[Update 114] rebrab re:BAE

[Peters]

Do we really know that Harry likes Bale at left back? He said something about it earlier in the season but towards the end he played him on the left wing and we had our best results so I'd question it.
As for BAE as ever if we can get someone better then go for it if not he stays, Liverpool my arse!

There's always smoke and mirrors with 'Arry - perhaps long term Bale may become a left back but his ability to create and score goals is way ahead of the defensive side of his game at the moment.

I say keep BAE..........unless Kuyt offered as px

 

[talkshowhost86]

I think it's a compliment to the quality of our side that Ekotto would probably be considered the weakest link. As a defender he's improved alot since his arrival and going forwards although he doesn't burst down the left like some full backs he always offers an outlet and has put in a few good balls from deep.

I like him and wouldn't be happy to see him leave but left back is probably the position we can improve on most...although that may be a moo point if Bale is going to play left back anyway.

I reckon if we go to more of a 4-3-3/4-5-1 then Bale is more likely to play left back but we'd still need a backup. Whether BAE is happy to be a backup is something none of us really knows.

 

[Coalhada]

judging by his celebrations at Man City, I think he enjoys it a bit more than he says.

He's just trying to play it cool. He is French after all.

I for one would be sad to see him go -- yes he switches off at times, but in general he is one of the best left-backs in the league. Who are you going to replace him with?

 

[Nick]

Only that he wasn't predictably inconsistent. He was very consistent last season which helped us achieve our best ever defensive record for may years.

He had a shaky end to the season but I'm sure he will get to his former level. Just remember but for his injury he was first choice LB ahead of Bale.

You say shaky I say bad, I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree on this one.

 

[StartingPrice]

Do we really know that Harry likes Bale at left back? He said something about it earlier in the season but towards the end he played him on the left wing and we had our best results so I'd question it.
As for BAE as ever if we can get someone better then go for it if not he stays, Liverpool my arse!

Sorry, I've tried not to get involved in this, but...Yes, yes we do. He has said it in print several times. He said it in print in the middle of the season in 'Hotspur' magazine; he said it in print at the end of the season, also in 'Hotspur' Magazine. The quotes were posted on these forums. He has also said it verbally, including on TalkSport Radio.
He played Bale on the wing at the end of the season primarily because we had 1 (ONE) fit central midfielder, so he had to play Modric there, and Krankjar was injured (yes, Modric was excekllent in the middle, and Bale was excellent on the wing). Since then he has stated, yet again, that he considers Bale's future to be at LB.
Where has he played Bale in pre-season:shrug:

It is one thing for you, personally, to wish for Gareth bale to be 'converted' into a full-time, primary designation 'winger' (which I don't have a problem about); it is another thing altogether ignoring what the manager says...and he has consistently said that he sees Bale's future at left-back.

Isn't this thread about BAE:shrug:

 

[danielneeds]

No way will we sell him.

His form during the World Cup worried me though, he was absolutely attrocious in the first two matches.

He needs to stop more crosses getting into the box by closing down the player quicker too.

 

[midoNdefoe]

Did we miss Zokora in this season just gone? No we didn't, not for one minute - he was acceptable but hardly outstanding. We have other players who can play in his role far more effectively.

The same goes for Assou-Ekotto. We have Bale who can play at LB and also defend without leaping around like a gazelle, get himself sent off, and fight with team mates .

BAE is good enough to do his job on his day when he feels like it - he's no world beater, and never will be. I don't dislike the guy, but I cannot get my head around those on this board who fawn over him like he's god's gift to the left wing, while simultaneously slating one of our best players in Robbie Keane.

Ludicrous.

I'm happy if he stays, I won't miss him if he goes.

No, because we have more central midfielders than i can shake a stick at (and i'm a damn fine stick shaker)

We have Bale. Thats all, no more recognised left backs. So with 2 left backs at the club, you want us to sell one (notably the one better defensively at the moment)! Good one! lets get in another random foreigner who may or may not make it cos we havent done that enough recently...(Atouba, Edman, Lee, Zeigler)

I would definately not sell BAE, we will 100% regret the decision if we did.

 

[Maske2g]

Corluka can be as much as a liabilty as BAE. He is paceless, and before he got injured he was short on confidence and his distribution was at time atrocious.....but again, in terms of a unit, our defence is sound, and should not be broken up. The record speaks for itelf.

