Bale's ball hogging

[HotspurFC1950]

No, I do not want Bale to be sold and I do appreciate his contribution to day - by always occupying at least 2 players whenever he gets the ball - but his ball hogging to day was terrible for team spirit. In the later part of the 2nd half he decided to for goal on 2 occasions when he SHOULD have passed the ball to much better placed players. One was 7-8 meters out when he took a shoot when Dempsey was near by and would have been clean through from 5-6 meters (at 1-1) and the second came from a run when Siggi was wide open on the other side but Bale went for a shoot (ok, Spurs were up 2-1 by then, but still). Plus, he went for a shoot when Jan was well positioned - and Bale had no chance to make a straight shoot - and thus distracted him enough to make it go far wide.
Bale no doubt is a world class player but he MUST pass to better placed players as this team is also bigger than any player, including Bale. Being selfish/"greedy" at times I don't mind, as he's show can can score "impossible" goals, but there are limits for how "greedy" even the best players should be; and to day Bale went beyond his "greed limits" even for a star player.
It will make him even a better player, and harder to mark - as he becomes more unpredictable - if start to pass the ball smarter...

I disagree re him ball hogging.

As a goalscorer he did maybe one or two things team mates could be construed unhappy with but goalscorers need that mentality.

On one of his free kicks their wall was not 10 yards. Tough to score like that.

Staying with free kicks, Ronaldo seems to take about ten before he scores one and people are happy. Same should go for Gareth.

 

[JerryGarcia]

Yes he could have passed but he also has the most winning goals of any player in the league and the chances he went for were ones that he could have easily scored on another day. Not to mention he creates more goal scoring chances than most other players in the league, it's not his fault if his team mates don't take them.

I get what the OP is saying, he could have picked his moments better. With the form he's been in though, I'd rather Bale take the shot on than risk a pass through two Stoke players who would have probably got a foot to the ball. Watch it again and see for yourself, the pass wasn't as easy as it's being made out to be.

 

[E17yid]

Bale's supposed greediness is probably aided by the fact that when we are drawing or losing a game the first thing any of our players do when they get the ball is look up and see if they can pass to bale.

 

[Wardy]

I do hate the way Bale hogs the ball, dribbles through the whole team and belts one in from 30yards. Very annoying

 

[Kendall]

We have a lot of little annoying things to complain about within our team's setup but this really is not one of them!

 

[HotspurFC1950]

The opening post is absolutely correct. Bale could have very easily cost us 3 points today, if it was not for Ade's late winner and would have most definitely of cost a CL place. They was big guaranteed goal chance that he passed up and by passing to team players when they are in those position builds better team work and squad bonding, rather getting a name for himself and pissing off the other players.

Of course players can be greedy at times, but there are times when you just don't do that, two of them were today and not forgetting getting in the way of Vert's shot, a nice piece of defending for Stoke that was.

He maybe be our best player, but he is not beyond criticism.

It is Bale that has got us this close so there is no way he can be called out for possibly could have cost us CL at Stoke.

 

[michaelden]

I'd certainly prefer it if Bale was more of a team player, but to be perfectly honest if he wanted to change the club badge to a picture of his face I'd probably go along with it right now.

He's very different to Adebayor in that respect. When Ade is at his best he's a proper team player. That performance against Newcastle last season was a perfect example of someone playing for the team rather than themselves.

Still....Bale has a long way to go before he reaches the levels of selfishness exhibited by Defoe.

Damn, you made a few points all worthy of different ratings, 1 funny, 1 Agree & 1 winner in that order.

 

[michaelden]

We have a lot of little annoying things to complain about within our team's setup but this really is not one of them!

Agree, but it would've been if Stoke had scored at the end and we were definitely in the EL not the CL.

I also think that us not scoring these extra goals across the course of the season have cost us our goal difference and it is not effectively a point advantage to any team challenging us for 4th place.

 

[Kendall]

Yeah but Bale's supposed hogging has won us more points by a distance.

Like in basketball, you give it to the guy that's in form.

