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Gareth Bale

One thing that is strange to me (and maybe it's because I remember more the early Bale at LB/LM) is that when he is playing out on the right side he is so reliant on cutting inside to do any damage that when it doesn't happen he isn't offering much else. He did get to the goal line and beat his man once last night but it just feels like he want's to get involved so much but is just struggling out there on the right. Maybe in these Europa games when we have Davies at LB, Bale could go out on the left for a bit and get forward and get some balls into the box and feel more involved for a while.

Note: I have barely watched any of the Real Madrid Bale so not sure how he normally fits in playing as a right forward? When I think back to the end of his first spell I do remember him having quiet games out there but regularly popping up with the odd goal cutting in onto his left foot e.g. The West Ham goal etc.
At his heights there he was playing right but switching up quite a bit
He just needs game and time
I know people don’t want to give players time, especially when there big name players but whilst we have the option to allow him that time we should
We’re not desperate for him to start or finish our big games and the one he did, he scored the winner
 
Well i never really though we would be getting the same Bale back as we let got, age, injurys have caught up with him. Lets see how he gets on after the Xmas and that will be the time to judge him.
 
Doesn’t seem too fascinated by tracking back, has real quality on the ball though. Be interesting to see how Mourinho uses him. I think just the news of him signing jump started the season. And def catalysed Son and Kane.
 
Great photos Steve. I thought Son could have been called offside on the initial run. Even though he didn't touch it, he was clearly interfering and straddling the ball and then had he scored, it was all the same move, it wasn't like a secondary bit of play. But without VAR and because the rules are so confusing now, I can see why most on here would disagree, and claim it was all kosher.

From the last photo above, looks like Bale was expecting Son to be slowing down and tapping in, whereas Son was still going top speed :D
 
Hopefully Bale will have the confidence to shoot next time he’s presented with such a golden opportunity.

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Agreed. Kane has often been labelled selfish for shooting when he supposedly should have passed to a better-placed team mate. Well, here's just one example of how easily that too can go wrong.

On the face of it a simple pass, one many would argue is the better option because it gives the runner a much better angle. And Bale's pass was surely accurate enough when it left his boot. But still it was foiled, in this instance unfortunately by Son's unstoppable momentum. Many a slip ...!
 
Guess it’s because Bale played the ball with the outside of his left boot that it made the ball spin back towards Son but he probably should’ve aimed his pass a bit closer to the far post, as by squaring it he almost gave last defender a chance to intercept the ball.

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we've played exactly, well about, 1/4 of the EPL season. We are still in all the cups.

Let him explode when we absolutely need him - it's all about timing and peaking at the right time. He's still in pre-season mode, bubbling along nicely, avoiding injuries.

I can wait for that. let's see which oppo will need a taxi ...
 
Sky clams questioning why we didn’t bring him on at 2-0 up...it’s not like the Tranmere game where we need to being on a world class superstar just because the opponents don’t get to see them very often!
 
Sky clams questioning why we didn’t bring him on at 2-0 up...it’s not like the Tranmere game where we need to being on a world class superstar just because the opponents don’t get to see them very often!
They’re really trying to drum up a story there aren’t they! I love the fact that Bale always looks happy as Larry when in shot and backs that up in interviews.
 
They’re really trying to drum up a story there aren’t they! I love the fact that Bale always looks happy as Larry when in shot and backs that up in interviews.

Always the brick narrative .. Bale knows he's not fit .. guy has barely had a run of games in 2+ years.

He's getting one guaranteed 60-75 minutes a week where he has very little pressure on him, odd 25-30 minutes in PL.

We don't need him now, when we are top of the league and in 3 Cup competitions, we will need him fit in February and later, where if he's at 80% of his ability, it could be the difference.
 
I think Mourinho told him that his gob is to get us the 1 st Spot in the group after that we will see him int EPL mix until the return of the knockout in February.
 
He is not great defensively and never has been. He showed no desire to get back last night and this is why he doesn’t play in the premier league at the moment.
Spot on imo.

And especially seeing as Son is an automatic starter and in big games at least its being given more attacking freedom. Mourinho seems to want the other wide player to be more disciplined, get back more. That doesn't really suit Bale all that much.
 
Spot on imo.

And especially seeing as Son is an automatic starter and in big games at least its being given more attacking freedom. Mourinho seems to want the other wide player to be more disciplined, get back more. That doesn't really suit Bale all that much.

Agreed. Perhaps against teams which come to WHL to defend he's better suited. That said, he's still not back to high enough confidence levels and fitness to run at players. One moment against LASK he beat a couple players in the corner of the pitch, but apart from that he's very static at the moment
 
Spot on imo.

And especially seeing as Son is an automatic starter and in big games at least its being given more attacking freedom. Mourinho seems to want the other wide player to be more disciplined, get back more. That doesn't really suit Bale all that much.
Exactly.

When protecting a lead, Jose needs players 100% focussed, playing to instruction, and defending that lead with their life. He simply doesn't think (ATM) Bale fits that remit.

There will be plenty of time for Bale to play, yesterday s type scenario isn't one of them, I actually think Jose is being smart as well, if he did throw him on and it went pear shaped under Bales watch it would tinkle him off (perhaps Jose even thought this after the West Ham gam?!)...best to keep Jose happy and Bale onside...his time will come.
 
Also, and do not underestimate this; Just the fact that Bale is in the squad forces the opposition to plan for him. Any focus taken away from Son (and Kane) is a benefit! If they fail to plan for him, and we bring him on, he'd have a Maicon-evening all over again!
 
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