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

Ash_G said:
Bales statistics really aren't that amazing, in the context of this PL season ;

Mata 10G 9A
Walcott 11 8A
Hazard 7G 7A
Bale 13G 1A
Fellani 10G 3A

All players, playing in equal if not weaker teams, similar freedom and off similar ages. In terms of pure output Bale is joint 3rd with Hazard, from that list. Yes Bale is a very exciting player and a hot prospect but this 40-50mil stuff is just ott. He doesn't play like an old fashioned winger like Giggs did, he has the license to roam a bit, yeah he tracks well but he's allowed to drift a lot. I've no doubt that the likes of Nani and Kagawa at united could get a lot more goals in a more attacking role. That's not to say what he's doing isn't impressive, but in the role he's been given it's also expected.

That's the thing, Spurs have built their team around Bale and his goals have come from that. If he goes to a bigger team he's unlikely to get that freedom because you wouldn't say he has more ability/potential than Rooney/RVP at united, or mata/Hazard/silva/Aguero at chelsea/city, let alone the likes of Barca or Real.

If he kicks on and does follow in Ronaldo's footsteps in this more drifitng role then fair enough but that's a lot more goals he needs to find, if not I can't see how he's a 40mil purchase, when in recent seasons the likes of mata/carzola/silva have been got for closer to 25mil.
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You've kind of answered your own question. He has a team built for his strengths in which he is the big fish.. However that in itself takes some doing Spurs are no crap team. The price relates to his importance in the team, age and the fact it is Levy we are dealing with. I don't think anyone on here believe he's worth that price.. He's being drifting more basically because teams have been cutting his service and its the only way he can get more involved lateley, I wouldn't say it has anything to do with how he is as a winger.. I'm sure he could easily run up and down the line all day if asked.
 
paceme said:
So what are you saying. You think this is Bale's average performance level? There isn't really anything to back that up.
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Not a chance mate. I think he's in the form of his life (thus far). His form will drop off (fluctuate) but the challenge is - to reach the superstar levels to maintain this run of form for an entire season.

I don't think his ability should be in question anymore. We all know what he's capable of.
 
Ish84045 said:
Not a chance mate. I think he's in the form of his life (thus far). His form will drop off (fluctuate) but the challenge is - to reach the superstar levels to maintain this run of form for an entire season.

I don't think his ability should be in question anymore. We all know what he's capable of.
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Tbh I agree with him being in the top 5 players but the 50 million price tag is a joke, that's what I'm getting at, and the fact that people are just assuming this is his standard performance level where to me he seems like a player in brilliant form and I can't see it carrying on indefinitely.
 
Mainoldo said:
You've kind of answered your own question. He has a team built for his strengths in which he is the big fish.. However that in itself takes some doing Spurs are no crap team. The price relates to his importance in the team, age and the fact it is Levy we are dealing with. I don't think anyone on here believe he's worth that price.. He's being drifting more basically because teams have been cutting his service and its the only way he can get more involved lateley, I wouldn't say it has anything to do with how he is as a winger.. I'm sure he could easily run up and down the line all day if asked.
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Sure Spurs aren't crap but that doesn't make him a 40m player, spurs may well not even finish top 4 this season. If Levy wants 40m that's his perogative but I don't see why we would need to spend that when we could probably find a different sort of player for much less. Like I said I don't see how anyone could say that Bale is in a different level to mata/silva/carzola, all signed for much less then that. Look at Kagawa for 12ish mil, sure he's still adapting but we know he is quality when in form.

My point about him cutting in/drifting is that it helps facilitate the goals, say he did come to us and played as a more orthodox winger, whilst I have no doubt he would fit right in, and don't deny he would be a great addition, would he really add 40m of quality that we couldn't get at least somewhat similarly from a Valencia in normal form or Nani?
 
paceme said:
Tbh I agree with him being in the top 5 players but the 50 million price tag is a joke, that's what I'm getting at, and the fact that people are just assuming this is his standard performance level where to me he seems like a player in brilliant form and I can't see it carrying on indefinitely.
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Yep, it will take a Ronny/Messi like effort to keep this going. Well see, but like u, I doubt it as well. Form and performance wise, he should be in most people's top 5 in the PL this season.

