Gareth Bale is...The most expensive player ever?!

[RedRover]

the assertion that he rocks up and is unplayable and wins matches every week on his own is though. That's the problem. There is a middle ground. Bale is in form right now he is Tottenham's talisman but he isn't the best player in the PL and he isn't totally unplayable.

Who's saying he's that good?

Clearly he's not Ronaldo or Messi, but that seems to be what he's being criticised for. It's not his fault the press are making comparisons.

Is he the best winger in the PL? Arguably. Does he appear to have a lot of potential? It seems so. Is he better than what we have? For me, definitely.

Fact is he's been doing well for a Few years and people have called him "overrated" - but he keeps getting better. Some people on here just want to be controversial it seems and go against the grain. Surprising when they can watch him week in week outin the PL and see his quality.

I'd be interested to see the excitement on here if United were doing their best to sign him. Tunes would quickly change I suspect.

 

[kouroux]

I know I would love it

 

[apotheosis]

Who's saying he's that good?

Clearly he's not Ronaldo or Messi, but that seems to be what he's being criticised for. It's not his fault the press are making comparisons.

Is he the best winger in the PL? Arguably. Does he appear to have a lot of potential? It seems so. Is he better than what we have? For me, definitely.

Fact is he's been doing well for a Few years and people have called him "overrated" - but he keeps getting better. Some people on here just want to be controversial it seems and go against the grain. Surprising when they can watch him week in week outin the PL and see his quality.

I'd be interested to see the excitement on here if United were doing their best to sign him. Tunes would quickly change I suspect.

Some tunes would change, but there would still be those who do not rate him, and would undoubtedly take every opportunity to point out his flaws or limitations.

I cast minds back to the RVP transfer saga, not too long ago. Almost every justification imaginable was being used by some posters as a reason why we shouldn't sign him. Seems incredible now of course, but still true nonetheless.

Bottom line for me, will a player make us better? That is all i care about really. I was convinced that RVP was WC and would improve us significantly, and for me that was all the justification SAF needed to try and bring him in.

While i don't see Bale as technically gifted as RVP, i have no doubts he would improve us should we ever sign him. I cannot think of another player in world football, who can simply pick the ball up in his own half and run straight through opposing teams with such ease and regularity. His pace and strength running with the ball and his ability to still get a shot off at the end is quite phenomenal really!

There are very few players who pose the type of regular threat that Bale does, and without employing specific spoiling tactics to nullify him, there is not really a lot opponents can do to stop themselves being exposed at least a couple of times during a game.

I would love him here personally, and although it will probably never happen due to Levy's valuation of him, he would still be an absolute revelation here in my view.

 

[africanspur]

Who's saying he's that good?

Clearly he's not Ronaldo or Messi, but that seems to be what he's being criticised for. It's not his fault the press are making comparisons.

Is he the best winger in the PL? Arguably. Does he appear to have a lot of potential? It seems so. Is he better than what we have? For me, definitely.

Fact is he's been doing well for a Few years and people have called him "overrated" - but he keeps getting better. Some people on here just want to be controversial it seems and go against the grain. Surprising when they can watch him week in week outin the PL and see his quality.

I'd be interested to see the excitement on here if United were doing their best to sign him. Tunes would quickly change I suspect.

Considering what is regularly said on this board about Welbeck and Cleverly for example, I can only imagine what what would be said on here if Bale played for Man utd. Or if there was even a hint that when he moves, Old Trafford would be his destination.

Part of it is because some people seem to take it personally when they consider a player to be over-rated and then pick out strange faults to try to justify their views and go against the general grain. Such as he has a 'good shot, hardly decent crossing technique, okayish dribbling and no creativity and vision'.

Part of it is, I suspect, because he beat Nani to something or other a few seasons back when most of you considered Nani to be the infinitely better player and the best winger in the world and haven't quite forgiven him for that.

I'm also a little confused about the lack of quality point. He apparently only looks good because of the lack of quality in our squad. But he also isn't that good. So our squad isn't that good and he isn't that good. How exactly are we in 4th place at the moment, 1 and 5 points behind 3rd and 2nd and two teams who have spent hundreds of millions more than us on their squads? I understand that the season isn't over yet but something has to give in that explanation.

 

[Brwned]

Spurs are a very good team, Bale's an excellent player and I agree with your overall point but the answer to your final paragraph isn't that difficult - it's widely agreed that the league isn't what it was 5 years ago. We're winning the league with ease yet you have someone who has watched George Best and co. saying this is possibly the worst United team in the last decade. So if a decent team like ours can walk the league then a mediocre team can finish in the CL spots.

