Son Kane Bale

[ComfortablyNumb]

It's quite astonishing, with the amount of goals and assists that Son and Kane have, we haven't managed to make an impact in the league.

We're 5th. Fully 75% of the Prem is below us. That's some kind of impact, surely?

 

[faymantaray]

We're 5th. Fully 75% of the Prem is below us. That's some kind of impact, surely?

Sorry I meant impact on the title race.

 

[Montalbano]

It's quite astonishing, with the amount of goals and assists that Son and Kane have, we haven't managed to make an impact in the league.

Fortifies the adage “defense wins championships”.

 

[Bluto Blutarsky]

Fortifies the adage “defense wins championships”.

Ah yes. But how you defend matters too.

How many points have we dropped from winning positions this year? I imagine if we had been a bit more aggressive in defending from the front, we would probably be in a title race right now. Instead, we put our defense under unnecessary pressure by inviting teams forward, and conceded too many inopportune goals.

A manager who better understood the strengths of his squad would have gotten more from this team.

 

[rossdapep]

It's quite ludicrous that Jose hauled Bale off for not having an impact in games when we spent the majority of the game in our own half.

It's absolutely mind boggling. Like what is he expecting him to do?

He's a final third player. Just cause he isn't in the game doesn't mean he can't explode at any moment.

Today was a good example, first 30 mins or so he wasn't up to much but he has instinct, brilliance and can expose any defence, that's why he should have been playing 90 mins and always one of the first names on the team sheet barring fitness.

 

[Neon_Knight_]

It's quite astonishing, with the amount of goals and assists that Son and Kane have, we haven't managed to make an impact in the league.

Less astonishing when you compare our back four to the seasons we finished 2nd/3rd.

 

[GutBucket]

It's quite ludicrous that Jose hauled Bale off for not having an impact in games when we spent the majority of the game in our own half.

It's absolutely mind boggling. Like what is he expecting him to do?

He's a final third player. Just cause he isn't in the game doesn't mean he can't explode at any moment.

Today was a good example, first 30 mins or so he wasn't up to much but he has instinct, brilliance and can expose any defence, that's why he should have been playing 90 mins and always one of the first names on the team sheet barring fitness.

And he frees up Son, every team will have to mark on both sides of the pitch now. Aurier also has best possible option for overlaps, no wonder he had a great game too.

 

[Neon_Knight_]

Fortifies the adage “defense wins championships”.

We've scored 4th most goals, conceded joint 5th fewest and have the joint 3rd best goal difference (joint with the two teams above us). On that basis, our league position is a fair reflection - shame it wasn't when we had the best goal difference in 2015-16 and 2016-17.

 

[Neon_Knight_]

Race to 70:
Played 55
Scored 65
4 matches left to play

1.25 goals per game needed (down from 1.5 per game).

Race to 70:
Played 57
Scored 68
2 matches left to play

EDIT: 2 goals needed from the last 2 games.

 

[Shadydan]

Race to 70:
Played 57
Scored 67
2 matches left to play

3 goals needed from the last 2 games.

Could have sworn they've scored 68 and have 2 left...did you include Son's goal against Leeds?

 

[Shadydan]

 

[Neon_Knight_]

Could have sworn they've scored 68 and have 2 left...did you include Son's goal against Leeds?

Looks like I forgot to add on Son's goal against Man Utd last month.

 

[Shadydan]

Kane today played like a better version of Roberto Firmino except he also scores goals. If we can add that to our "Salah and Mane" in Son and Bale then we'll be a hugely potent threat this season.

That being said - the way I am reading things on here and Twitter I think some of you are going to be very disappointed with Bale's return. World class he certainly was, but even in an environment where he "feels loved" etc etc etc - he may well not get anywhere close to what he once was, and even though I'm sure he is still a top technical footballer then his injury record means there's a good chance we only see him fit and in good form for a handful of games in the season which would make any discussion of 70 goal hauls from the trio borderline delusional - Kane has had his own injury issues of course.

Son, Kane and 2013 Bale would without question be the best front three in the league. Probably even 2018 Bale as well. Now - I'll wait and see what player has arrived before declaring our front line better than Liverpool's or City's.

Lastly - I think today is going to be an outlier rather than a taste of what's to come. Some superb individual performances today from Son and Kane, with Ndombele and a few others having flashes of brilliance, but don't let the scoreline fool you - we were lucky not to lose, let alone come away with an emphatic win, after struggling badly but being gifted goals from a suicidally high Southampton line. Credit to Mourinho for spotting it and setting up Kane and Son to take advantage in the second half - but I guarantee that most teams will not be this open especially when Bale is in the side - so we are going to have to learn to beat our achilles heel - well organised teams defending deep. Ndombele's improvement and the addition of attacking full-backs might give us that ability but we'll see.

To end on a high though - what really impressed me was how clinical we were today. All of the goals, those that counted and those that didn't, were examples of brilliant finishing and a killer instinct when they gave us hope - compared to say Adams who had the chances to win the game for them but was wasteful. If we dominate the midfield battles and can supply this front three then we'll have a good chance in any game.

Nervous yet bro?

 

[SUIYHA]

Nervous yet bro?

Yep, I must say I got it wrong - none of them have had a long term injury which I definitely did not see coming. Assuming they play in the final two games it'll be Kane's most appearances in a season for us in five years and Son's second most since he joined the club. Bale hasn't been picked as much as some of us would have liked but unlike pretty much any season in the last decade he's not had any injuries of note so actually he's played significantly more than he did in his last year at Real.

I always said the trio could get to the 70 goal mark if they all stayed fit and in form but I definitely did not see them doing so well on the injury front. Their form has been the one highlight of a disastrous season. Going to be some very big shoes to fill if we end up losing two of them this summer.

 

[Shadydan]

Yep, I must say I got it wrong - none of them have had a long term injury which I definitely did not see coming. Assuming they play in the final two games it'll be Kane's most appearances in a season for us in five years and Son's second most since he joined the club. Bale hasn't been picked as much as some of us would have liked but unlike pretty much any season in the last decade he's not had any injuries of note so actually he's played significantly more than he did in his last year at Real.

I always said the trio could get to the 70 goal mark if they all stayed fit and in form but I definitely did not see them doing so well on the injury front. Their form has been the one highlight of a disastrous season. Going to be some very big shoes to fill if we end up losing two of them this summer.

Kudos...it's been a bit of fun really.

Just a shame we have nothing to show for it this season though.

Maybe next season IF the new man wants to keep Bale in the team.

 

[Neon_Knight_]

That's 70

 

[Shadydan]

We did it!

 

[Neon_Knight_]

and now 71

 

[dtxspurs]

Anyone have a stat on how many games they actually started together?

 

[Neon_Knight_]

Anyone have a stat on how many games they actually started together?

Yes - not enough