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

[Lynk]

No different to Ronaldo then. Strong and fast.

...


Are you comparing him to Cristiano Ronaldo? One of the greatest players to have played the game? Yes those are two prominent features of his game but he has a feckload more (Heading, dribbling, shooting, free kicks etc) Now this is exactly why Bale pisses me off. He isn't even in the top 10 on the premier league let alone in Ronaldo's class

 

[golden_blunder]

No I'm just saying scoring two goals against Norwich isn't quite the same as scoring two against United or Barca. I mean this morning I've had someone say to me he is by far the best player in the league. This sort of bollocks is why I can't stand Bale.

well thats a bit silly of you then.. it isn't Bale saying these things

 

[golden_blunder]

...
He isn't even in the top 10 on the premier league let alone in Ronaldo's class

you'd have to say that on current form he is

 

[peterstorey]

This year he has actually been very good. Not like last year when he was all hype and no performance.

Yep, it's quite bizarre.

 

[africanspur]

No I'm just saying scoring two goals against Norwich isn't quite the same as scoring two against United or Barca. I mean this morning I've had someone say to me he is by far the best player in the league. This sort of bollocks is why I can't stand Bale.

So you base your opinions of players based on how much others rate him?

 

[Lynk]

I disagree to my mind the following players are better than him (In their position, I'm gonna exclude goalkeepers)



Wayne Rooney
Nani
Nemanja Vidic
Sergio Aguero
David Silva
Vincent Kompany
Yaya Toure
Samir Nasri
Juan Mata
Robin Van Persie
Jack Wilshere
Rafa Van Der Vaart
Luka Modric
Luis Suarez

So you base your opinions of players based on how much others rate him?

No he's a good player but it's when people say he's in the same league as Ronaldo or the best player in the league is when I'll flip out about it. I want to see him tear a top 4-5 team a new one on a consistant basis before he's worthy of that title.

 

[GlastonSpur]

... His style will never reach that level of "unplayability" the worlds top wingers can reach.

Who are all these "top wingers" that are currently better than Bale?

 

[Decotron]

No different to Ronaldo then. Strong and fast.

He's a young lad with (barring injuries) years left of being very quick. He could be a real superstar in my opinion - not only very fast but very direct and a great athlete - compare him to other "fast" player like Lennon and Walcott and he's quite simply streets ahead.

Could probably take it to the next level at a really top club.

When I hear the phrase unplayable wingers I think of Figo and Giggs in terms of those Ive seen live. Bale doesnt have the technique of either so has to rely on his power and pace.

That type of player can be defended against, as demonstrated by Rafael who himself is not exactly the most refined of defenders.

Now dont get me wrong Bale isnt a young Kevin Kilbaine either, his delivery and weight of pass can be excellent and will only improve with experience and will ultimately see him eclipse the likes of Lennon etc. Have a look at some of his international performances, against better defense's tactically hes more easily nulified.

The Ronaldo comparison is a bit shit, think about it.....

 

[B20]

hes a good player but his game is based on pace. It will be interesting to see if he can re-invent himslef once his main asset is gone.

I confess, I am generally more interested in what young players can do they at their peak than in the twilight of their careers.

If he goes on to be one of the best wingers in the world for some years and then falls off once his pace goes, it will be an magnificent career.

 

[Ole's_toe_poke]

I was as annoyed with the Bale-hype as anyone.

TBH however, I think he's been much better this season than he was last season. He's actually putting in some great performances.

Easy to dismiss him because of the ridiculous hype around him and Tottenham in general. But he has actually been pretty good this season. One of the best players in the league this season.

 

[Lynk]

Who are all these "top wingers" that are currently better than Bale?

Messi (Not played their much anymore, but he's still better)
Ronaldo
Di Maria
Sanchez
Pedro
Nani
Franck Ribery
David Silva (More of a attacking mid but is still great there)
Robben
David Villa (More of a striker but he's still impressive there)

 

[B20]

Strike Messi, Villa, Silva and Ronaldo from that. Still a fair number though.

 

[africanspur]

I disagree to my mind the following players are better than him (In their position, I'm gonna exclude goalkeepers)



Wayne Rooney
Nani
Nemanja Vidic
Sergio Aguero
David Silva
Vincent Kompany
Yaya Toure
Samir Nasri
Juan Mata
Robin Van Persie
Jack Wilshere
Rafa Van Der Vaart
Luka Modric
Luis Suarez



No he's a good player but it's when people say he's in the same league as Ronaldo or the best player in the league is when I'll flip out about it. I want to see him tear a top 4-5 team a new one on a consistant basis before he's worthy of that title.

I'm not going to bother arguing about some of those players (because some genuinely are better and some are down to preferences etc) but I don't see how Nasri, Mata, VDV, Suarez or Wilshire are better than Bale? Especially this season?

The only winger in this league better than Bale is Nani. And he's an exceptional player.

Very few people actually say that though? There was a few such comments when he ripped Inter apart and then they mostly died down again after. He didn't deserve the award last year and the subsequent hype has been over the top for sure but I find peoples' desire to then swing to the opposite extreme in such cases very strange. He's not the best player in the league either but he is up there at the moment.

