bale on the right

[tobi]

He did say that but when we played Chelsea away, he _____ it and played Charlie at LB instead. Bale did end up at LB but his effort was lacking big time, especially for one of their goals.

If he moves abroad, he'll most likely play LB, he should embrace the position and not see it as a negative. He can still influence a game from that position, just like Marcelo.

 

[THOWIG]

Bale should watch Lahm play.

 

[kcmei]

Bale should watch Lahm play.

like with a brain?

 

[Mr Pink]

whats bing smll got to do with anything? bale is illusive, agile with quick acceleration and mighty fine close control. have you not seen him cut inside from the left and through 2 or 3 players? Ive seen it many times

I seem to remember him in cutting in from the right in the counter attack at Villa away in which VDV scored our second....

 

[NEVILLEB]

Brett's right. Bale is f**king useless.

He's just the wrong shape for a footballer

 

[brett.spurs]

Point me to where I've said that? I rate Adebayor but wouldn't play him at left back.

 

[ohh_when_the_spurs]

I think he has the wrong shape ears to be world class, they must put a second or two on his hundred meter time.

 

[DEFchenkOE]

When was the last time Bale actually had a good game from left wing? I honestly can't remember

 

[Timberwolf]

I know it's been argued to death, but I really do think Bale's best position is as a wing-back rather than an out and out winger. He's good winger (exceptional on his day), but now that teams have worked him out he's far less effective. Pace and power alone are not enough when you're being double marked by PL quality defenders.

It's a shame BAE is one of our best players, because I genuinely think putting Bale back at LB and playing Pienaar, Luka or Kranjcar on the left would do wonders for the balance of the team and rejuvinate Bales attacking threat. At home against West Brom we played like this for the 2nd half and I seem to remember Bale had so much more space to run into because the opposition LB didn't know whether to stick or twist. Obviously he'd need to improve his defensive game, but if we played with Parker and Sandro in the middle and a defensively minded RB like charlie, there's no reason we couldn't make this work.

Harry seems deadset on the Lennon, Bale. Modric, other, midfield, which frankly I don't think has worked for a while. My only hope is that Adebayor and Parker and some dynamism to this formation, otherwise I can having a similar season to last year: enough talented players to challenge but none of the tactical nouse to actually compete in the league.

 

[karennina]

I know it's been argued to death, but I really do think Bale's best position is as a wing-back rather than an out and out winger. He's good winger (exceptional on his day), but now that teams have worked him out he's far less effective. Pace and power alone are not enough when you're being double marked by PL quality defenders.

It's a shame BAE is one of our best players, because I genuinely think putting Bale back at LB and playing Pienaar, Luka or Kranjcar on the left would do wonders for the balance of the team and rejuvinate Bales attacking threat. At home against West Brom we played like this for the 2nd half and I seem to remember Bale had so much more space to run into because the opposition LB didn't know whether to stick or twist. Obviously he'd need to improve his defensive game, but if we played with Parker and Sandro in the middle and a defensively minded RB like charlie, there's no reason we couldn't make this work.

Harry seems deadset on the Lennon, Bale. Modric, other, midfield, which frankly I don't think has worked for a while. My only hope is that Adebayor and Parker and some dynamism to this formation, otherwise I can having a similar season to last year: enough talented players to challenge but none of the tactical nouse to actually compete in the league.

That all sounds pretty much spot on to me - watching Bale fail to get up to speed from LM has been a consistent experience of the last several months. I'd add that maybe his engine gets underused at LM - in a sense it's ideal for him be in a role which demands him to motor all the way up and down the flank, because his stamina and pace would make him exceptional at it. With a guileful left mid to work with, perhaps the unleashing of him on the opposition could be much more artful and unpredictable than is possible with him just standing out on the flank. Redknapp said he 'hasn't really got a trick to beat a man' - which I think was pointing to the fact that a momentum-less Bale is not a particularly unpredictable opponent. And he won't knit the play like Kranjcar or Luka can, so you lose that.

BAE is good enough that it's difficult to rate Kranjcar as a more effective LM than BAE is a left back, but personally I prefer watching Niko play, and always thought that I'd rather have him in the team if it's between the two of them - on top form there's not much in it.

Maybe now Harry feels we have strong enough CMs with parker to have Luka as the LM with Bale LB, which would get us back to absurd strength on that flank. If we're playing VDV as AM do we need Luka in CM? Couldn't we afford to get him a bit further forward on the left? He's just not that much of a barrier in the middle.

 

[Spurs1960]

It is up to Spurs other players to create the space for Bale to run at not give him the ball when there are 3 defenders running at him.

He needed a rest last season clearly and this season we have not stretched a side to give him the room to run so it is far to early to be putting him down.

