Gareth Bale

[SteveAWOL]

His goals and assists have all came vs lower half teams
That’s what we’re playing now after Sunday so it’s right up his street

Hopefully finishes the season with a few braces but his stat padding is approaching Moura levels.

1 goal when we beat Wycombe 4-1
1 goal when we thrashed Wolfsberger 4-0
1 goal when we beat Wolfsberger 4-1
1 goal when we beat Stoke 3-1
2 goals when we thrashed Burnley 4-0
2 goals when we beat Palace 4-1

 

[NoLimits01]

Gareth the will turn it on because Mason is his mate.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

He has played 7 times in the Premiership this season (plus 8 as a 'last few mins' sub).
There is an argument to be made that had he been given a run earlier, with the sort of coaching that leans to front foot football, his return might well have been significant.
In fairness to the previous manager, he never wanted him, and has been reported as loudly saying around the club that the money spent on him (I presume he means wages) should've gone to a defender. The accuracies -or not- are certainly a fair discussion. I'd say, however, that if true, this is not the way to manage your thoughts or squad.

There’s also an argument that in some games against half decent sides he has been poor
He was awful at Fulham away and Arsenal away from example.
He has played better at home vs the weaker end of the opposition in this league, that’s a fact
It’s why I expect him to be very important in our league run in as it’s against those kind of sides

 

[parklane1]

Hopefully finishes the season with a few braces but his stat padding is approaching Moura levels.

1 goal when we beat Wycombe 4-1
1 goal when we thrashed Wolfsberger 4-0
1 goal when we beat Wolfsberger 4-1
1 goal when we beat Stoke 3-1
2 goals when we thrashed Burnley 4-0
2 goals when we beat Palace 4-1

You are doing him a disservice , he also got a goal against Lask and Southampton.

 

[thfcsteff]

Hahaha, sorry lads, I forgot, absolutely impossible that he has been mismanaged. My apologies.

 

[Modric THFC]

We are not going to out-defence City, we are going to have to work really hard and score 2-3 if we have a chance.

I actually like the model Jose had (in the couple of games it worked with Bale), i.e.
- Son & Reguilon sit higher
- Bale & Aurier a little deeper
- Lucas in the 10 role
- That created a lot of pressure on the opponents right (dealing with Son, Reguilon and Lucas) and left space for Bale & Aurier to exploit, make passes/runs from.

The issue is we need to be attacking with that model/lineup, no point playing Bale if you plan to be on the back foot for 60 minutes of the match.

Realistically speaking I think we'll have to be clinical/lucky.

Perhaps we won't be able to out defend City if that means consistently keeping them from creating chances by sitting back.

We know City will try to dominate possession and I think we know they will succeed. Most likely they'll have 60% possession or more, so what do we do when they have the ball?

If we press like we did against Southampton they'll open us up, they will create big chances and us having to score 2-3 might actually be an optimistic number. I think it's very unlikely that our pressing will be sortet out to a sufficient extent to prevent that.

Not saying we have to park the bus, but I think we'll either choose or be forced into playing a medium block most of the time. Perhaps forced into a low block for periods. We need players that can deal with that. Or somehow play well with a style we haven't played well in for ages against the best team in the league and one of the best teams in Europe.

If that means not starting Bale then so be it. I would definitely understand that decision.

What we do with the ball is another question. Our problems with playing through pressure will most likely also remain more or less the same. We will be forced into long balls at times at least, perhaps rather frequently. We need to be prepared for that, not for what we wish would happen.

If that means Bale isn't suited then so be it. Play someone else. Bring Bale on from the bench towards the end or when desperation sets in.

I think City is one of those teams you have to have a go at, not all out, but enough to create a few chances and make them uncomfortable.

I'd play Bale because I think our chance is scoring early (one or two) and then probably settling into a medium block as you said and making the counters work.

It will be interesting, we are underdogs by a long way but their form seems to have dipped and they have PSG (far more important game) midweek

I agree that we should have a go at them on Sunday. They presumably won't be playing their first 11 and Walker, Dias, Rodri, Gundogan, Foden, Mahrez, Silva etc all started last night and will presumably play against PSG. Will they all start Wed/Sun/Wed? I assume not

Would be all for a manic high pressing start to the game, if not for the fact that we haven't really played a good pressing game with any consistency since... Forever.

We did it well against Leeds, but City are on a different level.

I would be concerned that we would either just get played through or have to spend so much energy that we set ourselves up for another Bayern game.

We can create chances and make them uncomfortable despite sitting back more, hopefully not bus parking, but a medium block. The key would then be to do useful things with the ball when we get it. There too I have my concerns, but I think it's more likely than us suddenly pressing effectively.

