“You saw the match” Bale’s still not up to full fitness in the manager’s eyes pic.twitter.com/eKMbjnJOwz
— TheBoyHotspur (@TheBoyHotspur) December 4, 2020
Gareth Bale lasted for 84-minutes against LASK in last night’s Europa League draw, and one can see from José Mourinho’s face that he’s struggling to keep his council when discussing anything to do with the individual performances he witnessed. Bale is without doubt a great kid, but at 31, he’s a shadow of his former self and it’s difficult to imagine that the gaffer will be begging Daniel Levy for another season of splurging so much salary cash on one player.
I reckon it’ll take half a season to flush all the Spanish $h!t out of him.
Honestly, I am not sure what it is with Bale, the mistakes he is making and the lack of skills…he still ahs his pace (he matched Son in a few runs last night) so the rest is something else. Its either mental block or simply doesnt care. That square ball to Son was in-excusable. Even at pub level that was poor. A player that is past it (after being one of hte worlds best) should make that pass, if they got into that postion. As I said, if this were fitness, Jose would be playing him in stints. this is something else.
I really wanted him to do well,but sorry to say he can’t do it anymore.He’s had 3 months to get fit,but i think Mourinho has already seen he’s not the player he was.I hink Levy saw this transfer in terms of shirt sales and i don’t think they will take up the option of aother year.
I don’t think Bale would even make it in the MLS as i think he knows he’s finished.A second career in golf might be the best option.
The issue with Bale is not just fitness – if it were Jose would be giving him 10-15mins stints and playing him for halfs, not leaving him on the bench and sending him out with the B team. For as much as we all derided Zidane, I think its hard to disagree, Bale is the shadow of the player we sold, and sure as hell is not all fitness related.
He seems to be isolated out wide on the right. I would prefer to see him wide on the left or down the middle. The big question is does he still have the drive to push himself and his body to its limits to get back to some sort of quality. He may be the type of player that needs a crowd shouting his name and more atmosphere. The standard of play against LASK was inexcusably poor.Within a few mins of the match you could sense a total lack of energy from many players.LASK were first to every ball. What I cannot get my head around is how bad our throw in’s were and are generally. Last night it was indicative of the general lack of intensity as there was zero movement and most times we threw the ball directly to the opponent, I just do not understand how at this level that happens and the fact that it does is a worry.
I’m downgrading my expectations following this game and the second half against Chelsea, plus several other games. We won’t win the title because once we get a few injuries we’ll struggle. How a lowly team like LASK can pin us back, create chance after chance and grab 3 goals is a serious indictment of our frailty.
Unless we have the first 11 fit we don’t look anywhere near good enough. Hopefully over time those players will improve, especially Bale. Lo Celso I’ve given long enough, we should swap him for Eriksen in January. He’s had plenty of time and 1 goal and 1 assist for £37m is just not good enough.
But I might change my mind at the weekend lol.
It’s so odd how out of sorts he continues to look despite him clearly being in a better headspace. Fitness can’t be the whole thing. He could be told ‘you’re getting 45 mins but I want to see your best 45 mins’. At the moment it’s not working but I’d play him this weekend. If a NLD doesn’t get him fired up nothing will.
HH one correction to your blog is that Gareth Bale is aged 31 not 33.
[Date of birth:16 July 1989]
Yes given that he is not the same player he was 7 years ago I fully concur with your sentiments.