He has made decent crosses, it is not his fault our strikers are not good enough, never anticipate and are therefore always late getting to where they should be. Defoe for instance is poor at attacking the six yard box, you don't see him run to the back and then change direction to sprint to the front giving a free strike, he doesn't shake off defenders the way Keane used to do. And Crouch, well the less said the better.

 

[Spurs1960]

The first half against England shows the problem with Bale on the right. He can run but he has to cut back onto his left to cross the ball and the angle is all wrong. It's a lot easier to defend against. Downing has crossed one to the goalkeeper, one that was easy for the defender, he created a goal by getting to the byeline and pulling it back with his right. Young has put a good right footed cross in from the left but the attacker has to be in front of his man for it to be of any use.

In addition because there is no pace on the other side for Wales it has been easier for England to defend against Bale.

Bale has to remain on the left for Spurs and Lennon when fit needs to play for Adebayor to benefit, Krancjar is just to slow which will encourage all you Gio lovers.

 

[#1 Spur]

The first half against England shows the problem with Bale on the right. He can run but he has to cut back onto his left to cross the ball and the angle is all wrong. It's a lot easier to defend against. Downing has crossed one to the goalkeeper, one that was easy for the defender, he created a goal by getting to the byeline and pulling it back with his right. Young has put a good right footed cross in from the left but the attacker has to be in front of his man for it to be of any use.

In addition because there is no pace on the other side for Wales it has been easier for England to defend against Bale.

Bale has to remain on the left for Spurs and Lennon when fit needs to play for Adebayor to benefit, Krancjar is just to slow which will encourage all you Gio lovers.

Think it's working pretty well for England.

This isn't a new thing, having the winger on the opposite wing. To counter wingers that cut in alot there have even been instances of playing a full back on the opposite side so the strongest foot is on the inside.

It's worked well enough before, and with England it works well. Establishing an opinion on this one game on Bale though would be naive, in my opinion (I'm not calling you naive here, by the way). England are almost lopsided in crowding him out, as soon as the ball goes near him he's got two or three on top of him. He's rarely getting the ball to feet, and it's probably because there is no other real threat on the pitch.

Take out Bale, take out Ramsey, and the rest are being controlled without much effort.

 

[C0YS]

He was alright today, but he is much more dangerous from the left.

A lot are saying when was the last time Bale had a good game, the truth is there have been plenty of times he has had a good game, just not to the ridiculously high standard we expect off him. We have to remember he is still a kid, I would take a good solid nothing special season from him right now.

 

[kishman]

Didn't really work against much better opposition tonight.

 

[stemark44]

I thought he did pretty well tonight and Wales played the better football..........actually played like a team rather than a bunch of individuals.
Speed is starting to do a really nice job there and in a very short period of time has got them playing nice football.
The would have beaten England if Bellamy had been available.

 

[Spurs1960]

The point you are all missing is that Wales didn't have a target man to cross to so their main weapon was Bale cutting in from the left and shooting. He put in no crosses all night! Adebayor would love that.

We are playing with a target man who needs crosses.

Look at his cross against City which Crouch fluffed, look at all his crosses that shouls have led to goals last year. You are saying you don't want those, basically, you don't want him crossing for a front man.

WE need crosses from both sides, to play him out of position and put Modric on the left will mean Ade won't score the goals he has been bought for because you will reduce our chances by at least 60% I would think.

To me it is just utter stupidity of the highest order. Get a target man and don't cross to him, what a system!

 

[eddiebailey]

If, as seems to be the case, Lennon, VdV and Pienaar are all injured for the Wolves game, this might be the time to try Bale on the right. I would certainly sooner see Niko on the left and Gareth on the right than vice versa.

In general terms though I agree that Bale at LB with Luka or Niko ahead of him is an enticing prospect.

 

[Donki]

If, as seems to be the case, Lennon, VdV and Pienaar are all injured for the Wolves game, this might be the time to try Bale on the right. I would certainly sooner see Niko on the left and Gareth on the right than vice versa.

In general terms though I agree that Bale at LB with Luka or Niko ahead of him is an enticing prospect.

IMO Luka played well for us on the left of midfield when he first arrived, if he had Bale behind him overlapping you could effectively have a Midfield of


Bale - Modric - Sandro - Parker - Lennon

Hudd could be swapped for Sandro with Parker doing the holding role, Pienaar would also easily fit into this system.

With VdV or Niko infront of them, Bale has the engine to run the flank all day long and I dont think we take full advantage of it. We need a formation yes but that formation can be dynamic and fluid and change from attack to defence, Barca and Madrid are very fluid so too is United. I am not saying this should be used week in week out but it would change it up a bit.