Talk of not playing Bale in the final is madness. He is big game player with a point to prove and one of maybe 3 players that City would genuinely worry about.

The only (slim) chance we have besides a smash and grab is to let the water carriers, battle and press and defend, and enable the trio of Bale Son and Kane cause havoc. With the risk of this being turned in to a OMT (Don't do it) my team (spelling) would be
Hugo
Taganga Dier Toby Regulon
Holjbeir Sisoko
Lucas
Bale Kane Son

Son and Bale as high up as possible switching sides constantly, Lucas running down everything but also getting ahead of kane as well. The out ball should be down the channels behind their full backs, not centrally.

We aren't going to win by trying not to lose - might as well give it a go

Well done lads on starting the OMT

 

[Bedfordspurs]

Hahaha, sorry lads, I forgot, absolutely impossible that he has been mismanaged. My apologies.

Or maybe he wasn’t fit
And also as we know he doesn’t like doing any defending which is needed against decent sides

 

[thfcsteff]

Or maybe he wasn’t fit
And also as we know he doesn’t like doing any defending which is needed against decent sides

Yet you would've seen him deeper in our own half, covering and heading out crosses, than at any other point since he returned. He even put in a couple of slide-tackles!

I think it's funny that people simply won't admit he was mismanaged. Yes, his fitness was off for the first couple of months for sure, but beyond that...mis-management in my opinion. FWIW he was far from the only poor performer against the goons, and it is clear he got singled out.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

Yet you would've seen him deeper in our own half, covering and heading out crosses, than at any other point since he returned. He even put in a couple of slide-tackles!

I think it's funny that people simply won't admit he was mismanaged. Yes, his fitness was off for the first couple of months for sure, but beyond that...mis-management in my opinion. FWIW he was far from the only poor performer against the goons, and it is clear he got singled out.

Fulham was the game for me actually
That’s why I referenced it
He was lazy and a passenger
Dele had to drop in to cover for him
He leaves his side of the pitch exposed a lot
He wasn’t great midweek but has the flashes of brilliance that a player who was world class can. It’s why you play him in some games
And his injury record since he got here has really not helped him get fit.
I know people want to blame Jose for many things, and most are valid. But with bale the player has as much accountability IMO. World class players can’t pick and choose when they turn up

 

[DeanoAustin]

Fulham was the game for me actually
That’s why I referenced it
He was lazy and a passenger
Dele had to drop in to cover for him
He leaves his side of the pitch exposed a lot
He wasn’t great midweek but has the flashes of brilliance that a player who was world class can. It’s why you play him in some games
And his injury record since he got here has really not helped him get fit.
I know people want to blame Jose for many things, and most are valid. But with bale the player has as much accountability IMO. World class players can’t pick and choose when they turn up

Sadly I agree with this completely. While Jose’s style was never going to work with a personality like Bale, you’ve got to ask questions of a guy with his talent turning in some of the performances he turned in over the last few months. No way that’s all on the manager.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

Sadly I agree with this completely. While Jose’s style was never going to work with a personality like Bale, you’ve got to ask questions of a guy with his talent turning in some of the performances he turned in over the last few months. No way that’s all on the manager.

It’s not that for me
It’s a multitude of things in the crowd people have
Was he fit? We don’t know, but we do know he hasn’t been for properly for the best part of 2 years
Was he mismanaged? Again we don’t know. I think Jose would play any player if he thought that player would get HIM a result so I don’t agree with comments that he was mid managed myself
Has he performed? Against weaker sides he has. He even won some MOTMs in those games
But I have already referenced 2 games against decent sides (not quality sides) in Fulham and arsenal bad he was poor
But if he makes the difference vs the weaker sides and that matters, then who cares
Give me a flat track bully who does it week in, week out of it means we get back into Europe. The league games we have left are right up bales street

 

[Baleforce]

I’ve not seen enough work rate from him either.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

I’ve not seen enough work rate from him either.

But we don’t necessarily need that vs weaker sides

 

[braineclipse]

Talk of not playing Bale in the final is madness. He is big game player with a point to prove and one of maybe 3 players that City would genuinely worry about.

The only (slim) chance we have besides a smash and grab is to let the water carriers, battle and press and defend, and enable the trio of Bale Son and Kane cause havoc. With the risk of this being turned in to a OMT (Don't do it) my team (spelling) would be
Hugo
Taganga Dier Toby Regulon
Holjbeir Sisoko
Lucas
Bale Kane Son

Son and Bale as high up as possible switching sides constantly, Lucas running down everything but also getting ahead of kane as well. The out ball should be down the channels behind their full backs, not centrally.

You can call it madness if you want.

I think it's a big, and difficult decision. Playing Bale would be a gamble, but it might be worth taking.