The £50m price tag isn't realistic (if you compare what he's achieved in the game up until now etc), but it's probably the price it will take to prize him away from WHL. I can see Spurs selling to Madrid in a year or 3. (Assuming he keeps developing at this rate).
 
Ash_G said:
Sure Spurs aren't crap but that doesn't make him a 40m player, spurs may well not even finish top 4 this season. If Levy wants 40m that's his perogative but I don't see why we would need to spend that when we could probably find a different sort of player for much less. Like I said I don't see how anyone could say that Bale is in a different level to mata/silva/carzola, all signed for much less then that. Look at Kagawa for 12ish mil, sure he's still adapting but we know he is quality when in form.

My point about him cutting in/drifting is that it helps facilitate the goals, say he did come to us and played as a more orthodox winger, whilst I have no doubt he would fit right in, and don't deny he would be a great addition, would he really add 40m of quality that we couldn't get at least somewhat similarly from a Valencia in normal form or Nani?
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Bale's better than Kagawa, Valencia, Carzola, Gotze, James etc.. I'm not going to get in to a debate about who's got better ability.. He's better than all those mentioned simple because he's a match winner on a different level to those players which is why even as ridiculous as the price is a club like City, Madrid etc will pay close to it.
 
Mainoldo said:
Bale's better than Kagawa, Valencia, Carzola, Gotze, James etc.. I'm not going to get in to a debate about who's got better ability.. He's better than all those mentioned simple because he's a match winner on a different level to those players which is why even as ridiculous as the price is a club like City, Madrid etc will pay close to it.
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Better at the moment maybe, sure, but whether he's 40m better is another thing.
 
Moyes said he's up there with Suarez and RVP at the moment, and as a manager that has had to prepare to face these players, I'd say he knows what he's on about.

For the record, he also rightly scoffed at the Messi and Ronaldo comparisons.
 
1 PL assist all season for a midfielder/winger?

Garbage. He has got a few goals, granted, but when you are shooting all of the time and not bothering to pass the ball surely that is going to happen.

Even our greedy young Ronaldo was less greedy that that!
 
There's no use denying it now. Gareth Bale is a monster of a footballer, a player who alone can change the course of a match. He would almost any team a substantially better team -- the lone exception being Barcelona IMHO.
 
fair point. You cant say he's got 15 goals and he's a winger, and ignore the fact that must then mean he's a winger with one solitary assist.

Moyes was right, he is playing the Ronaldo role, ie, roaming around, always in the penalty area, always shooting. The only difference is he probably won't be able to sustain it.
 
TheReligion said:
1 PL assist all season for a midfielder/winger?

Garbage. He has got a few goals, granted, but when you are shooting all of the time and not bothering to pass the ball surely that is going to happen.

Even our greedy young Ronaldo was less greedy that that!
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Ash is using bollocks stats, he's on 13/4 in the pl this season. I watch alot of Spurs games and he should have far more if Spurs actually had a decent striker. Theres no doubt that if we did buy him he'd get far more assists. The main question with Bale is whether this is simply a one off season or like Ronnie, he's turned the corner. He's become a match winner this season for club and country.
 
If you asked me would I like Bale at United I would say yes.

If you asked me do I think he is the best player in the league and worth 50 million, I would say certainly not.

As I said, if Spurs fail to make CL again he needs to move on.
 
Bale creates 2.3 chances per game. Ronaldo 1.6 and Messi 1.4. Bale pops up every where, but if you watch any Spurs game, the majority of his work still comes down the left. He'll have plenty of touches all over the place, but his creativity comes from the left. Every game he puts in plenty of good crosses.

Using the assist stat is totally unfair. It's completely reliant on other players to finish the chances. The 1 assist thing is just an excuse for people who don't watch him to criticize. Anyone who watches him wont be at all shocked to see he's ranked 9th in the Prem for chances created.
 