 

[KM]

What's being said about Welbeck or Cleverley btw?

Welbeck has been a criticized a lot owing to his goal drought and loads of people were saying Cleverley was over-rated last season.

Keep on going with your generalizations though.

 

[africanspur]

What's being said about Welbeck or Cleverley btw?

Welbeck has been a criticized a lot owing to his goal drought and loads of people were saying Cleverley was over-rated last season.

Keep on going with your generalizations though.

I've seen comments on here about how Cleverly is Scholes-esque, how Welbeck is one of the best young strikers in the world etc etc.

It doesn't mean that this is the view of everyone or that there isn't a lot of criticism which goes their way either.

 

[africanspur]

Spurs are a very good team, Bale's an excellent player and I agree with your overall point but the answer to your final paragraph isn't that difficult - it's widely agreed that the league isn't what it was 5 years ago. We're winning the league with ease yet you have someone who has watched George Best and co. saying this is possibly the worst United team in the last decade. So if a decent team like ours can walk the league then a mediocre team can finish in the CL spots.

Yeah, I'm not really saying we're the best team in the world or that Bale is the best player in the world.

But we can't really keep on saying that we're both a mediocre team with an over-rated not that great player, when we're competing with clubs who far outspend us in every way. The whole league isn't mediocre.

 

[KM]

I've seen comments on here about how Cleverly is Scholes-esque, how Welbeck is one of the best young strikers in the world etc etc.

It doesn't mean that this is the view of everyone or that there isn't a lot of criticism which goes their way either.

There's always a minority who go extreme but that doesn't mean that opinion is shared by everyone.

Also people here rate Mata, Suarez and Wilshere a lot. If some here doesn't rate Bale then it's feck all to do with Bias.

 

[Moby]

Is he the best winger in the PL? Arguably. Does he appear to have a lot of potential? It seems so. Is he better than what we have? For me, definitely.

Are there better wingers than Bale in the world? Yes. Do they have more potential? No one can say for sure but probably yes. Are they all also better than what we have? Yes. Will they cost less? Yes. Are they younger than Bale? Yes.

Hence, Bale is not the best option for us.

 

[Varun]

Are there better wingers than Bale in the world? Yes. Do they have more potential? No one can say for sure but probably yes. Are they all also better than what we have? Yes. Will they cost less? Yes. Are they younger than Bale? Yes.

Hence, Bale is not the best option for us.

Who do you think would be better suited to play on the left in our line up Aldo?

 

[Cevno]

Depends really on the price tbh.

Btw, what other wingers are you referring too, Aldo ?

 

[Moby]

Who do you think would be better suited to play on the left in our line up Aldo?

If Bale goes to Madrid, Di Maria could be available. Iker Muniain is still out there up for grabs. Hazard just moved to another club or he would have been a much better option. Griezmann is a fantastic talent, would be excellent as well. And if you want an unrealistic option, for me Bale is not really realistic either, you have the best left winger in the world, Franck Ribery.

 

[Nighteyes]

If Bale goes to Madrid, Di Maria could be available. Iker Muniain is still out there up for grabs. Hazard just moved to another club or he would have been a much better option. Griezmann is a fantastic talent, would be excellent as well. And if you want an unrealistic option, for me Bale is not really realistic either, you have the best left winger in the world, Franck Ribery.

No, just no.

I think Bale is overrated in the media but Ribery aside he's easily the best left winger in the world NOW.

 

[Cevno]

If Bale goes to Madrid, Di Maria could be available. Iker Muniain is still out there up for grabs. Hazard just moved to another club or he would have been a much better option. Griezmann is a fantastic talent, would be excellent as well. And if you want an unrealistic option, for me Bale is not really realistic either, you have the best left winger in the world, Franck Ribery.

Ribery is nearly 30 while Bale is 24. They'll cost similar prices while they are on a similar level at the moment.

Munian isn't a winger.

Di Maria would be a decent option, but don't think he has potential to be top percentile.

Hazard cost 32/33 million + major signing on fees. How was he a better option ?

How much are you assuming Bale would cost ?

 

[Moby]

Even on current form I wouldn't put ahead of Di Maria. Ronaldo's goal tally shoots up every time Di maria plays well, and he has been doing that since the turn of the year. One month of good form shouldn't make a player better than those who have shown more consistency and quality over the last couple of seasons imo.

 

[Cevno]

If Di Maria was showing so much consistency and Quality, then why would Madrid want to get rid ? (Assuming they want too, which you did).

 

[Moby]

Ribery is nearly 30 while Bale is 24. They'll cost similar prices while they are on a similar level at the moment.

Munian isn't a winger.