Who cares about his pace? He's 22 for gods sake, not 31. And he's adding extra attributes and skills all the time. Re-inventing his game to get around people getting tight or teams double marking him and going into him hard.

 

[golden_blunder]

I disagree to my mind the following players are better than him (In their position, I'm gonna exclude goalkeepers)



Wayne Rooney
Nani
Nemanja Vidic
Sergio Aguero
David Silva
Vincent Kompany
Yaya Toure
Samir Nasri
Juan Mata
Robin Van Persie
Jack Wilshere
Rafa Van Der Vaart
Luka Modric
Luis Suarez



No he's a good player but it's when people say he's in the same league as Ronaldo or the best player in the league is when I'll flip out about it. I want to see him tear a top 4-5 team a new one on a consistant basis before he's worthy of that title.

So, going by your own list, you think that a kid thats currently out injured is currently better than Bale?

You think that a player that hasn't always played for Spurs this season, is currently better than Bale?

You have a strange way to look at things

SPURS are currently THIRD in the league, and look like genuine challengers for a change. SPURS! A lot of that is down to the work of Bale (not entirely, but he brings a new dimension to their team when he's on form)

 

[Decotron]

Not the thread for it but I couldnt be arsed starting a new one on it, Di Maria's improvement over the last 12 months has been staggering. Proper player these days, the little cnut

 

[africanspur]

Strike Messi, Villa, Silva and Ronaldo from that. Still a fair number though.

Yep, that's a fair list. Though I don't think Pedro has been all that good this season?

 

[Ole's_toe_poke]

You have a strange way to look at things

Its called being blinded by your own agenda.

You should try it some time.

 

[golden_blunder]

Its called being blinded by your own agenda.

You should try it some time.

I did that once and ended up stubbing my toe

never again!

 

[africanspur]

And actually, even if all those players are better, the original post said that on form, he is one of the top 10 players in the league. I don't know how you can then put in players that have been injured all season or who have spent most of it on the bench.

 

[GlastonSpur]

Messi (Not played their much anymore, but he's still better)
Ronaldo
Di Maria
Sanchez
Pedro
Nani
Franck Ribery
David Silva (More of a attacking mid but is still great there)
Robben
David Villa (More of a striker but he's still impressive there)

If we exclude from your list those who are not actually left wingers, that leaves several players whom most managers would not swap Bale for ... Robben for example.

Give Fergie the choice now of Robben or Bale and there is zero chance he'd take the former.

 

[peterstorey]

And he's adding extra attributes and skills all the time. Re-inventing his game to get around people getting tight or teams double marking him and going into him hard.

He's been helped by Spurs playing 4231 and not being stuck wide as he often was in the 4411/442 of last season.

 

[B20]

If we exclude from your list those who are not actually left wingers, that leaves several players whom most managers would not swap Bale for ... Robben for example.

Give Fergie the choice now of Robben or Bale and there is zero chance he'd take the former.

Robben would be less attractive because he is older, more injury prone and is obviously a diva that is not easy to work with. Nevertheless, a better player than Bale.

 

[golden_blunder]

define "better"

 

[RedRover]

Ronaldo isn't just strong and fast. If these two attributes are all it takes to score 50-60 goals a season, we'd have shitloads of those players.

Indeed. But Ronaldo is also a lot further down his learning curve than Gareth Bale.

They are, or course players with a different style and Ronaldo is technically the more gifted. He was however not always the player he is an learned to be more effective and to develop and adapt his game.

I'm not suggesting that all you need is to be quick and strong to be a top player, but it certainly helps. Ronaldo's speed and strength are a massive part of his game and are one of the major reasons he's such a talent - physically he's almost a "perfect" player and he uses those assets as much as possible.

My point was made in response to a suggestion that Bale will have to develop his game when he loses his pace, from that point of view Ronaldo is similar - but it doesnt make him any less of an asset now and I don't think people looking at Gareth Bale will be worrying about what he'll do in 10 years when his legs have tired.

 

[B20]

define "better"

He does more damage to teams, is more capable of winning games, better dribbler, better goalscorer. The usual.

 

[RedRover]

...


Are you comparing him to Cristiano Ronaldo? One of the greatest players to have played the game? Yes those are two prominent features of his game but he has a feckload more (Heading, dribbling, shooting, free kicks etc) Now this is exactly why Bale pisses me off. He isn't even in the top 10 on the premier league let alone in Ronaldo's class

No - clearly not.

See my post above. Ronaldo and Bale are similar in that both rely heavily on pace. If and when Ronaldo's legs go he won't be the player he was - doesnt make him any less of a top player now.

Hence why I don't hold with the suggestion that Bale is limited because he's so fast. Real pace is a great asset which very few players seem to have at the very top level. Even better if you can actually put it to good use better than other "kick and chase" merchants like Lennon and (to a lesser extent) Walcott.

 

[africanspur]

He's been helped by Spurs playing 4231 and not being stuck wide as he often was in the 4411/442 of last season.