TheReligion said:
No one is putting Anderson up there with Ronaldo, Messi, RvP, Rooney, Aguero, Mata etc though
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Bale is no Messi or Ronaldo, but it's quite safe now to speak the name Bale in the same sentence as Aguero and Mata. Is Bale in the same orbit as RvP and Rooney? Almost, but he's closing in fast. We'll only find out when he joins a top club and can put in these performances agains the very best clubs in the world.

But is Bale a legitimate all world XI candidate? If not for the facht that Ronaldo plays in roughly the same position, absolutely.
 
TheReligion said:
If you asked me would I like Bale at United I would say yes.

If you asked me do I think he is the best player in the league and worth 50 million, I would say certainly not.

As I said, if Spurs fail to make CL again he needs to move on.
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Why? He can work harder, to get Spurs into the competition.
 
he is not a local lad. He may stay if Spurs are serious about being a top side. That means bringing in players. Or at least if they are investing in a strong youth program.

But the Spanish clubs will be sending out feelers. Wave enough money and he will leave. Spurs wont hold on if he wants to go either.
 
Snake Plissken said:
fair point. You cant say he's got 15 goals and he's a winger, and ignore the fact that must then mean he's a winger with one solitary assist.

Moyes was right, he is playing the Ronaldo role, ie, roaming around, always in the penalty area, always shooting. The only difference is he probably won't be able to sustain it.
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Agreed that he's definitely not playing as a winger. He's actually playing a similar role to Rooney has for us over the years, a free role where he does drop deep but is allowed complete freedom when they go forward to get lots of goals. Ronaldo role also works but Ronaldo probably tracks back a lot less.
 
RedRover said:
He's a "hot property" because he's a young lad who it looks like may make a move. In that sense he's likely to be one of the most sought after players in football this summer. That's not to say he's the best player in the world.

Some of the criticism I find bizzare - it seem to be based on him not being as good as some journalist says he is. It totally misses the point - specifically that he's improved year on year, and looks like he could be a special player - in my view having more potential than, for example, Fellaini.

If he were at United people on here would be wetting themselves with excitement.
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It would be interesting to see how3 many views changed if Fergie bought him.
 
RedSky At Night said:
Ash is using bollocks stats, he's on 13/4 in the pl this season. I watch alot of Spurs games and he should have far more if Spurs actually had a decent striker. Theres no doubt that if we did buy him he'd get far more assists. The main question with Bale is whether this is simply a one off season or like Ronnie, he's turned the corner. He's become a match winner this season for club and country.
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I just used the stats from whoscored, usually seems pretty reliable.

Anyway the point about the stats was just to show that compared to other players of similar ages in similar strength teams if not weaker in some cases, bale isn't exactly on a different level. I agree that stats can be misleading, particularly assist stats as you can do everything right but the guy could fluff it.

But like I said if we signed him he'd have to be more restricted in his role cause I don't think he's at a point where you would say to Rooney/rvp to adapt their games for him. And as an orthodox winger I don't think he has shown enough yet to justify that valuation nor to say he's that much better then what we have even if ours are having average seasons.
 
Brosstan said:
Its gonna be like RVP. There were plenty on here in denial claiming Rooney was the better striker during his last season at Arsenal, and making all sorts of bizarre claims to why RVP wasnt world class.
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Sure, but RVP cost somewhere around £20m and Bale will cost at least double that. RVP was the leagues top scorer last season, and Bale has one lousy assist - I'm sure Lennon has a few more than that! You can't blame the strikers all the time either - if so, Liverpool is right in saying that Downing is a class act. He too creates a lot of chances, if you like.
 
redmeister said:
Bale creates 2.3 chances per game. Ronaldo 1.6 and Messi 1.4. Bale pops up every where, but if you watch any Spurs game, the majority of his work still comes down the left. He'll have plenty of touches all over the place, but his creativity comes from the left. Every game he puts in plenty of good crosses.

Using the assist stat is totally unfair. It's completely reliant on other players to finish the chances. The 1 assist thing is just an excuse for people who don't watch him to criticize. Anyone who watches him wont be at all shocked to see he's ranked 9th in the Prem for chances created.
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Absolute bollocks. Every now and then he has games where he remembers he can cross the ball but I watch plenty of Spurs and it's certainly not every game. Not even close.
 
