Now, your challenge is going to be getting the best out of Bale. You don’t want the Bale of last season where he scored 3 goals and got 2 assists in 21 hours of gametime. I’ve watched Bale every week for 7 years, and there are 3 things that are needed for Bale to be back to his best: good treatment, game time, and correct position.
Good Treatment – this should be the easiest part. Basically, don’t Boo him at home… It is ridiculous that our fans did that. Not only because he doesn’t deserve it, but also because they were just making him play worse. He needs to feel welcomed by his club and the fans for him to play well.
Game time – this shouldn’t be a problem at Spurs, at least I hope not. Bale needs to play and start every game when he is fit. He can do a little of a sub-role when he is coming back from an injury, but when he is fit he needs to play. He doesn’t like to compete with a teammate to win his place in the 11. He needs to be an automatic starter, or else he stops caring. Maybe at spurs it will be different because he likes this club, but at Madrid when players like Lord Vasquez got to play ahead of him Bale was like “yeah… I’m not even going to bother, I’ll just golf”.
His Position – really important point, and the only one where I can see a potential problem. I’ve been looking at your formations and a lot of you are placing Son on the Left, Kane at ST, Bale on the right. He is not really a right winger, at least that’s definitely not his best position. Let’s remember how he got there: he came to Madrid where Ronaldo was LW, so Bale HAD to play on the right because you can’t move Ronaldo.
Honestly, even though he had many successful years as RW, he is not at his best on the right. Where did he play in 12/13 his last season at Spurs? He had 32 games as a LM/LW and 10 games as a Second Striker, that’s where he is at his best. After watching him for years play RW, I always saw the same thing: he would run past the defender down the right, get some space, but then he can’t cross with his right – so he has to cut back, and by that time the defender catches up with him, and he has to create space again. Most of the time he would pass it back to the RB or CM, sometimes cut back and deliver a cross. But either way, he wasn’t very threatening on goal form that position.
He would score most of his goals by making a run into the box or down the middle (drifting into ST position). So he was still threatening, but that was not a result of him being in the RW position, most of the goals came when he roamed away from RW and made a play somewhere else. A good example of a right winger is Robben, you know when he gets the ball on the right you’re in trouble. That was never the case with Bale. He is not a tricky little winger like Ribery/Robben. He needs to be on the left where he can cross, shoot and use his pace without having to cut back (remember his goals vs Inter?).
Bale can play as a SS as a secondary option, but the team would have to accommodate a SS in their formation, and he only played less than 20 games in that position in his career. So I hope Jose uses him correctly.
I’d have ZZ leading my troops into battle all day long. ZZ on the pitch for me.
Maybe he shoulda been a striker. He can finish.
Zizou had more skill for sure… But peak Bales pace was unstoppable.. I would go for bale in my super team. Both able to win a game on their own. But Bale won’t be getting sent off for nutting anyone in a final or anytime. Bales more honest too…. Zizou has recently come out to the public saying he has ‘no problem’ with Bale… I think we all know otherwise…. Zidane is arguably maybe the greatest french player to grace the pitch he was a magician. But he is also a helmet…. Bale is better. 😉
😆 Aye you have a point… It doesn’t seem quite fair on Pam though as he is our player. Bale is a loan so still owned by Madrid. They have changed his number already to 25 on their website.
Was watching a clip of 2 idiots attacking his car in Madrid they are entitled idiots.
I never take too much notice of fans for opinions on players. One RM fan was complaining that all Bale did was score goals and provide assists (posted before but worth repeating in case Lucas Moura reads this)
I think Lamela’s number is already registered with the league? Personally I think Bale should have his no.11 as Bale’s replacement is being replaced by Bale! Levy’s finally found a decent Bale replacement!!
ZZ’ was a better baller than bale.
😆 Dele ‘hiding somewhere in the’ Alli…. I hope he can still get it together and find himself again.. Prime Dele was class.
A good scenario would be Madrid gets knocked out the CL early, dropping down into the ropey…. Then we meet them in the final… Bale scores and we win.. Coutinho Barca style 😆
Our fans don’t even boo terrible players as long as they are trying.. Soldados name was sung around the ground like he was a hero… He wasn’t a bad player.. But for a striker he couldnt score for toffee… How those lot can boo bale is beyond me… He’s won more there than Zidane and Brazil Ronaldo did and they were considered playing legends as the galacticos.
The other alternative is where he’ll be. Centre attacking mid like where he played before he left us. He did his most damage there for us and also for madrid in the earlier years. It is where he will want to play. Deles position. The number 10 as you say… I wonder what number he’ll wear too. I expect him to take the number 9 for the first time….unless Coco gives up number 11 for him.
Did he do his hammer getting out of the car?
It seems like yesterday Bale arrived at our training ground. Why has he not been announced yet? What has gone wrong?
With all that he won for/with the club they ended up treated him like a “James. Me I’d rinse the @7$€ out of’m, which is what he’s doing.
No set position for bale. Go out and play. cover him
On the footballing front. I’d give him a free role. Play where he wants. Harder to defend against. I wouldn’t want him defending either certainly not in our own half.
Talk about stating the bleeding obvious 🤷🏻♂️
Bunch of ignorant farmers. No respect for true class.
Dele Alley is a good name as he spends most of his time running up blind alleys lately!
I’d like to see Mou adopt a 3-4-3 formation with Bale playing inside right for most of the game, perhaps switching with Son some of the time. Then we’d have Doherty and Reg bombing down the flanks a la Walker and Rose. I think that would be devastatingly effective with Kane of course in the middle. Perhaps a back three of Alderweireld, Dier and Davies? But the other alternative would be Bale just behind Kane in the Dele role, I think that might be effective too. Perhaps move him around during matches to keep the opposition guessing.
He replaces Deli Alley surely? If any of that ‘doesn’t care any more if he has to compete for his place’ stuff has any truth to it, that’s very disappointing, and suddenly I might have some sympathy for Zidane. Unprofessional no matter who you are. Hope it’s untrue or that there’s actually a lot more to it.
Yeah, I thought that was rich too!! He’ll be treated so much better here and I’ll bet he wants to shove it up Zidane’s rear passage as well.
Hilarious a Madrid fan saying Bale needs good treatment…
Looking at Bales stats, his best position is centre attacking midfield. He has played his best in that position for Spurs and Madrid… In 2015 Bale said himself that this was his favourite position. Where he wants to play and where he does the most damage…. I wouldnt play him on either wing….. Fully expect Maureen to play him behind Kane at CAM.. This is where he will be I’m sure.
Sure before he left Spurs he used to swap sides & sometimes stay more central during matches, he can play anywhere & is equally as dangerous.
Just a shame all our season tickets deposits aren’t going to be of much use to us anytime soon by the sounds of it, can’t wait to see Bale in full flow again.
He’s an absolute machine ,incredible stats,at last someone to take all the free kicks.
Bale has 175 games as a right winger, with 72 goals and 54 assists. Only 42 games as left winger, with 22 goals/7 assists. 127 games at left midfield, 44 goals/36 assists. 34 games as CF (12/7). Looking at the stats, he can be a danger man wherever he plays on the final thrid.
Where did he used to play for Spurs and where does he play for Wales? I think on the right was the answer to both questions. But I suggest playing him wherever he wants to go, it can always be changed during a game to confuse the opposition. Remember we’re not applying him as a winger just to put crosses in – other lesser players can do that, so much as a goal scorer playing inside right or left. His best shooting ability is with his wicked left foot.
Yep son plays well on the right you dont play the better player out of position
Good summary. Play him on the left of the front 3. Job done. Son can go on the right.