Bale as a striker until Summer?

[EmperorKabir]

So after reading a few articles where AVB has hinted that young Gareth may be put into an out and out number 10 role, it dawned on me, quite frankly, that it could actually work.

The lineups would look a bit like this:

-----------------Hugo
Walker (2 CB of Verts, Daws, Big Willly, hopefully Kaboom, Caulker) Disco Benny (Naughton understudy)

Aaron Holtby Mousa Gylfi (or other midfielders)
------Ade/JD Bale


Now I'm not big headed enough to say Bale is better than Ronaldo, but he has a similar style in my opinion, and converting Ronaldo from winger to striker which is basically what Madrid did with him has worked wonders.

I seriously think that given our striker crisis, and it really is a crisis, that simply shoving Bale up front may actually work.

Question is, how badly does it leave an exploitable side of our midfield? or can a certain rejig of the midfield resolve this, keeping our fight for fourth or even higher on?

 

[C-oops]

I think we will use this opportunity ( Defoe out injured) to play either a 433 or more likely a 4231. Can't see us playing 2 up front. Will be Afe with Bale, Holtby and Lennon all interchanging behind him. IMO

 

[hodspurs]

either ade or jd up front, holtby behind.. bale starting from the left coming inside when he can.. with benny being fit it means bale can come inside more.. if ade or jd are injured i would have no problem with bale up front..

 

[TottenhamLegend]

I'd rather see:

Lennon Holtby Bale
Ade/JD​

That 3 are all interchangeable, and are definitely not fixed as left, right and centre. Bale would still end up playing through the middle a fair bit, but you don't completely lose his asset of beating a full back and getting to the byline, like you would if he's played as an out and out striker.

 

[Lufti]

"There is a possibility that we continue with the 4-4-2 with Gareth as a striker," said Villas-Boas, who started Bale just behind Defoe at West Brom last weekend.
"He's having a tremendous year. I think he's such an outstanding player all round. His performance (against Austria) was outstanding once again. He's certainly amongst the five best players (in the league)."


And AVB on Ronaldo and Bale

He added: "It's funny to see how both players compare. They grew up as strikers, but became wingers. Gareth was a left-back and moved to winger and now going to a more advanced role. Ronaldo is also able to play that role up front.
"Ronaldo is now 28, and has achieved so much in his career, he is an example to Gareth as to what he can achieve."
Bale has excelled down the middle in Tottenham's last two games, scoring decisive goals against West Brom and Norwich, so Villas-Boas appears set on playing his star man up front for the time being.
"Gareth is such a phenomenal player that he is able to do that kind of role," Villas-Boas said. "He has been scoring a crazy amount of goals coming in from the right wing or through the middle, rather than from the left or assisting from the left. So it means a player can explore his full potential through the middle.

 

[ItsBoris]

I would say that in an emergency in which we can use neither Defoe or Adebayor, then it would be better for Bale to start up front and have Dempsey/Sigurdsson start on the left wing. Maybe if we are leading a game by a few goals, then we bring sigurdsson on for the striker and give it a try before we start playing Bale up front from the beginning of the game.

 

[tobi]

NO!

 

[worcestersauce]

I think he's doing alright where he is. I said on here ages ago he should move forward from left back and eventually into the middle where he cam be involved much more of the time than out wide, if he was stuck as the front man he'd be more reliant on service to him so I wouldn't want it as a permanent role but there's no doubt he could do a job if absolutely necessary.

 

[teok]

Looks like it will probably happen this weekend.

 

[matthew.absurdum]

Looks like it will probably happen this weekend.

I think just for this weekend, not working, then Ade starts for Lyon match

 

[Donki]

The thing is Bale is a match winner, play him more centrally will increase his chances of scoring. Having said that I like his pace and movement on the wing, it's a tough one for AVB. Much will depend on how Holtby settles.

One thing I have noticed AVB calls it a 442 when it's what we would call a 4411. Goes to show really that he doesn't get 2 hung up on this isea a lot of fans have about a strick definition of formation.

