Gareth Bale

[C0YS]

I would love us to sign Bale. We need goals from the front three behind Harry and the right hand side is weak in this area

Firstly, we get plenty of goals from the three behind Harry, with all three hitting double figures. Secondly, Eriksen tends to play on the right hand side.

On this popular idea of playing Wanyama - Eriksen in the CM, ignoring the complete lack of structure that midfield duo would have the main issue is that why would you bring Eriksen deep? He is way less effective in that position, you want him further forward where he can hurt teams much more. If Bale comes in he comes to compete for a front position, with Son, Eriksen, Dele, Moura and maybe Lamela, were not gonna shuffle out team around to make it look like some fantasy football team.

 

[bomberH]

Not sure I’m reading this right : Real want to sell Bale, if he’s sold he wants to come to us, it’s financially possible and they are actively pushing him our way......

.... and we’re a bit meh about it?!

I know Poch said he had some “crazy ideas”, but I didn’t think it would be this crazy.

Do we want to go to the next fucking level or what?

The only possible reason I could see is injuries, but he’s still played plenty of matches and not had knee operations/persistent torn hamstrings etc.

Opportunities like this don’t come along often for us.

If Poch has watched every Madrid match for the past 2 seasons, he would’ve seen a player who rarely tackles, rarely tracks back, is sub or subbed almost every game, is largely ineffective going forward, crosses a bit and scores the odd wonder goal amongst a decent amount of goals. If it’s true about us being cautious then it’s completely understandable.

That said, if bringing him back returns him to the Bale of old, then it’s a no brainer. Even if there’s a 50% chance he can get his old form back. Madrid haven’t used him properly since they bought him and being in the same team as Ronaldo was never going to be easy. But I can see why we’re cautious.

 

[worcestersauce]

Going by Hercules' ITK that we can afford him it seems pretty clear that we must have an idea of fee and wages which must also mean we have been having discussions, in which case we haven't been dismissed out of hand nor have we dismissed a deal out of hand.

 

[ohh_when_the_spurs]

Firstly, we get plenty of goals from the three behind Harry, with all three hitting double figures. Secondly, Eriksen tends to play on the right hand side.

On this popular idea of playing Wanyama - Eriksen in the CM, ignoring the complete lack of structure that midfield duo would have the main issue is that why would you bring Eriksen deep? He is way less effective in that position, you want him further forward where he can hurt teams much more. If Bale comes in he comes to compete for a front position, with Son, Eriksen, Dele, Moura and maybe Lamela, were not gonna shuffle out team around to make it look like some fantasy football team.

We don't need 2 holding Midfielders when playing bus parking teams, anyone with half a brain can see that.

Even Dier and Dembele is too slow at getting the ball forward.

Big Vic can do the holding on his own allowing Eriksen to drift and create

 

[GetSpurredOn]

Bale could well be the answer to the conundrum that is a Kane alternative. Having an out and out CF hasn't worked, Janssen as a punt, and Llorente as an old head, neither has cut it. The big issue has been keeping them sharp and in form having someone like Bale (as Son has done) who can play deeper to maintain match sharpness, but equally be able to shift into a central forward role, seems to be the answer.

 

[punkisback]

As good as this looks I do feel we are better with 3 at the back with the wing backs pushing forward more.

I think the wingback system makes us to predictable. Gives us only the WBs as the options out wide, isolate them and it's easy. It also means that we play with too many defensive players. 3cbs, 2wb and 2 DMs. Our only creative threat would come from the two behind Kane and they would be easy to isolate.

 

[Vwbottom]

Well there’s always a left back spot if Rose goes....

 

[C0YS]

We don't need 2 holding Midfielders when playing bus parking teams, anyone with half a brain can see that.

Even Dier and Dembele is too slow at getting the ball forward.

Big Vic can do the holding on his own allowing Eriksen to drift and create

Then lets buy another midfielder who can get the ball forward quickly, not play arguably our best player in a position where he will be more ineffective. Eriksen is best when he is close to goal, lets play him in a position where he can get into the positions to do the most damage.

We never play with two holding midfielders anyway, its Dier/Wanyama with Dembele/Winks only injuries cause us to change that. Problem with Wanyama I'm not sure he is a good enough holder for that, namely trying to grapple the midfield on his own, he's a good ball winner but thats a different set of skills entirely.

 

[CantSmileWithoutYou]

I think the wingback system makes us to predictable. Gives us only the WBs as the options out wide, isolate them and it's easy. It also means that we play with too many defensive players. 3cbs, 2wb and 2 DMs. Our only creative threat would come from the two behind Kane and they would be easy to isolate.

You wouldn't play 2 DMs in a WB formation. You may play one defensive minded and one more box to box. But not 2 DMs.

 

[mark87]

I think the wingback system makes us to predictable. Gives us only the WBs as the options out wide, isolate them and it's easy. It also means that we play with too many defensive players. 3cbs, 2wb and 2 DMs. Our only creative threat would come from the two behind Kane and they would be easy to isolate.

We wouldn't play 2 dms, we didn't do that in the 16/17 where we primarily played with 3 at the back.

We would need to have players better suited for the wing back positions though, although I think KWP would be great there.

 

[hutchiniho]

I like the wingback idea for next season with a back 3 (players permitting) One holding midfielder.

