele. Sandro is only one of the trio who I don't think would do well advanced/box-to-box. Some of Paulinho's passing is really excellent. At one time it seemed clear that AVB needed a Modric or even Mountinho string-puller, but he got beyond and around that.
If Levy and AVB decide to stick with Bale, IMO we will have a player who has been permanently destabilized over the last couple of weeks and who will never perform quite as scintillatingly for us again. At this point he has had little to no pre-season and there has been the isolation from daily team-mate life. The boy's head has been spun.
If Levy and Bale decide to let him go, I can see AVB wanting the money for a Willian or Hulk-type player...we will never replace Bale, but we will strengthen and survive without a doubt.
Such a shame that all this has overshadowed the purchase of Soldado, a player signed for a fee some (I believe you were one of them) said would not happen under Levy. It's a sign of intent, and I'll bet our own Napoleon is further tinkled off at Madrid for not allowing that fanfare to grab headlines.
agree about sandro but i would stress that his was more a quality of quick supply to wingers....not really a creative one...he wasnt lifting anything of large patches of grass to the feet of wingers and he was playing balls behind defenses. what he did do was know in his mind where he should be so as to make the pass quick and efficiently without much fuss to the attcking players. top class plAYER. IMO world class....
i'm going to hold you to that btw....that paulinhos passing can be really excellent. REALLY excellent in my book...even if he pulls out 1 of those in about 100 passes...places that kind of pass in the steven gerrard, xabi alonso, thudd, scholes category for long range .......and if its short range then we are talking...cesc, shingji, silva etc etc. Hopefully you are correct
but back on the actual point you made...avb did get around the need for a deep lying playmaker but we were efficient and resourceful....we didnt however 'look good'. AVB got a regimented and efficient system together. Its successful, but that success was very heavily based on having a world class player. Having said that...when bale was out...guess what ...we scored two goals in each of the games he didnt play in. i actually think we will be fine and depending on who we add if he leave or even if he doesnt leave...i think we will actually PLAY and LOOK better as FLUID team. basically i think AVB now has a season under his belt...he has had two preseasons....and now the chemistry in the team is enough that we should be able to produce a better system that offers a variety of threats ...not just one. We proved that by having to adapt when bale got injured
last thing, if bale stays...and i have a feeling he will now, if he stays...he WILL play to a high level still. guaranteed. anything less than that can be considered a breach of contract...though we wont make him suffer as much as he does us. plus...bale playing at 70 % is still a damn fine player......a 70% bale is what i call a world class ROLE player. And there is only so much a player can decide to sulk when his team mates are celebrating with the crowd over goals ....people are happy, these are his friends. He will get over it if he stays. This is a business and human interaction/ behaviour, real life brick. I know you dont like to think the way i do but from my expsorure of most people i will tell you this.
If bale stays he WILL, and he will perform at least nearly as well a he did.....i'm not talking goals and asssits...but more overall effect on the pitch and his presence . Garth bale is a child even though he is 24, most footballers are. he is a man by age, but so many footballers are socially underdeveloped and lacking in real hard life growth that they behave as mature as their surroundings and environment has allowed them. When a child sulks and doesnt eat his dinner...and wants people to feel his sulking.....he stands infront of you dropping his face...but when you ignore this kid and get on with things..and the family are enjoying whats happening on TV ....while watching spurs beat city........that kid wants to join him. just pick him up at the next goal...and he'll join in
still cant believe the Soldado deal. The model on face value has been shot in the stomach.Teams need to watch out for us now. we will spend money without necessarily thinking of getting it back.
(unless we knew we were selling bale all along and this is levy's way of getting all his TO targets without being held to ransom and exposing the club to fiancial hardship? who knows)
