Great question...I know there are those who disagree with me, but I feel Bale has been coached much better this season, especially when it comes to matters of when to come inside and not. These days, because the whole team works together, when he comes inside there is generally some width to counter and also proper space for him to drift into/sit in. I think we will see Ekotto's return as vital and productive for precisely this reason, and I'd venture to say that given the last two games have seen him take inside space and produce absolute corkers, perhaps Benny pushing up as a wing-back when we go forward (along with Lennon obviously on the right) gives him that extra yard of space to operate in? I might be over-analysing, but it seems that now, whether he's coming in from the right or is simply drifting in the hole, with Benny on the left and Lennon on the right, he gets an extra yard of space...