 

[JUSTINSIGNAL]

NO!

Besides Ronaldo does not play as a winger for Madrid. He starts from the left and cuts inside.

 

[RichSpur58]

I think so. He can be like Henry and Ronaldo IMO. Hes scored 2 in 2 playing up front. According to Andre Bale was playing up front against Norwich 2nd half and then West Brom.

Tasty >>>


.......................Adebayor
..................Bale
Holtby....Dembele...Parker...Lennon

 

[RichSpur58]

NO!

Besides Ronaldo does not play as a winger for Madrid. He starts from the left and cuts inside.

Why such a strong no? Bale has goal threat, its worth a shot.

 

[tobi]

Why such a strong no? Bale has goal threat, its worth a shot.

Have you seen Cristiano Ronaldo play as a striker for Real Madrid and Portugal? He's a completely different player and not in a good way.

When Ronaldo fills in as a striker he goes missing for large parts of the game because naturally he isn't a striker, he misses playing from the left and doesn't have the same space to operate in. What usually happens on the odd occasion that he manages to find space (drop deep or drift out wide and get the ball), is that it doesn't stick or move onto another team mate because he's frustrated and ends up taking a silly shot as a result.

Thinking out loud players like, Ronaldo, Schurrle and Mueller are wide forwards that can also fill in upfront but compared to someone like Walcott it doesn't come naturally to them and it ends up having a negative impact on the team.

 

[RichSpur58]

Have you seen Cristiano Ronaldo play as a striker for Real Madrid and Portugal? He's a completely different player and not in a good way.

When Ronaldo fills in as a striker he goes missing for large parts of the game because naturally he isn't a striker, he misses playing from the left and doesn't have the same space to operate in. What usually happens on the odd occasion that he manages to find space (drop deep or drift out wide and get the ball), is that it doesn't stick or move onto another team mate because he's frustrated and ends up taking a silly shot as a result.

Thinking out loud players like, Ronaldo, Schurrle and Mueller are wide forwards that can also fill in upfront but compared to someone like Walcott it doesn't come naturally to them and it ends up having a negative impact on the team.

All strikers go missing. The reason is because they are the furthest up the pitch, so will see less of the ball if the team isnt playing well.

Bale would never be an out and out striker, but would play in the whole with the license to find space.

BTW Ronaldo never gets frustrated and shoots, he shoots on site. Someting Bale has learned to do too.

 

[RichSpur58]

Looks like it will probably happen this weekend.

I got my ticket

 

[Spurs1960]

If you play Bale up front and not Adebayor you will totallt piss Ade off and we need the opposite. Holtby has to play the number 10 role unless you move him to the left wing, where he has played regularly before, and play Bale behind Ade.

Personally I'd leave it as it is and just play Ade up front in place of Defoe. If he gets tired sub him later in the game. Dempsey will be tired from his travelling (flying Thurs & Friday) as well so I doubt both he and Ade would start together.

 

[Spurs1960]

Have you seen Cristiano Ronaldo play as a striker for Real Madrid and Portugal? He's a completely different player and not in a good way.

When Ronaldo fills in as a striker he goes missing for large parts of the game because naturally he isn't a striker, he misses playing from the left and doesn't have the same space to operate in. What usually happens on the odd occasion that he manages to find space (drop deep or drift out wide and get the ball), is that it doesn't stick or move onto another team mate because he's frustrated and ends up taking a silly shot as a result.

Thinking out loud players like, Ronaldo, Schurrle and Mueller are wide forwards that can also fill in upfront but compared to someone like Walcott it doesn't come naturally to them and it ends up having a negative impact on the team.

Bottom line is he scores stacks of goals. I'd say that was good for a striker.

 

[JUSTINSIGNAL]

Why such a strong no? Bale has goal threat, its worth a shot.

It's a team sport and Bales abilities are best used from an attacking midfield position rather than with his back to goal IMO.