Di Maria would be a decent option, but don't think he has potential to be top percentile.

Hazard cost 32/33 million + major signing on fees. How was he a better option ?

How much are you assuming Bale would cost ?

Ribery at 30 is tearing apart every single defense he faces. He hasn't lost any pace and most importantly his passing and vision is absolutely top notch, none of which Bale has.

Di Maria would be decent? No sir, you clearly are underrating him. An in form Di Maria can hurt a defense in many more ways Bale can.

Muniain is as much a winger Bale is tbh. He is not a conventional option, but provides plenty of width and can penetrate a defense easily from out wide.

Hazard cost a lot, but again his skillset is so much broader than Bale's.

Knowing Levy, I don't think Bale would cost anything less than 35, probably more. He knows clubs like Madrid are interested, so he will milk every single penny out of everyone who goes for him.

I really don't get this "He is tailor made for us" thing. Sure, he will be excellent in counters and that is how we play a lot of times. But the minute a team sits back, all his pace will count for nothing and he doesn't have the skill to penetrate a crowded defense, which will leave us in trouble.

 

[Moby]

If Di Maria was showing so much consistency and Quality, then why would Madrid want to get rid ? (Assuming they want too, which you did).

Mourinho. He has issues with him, he even humiliated Di Maria in public by saying he doesn't deserve to play for a club like Madrid just after one poor performance. He wasn't starting a lot a while back and only recently he has been back in the starting 11.

 

[Cevno]

You are seriously underrating Bale and overrating some of the others there. Di Maria has been inconsistent as anything so far at Madrid.

I'll happily take Bale for anything upto 40 million. He is much less of a risk than Hazard and Lucas too who ended up costing similar with Signing on fees and other things.

 

[Fergus' son]

Hazard and Ribery are not options at all. Would rather Bale than Munain but both are good. Di Maria is meh.

 

[Gazza]

I've seen comments on here about how Cleverly is Scholes-esque, how Welbeck is one of the best young strikers in the world etc etc.

It doesn't mean that this is the view of everyone or that there isn't a lot of criticism which goes their way either.

THere are also posts criticizing both players. Pick and choose eh.

 

[Nighteyes]

Ribery at 30 is tearing apart every single defense he faces. He hasn't lost any pace and most importantly his passing and vision is absolutely top notch, none of which Bale has.

Di Maria would be decent? No sir, you clearly are underrating him. An in form Di Maria can hurt a defense in many more ways Bale can.

Muniain is as much a winger Bale is tbh. He is not a conventional option, but provides plenty of width and can penetrate a defense easily from out wide.

Hazard cost a lot, but again his skillset is so much broader than Bale's.

Knowing Levy, I don't think Bale would cost anything less than 35, probably more. He knows clubs like Madrid are interested, so he will milk every single penny out of everyone who goes for him.

I really don't get this "He is tailor made for us" thing. Sure, he will be excellent in counters and that is how we play a lot of times. But the minute a team sits back, all his pace will count for nothing and he doesn't have the skill to penetrate a crowded defense, which will leave us in trouble.

Forget Ribery, not one person on this thread has said Bale is better than him.

Bale at the very least is good as Di Maria or has been this season. He has added a lot more to his game and is huge threat no matter where he plays. Last season I was very critical of Bale playing centrally and being ineffective, this season he has walked past the midfields and defenses of teams time and again. Bale's right foot is better than Di Maria's as well imo.

Munian is nowhere near Bale, not even close.

Hazard is a better dribbler than Bale but Bale has been more productive this season and arguably better than the Belgian.

 

[Moby]

You are seriously underrating Bale and overrating some of the others there. Di Maria has been inconsistent as anything so far at Madrid.

I'll happily take Bale for anything upto 40 million. He is much less of a risk than Hazard and Lucas too who ended up costing similar with Signing on fees and other things.

Lucas cost that much because a stupid moneybag who wanted a "star" name spent a shitload for him. Do you want us to go down that road or rather be wise and look for options who cost less and have more potential to develop at our team? Seriously, if Bale is the only option the club can think of, there is something seriously wrong with our scouting. Reus going for 14 MP when Young and Downing went for almost 20 tells automatically that British players playing in the PL are the most overrated and overpriced. I don't us to fall for that tbh.

I don't mind if we buy Bale as long as it is for the price he deserves, which isn't anything over 20. If you think Bale is a better player and would be a better buy than RVP, then clearly something is wrong. I don't him contributing half as much as RVP.

 

[Cevno]

Bale has been clearly better than Hazard this season. It isn't even arguable.

Hazard like Bale has pretty good potential though.