Devil may care said:
It would be interesting to see how3 many views changed if Fergie bought him.
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Indeed.

In the threads about our young players people are overly positive, and in the threads about anyone else's youngsters they get fearsome stick. The way of things I suppose.

I don't see why people want to be so critical - he seems like a decent kid and is entertaining to watch.
 
Rossa said:
Sure, but RVP cost somewhere around £20m and Bale will cost at least double that. RVP was the leagues top scorer last season, and Bale has one lousy assist - I'm sure Lennon has a few more than that! You can't blame the strikers all the time either - if so, Liverpool is right in saying that Downing is a class act. He too creates a lot of chances, if you like.
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He did - but he's older, has a poor injury record and had a year left on his contract. Probably only has 5 or so years left at the top level if he's lucky. And the club still paid a huge fee and gave him top wages - and I'm glad they did.

RVP had a great season last season - but it was his best by a mile, the previous years he didn't look like the player he does now.
 
RedRover said:
RVP had a great season last season - but it was his best by a mile, the previous years he didn't look like the player he does now.
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This season van Persie has 23 goals in 26 starts. In 10/11 he had 22 goals in 26 starts. His goals per game record last season was actually worse than this season and the season before. Best by a mile indeed.
 
RedRover said:
He did - but he's older, has a poor injury record and had a year left on his contract. Probably only has 5 or so years left at the top level if he's lucky. And the club still paid a huge fee and gave him top wages - and I'm glad they did.

RVP had a great season last season - but it was his best by a mile, the previous years he didn't look like the player he does now.
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RVP has always looked more consistent than Bale though, and Bale does have a bit of an injury record too, tbf.

I know he only had one year left, but we probably had to pay extra since it was from Arsenal. RVP was also more of a proven player than Bale is, yet.
 
RedRover said:
Indeed.

In the threads about our young players people are overly positive, and in the threads about anyone else's youngsters they get fearsome stick. The way of things I suppose.

I don't see why people want to be so critical - he seems like a decent kid and is entertaining to watch.
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It's because he knows he's good and there's a group of people who don't like that(unless that player is at their club, in which case they love it).
 
Rossa said:
BTW, how can Messi only create 1,4 chances per match when he scores an average of about that or more?
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They're goalscoring chances he helps create for teammates, not related to the goals he scores himself.
 
For the record I think Bale is a decent player who I would like to see at United. Already said that eariler. He would also thrive under Sir Alex before he steps down.

My issue with the usual OTT valuations and comparisons which are being made with him. Like I said, lets see some more from him in the PL against the very best, and in Europe, then I will start to take notice.
 
TheReligion said:
For the record I think Bale is a decent player who I would like to see at United. Already said that eariler. He would also thrive under Sir Alex before he steps down.

My issue with the usual OTT valuations and comparisons which are being made with him. Like I said, lets see some more from him in the PL against the very best, and in Europe, then I will start to take notice.
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Why do you care what hypothetical valuation is given, especially when it's all just whispers and rumours. It's so inconsequential that I couldn't give a shit never mind have an 'issue' with it.

If we did pay £50 million, who cares, it makes no difference to us except of course for having another top player to watch.
 
MrMojo said:
Why do you care what hypothetical valuation is given, especially when it's all just whispers and rumours. It's so inconsequential that I couldn't give a shit never mind have an 'issue' with it.

If we did pay £50 million, who cares, it makes no difference to us except of course for having another top player to watch.
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Well we are on a football forum to discuss these things so would be pretty boring if no one gave an opinion surely?
 
Brwned said:
Absolute bollocks. Every now and then he has games where he remembers he can cross the ball but I watch plenty of Spurs and it's certainly not every game. Not even close.
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It's not bollocks. To say it is is crazy. Stats show he puts in the 7th highest amount of accurate crossed per game in the Premier League. I suppose the people whose job it is to count these things are watching as carefully as you!

Of course those stats don't include the number of great balls he plays in that Spurs forwards don't get on the end of.
 
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