If we signed Bale we'd then have a few options. Would quite like Eriksen and Dele either side of Dier/Wanyama with Bale and Kane up top.

OR if Eriksen played the playmaker in midfield we could release two to play higher up behind Kane. Good wingback essential.

But definitely with a back 3 and a holding mid, they'd be plenty of cover for the rest of the team to go play.

Either way - Let's get Bale!

 

[bubble07]

Straight swap for toby???

 

[markiespurs]

An attack comprising of Kane, Eriksen, Dele and Bale, with Moura, Son and Lamela as backup is a title winning combination

 

[LeParisien]

———————Lloris
—De Ligt — Sanchez— Vertonghen
Aurier——— —Dier——————Bale
—————New n8
————eriksen ——dele
———————Kane

We would destroy teams. I’d prefer KWP to aurier but you can only wish for so much ??

 

[bubble07]

Lloris
Trippier Sanchez Vertonghen Rose
Wanyama Kovacic
Bale Eriksen Dele
Kane

Wow!!!

 

[Duskwen]

De Gea

Carjaval Boateng Jan Marcelo

Kante Kroos

Ronaldo De Bruyne Messi

Kane

Wow Guys what a team we could be next season

 

[C0YS]

If Poch has watched every Madrid match for the past 2 seasons, he would’ve seen a player who rarely tackles, rarely tracks back, is sub or subbed almost every game, is largely ineffective going forward, crosses a bit and scores the odd wonder goal amongst a decent amount of goals. If it’s true about us being cautious then it’s completely understandable.

That said, if bringing him back returns him to the Bale of old, then it’s a no brainer. Even if there’s a 50% chance he can get his old form back. Madrid haven’t used him properly since they bought him and being in the same team as Ronaldo was never going to be easy. But I can see why we’re cautious.

But at spurs he did all those things, I think madrid he is under instruction to barely track back. So it Ronaldo. I think the idea is, keep dangerous players in areas that they can be dangerous.

Absolute rubbish at being ineffective, statistically he is very effective. Where Bale's problem is in Madrid is he drifts in and out of game, and produces moments of magic in a game but rarely is constantly good throughout the game. Partly though this is down to the fact its a club that focuses on Ronaldo, Bale sees much less of the ball at Real than he did at Spurs, and is not allowed to drift and glide round the pitch like he was at Spurs.

But despite all this Bale has been a big success at Real Madrid, coinciding with a wildly successful period at Madrid and being out and out first choice for 4 years at Madrid, only this year has he been in out of the side. On top of that Bale actually is playing much better for Madrid than he did when first got there. This season statistically has been his most productive, and since 2015 he has been on great form, he's also been injured all the time which clouds people's judgment on him.

Now, he has been more of a success than the likes of Robben, James Rodriguez, Sneijder and Van Der Vaart for example, all players who flourished as soon as they left. Madrid suffocates talent, when Bale leaves he may become liberated.

The reason that there is a reason to be cautious is not the quality of his performances, which have been of a very high level, its his injuries, the cost transfer and the priorities of the team. The main thing though is we don't need Bale, we actually don't and we don't have a bottomless pit of cash. Are there better ways of spending that money?

I still think he would be worth it, but it is up to the management.

 

[Dirty Ewok]

Going by Hercules' ITK that we can afford him it seems pretty clear that we must have an idea of fee and wages which must also mean we have been having discussions, in which case we haven't been dismissed out of hand nor have we dismissed a deal out of hand.

I would guess it was being done via agents. The agents are always in contact with various clubs about things (potential moves, endorsements etc) and are always looking for angles to use for their clients.

Bale's agent (Jonathon Barnett) also represents Trippier (among others in England including Luke Shaw and Gylfi). I imagine that Barnett would have a read on what Bale is or isn't open to and may have passed certain things over to the club.

 

[ohh_when_the_spurs]

Then lets buy another midfielder who can get the ball forward quickly, not play arguably our best player in a position where he will be more ineffective. Eriksen is best when he is close to goal, lets play him in a position where he can get into the positions to do the most damage.

We never play with two holding midfielders anyway, its Dier/Wanyama with Dembele/Winks only injuries cause us to change that. Problem with Wanyama I'm not sure he is a good enough holder for that, namely trying to grapple the midfield on his own, he's a good ball winner but thats a different set of skills entirely.

I agree we need another ball playing CM aswell, hopefully Winks can become that man but untill he has proven his fitness and gets consistent form like his Real Madrid games, then we need another.

Wanyama can control that area by himself when fit (against certain teams)

It could become more of a 433/4141
We are fluid during games and you see Eriksen dropping into the cdm position to get the ball.

He would still drift in the gap between their defenders and midfielders and create like he does now

 

[daveduvet]

Never sure these sort of posts are accurate. For them to be accurate you have to assume the other players and their agents are walking around with their eyes closed, and with their fingers in their ears, and ignoring what is being done for such players. These ‘creative ways’ are available for all the players no ? So why won’t the agents be pressing for the same for their star players ?

What I meant is that Bale gets paid same wages as Kane et al, but he gets an initial £10-20 million upfront payment to offset his current weekly wage. In that way he’s retained within our wage structure.
I’m would’ve thought anything is possible in such a multi-billion pound entertainment industry?