True, our play in the league became a bit laboured last season, especially without Huddlestone spraying around his early balls. We'd eventually get the ball to Bale facing our own goal on the halfway line, where he's already got one player on him, followed closely by the rb fouling the shit out of him. The times when he'd get to the byline and put in a cross, he had Defoe, Pav or Crouch to aim for, none of whom understand particularly well the concepts of movement or aggressive heading.

He's been given a bit more freedom this season, added more stuff to his game and the team as a whole is better this season, which takes the load off his shoulders.

 

[golden_blunder]

He does more damage to teams, is more capable of winning games, better dribbler, better goalscorer. The usual.

Is he doing that currently?

 

[Pogue Mahone]

For all the over the top Bale hype last year, it was the backlash on here when he had a dip in form that was even more ridiculous. Taking his age into account you'd have to be blind not to see his enormous potential. I never understood why so many people on here seemed to write off his whole career based on a half-season slump. Crazy.

 

[B20]

Is he doing that currently?

Injury, no? Still scored 1 in 2 this season.

But if you want to make the criteria for 'better player' as 'based on the last five months' then ok: Bale is the better player.

 

[Plan M]

For once I agree with Pogue. Bale is a fantastic player, why/how can't some of you accept this?

Although if he was a United player I'd expect 99% of the Caf would be posting the smiley at every opportunity.

He's got it all - pace, power, belief, is a fantastic finisher and still very young. He'll become a great, no doubt about it.

 

[relx]

Robben is still fantastic, albeit fecking selfish

 

[peterstorey]

For all the over the top Bale hype last year, it was the backlash on here when he had a dip in form that was even more ridiculous. Taking his age into account you'd have to be blind not to see his enormous potential. I never understood why so many people on here seemed to write off his whole career based on a half-season slump. Crazy.

No, it was an entirely understandable reaction to the stupidity of the potty hype and few denied his obvious potential, which only now is he starting to deliver on.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

No, it was an entirely understandable reaction to the stupidity of the potty hype and few denied his obvious potential, which only now is he starting to deliver on.

Only now? Starting to deliver? Bollocks. He's delivering more consistently and at a higher level but he put in a bunch very good performances in the first half of last season and towards the end of 09/10.

Just because Fleet Street (and a minority on here) started hailing him as the next Messi doesn't justify the ridiculous under-rating of his ability as a footballer that happened on here last spring (ring-led by your good self)

 

[Plan M]

Footy fans are jealous creatures, it has to be said.

Bale would get into the first 11 of Chelsea, United, City and Arsenal every time I reckon. No, he isn't the "next Messi" but he's a bloody good player.

If we're all being honest:

Bale > Downing
Bale > Young
Bale > Gervinho
Bale > Malouda
Bale > Johnson

 

[africanspur]

Bale had an outstanding 2010. Only started playing in January of the season that we got 4th, yet was arguably our best player and then started off the next season excellently.

tottenhamhotspurs.tv Player Of The Year

Its not his fault that the media and opposing fans only started to only notice this good form after the Inter matches. Probably the biggest and most stupid myth surrounding Bale is that he has only ever had one or two good games. He's had a lot, people were just too blind to see it until the media pointed it out (in a very hyperbolic nature) after the Inter games.

 

[peterstorey]

Only now? Starting to deliver? Bollocks. He's delivering more consistently and at a higher level but he put in a bunch very good performances in the first half of last season and towards the end of 09/10.

Just because Fleet Street (and a minority on here) started hailing him as the next Messi doesn't justify the ridiculous under-rating of his ability as a footballer that happened on here last spring (ring-led by your good self)

Well this is an exchange from a year ago, who's underrating Bale's potential here?

There's no way I'd have Bale over Nani, he just hasn't done enough of it yet.

I'd be the same on the basis that I think Nani is still a long way short of the finished article but Bale seems to have less development left in his game. Which sounds weird considering Bale is the younger of the two but I think he will always be a bit more 'vanilla' (that's racist)

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Eh? That comment stands the test of time very well. I still think Nani will be the better player. Of course, that says more about how good Nani can become than anything else.

 

[Boss]

He's a joy to watch at times. So fecking explosive, it's as if he can run at you all game.

He reminds me of a young Ryan Giggs.

 

[davisjw]

I disagree to my mind the following players are better than him (In their position, I'm gonna exclude goalkeepers)



Wayne Rooney
Nani
Nemanja Vidic
Sergio Aguero
David Silva
Vincent Kompany
Yaya Toure
Samir Nasri
Juan Mata
Robin Van Persie
Jack Wilshere
Rafa Van Der Vaart
Luka Modric
Luis Suarez

No he's a good player but it's when people say he's in the same league as Ronaldo or the best player in the league is when I'll flip out about it. I want to see him tear a top 4-5 team a new one on a consistant basis before he's worthy of that title.

If we're basing it on this season alone, he's playing better than the bolded who have had disappearing spells this season.

I think Adebayor would have to be in there somewhere as well. I'd say instead of Suarez who hasn't really lit it up this season.

He really is a wonderful player to watch and a player who's absolutely deadly on the attack. He's no Ronaldo and will never be, but he is a magnificent winger. Top 5 for me in the wing department only behind Nani, Silva, and Mata (but Mata's stock is falling to me).