Player Watch: Gareth Bale - Retires

[Dr Benson]

I want this done now!! It`s worth it. It could turn out to be great. It`s worth the risk.

 

[Monkey Bastard Hands]

@Hercules must be related to @Monkey Bastard Hands

Mine are bigger and I am very good with them (at least that's what i've been told).

 

[matthew.absurdum]

Yea just like when we signed VDV or man.u B.Fernandes or even Everton Rodriguez those big name signings lift a dressing room and they provide another level of quality on the pitch that our mid table squad is massively missing.

This is a good point. The new signings may not necessarily make them immediately better than us. But you can see their morale and confidence was sky high yesterday. This gives up extra motivation to press and attack

 

[peterballb]

Bale needs to happen for a whole host of reasons. First off, it's a lift to everyone. Second, he is a game breaker. Sadly lacking. Thirdly, he can impart so much to players like Bergwijn, Sessegnon, not to mention all those who take free kicks. There is an undeniable value to bringing back Bale.

Here's the issue though. How does Bale make Dele, Moura, Son and Kane stop getting in each other's way? Will he teach them that playing the wing means staying on the wing? It is just brutal (not a Mourinho thing as this was an issue with Pochettino as well). Remember back to Townsend. Lots of talent, just refused to stay out there. Would not do his job and then was completely ineffective when he came inside and was in the way of others. It's just the same old same old. Everyone wants to be in the middle. Will he be the bridge between the back and the front? If neither Lo Celso nor Ndombele were fit, why did we not play White? Or Lamela? Hojberg and Winks are the same player. Neither one is Dembele. At least Lamela would push the play. Will Bale make us attack balls coming in to our box? Pickford punched out balls. Lloris has his feet planted. Dier and Alderweirald chase the player. They don't attack the ball

None of this is the now. This has been the case since January 2019. It is a mentality. Don't let the CL final fool you. We were not very good in all of the other competitions. Mourinho needs to change this.

Bale is not the only answer. He is certainly part of the solution.

FWIW, Pochettino repeatedly stated he was not willing to take a striker or player he did not want. Blaming Levy is easy. He does decide the shillings and pence. He is not the ultimate arbiter of whether the manager wants X or Y. Not saying there were not guys who could have been gotten. But if it's paying over the odds, that is not something Levy does.

Levy will not pay over the odds here either. Bale's value to THFC is far more than than any Transfermarkt valuation. If wages and transfer fee can be worked, Levy will make it happen - for Mourinho, the players, THFC, and most importantly, for the fans. Of that, I am sure. Now, does RM still want their pound of flesh? They shut down the China deal for it. Will they continue? Or relent?

This is in RM's hands. Not Bale. Not THFC.

 

[ComfortablyNumb]

Genuinely can’t think of one of top quality creative central midfield player that would be obtainable for us though. Zaniolo seems like someone the club likes but Roma didn’t want to deal and now he’s injured long term again. I don’t think we could get anywhere near Grealish’s price tag now. I think an elite creative player would be the best option. But I don’t see who’s out there to go and get.

I don’t think it’s individual creativity that’s the problem, or the solution. It’s how the team plays as a whole. The best teams are more than the sum of their parts, but we’re less. I suspect that every one of our players would have played better for Everton yesterday than they did for us, because they would have had a clear style and set of tactics to follow. We don’t have that (yet?).

 

[Deleted member 27995]

I don’t think it’s individual creativity that’s the problem, or the solution. It’s how the team plays as a whole. The best teams are more than the sum of their parts, but we’re less. I suspect that every one of our players would have played better for Everton yesterday than they did for us, because they would have had a clear style and set of tactics to follow. We don’t have that (yet?).

I don't totally agree with this, besides the Davies mistake, we created and looked the better team in the opening 45 when we got into the final third. We failed yet again to take one of at least three good chances we created. The change at half time seemed to completely disjoint what we saw in the second half and as a result we then didn't look like we had tactics or an understanding of what was expected of us.

Considering at the end of last season there were some signs the players were buying in, to open the season like we did yesterday baffles me.

Still can't understand why we're not looking at 433 with the players we've got. ?

 

[doctor stefan Freud]

I don’t think it’s individual creativity that’s the problem, or the solution. It’s how the team plays as a whole. The best teams are more than the sum of their parts, but we’re less. I suspect that every one of our players would have played better for Everton yesterday than they did for us, because they would have had a clear style and set of tactics to follow. We don’t have that (yet?).

Definitely. At our worst we lack any sense of cohesiveness that comes from a group of players well drilled in tactical principles. But, that identity was beginning to emerge, albeit sporadically, in the post lockdown matches. What worries me is the lack of consistency in our play, and our inability to unpick a locked defence. Not every team will be easy to counter, and many will set up anti-counter blocks against us given that’s now our preferred style

 

[ardiles]

F’ng Fat fingers?

You haven’t done any pre season training yet, have you?

 

[spursfan77]

Bale needs to happen for a whole host of reasons. First off, it's a lift to everyone. Second, he is a game breaker. Sadly lacking. Thirdly, he can impart so much to players like Bergwijn, Sessegnon, not to mention all those who take free kicks. There is an undeniable value to bringing back Bale.