 

[michaelden]

Yeah but Bale's supposed hogging has won us more points by a distance.

Like in basketball, you give it to the guy that's in form.

And you'd say yesterday Bale was on fire? He was okay, looked a bit tired and stoke were on him like flies on shit

 

[Kendall]

Yet he was still inches away from netting twice.

 

[michaelden]

Yet he was still inches away from netting twice.

And I nearly shagging Kate Winslet, missed the gap and shagged the sofa. Still it's not the same is it.

Earlier in the season Siggy hit the post 5 times, closer than Bale's 2 but just as helpful. I know what you are saying, and to an extent I agree, if he's on form then he has a right to try. But there are definite times when the pass, being the better option, should be taken. And Bale really needed to pass a few times vs Stoke instead of trying himself. He also screwed up Verts shot by running in front of him trying to get there 1st. It was just 1 game where he needed to think more and chill out & pass.

 

[Kendall]

Basically what I'm saying is the best players in the fucking world hog the ball, that's why they score so much and win awards.

I'd almost be in agreement if the guy hadn't won us multiple points with his perceived greed (I don't even think he has much of a problem with hogging really). I think yesterday was the first game we've won without Bale scoring since the turn of the year just about.

 

[dimiSpur]

Anyone complaining about Bale needs a fucking slap.

 

[Dharmabum]

Basically what I'm saying is the best players in the fucking world hog the ball, that's why they score so much and win awards.

I'd almost be in agreement if the guy hadn't won us multiple points with his perceived greed (I don't even think he has much of a problem with hogging really). I think yesterday was the first game we've won without Bale scoring since the turn of the year just about.

That's exactly why players like, say, Ben Arfa and Taarabt never developed into the players that would "refelct" their talent - and which is part of why Ronaldo - after learning to take less step overs and ball hogging - did develop to the player he is today.
Besides, like many others attacking my point of view, you're taking things out of context. I NEVER said I didn't appreciate Bale for what he's done this season nor am I oblivious to the fact the his skills and goals has been a major contribution to Spurs being 4th right now. And I don't mind him being selfish at times, but not when he overdo it or maybe he's simply over eager at times.
Gomes, on his day, is arguably the best goalie in the world - but when one adds, or subtracts if one prefers, his inclinations for errors then he's turned into an average EPL goale. However, he was the major reason for Spurs qualifying for the CL 2 seasons ago (his 2 saves from van Persie are legendary saves, even better thank Banks' famous save from Pele's header; a save I believe is over-rated anyway.)
Bale has scope improve himself - and part would be to see (much) better positioned team mates. Many of you are unaware of how team spirit is formed or broken in teams. Just look at ManC, a team full of super stars but also super egos. Spurs have only one super star but if he keep going for goals rather than pass to much better placed team mates it's bounce to affect team spirit as well as the confidence of his team mates.

 

[Dharmabum]

Yeah but Bale's supposed hogging has won us more points by a distance.

Like in basketball, you give it to the guy that's in form.

How much did you basketball play? The passing skills of those go-to-guys or clutch players - when they're double-or tripple-teamed - to an open player is exactly what makes them so good.
Micheal Jordan, despite of being arguably the best ever basketball player, didn't any titles with Chigao Bulls despite of making loads of points.... until he matured as a player and start to pass the ball better. Then Chicago Bulls become almost unbeatable. Him passing more didn't make him less of a player nor did it prevent him from becoming top point scorer season after season even after he became more selfless, it made him a more complete player.

 

[eViL]

Your Basketball -vs- Football argument is invalid.

Because Football.

Lets hope we don't sign any players like that selfish bastard Ronaldo this year.

 

[Dharmabum]

Your Basketball -vs- Football argument is invalid.

Because Football.

Lets hope we don't sign any players like that selfish bastard Ronaldo this year.

