Bale - POLL

[Jorgobot]

Yes. 3rd best in the world and I'll stand by that.
Whilst he may have never won or got in top 5 of WPOTY, it's hardly a foolproof method of saying who's better than who. For example Balotelli and Rooney finished higher than Bale in 2012. Who here seriously thinks that they are both better than him?

It's a hell of a lot of money Real are spending. But look at it this way, he's only 24 and just had an absolute stormer of a season where he was as good as anyone bar Ronaldo and Messi. He has another 6-8 years at the top. If he helps Madrid win titles and the CL it will be worth it. Having him and Ronaldo in the same side will absolutely scare the shit out of teams.

His ability to score from range shouldn't be dismissed or belittled. How many games did we play last season where we simply couldn't break teams down playing tippy tappy football.
Sometimes you need someone to be able to smash one in from distance to win you games against stubborn defences. Whilst we have a couple of players who can take a decent long range effort, none can do it as powerfully, accurately and consistently as Bale does. He also takes a fantastic free kick, has pace to burn and is a good one on one finisher too. I'd go as far to say with him in our side we'd rip up the league.

Is he as good as Ronaldo or Messi? No not yet but he has 3 years on both of them and at Madrid he can definitely get up to that standard.

Lol I agreed with ya but messis like 2 years younger than ronaldo

[Jorgobot]

Bale is not even the best player at Spurs let alone in the world! ... yet

What? Who better?

[Jorgobot]

You said without his pace he's struggle to make it on to the bench of a premier league side. Absolute rubbish. Even if he had average pace, you think he would struggle to get on the bench of Crystal Palace or Hull etc?
He has ability as well as pace, look at his goal against Stoke or Us, nothing to do with pace, pure ability.

And yes he may lack the close control of Iniesta or Xavi but they lack the ferocious pace of Bale.
PACE IS NOT SOMETHING TO DISMISS.
He scores wonderful goals because of his pace, he wins his team games from it, what's the problem? It's a massive asset. But unlike most pacy players who tend to beat 4 men and then run into a blind alley etc, he is able to finish the chances and put across great crosses.
There are very few players in world football who can run quicker with the ball than him.
He's also probably the best long range shooter in the world and one of if not the best free kick taker.

Would struggle to get on the bench of a top flight side without his pace? My arse.

Ronaldo scores a lot with pace free kicks long shots and etc

[dazby]

Sorry dazby I nearly spat my pint out. That is one of the worst of your 15k posts

Nah, the post where I suggested we raid Middlesborough for a striker circa 2003 was one of my worst ever.

State your case for Xavi or Iniesta. A couple of years ago I wouldn't dream of disagreeing with you, but bale is now in his prime whilst the other two have no more upside.

[Wonderwall]

Nah, the post where I suggested we raid Middlesborough for a striker circa 2003 was one of my worst ever.

State your case for Xavi or Iniesta. A couple of years ago I wouldn't dream of disagreeing with you, but bale is now in his prime whilst the other two have no more upside.

Ok this is the 2nd worst....bale is now in his prime? 24 years old?

I don't need to state any case for xavi and iniesta.

[dazby]

He's got a lot more upside than the other two.


And yeah, you do. Bale scored more goals than the two put together. State your case.

[Lee_R]

Hes a monkey looking cunt.

[Beefymcfc]

He's got a lot more upside than the other two.


And yeah, you do. Bale scored more goals than the two put together. State your case.

Honestly?

*cringes*

[dazby]

Yes. Would any club pay 80 mill for either of them two? No.

A season ago I'd have agreed with you, but Bale has jumped them.

[Slim]

He's got a lot more upside than the other two.


And yeah, you do. Bale scored more goals than the two put together. State your case.

Well that's simple, Xavi and Iniesta had strikers worth passing to, Spurs did not.

[Pretty Boy Lee]

Yes. Would any club pay 80 mill for either of them two? No.

A season ago I'd have agreed with you, but Bale has jumped them.

Me agreeing with you isn't worth much round here, but I think you're right.

Xavi and Iniesta are superstars no doubt, but Bale is a young match winner, he's ready for the world stage. It's just a matter of what he does on it.

Right now tho he's the only player being talked about for these figures.

[Slim]

Yes. Would any club pay 80 mill for either of them two? No.

A season ago I'd have agreed with you, but Bale has jumped them.

Me agreeing with you isn't worth much round here, but I think you're right.

Xavi and Iniesta are superstars no doubt, but Bale is a young match winner, he's ready for the world stage. It's just a matter of what he does on it.

Right now tho he's the only player being talked about for these figures.

No-one is throwing around a larger figure for Messi at the moment either, therefore Bale is better than Messi.

Maybe people realise the futility of trying to sign Xavi and Iniesta because they aren't for sale at any price.

[Pretty Boy Lee]

No-one is throwing around a larger figure for Messi at the moment either, therefore Bale is better than Messi.

Maybe people realise the futility of trying to sign Xavi and Iniesta because they aren't for sale at any price.

I think we know that if Messi was up for grabs those that could afford it would pay more than Bales value.

That and Barca aren't currently known for selling their best players. A closer comparison for me would the likes of Xavi Alonso, silva, mata etc.