Could we deal with City if Bale has an average day or worse defensively? I struggle to see it, but I'm glad it's not me making that decision. Regardless of what Mason does some might call it madness if it doesn't work.

 

[DTA]

You can call it madness if you want.

I think it's a big, and difficult decision. Playing Bale would be a gamble, but it might be worth taking.

Could we deal with City if Bale has an average day or worse defensively? I struggle to see it, but I'm glad it's not me making that decision. Regardless of what Mason does some might call it madness if it doesn't work.

I'm saying that Bale having an average day defensively is perfectly fine with me if he gives us a third world class point of attack along with Son and Kane. Let the others in the team do the other work, and let the front three defensive's work be limited to the high, press, backed when need by Sissoko or Lucus, with it primary purpose is to stop quick transitions from City and allow us to reset in a mid block.

Our own transitions needs to be fast, and I personally would be working on blind out balls down the channels and/or based on where City's defenders usually stay when they are squeezing teams, this will help emmensely when we are under the kosh (which we will be). I want son and lucas and Bale to stay high enough to chase these with support thus either preventing City from playing too high a line. Or exposing them to some threat if they do.

All of the above could be outdated shortsighted tactics. As I'm no football manger, but I do manage people, and one thing I have found to be consistent, is that you give the most talented people the best chance to succeed by allowing their strengths to shine and using others to cover their deficiencies.

And Bale may not be the player he once was, but he is still:
1.supremely talented
2.one of our most potent weapons
3.big game player,
4.has a point to prove.

You have to play Bale.

 

[braineclipse]

I'm saying that Bale having an average day defensively is perfectly fine with me if he gives us a third world class point of attack along with Son and Kane. Let the others in the team do the other work, and let the front three defensive's work be limited to the high, press, backed when need by Sissoko or Lucus, with it primary purpose is to stop quick transitions from City and allow us to reset in a mid block.

Our own transitions needs to be fast, and I personally would be working on blind out balls down the channels and/or based on where City's defenders usually stay when they are squeezing teams, this will help emmensely when we are under the kosh (which we will be). I want son and lucas and Bale to stay high enough to chase these with support thus either preventing City from playing too high a line. Or exposing them to some threat if they do.

All of the above could be outdated shortsighted tactics. As I'm no football manger, but I do manage people, and one thing I have found to be consistent, is that you give the most talented people the best chance to succeed by allowing their strengths to shine and using others to cover their deficiencies.

And Bale may not be the player he once was, but he is still:
1.supremely talented
2.one of our most potent weapons
3.big game player,
4.has a point to prove.

You have to play Bale.

I can definitely see that point of view. I just think that's one of several ways.

Defending against City is tough even in good conditions. To give three players more limited defensive responsibility, leaving a back four and three midfielders to do the brunt work will be a massive ask. It's a plan that can backfire just as easily as not starting Bale imo.

Our would also probably necessitate dropping quality for work rate in deeper areas, which will make it more difficult to get the best out of our attacking players.

I'll be happy enough to see Bale start, but I think it will be a gamble and I don't think it's an obvious decision.

 

[Baleforce]

But we don’t necessarily need that vs weaker sides

I think we need it all of the time.

 

[tw12yid]

For all the Bale isn't hard working/ defensively makes us weaker etc.. He's still a very good finisher and passer/crosser. His skill level on these are right up there imo. Therefore whomever we are playing are going to have to worry about him as if they don't Bale with time and space will hurt a team. The fullback will have to think twice about going up the pitch.

 

[Yiddo]

For all the Bale isn't hard working/ defensively makes us weaker etc.. He's still a very good finisher and passer/crosser. His skill level on these are right up there imo. Therefore whomever we are playing are going to have to worry about him as if they don't Bale with time and space will hurt a team. The fullback will have to think twice about going up the pitch.

He does a defensive job just being Gareth Bale.

 

[SteveAWOL]

Fulham was the game for me actually
That’s why I referenced it
He was lazy and a passenger
Dele had to drop in to cover for him
He leaves his side of the pitch exposed a lot
He wasn’t great midweek but has the flashes of brilliance that a player who was world class can. It’s why you play him in some games
And his injury record since he got here has really not helped him get fit.
I know people want to blame Jose for many things, and most are valid. But with bale the player has as much accountability IMO. World class players can’t pick and choose when they turn up

Yup, when you look at the player that he was supposed to replace at Madrid still scoring nearly a goal per game at the age of 36 it just emphasises how underwhelming Bale’s return has been.

Hopefully Bale finishes the season on a high by helping us end that trophy drought plus firing Spurs into CL places, as even if Madrid are contributing over half the wages I cannot see Levy paying another £12m for his services if the cabinet remains bare and we’re in Europa again.

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