 

[Fergus' son]

We only offered around 5million less than said 'stupid money bag' for Lucas.

 

[Desert Eagle]

I've had my reservations about Bale, mainly due to the fact that he started out as a defender and the ridiculous hype(undeserved) he received the year he scored that hattrick at the San Siro. However having seen him become better the past two seasons to a point where he is justifying that praise he received earlier.

Some posters here struggle to look at a player individually and constantly bring up the league position or how crap a particular team is doing. I assume most of us have played football so why such difficulty in comprehending when a particular player's skill set makes him so valuable?

 

[Moby]

Forget Ribery, not one person on this thread has said Bale is better than him.

Bale at the very least is good as Di Maria or has been this season. He has added a lot more to his game and is huge threat no matter where he plays. Last season I was very critical of Bale playing centrally and being ineffective, this season he has walked past the midfields and defenses of teams time and again. Bale's right foot is better than Di Maria's as well imo.

Munian is nowhere near Bale, not even close.

Hazard is a better dribbler than Bale but Bale has been more productive this season and arguably better than the Belgian.

Both Muniain and Griezmann are players with great potential, neither of them are finished so can't really compared with someone who is playing at his peak.

Bale has developed his shooting, but the issue is simple, no team would think of sitting back and defending against spurs, most takes take the attack to them and leave a lot of space behind for players like Bale and Lennon attack using their pace. We are not Spurs, and many teams do park the bus, specially at OT and are happy to get a point here, which is where more than half of Bale's strengths will be nullified, and we would need a tricky skillful players who can unlock a defense either with his dribbling or passing. I don't see Bale being that sort of player. He will be devastating on the counter with us, but I wouldn't spend 40 mill quid who can be nullified with an easy tactic.

 

[GlastonSpur]

'Enlighten us ' ? feck off Glaston , you're the one who came up with that opinion after all and now you're telling me you don't have specific players in mind ? Don't be a pussy, give us a few names otherwise you'll always be the laughing stock that you are now.

I've offered the opinion that are very few players out there who offer more of an all round package than Bale.

If you disagree that Bale offers an all round package, then the onus is one you to explain why (since I've already given reasons for my view).

Or, if you disagree that there are "very few" players who offer more of an all round package, then again the onus is one you to provide a list of players who, in your opinion, do offer more of an all round package.

PS. Tossing around insults doesn't cut it.

 

[Moby]

We only offered around 5million less than said 'stupid money bag' for Lucas.

And I was really thankful that we dodged that bullet. I would prefer if the club doesn't go down that desperate route again and be a bit more clever in transfers.

 

[Fergus' son]

And I was really thankful that we dodged that bullet. I would prefer if the club doesn't go down that desperate route again and be a bit more clever in transfers.

Yeah, but the club, the manager, wanted him for that price. I'd be disappointed if they were willing to pay so much for Moura but not for Bale.

Also, dodged what bullet? He's a great talent.

 

[Moby]

Bale has been clearly better than Hazard this season. It isn't even arguable.

Hazard like Bale has pretty good potential though.

Hazard came into a new league, at an unstable club with managers changing, striker being Fernando Torres and what not. That is the thing, I don't look at only few months to say who is the better player, at least look at the past 2-3 years to judge them. Once Hazard settles in properly, which I doubt he will at Chelsea and I can see him regretting joining them, he is more or less everything in his locker you can ask from an attacking midfielder.

 

[Moby]

Yeah, but the club, the manager, wanted him for that price. I'd be disappointed if they were willing to pay so much for Moura but not for Bale.

But in reality neither of them deserves that much. We can't say that two wrongs will make a right. I was quite happy with the transfers we made in RVP and Kagawa, we bought top quality players with spending half as much as we would have for Hazard or Moura. I would prefer if continue the same and scout a bit more. This is the absolutely worst time to buy Bale, his stock is at it's peak and what Levy is looking is milk it as much as he can, and the one falls for it will be the victim.

 

[GlastonSpur]

... Bale has developed his shooting, but the issue is simple, no team would think of sitting back and defending against spurs, most takes take the attack to them and leave a lot of space behind for players like Bale and Lennon attack using their pace. ...

That is not true. Plenty of teams sit back against Spurs, hoping to prevent us scoring and hoping to themselves nick a goal from a set piece or a succession of long ball punts up field.

 

[Nighteyes]

Both Muniain and Griezmann are players with great potential, neither of them are finished so can't really compared with someone who is playing at his peak.