Bales more of an individual threat with pace, ala a Messi, Ronaldo. Does his promotion into a top tier team help him enter their status permanently, or will he be above his level? That's yet to be decided, but those type of players are traditionally the most valuable,

[Slim]

No-one is throwing around a larger figure for Messi at the moment either, therefore Bale is better than Messi.

Maybe people realise the futility of trying to sign Xavi and Iniesta because they aren't for sale at any price.

I think we know that if Messi was up for grabs those that could afford it would pay more than Bales value.

That and Barca aren't currently known for selling their best players. A closer comparison for me would the likes of Xavi Alonso, silva, mata etc.

Bales more of an individual threat with pace, ala a Messi, Ronaldo. Does his promotion into a top tier team help him enter their status permanently, or will he be above his level? That's yet to be decided, but those type of players are traditionally the most valuable,

So we've previously established that awards don't denote who is the better player, now we're discounting sale value as well.

This would be fine except you made the effort to point out the fact he is the only one "being talked about for these figures".

But you're right about Barcelona not selling their best players, you're such a good monkey, look at the way you quote me and make the exact same point as in the quote but like it's your own thought. Back to what you know best Lee, well done.

[Pretty Boy Lee]

So we've previously established that awards don't denote who is the better player, now we're discounting sale value as well.

This would be fine except you made the effort to point out the fact he is the only one "being talked about for these figures".

But you're right about Barcelona not selling their best players, you're such a good monkey, look at the way you quote me and make the exact same point as in the quote but like it's your own thought. Back to what you know best Lee, well done.

You did make a statement so stupid it outdid any of your previous efforts in the very 1st sentence.

Be happy I hundred you with a reply.

[Bridge'srightfoot]

PBL, I agree when you said Bale poses more of an INDIVIDUAL threat than Xavi and Iniesta.
Don't get me wrong I think Xavi and Iniesta are both top, top players, but they both need great players around them to perform to that level. They need players who are on the same wavelength, who can anticipate their passes etc.
The difference is Bale can win games on his own. And he often did in a not great Spurs side.
If you swapped Bale for Iniesta I just don't think Spurs would have scored as many last season.

[Slim]

So we've previously established that awards don't denote who is the better player, now we're discounting sale value as well.

This would be fine except you made the effort to point out the fact he is the only one "being talked about for these figures".

But you're right about Barcelona not selling their best players, you're such a good monkey, look at the way you quote me and make the exact same point as in the quote but like it's your own thought. Back to what you know best Lee, well done.

You did make a statement so stupid it outdid any of your previous efforts in the very 1st sentence.

Be happy I hundred you with a reply.

Yeah, no.

Afraid you can't just call a perfectly legitimate rhetorical question stupid, and then fail to establish why.

Be happy I hundred you? Blaming autocorrect I assume or is this some inside joke that only you get and only you think is funny?

[Original Dub]

PBL, I agree when you said Bale poses more of an INDIVIDUAL threat than Xavi and Iniesta.
Don't get me wrong I think Xavi and Iniesta are both top, top players, but they both need great players around them to perform to that level. They need players who are on the same wavelength, who can anticipate their passes etc.
The difference is Bale can win games on his own. And he often did in a not great Spurs side.
If you swapped Bale for Iniesta I just don't think Spurs would have scored as many last season.

Iniesta has proven time and time again that he is a true world great.

Please don't compare him with gareth fucking bale.

[Bridge'srightfoot]

PBL, I agree when you said Bale poses more of an INDIVIDUAL threat than Xavi and Iniesta.
Don't get me wrong I think Xavi and Iniesta are both top, top players, but they both need great players around them to perform to that level. They need players who are on the same wavelength, who can anticipate their passes etc.
The difference is Bale can win games on his own. And he often did in a not great Spurs side.
If you swapped Bale for Iniesta I just don't think Spurs would have scored as many last season.

Iniesta has proven time and time again that he is a true world great.

Please don't compare him with gareth fucking bale.

Why don't you state your case rather than go 'no Iniesta's better'.
Bale's goals are mostly due to individual ability, Iniesta whilst a world class player, needs a great team around him.
At Barca he has that so he's exceptional, if you plonked him at someone like Everton I'd be interested to see if he had the same impact. Whereas I think Bale would have the same impact wherever he played.

[Slim]

PBL, I agree when you said Bale poses more of an INDIVIDUAL threat than Xavi and Iniesta.
Don't get me wrong I think Xavi and Iniesta are both top, top players, but they both need great players around them to perform to that level. They need players who are on the same wavelength, who can anticipate their passes etc.
The difference is Bale can win games on his own. And he often did in a not great Spurs side.
If you swapped Bale for Iniesta I just don't think Spurs would have scored as many last season.

Iniesta has proven time and time again that he is a true world great.

Please don't compare him with gareth fucking bale.

Why don't you state your case rather than go 'no Iniesta's better'.
Bale's goals are mostly due to individual ability, Iniesta whilst a world class player, needs a great team around him.
At Barca he has that so he's exceptional, if you plonked him at someone like Everton I'd be interested to see if he had the same impact. Whereas I think Bale would have the same impact wherever he played.

So you're saying Bale would flourish in a lesser team? That doesn't necessarily mean he'd be a success in a great team, does it? Iniesta we already know is a success in a great team.

Charlie Adam flourished in a lesser team.