Player Watch: Gareth Bale - Retires

[hughy]

That's called shithousing.

It works against his "viking" image.

 

[Shadydan]

It works against his "viking" image.

I'm sure he's devastated ?‍

 

[thekneaf]

It works against his "viking" image.

I mean, I'm sure the Vikings shithoused too. Lie there and play dead and then leap up and slam a knife into you. You do whatever needs to be done.

 

[GMI]

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

I love the bit after he's scored his second goal and done his little WM celebration/Serge hug when he just sniffs the air with general contentment (at 2m:18s). Reminded me of Kilgore in 'Apocalypse Now' and his napalm speech: 'smells like victory'

 

[ohtottenham!]

Bale stays healthy, we're in business.

 

[Hazelton]

Keep him in the team now and try to manage his fitness and minutes. He should be on freekicks and corners too, tired of Son and Kane's set-pieces.

 

[BringBack_leGin]

Keep him in the team now and try to manage his fitness and minutes. He should be on freekicks and corners too, tired of Son and Kane's set-pieces.

Kane’s I understand but Son’s corners have been very good.

 

[hughy]

I'm sure he's devastated ?‍

No one's devastated mate. Stop trying to make something out of nothing as you usually do.

 

[Shadydan]

No one's devastated mate. Stop trying to make something out of nothing as you usually do.

Okay

 

[LeParisien]

Okay

Okay okay

 

[SpursSince1980]

I love that smug look he gave after scoring his second of that day:

“that’s right, bitches... look who’s back“

 

[-Afri-Coy-]

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.

It was common knowledge that he wasn’t ready for a full 90 or a PL start for months on end. Those limited appearances were simply to help him get back in the grove. It’s not surprising, he spent the better part of 24 months on the bench in Madrid so I don’t blame him. He was always going to take this long to get up to speed.

So it’s a bit unfair to say we haven’t been particularly clever with him when in essence we’ve been extremely intelligent. I know we all wanted to see this form from day one but that was never going to happen. Now that he’s ready he’ll probably spend less time injured or with niggles in the long term, which means he’ll be consistent and that’s what we really need.

 

[kendoddsdadsdogsdead]

It was common knowledge that he wasn’t ready for a full 90 or a PL start for months on end. Those limited appearances were simply to help him get back in the grove. It’s not surprising, he spent the better part of 24 months on the bench in Madrid so I don’t blame him. He was always going to take this long to get up to speed.

So it’s a bit unfair to say we haven’t been particularly clever with him when in essence we’ve been extremely intelligent. I know we all wanted to see this form from day one but that was never going to happen. Now that he’s ready he’ll probably spend less time injured or with niggles in the long term, which means he’ll be consistent and that’s what we really need.

when he came he said he felt like he needed a few weeks to get sharp again, Its March. But even if you think that’s the only amount of minutes he could of done, I think those minutes were managed poorly. I don’t think Bales at the stage of his career where you chuck him in with a bunch of kids and fringe players in the cups. He would of found that far more taxing physically than playing with Kane, Son, Ndombele, Reguilon etc. Good players like playing with other good players and he’ll have less to do off the ball as well.

 

[Lifeson]

Is it just me or did he look really fit finally? Didn't look exhausted going off either.

 

[Jamturk]

I'm a great believer in players playing their way back into fitness, you can do all the running, gymwork etc in the world ain't nothing like playing match minutes.

Ndombele alluded to this in his latest interview.

 

[Goobers]

I'm a great believer in players playing their way back into fitness, you can do all the running, gymwork etc in the world ain't nothing like playing match minutes.

Ndombele alluded to this in his latest interview.

I agree and at this stage in the season, rest and recovery between matches must be just as key.

 

[ILS]

Just seeing that Beautiful man's smile light up my life is enough for me... especially after I spent the first half of the season slagging him off.

Wife has always told me I was a two faced prick! She's finally right about something.

 

[SpursSince1980]

Just seeing that Beautiful man's smile light up my life is enough for me... especially after I spent the first half of the season slagging him off.

Wife has always told me I was a two faced prick! She's finally right about something.

Wife or X wife? ?

 

[EQP]

Best part of Bale getting back to form and starting games is that we might never ever ever evaaaaaaaar see Harry Kane take another direct free-kick this season.

 

[Shadydan]

Best part of Bale getting back to form and starting games is that we might never ever ever evaaaaaaaar see Harry Kane take another direct free-kick this season.

He'll take the ones from the edge of the box on the right, Bale will take the ones from the left.