If you had bothered to read you would have seen that I responded to someone who used basketball as an example - rather not a good one. So your point, though, is that no experience from one aspect in life can be used in another aspect in life, that no example from one experience in life can be "transferred" to another aspect in life.
By the way, Hakeem Olajuwon - one, if not the, best center in the NBA - on many occasion said he thanked his footballing past for turning into the basketball player he became.
Regarding attempt of being funny by bringing Ronaldo into this: it's obviousl you - like a Ben Thatcher or Charlie Adam - atempts to attack the man rather than going for the ball. I just pointed out that Ronaldo improved as a player once he learned to pass the ball more. In Real M. he simply had to do that though, despite of being their main man.
But for all I care, just keep believing that a great player do not need to pass the ball. And that Bale in your mind is a holy cow.

 

[Dharmabum]

Anyone complaining about Bale needs a fucking slap.

And you think Sir Bill or Fergie or Mourinho never reprimand their best players in for 2 main reasons: team spirit and for the specific player to improve.
No, I am not Fergie but neither is you.

Cliff Jones remembers the day he asked Bill Nicholson, the architect of Tottenham's 1963 European Cup-winners' Cup victory, an achievement that made them the first English club to win a major European trophy, for a pay rise.
Jones, the quick and gifted Welsh winger of Spurs' famous glory-glory team, got short shrift from the dour Yorkshireman.
'I was on £50 a week and got a £100 bonus for winning the European trophy,' recalled Jones last week. 'I said I deserved a pay rise because I was the best winger in Europe. Bill said, "That's a matter of opinion" and told me to shut the door on the way out

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1311135/Tottenham-Hotspur-legend-Cliff-Jones-European-memories.html#ixzz2TAfQZzF8
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

 

[CoopsieDeadpool]

I don't really get the hostility you're receiving. It's a valid point. Bale would be a considerably better player if he was more of a team player. How many assists has he had this season? I can't think of many at all. That's not moaning for the sake of it...it's taking an objective view on how a brilliant and much loved player could further improve.

Having said that, I fully understand why Bale plays the way he does. His confidence is justifiably sky high.

An unfair question, in my opinion.. I think it'd be better to ask "how many chances has he created?"... I can think of countless times throughout the season when Bale has got to the touchline & drilled a ball across the penalty area, only for absolutely nobody to be there to meet it, or somebody is there to meet it but is simply too shit to be able to put the chance away. Chance created, chance missed, no assist.

Same thing with Modric when we had him too. Never got more than 4 or 5 assists all season, yet was probably our best player. He created hundreds of chances, yet had few assists to his name..

Then there was Crouch, he had LOADS of assists for VDV, but they weren't assists (not in my mind), it's just that he was so shit at heading, he'd have a perfectly good cross from Lennon, then his weak assed neck would give way & the ball would flop to the feet of the waiting VDV... Is Crouch better at 'assisting' than Bale is? I should coco!!

Adebayor last season, something like 12 assists, yet how many of those assists were for a player not called VDV? It's ALL about the quality of those you're assisting. If there's nobody of good enough quality to put away the chances being created, the creator of the chance is never recognised with the stat he deserves, ie an assist..

Bale IS the best 'finisher' we currently have at our club & he's our top scorer, that is not a coincidence. He has few assists because he's the one needed to put the chances away.. Hope all of this has made sense?

As for the actual topic itself (Bale being greedy). Well it's often stated that "All good strikers are greedy". Some strikers are greedy but don't have the ability to back up that greed (Defoe), whilst other strikers are less selfish & their goal record suffers for it (Adebayor this season, Rooney playing withdrawn role at Utd).. Bale is being/has been asked to be the guy that scores our goals this season (since January), and it's a weight he's carried on his shoulders with great aplomb.. It's all too easy to be on the outside looking in, but none of us know that his manager hasn't told him to be more greedy. It certainly can't be argued that the team has benefited greatly from this supposed selfish streak he's developed.

EDIT- According to this, unselfish Bale last season had 14 assists.. http://www.premierleague.com/en-gb/players/profile.statistics.html/gareth-bale

Selfish Bale this season apparently has 8 assists.. http://www.premierleague.com/en-gb/players/profile.statistics.html/gareth-bale