Scoring is where we can struggle. Having scored 5 twice, and nine once, we still lagged well beging the league top scoring clubs.

 

[Gassin's finest]

We can't afford to let Benni go, I'm suprised at how undervalued he is on here. I think he's such a hard worker, pacey, a little unhinged and always improving. Bale, despite everyones assertations and Harry's opinion, is a left sided midfielder and is far more suspect defensively than Benni is. As a left sided pair they are top, top drawer.

Liverpool can go sign Wayne Bridge and leave our lot alone.

 

[JUSTINSIGNAL]

Redknapp has said he sees Danny Rose maturing into a left back. So in theory we could sell BAE and have Rose as backup to Bale. Although I suppose it depends how far down the line we see Roses development, he might not be ready to step up yet.

 

[C-oops]

How there is even a debate about this is mind boggling. The way I see it is there are two types of people here. The ones that want shot of him, ( they're the bit very clever ones that only see football through the eyes of their football manager persona) and the ones tht think he's a solid player, who offers the squad a lot and is capable of playing for a top club, namely us. They re the ones that actualy have a clue what they're talking about.

 

[Jonboy]

Keep Benny, DO NOT SELL
especially to our rivals let them squander the little bit of cash they have on someone like Bridge

 

[Stoof]

I hear Chimbonda's available ...

 

[scat1620]

How there is even a debate about this is mind boggling. The way I see it is there are two types of people here. The ones that want shot of him, ( they're the bit very clever ones that only see football through the eyes of their football manager persona) and the ones tht think he's a solid player, who offers the squad a lot and is capable of playing for a top club, namely us. They re the ones that actualy have a clue what they're talking about.

Abso-bloody-exactly. :clap:

If Bale is to be our first choice LB next season, you won't find a better back-up anywhere in the league than Ekotto. And if Bale is at LM and BAE is at LB, you'd still be hard pushed to name more than 5 or 6 left-backs who are categorically better than BAE.

 

[tommo84]

I remember commenting to a fan sat next to me last season that, after waiting years for a really decent left-back we now had 2 of the best in the league. He agreed with me fully, so why some people want, not only to get rid of BAE, but to give him to one of our rivals, confuses the be-jesus out of me.

BAE is solid - prone to clumsy moments rather than glaring errors, but thats because the intelligent centre-forwards in the Prem target full-backs due to the difference in size. BAE actually handles this better than most full-backs, so if we were to lose him, I can't see how we could improve upon him in the squad.

 

[stoddle]

top top player. triffic.

 

[westozbutton]

Fine by me.

Is he good? Yes.
Is he reliable? No.
Is he a player who can establish us at the next level? No.

Another Didier Zokora for me -amusing, but would never be missed.

Can u name a realistic replacement without wasting money.

 

[phil]

:clap: Exactimundo correct! The way I think of it is, would the likes of Liverpool, Man City, Arsenal et al sell one of their fully fledged first team players to us? I think the answer would be no. BAE has been a brilliant servant for the last 2-3 years and I would be gutted to see him leave!

Corluka and (perhaps) Bellamy? Arsenal sold Toure and Adebayor to City. It happens more than you think. It is generally only the top teams who can afford to buy a fully-fledged first team from a rival.

I think that BAE has been excellent for the past couple of seasons BUT we do concede an awful lot of goals from crosses coming in from the right. Whether this is due to the fact that there are more good right wingers than left, or because BAE does not get support from Bale/Modric or because BAE fails to close down opponents, I'll leave it to you to decide.

 

[leetotty]

How there is even a debate about this is mind boggling. The way I see it is there are two types of people here. The ones that want shot of him, ( they're the bit very clever ones that only see football through the eyes of their football manager persona) and the ones tht think he's a solid player, who offers the squad a lot and is capable of playing for a top club, namely us. They re the ones that actualy have a clue what they're talking about.

No, there is a third group.
1. Those that think he has improved and indeed plays well at times but don't agree he is solid player.
2. Don't feel we should sell him to Liverpool either
3. Would prefer an upgrade on the player if possible, but unlikely to find one that wouldn't represent a bigger risk than selling him in the first place.

I hope Bale is the regular LB anyway, as prefer to see him attacking from a deeper position, like Roberto Carlos.

 

[Spurger King]

I hear Chimbonda's available ...

Don't even joke about it.