Bale has developed his shooting, but the issue is simple, no team would think of sitting back and defending against spurs, most takes take the attack to them and leave a lot of space behind for players like Bale and Lennon attack using their pace. We are not Spurs, and many teams do park the bus, specially at OT and are happy to get a point here, which is where more than half of Bale's strengths will be nullified, and we would need a tricky skillful players who can unlock a defense either with his dribbling or passing. I don't see Bale being that sort of player. He will be devastating on the counter with us, but I wouldn't spend 40 mill quid who can be nullified with an easy tactic.

Don't buy that at all. The same thing could have been said for Valencia who is quite similar to Bale in his style of play. Yet ignoring this season Valencia has been a resounding success and was our player of the year last season. And in Bale you have someone who's quicker than Valencia, provides more of a goalscoring threat than Valencia, not limited to playing with one foot and can p[lay on either flank.

 

[Moby]

Don't buy that at all. The same thing could have been said for Valencia who is quite similar to Bale in his style of play. Yet ignoring this season Valencia has been a resounding success and was our player of the year last season. And in Bale you have someone who's quicker than Valencia, provides more of a goalscoring threat than Valencia, not limited to playing with one foot and can p[lay on either flank.

Thanks for that, I was going to come to Valencia. And that is exactly what I am saying. Bale is not that different from Valencia, he is a worse crosser but a better player when it comes to shooting. Valencia still worked against a packed defense because he was never as direct as Bale, knew his ability and did what he did best, that is cross it in. And even that failed at times. He was no Beckham himself, but pretty good at at and formed a good partnership. He was also our plan A, B, C and D for a few games, and hence had more chances to make an impact. With poor crossing and more inclination to go for goal, Bale will struggle more against a crowd than Valencia.

 

[Fergus' son]

In reality, football players in general shouldn't be going for millions of pounds. But they do, and as the Moura example proves, it's not only moneybag clubs willing to pay silly money for great talents, we were willing to do so too.

Rooney's stock was high too, as was Rios, as was Ronaldos. They worked out well do the clubs that signed them.

I don't get this obsession with fans/posters wanting to play accountants when it comes to the clubs finances and transfer policy. If the manager thinks a player is worth it then I'd trust this judgement, and like I said, if the manager thought Moura was worth 35million then by my reckoning he should think the same of Bale.

 

[Nighteyes]

Thanks for that, I was going to come to Valencia. And that is exactly what I am saying. Bale is not that different from Valencia, he is a worse crosser but a better player when it comes to shooting. Valencia still worked against a packed defense because he was never as direct as Bale, knew his ability and did what he did best, that is cross it in. And even that failed at times. He was no Beckham himself, but pretty good at at and formed a good partnership. He was also our plan A, B, C and D for a few games, and hence had more chances to make an impact. With poor crossing and more inclination to go for goal, Bale will struggle more against a crowd than Valencia.

Sorry but that's utter nonsense. Bale for a start is not a worse crosser than Valencia. Have you even seen him play this season? He does not cross as much as Valencia does but when he does they are usually very difficult to defend against. Put RVP instead of Defoe and Bale would have a lot more assists. And while this is not the perfect example but the amount of assists Valencia got increased tremendously after he moved from Wigan, same will happen to Bale if he does move.

Bale is quicker than Valencia.
Bale offers a greater goalscoring threat than Valencia
Bale can play on either flank or through the middle unlike Valencia.
Bale has a very competent weaker foot unlike Valencia.
Bale has better technique than Valencia.

I am not sure how can anyone can argue that Bale would not be a better signing than Valencia was. IF Bale signs for us, he will be a huge success. I've got no doubts about that. He's tailor made for us because we stretch teams which will leave him one one one with his full back plenty of times in a way that does not happen with Spurs.

 

[Moonwalker]

Thanks for that, I was going to come to Valencia. And that is exactly what I am saying. Bale is not that different from Valencia, he is a worse crosser but a better player when it comes to shooting. Valencia still worked against a packed defense because he was never as direct as Bale, knew his ability and did what he did best, that is cross it in. And even that failed at times. He was no Beckham himself, but pretty good at at and formed a good partnership. He was also our plan A, B, C and D for a few games, and hence had more chances to make an impact. With poor crossing and more inclination to go for goal, Bale will struggle more against a crowd than Valencia.

Valencia not as direct as Bale. I think now we've heard it all.

I think the best way to go about it is to fess up, tell us that your entire input in this thread was just a colossal wind up.

Because if it isn't, it's embarrassing stuff.

 

[Moby]

Agreed, Bale is better than Valencia, I didn't say otherwise so I don't the point of comparing their strengths. The pace is useless against 2 lines of 4 defending the goal. As for him being a success here, you are implying that he will continue his form that he has not even had for a full year if he moves, well I won't put my money on that.