Here's the issue though. How does Bale make Dele, Moura, Son and Kane stop getting in each other's way? Will he teach them that playing the wing means staying on the wing? It is just brutal (not a Mourinho thing as this was an issue with Pochettino as well). Remember back to Townsend. Lots of talent, just refused to stay out there. Would not do his job and then was completely ineffective when he came inside and was in the way of others. It's just the same old same old. Everyone wants to be in the middle. Will he be the bridge between the back and the front? If neither Lo Celso nor Ndombele were fit, why did we not play White? Or Lamela? Hojberg and Winks are the same player. Neither one is Dembele. At least Lamela would push the play. Will Bale make us attack balls coming in to our box? Pickford punched out balls. Lloris has his feet planted. Dier and Alderweirald chase the player. They don't attack the ball

None of this is the now. This has been the case since January 2019. It is a mentality. Don't let the CL final fool you. We were not very good in all of the other competitions. Mourinho needs to change this.

Bale is not the only answer. He is certainly part of the solution.

FWIW, Pochettino repeatedly stated he was not willing to take a striker or player he did not want. Blaming Levy is easy. He does decide the shillings and pence. He is not the ultimate arbiter of whether the manager wants X or Y. Not saying there were not guys who could have been gotten. But if it's paying over the odds, that is not something Levy does.

Levy will not pay over the odds here either. Bale's value to THFC is far more than than any Transfermarkt valuation. If wages and transfer fee can be worked, Levy will make it happen - for Mourinho, the players, THFC, and most importantly, for the fans. Of that, I am sure. Now, does RM still want their pound of flesh? They shut down the China deal for it. Will they continue? Or relent?

This is in RM's hands. Not Bale. Not THFC.

Saying, and Bale confirmed this in his interview last week, he was all set to go to China until Madrid suddenly asked for a fee last minute and the deal fell over, I hope the club are ready for Madrid to try and pull the wool over their eyes. Nothing we wouldn’t do though I suspect!

 

[TheCheeseRoom]

If Bale signing uses up all our striker funds for Sorloth.... then i'm all for it.

Go all in Danny.

 

[teddy_sheringham_125]

Heart says yes, head says double yes. If he didn't have connections to the club, there's no way in hell we would be even slightly in the running for a player at his level. And why do people care about the financial implications? It's not like we go out and sign superstars on massive wages anyway, so what is going to change if we sign Bale?

 

[Flashp]

Heart says yes, head says double yes. If he didn't have connections to the club, there's no way in hell we would be even slightly in the running for a player at his level. And why do people care about the financial implications? It's not like we go out and sign superstars on massive wages anyway, so what is going to change if we sign Bale?

Umm, the fact that we've signed a superstar on massive wages?

 

[carpediem991]

If there is a deal to realize that is not completely breaking the bank it has to be done. If you have some sort of ambition thats the deals to do. You can not talk on the staff christmas party about winning a trophy and then rely on hope and luck. We need proven quality and mentality. Some players that lift the confidence and qualities of the other squad players. Dele, Lucas, Lamela and even Bergwijn are all adding something, but nothing really reliable.

 

[DannyNZ]

Bale or Moura, I’m thinking Bale. Bale or Dele, I’m thinking Bale. Kane injured I’m thinking would be great to have Bale. This guy is at a different level even with a few miles on the clock. Definitely improves our starting 11, get it done.

 

[ComfortablyNumb]

I don't totally agree with this, besides the Davies mistake, we created and looked the better team in the opening 45 when we got into the final third. We failed yet again to take one of at least three good chances we created. The change at half time seemed to completely disjoint what we saw in the second half and as a result we then didn't look like we had tactics or an understanding of what was expected of us.

Considering at the end of last season there were some signs the players were buying in, to open the season like we did yesterday baffles me.

Still can't understand why we're not looking at 433 with the players we've got. ?

In the first 45, we had Dele, Harry and Son just playing their natural games. Harry and Dele fit well together, and the whole team have learned to cope with Son just doing things off the top of his head. Interestingly, Doherty played exactly the same as his youtube highlights, but I didn't see any indication that the rest of the team were playing to those strengths (he'll definitely score goals for us) nor covering his weaknesses. That's where the coaching has to come in.

And when we swapped players out, it fell apart, because we weren't playing a 'team' game in the first 45, we were just relying on some players playing their natural style.

 

[Deleted member 27995]

In the first 45, we had Dele, Harry and Son just playing their natural games. Harry and Dele fit well together, and the whole team have learned to cope with Son just doing things off the top of his head. Interestingly, Doherty played exactly the same as his youtube highlights, but I didn't see any indication that the rest of the team were playing to those strengths (he'll definitely score goals for us) nor covering his weaknesses. That's where the coaching has to come in.

And when we swapped players out, it fell apart, because we weren't playing a 'team' game in the first 45, we were just relying on some players playing their natural style.

This is why I disagreed. We had shape and when we broke we were incisive which would lead you to the belief we did have some structure with both tactics and formation. The passing and moving for Dohertys chance is probably what we might expect from Mourinho moving forward - as you say second half Sissoko yet again square peg round hole and it all went to shit.

Frustrating considering what we saw in some of the games at the end of last season.

 

[Martin91]

Interesting update from Trix In daily thread

 

[Hotspur88]

The recent ITK from Trix makes for depressing reading, if Levy isn't willing to match strides with RM & GB then it will just go to show the ambition the man really has. I know it was only one performance, but surely yesterdays viewing screamed out that the club need a big pick me up. Just get it bloody done Levy or we face falling even further behind than we were last season.

 

[doctor stefan Freud]

Interesting update from Trix In daily thread

Yep- the usual bollocks about Levy getting himself into a position of relative strength only to get cold feet. I’m not surprised though- we looked dreadful yesterday and if that continues even with a very good, but very expensive player you can understand why Bale becomes a greater financial risk. I feel disappointedly, yet predictably flaccid

 

[dagraham]

What’s even worse is that I now expect him to sign for Utd.