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Ex-Spurs Player Gareth Bale

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I think a lot of it is down to his hair. It sounds silly but I think he is always worried about his bun coming undone and showing the world his bald patch. Combined with his fear of sprinting he’s just not going to be effective in the PL.

You can’t play properly if you’re always thinking about your legs or your hair.
 
I think today he showed why he should never start if he’s to play. First 30mins he looked like only comptent player, got on the ball, looked to find space, etc.

After (which im sure has to do with age, fitness, and ability) he completely faded....nothing seem to be coming off for Bale.
 
StripiestPilot said:
I think a lot of it is down to his hair. It sounds silly but I think he is always worried about his bun coming undone and showing the world his bald patch. Combined with his fear of sprinting he’s just not going to be effective in the PL.

You can’t play properly if you’re always thinking about your legs or your hair.
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Redknapp said the same about him (without the bald patch bit).

And we all remember the impact clearing out the mullet had on mighty Chrissy Waddle...

It’s got to be worth a try?!
 
TonySoprano said:
I'm going to stick up for him. It's the beginning of February and he's started his 2nd league game.

Whatever bullshit is fed to us about his 'fitness' i don't think any player is going to be anywhere near their best level if they start 2 league games in 6 months.

He may well be finished at the top level but signing him on loan and then starting him in 2 league games out of 20 gives him next to no chance of doing anything to regain full match sharpness. It's little wonder he then struggles when you do finally play him.
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And what has he done to prove that he is worth more starts and game time?!?

It is normal that player has to prove his value elswhere. He has got chances in EL for example, and if he has been invisible and medicore there, how does that support the notion of just gifting him starts in EPL?

I just don't understand that logic.

I can't see a thing he brings to the table right now.
I would be very much okay with terminating his loan tomorrow and play youngster from academy in his place - at least that could pay off in the long term.
 
Woeful tonight.

But I just don't really see a benefit to playing Bale in a system that has 3 centre backs, 2 wing backs and 2 central midfielders.

How are we meant to get the best out of him with that formation? He's a winger.

We either play 433 and he's on the right or left or we play 4231 and he's on the right or left.
 
Totti said:
Woeful tonight.

But I just don't really see a benefit to playing Bale in a system that has 3 centre backs, 2 wing backs and 2 central midfielders.

How are we meant to get the best out of him with that formation? He's a winger.

We either play 433 and he's on the right or left or we play 4231 and he's on the right or left.
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He can’t run, so it really doesn’t matter what the formation is. If we play 4231/433 he will have to do a lot more running towards our own goal and he’s not capable of doing that.

If he weren’t Gareth Bale I doubt he would even make the match day squad. He’s a million miles away from the physical level required.

Just from his face and body language it looks like he is a bit embarrassed to be out there.
 
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StripiestPilot said:
He can’t run, so it really doesn’t matter what the formation is. If we play 4231/433 he will have to do a lot more running towards our own goal and he’s not capable of doing that.

If he weren’t Gareth Bale I doubt he would even make the match day squad. He’s a million miles away from the physical level required.

Just from his face and body language it looks like he is a bit embarrassed to be out there.
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Exactly this.

It does not matter what formation we play. He has no explosiveness, no pace. I was also hoping yesterday that he would prove something. And he did - he is not at EPL level anymore. Just look at how he plays and runs. Bascially was invisible yesterday.

I would not mind terminating his loan before the end of today and give an academy kid the same minutes in EL that he would otherwise get.
 
StripiestPilot said:
He can’t run, so it really doesn’t matter what the formation is. If we play 4231/433 he will have to do a lot more running towards our own goal and he’s not capable of doing that.

If he weren’t Gareth Bale I doubt he would even make the match day squad. He’s a million miles away from the physical level required.

Just from his face and body language it looks like he is a bit embarrassed to be out there.
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You're not wrong.

But he's still a good footballer. He might not be that explosive player he once was. But he's still someone with supreme ability on the ball.

But I can't help but think the way he's being instructed or the line up we play with him make him utterly predictable to play against.
 
Bale has been awful since his return.

At the same time a real talent should be natured , maybe play him central , adapt a underperforming team structure to play to what strengths are left . Mourinho has failed , with either defensive turd football or Bale is in a B team of mediocrity. He has hardly played with Kane, Son, Tanquey, Reggie all on the pitch at the same time.
How anybody low on confidence can look good with Sissoko, Winks, Fatberg , Davis ,is nearly a impossibility.
While you can say he's been shit , l feel a more dynamic , creative manager would have got far more out of him
 
Lenny Hatchet said:
Bale has been awful since his return.

At the same time a real talent should be natured , maybe play him central , adapt a underperforming team structure to play to what strengths are left . Mourinho has failed , with either defensive turd football or Bale is in a B team of mediocrity. He has hardly played with Kane, Son, Tanquey, Reggie all on the pitch at the same time.
How anybody low on confidence can look good with Sissoko, Winks, Fatberg , Davis ,is nearly a impossibility.
While you can say he's been shit , l feel a more dynamic , creative manager would have got far more out of him
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Bale is 31 years old and physically shot after years of injuries and explosive football. Zidane didn’t think he was at a good enough level for Madrid and it’s obvious he isn’t right for the PL either.

His best years are long gone and all fans need to accept that. He’s had enough minutes this season to show something and he’s shown nothing. Based on yesterday he wouldn’t get in the Brighton XI.
 
He’s not been great since coming back.
He’s not been very good....
He’s not been good.....
He’s not been ok....
He’s not been poor....
He’s not been absolutely rubbish....

he’s not really done anything in anyway to be judged. And that’s about as damming as it is possibly ever going to be for a professional footballer.

someone should have been taking the emotion out of the situation and looking at what he would offer / could offer. If the balance is not there he should be gone. That’s it. It’s not a charity.
 
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