Gareth Bale – Time for Harry to cut his losses?
When Gareth Bale was bought by Tottenham for £5million in May 2007, he was one of the hottest prospects in English football. A left back/winger with a superb ability at free kicks and a brilliant left foot, it looked like the Welshman was destined for stardom. While at his former club Southampton, there was speculation of a move even to United but he opted for the London club believing his ambitions for first team football would be better realised there. It would be harsh to ask the question of where it is has all gone wrong for the Welsh international, he is only 20 years old and has a full career ahead of him, but a better question to ask is: where should Bale go from here?
His time at Tottenham has not been spectacular, although there have been high moments such as scoring only in his second appearance in a 3-3 draw at Fulham, and then in the following game, opening the scoring in his first North London derby with Arsenal with a superbly struck free-kick, what has really troubled me is that there seems to be a lack of clarity as to where he fits in the Spurs team. In his first season at the club, he was unfortunate enough to pick up a foot injury during the 3-2 home defeat to Birmingham which limited him to only 12 appearances for the club in 2007/08. During his second season he managed 30 appearances for the club and he played both left back and left winger, but again last summer he picked up a knee injury which kept him out for the start of this season.
Bale’s career at Tottenham has not really got going, injuries no doubt have played a big part in that but what we really worries me is whether Tottenham and Redknapp know what they want to do with the player. There were the pretty unfair press articles about Bale’s curse, that in 24 league games for the club, he had not been on the winning side, a run which was only ended in September this year when Harry put Bale on in the 84th minute during a 5-0 thrashing of Burnley. The points were surely safe but after the match Redknapp said something that questioned my view of the player. Redknapp admitted he put the Welsh winger on to break the curse:
That’s why I put him on. I thought we needed to break that hoodoo. It’s affected him, I think. He’s a left-back really and he could be a top player.
Here’s my issue with Bale, Redknapp believes him to be a left back but he hasn’t ever proved himself in the position. When he replaced Assou-Ekotto at half-time against Everton on Sunday, he had a torrid time against young Seamus Coleman and he allowed the Irishman to go past him far too easily for the first Everton goal which allowed the Merseysiders back into the match. In my view, Bale has only ever looked comfortable in the opposition half, whether putting in crosses with his fantastic left foot, making over lapping runs for wingers or scoring pin-point accurate free-kicks. He seems to be more at home as a left winger.
There are real stumbling blocks to Bale becoming a first team player in either position. At left back, Benoit Assou-Ekotto has had an excellent season and is unlikely to be replaced as first choice any time soon. Redknapp has said as much in recent months:
We have a great left-back in Benoit Assou-Ekotto. He’s a terrific payer, he’s quick, he’s a great passer. He whips it into feet and he has it all to be a top player.
In the left midfield position you have the two Croats in Niko Kranjcar and Luka Modric, neither will be easy to dislodge if both fit. Bale himself last month believed his performances for Wales might just persuade Redknapp to start including him in the starting line-up:
I am starting to get back in the frame at Tottenham now. Hopefully I can continue playing well, hopefully I can keep winning for Wales.
So we go back to the main question, what should Tottenham do with Bale? Bale has ruled out a loan move in January as Assou-Ekotto is away at the African Cup of Nations in January with Cameroon and he will no doubt get more opportunities in the starting line up. In my mind, he has a lot to prove at left back and during that month when Assou-Ekotto is away, Bale has to prove he is worthy of a position in the team full-time. If he fails or gets another injury, even though he is only 20, his time at Tottenham maybe coming to an end and Redknapp may decide to cut the club’s losses on the player. There are rumours of a bid of £3million from Birmingham City being on the cards and it seems the Welsh international maybe on his way out of the club, if not in January, then at the end of the season if he doesn’t establish himself in the team before then.
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I dont see Bale as a left back for me he can be a top class left midfielder but he needs games. His last two seasons have been interupted by injuries but believe me this kid can be top class he has all the atributes he just needs Arry to show some belief and the chance to put 5/6 games together to show what he can do. While Benni is away at the ACN he will obviously come in at left back but defensively I just dont think he is good enough.
When Ekotto is in African Nations Cup, opposing right wingers, midfielders and wing backs will be licking their lips as Bale covers. This is another case for O’Hara to return in January – he can play left back – not ideal either, but at least he is tenacious and a good tackler. I like Bale, but defensively needs more experience and perhaps a need to forget attacking for a while to master that art of defending.
I think the ACN is Bale’s last chance to prove he can cut it at left back. These guys are right, he just isn’t good enough defensively. Coleman cut him up on Sunday and we’re talking about someone who has no PL experience here, imagine what someone like Arshavin could do to him. His attacking game is great, but he needs to work on his defending – maybe a loan move to a less ambitious team?
Agree with everyone here, not a left back.
Bale will turn out to be a bargain and a quality left sided defensive midfielder, dont forget he’s still very young and has plenty to learn, HR will stick with him without question, perhaps a loan deal may work out for him to regain confidence thats been lost recently, but he looked OK in the two games this week. As for AE, may be quick in the legs dept, but a dithering, hesitant defender when pressurized at his worst, competant when given plenty of time on the ball, not for me as I prefer a no frills thug in that position, row z and all that
this site is clueless.
1st up. Ekotto is alrite, but not special, he has improved greatly, but his vision is not good, he crosses too early, and my god he fouls alot, he is lucky to not have a few red cards this season.
Bale on the other hand is far better techincally. his crossing and his free kicks are miles better.
You have based a poor opinion on 45 minutes of play.
Bale is a WING back, not full back. As the name implies, he is a winger that plays deep.
If you don’t play the young lad, he will never learn, and he will never get the confidence to be come as great as he can be. like Pav, if he is not played, how the hell can he prove himself.
Bale is going to be a top class footballer but we have to be patient with him, his defensive qualities need to be improved as does the tendancy to give the ball away in vulnerable positions. He will only learn this throgh experince. He final ball is fantastic and he takes a very good freek kick and he is capable of going passed players. Lets not ruin another young players career please.
He’ll need time to improve on his defensive side of the game. People say it’s difficult for foriegners to adapt to our game, well it’s the same with young players the rise from the lower leagues. Given time, like BAE, I think he’ll develop in to a solid left back. I think he’s already showing signs of improvement so lets not write the kid of just yet.
Bale will do just fine. Needs to develop a more focused head under pressure and channel a bit more aggression into his tackles but the worst part of his game is marking. Cant count the number of times the chap just didnt track his player tightly enough or maintain defensive shape. Sort this bit out and he is world class.
I don’t think I have ever heard essexian76’s term “left defensive midfielder” before. What is that? I know Left-back (Ekotto), Left wing-back (Ziege), Left Midfield (Kranjcar) or Left winger (erm… Tony Galvin!)
Bale still has the potential to be a top class left back, he is only 20 after all. Remember that Ashley Cole was criticised for being too poor defensively when he was young but I don’t think many people would argue now the he is amongst the best few left backs on the world. Hopefully with a few consecutive games under his belt in January we might begin to see the player we glimpsed when he first joined.