Player Watch: Gareth Bale - Retires

[kendoddsdadsdogsdead]

Good observation. He also worked harder tracking back then in games past. There was one passage of play where he chased hard from right center all the way to the left from roughly the beginning of the final third back into our half. The ball eventually got switched back to a rather large hole on the right but no damage was done. My reaction was it showed a desire/trust that wasn't there one month ago but he seems to be embracing this style of play.

Maybe mate but i think whats helped him is eventually playing in a team who were able to keep the ball better so he was able to close down with a bit more intensity when we were out of possession. The situations he’s found himself when he’s played or brought on haven’t been easy, a miss match team in the Europa with little chemistry or twenty minutes here and there with the team shape normally a bit of a mess. Personal opinion but I don’t think his mentality or work rate has changed the last couple of weeks. I just don’t think we’ve been particularly clever in how we’ve used him up until now.

 

[philll]

 

[Wizzy77]

I was having some recollections of thoughts from a couple years again... when we had Kane firing away... Many of us were simply dreaming of Bale lining up with Kane...

Now two legends that defined our past decade playing beside each other.. somehow it still havent sunk in for me.. even now.

 

[DogsOfWar]

The great thing about that performance was he almost had a free role.
He had the freedom to drop deep, come inside, make runs through the middle or hug the touchline.
That kind of movement makes it very difficult to pick him up and pulls opposition players all over the place leaving space for others to exploit.
If he carries on like this he's a season changer.

 

[tiger666]

Fucking hell that made me piss

 

[Dov67]

When he’s in that form, he can be worth an extra 8 to 10 points in tight games between now and the end of the season

 

[ZiggySpurs]

Even at that size, nobody can pocket him.

 

[BringBack_leGin]

That pass for the Kane goal.

Pirlo? Carrick? Hoddle?

It was a bit special.

 

[andrewt]

our boy is back! by the looks of it.anyway long may it continue if we can get that front three playing like that every week its going to be carnage for everyone else defensively !

 

[Nayim60yards]

Is that his tip for 1st goalscorer ?

If so he was right and very quickly too! Matty, give him the blocks again before the Fulham match, there's money to be made here!

 

[E17yid]

Bales form on Sunday had nothing to do with Mourinho and everything to do with Wales pulling England’s pants down in the Rugby the night before and being on the verge on another Grand Slam, so you can thank the Wales rugby team.

 

[hughy]

Bales form on Sunday had nothing to do with Mourinho and everything to do with Wales pulling England’s pants down in the Rugby the night before and being on the verge on another Grand Slam, so you can thank the Wales rugby team.

What the fuck is rugby?

 

[jimbo]

What the fuck is rugby?

80 minutes of players pretending they're not hurt, whereas football is 90 minutes of the opposite + Hojbjerg.

 

[E17yid]

What the fuck is rugby?

It’s this game that Wales are brilliant at and England are shit at.

 

[brasil_spur]

Welcome home finally. Only took 5 months!

It would be great if he could play every game from here on in and help us push for top 4 etc but that is highly unlikely

I'd imagine his fitness will be closely managed and the League Cup Final and Europa League will be prioritised

It's what so many of us were saying before we ever re-signed him, he's the type of player that when on form can win a match for you. Harry Kane is the only other we really have like this and IMO isn't as capable at this as Bale is.

The trouble is to be on form he has to be playing regularly. If we can keep Bale, Son and Kane fit for the cup games for the rest of this season then I can see us lifting a trophy.

 

[brasil_spur]

somebody made a compilation Bale's Burnley performance. What a reel. Every frickin touch was positive, meaningful.

The goals were great, but that turn and run at 40 secs in that video made me realise we have some of the old Bale back on the pitch.

 

[FibreOpticJesus]

It’s this game that Wales are brilliant at and England are shit at.

How many world cups have Wales won? In fact how many finals have they been in? Not so brilliant!!!!

 

[hughy]

80 minutes of players pretending they're not hurt, whereas football is 90 minutes of the opposite + Hojbjerg.

I love Hojbjerg to bits but it's such a myth that he's some sort of warrior. He's always going down under the slightest touch and making things seem worse than they are. He's a bit of a diva I'd say.

 

[Shadydan]

I love Hojbjerg to bits but it's such a myth that he's some sort of warrior. He's always going down under the slightest touch and making things seem worse than they are. He's a bit of a diva I'd say.

That's called shithousing.

 

[E17yid]

That's called shithousing.

You’re both right.