Gareth Bale | Signed new contract

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Ekeke said:
Messi can and does play passes to the right too. All you'd be doing is switching his passes to Alves to the other side with Bale. It wont give him more than he has.
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Having watched every single Barcelona game in which Messi has featured, I can assure you that like 95 % of his passes go to the left side, often inbetween rightback and right centrehalf. As a left-footer this comes more natural to him. He even assisted Abidal. Twice. Now Abidal has 2 career goals for Barcelona. :lol: Can't remember the last time he assisted Alves though.

Bale should also be more prolific than Alves. Alves scored 3 goals this season in all competitions, despite often playing as a right winger. Especially this season when Pep used a 3 man backline pretty often. 1 of them was a wondergoal.

The downside is: Alves is actually a good defender. A very good one. Bale isn't.
 
Varun_Utd said:
haha. yeah i do but if its only midgets at the end of crosses, it makes the delivery very predictable.
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Same principle should apply to a big man. If you have a big man in the box you could presume it would be a high cross, but if the quality is good enough, predicting whether it will come high or low makes it no easier to stop.

Any cross is all about the quality of the delivery and the area it is put in to. If Bale gets space to put in a quality delivery from the byline or near to it, it would still be extremely difficult to defend against.
 
Absolutely zero chance of him going to barca this summer. They are skint and need a left back and centre back. I know we're suggesting bale might play there but they can't afford him.
 
apotheosis said:
Same principle should apply to a big man. If you have a big man in the box you could presume it would be a high cross, but if the quality is good enough, predicting whether it will come high or low makes it no easier to stop.

Any cross is all about the quality of the delivery and the area it is put in to. If Bale gets space to put in a quality delivery from the byline or near to it, it would still be extremely difficult to defend against.
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Nope, if there's a big man, the delivery could be to him or to the other smaller guys attacking the ball. With only midgets to aim at, it'l always be low balls mostly to the near post which makes it very predictable imo and a change from how they operate now.

Also, both bale and alves as FBs would be a bit too attacking even for barca i reckon. Add to that he'l cost 40mil+ and its a no deal i believe.
 
RedRichio said:
Absolutely zero chance of him going to barca this summer. They are skint and need a left back and centre back. I know we're suggesting bale might play there but they can't afford him.
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Similar sentiments were waged about Ibra, Villa, Cesc, Alexis, etc...I don't think this is going to happen either but money wouldn't be the main hurdle
 
RedRichio said:
Absolutely zero chance of him going to barca this summer. They are skint and need a left back and centre back. I know we're suggesting bale might play there but they can't afford him.
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:lol: Barca skint?? do me a favour those bastards and Madrid would pull gold teeth out of skulls to make sure their who has the biggest cock transfer fest continues each summer.
 
€ 50 million was the confirmed transfer budget from the club. Selling Alves and Keita would make that around € 100 million. That's what Catalan sports papers suggest anyway. Not reaching the CL finals and not winning La Liga has saved the club around € 30 million of bonuses as well if I'm not mistaken.
 
Aren't Barcelona supposed to be signing Jordi Alba? He is a natural left back that will fill the need and will be way cheaper than Gareth Bale.

I can't see Barcelona spending what Tottenham will ask for, for another person to play in the front 3, when they already have Villa, Pedro, Tello, Cuenca and sometimes Iniesta and Fabregas.

This is probably one of those easy to make up stories from the papers "Gareth Bale is the best player in the world, Barcelona and Real Madrid want him, City are offering 60 million and Manchester United and Inter Milan are also interested"
 
Homeomorphic said:
€ 50 million was the confirmed transfer budget from the club. Selling Alves and Keita would make that around € 100 million. That's what Catalan sports papers suggest anyway. Not reaching the CL finals and not winning La Liga has saved the club around € 30 million of bonuses as well if I'm not mistaken.
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Losing out on the Champions League and La Liga is better for Barca financially than winning them? That can't be right...

Unless you're being selective by ignoring the losses they made due to not winning anything. It might have saved them €30m in bonuses but cost them €50m elsewhere.
 
Theon said:
Losing out on the Champions League and La Liga is better for Barca financially than winning them? That can't be right...

Unless you're being selective by ignoring the losses they made due to not winning anything. It might have saved them €30m in bonuses but cost them €50m elsewhere.
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It didn't cost them anywhere near €50m, the difference between finishing 2nd and 1st in La Liga is vague and in CL it can't be worth more than €10m difference.
 
Homeomorphic said:
€ 50 million was the confirmed transfer budget from the club. Selling Alves and Keita would make that around € 100 million. That's what Catalan sports papers suggest anyway. Not reaching the CL finals and not winning La Liga has saved the club around € 30 million of bonuses as well if I'm not mistaken.
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Alves will cost around €30m but only if he goes to Anzhi or City because no one else will pay that kind of money for a 30-year old right back. Keita will most likely go to Milan and he won't cost more than €5m, he's 32 already.
 
Sarni said:
It didn't cost them anywhere near €50m, the difference between finishing 2nd and 1st in La Liga is vague and in CL it can't be worth more than €10m difference.
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I imagine there are other revenues affected besides simply prize money, sponsors may pay out more if you win the league for example.

So you think Barca earn more money by not winning anything? Hmmm.. Okay.
 
Theon said:
I imagine there are other revenues affected besides simply prize money, sponsors may pay out more if you win the league for example.

So you think Barca earn more money by not winning anything? Hmmm.. Okay.
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I don't think so, long term it could definitely have an effect but one season without a major trophy probably won't. I don't think they were ever going to pay out €30m in bonuses in the first place, that's over a million per player even when you include bench and some bonus for staff.
 
Maybe they lost the league on purpose, to save money and buy Bale..
 
Guilem Balague has tweeted and said the story is b.s, and that barca cant afford too pay what tottenham want, And plus they want jordi alba neway.
 
Adam-Utd said:
Guilem Balague has tweeted and said the story is b.s, and that barca cant afford too pay what tottenham want, And plus they want jordi alba neway.
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Spurs fans should feel scared of losing their top star now. Balague often get something right, but most of the times he's wrong.
 
Sarni said:
I don't think they were ever going to pay out €30m in bonuses in the first place, that's over a million per player even when you include bench and some bonus for staff.
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The numbers are true. Last season Barcelona financially made a loss from winning the Champions League. Every player got payed € 750k of bonuses according to numerous reports.

Sarni said:
Alves will cost around €30m but only if he goes to Anzhi or City because no one else will pay that kind of money for a 30-year old right back.
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He just turned 29 a few days ago and he'll go until he's 35 at least like many South American fullbacks do. He might be the fittest footballer in the game right now. Three-lung-Park looked already dead after chasing him for like only 30 minutes last season. If there is someone who will do another Zanetti then it is this guy. I would also expect City to buy him tbh. They could do with a bit more width. Or even PSG.

Well, IF he leaves, he won't leave for less than € 30 million. Could be included in a swap deal as well. Let's say for Thiago Silva. :drool:

Oh, and Ballague knows nothing about Barcelona related stuff.
 
peterstorey said:
Gareth Bale has taken 54 shots in his last 13 PL games without scoring.
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And how many assists has he during this period?

Overall in the Prem so far he has 9 goals and 10 assists. Or 12 goals and 14 assists in all competitions.

Not too shabby for someone who isn't a striker.
 
MrMarcello said:
Which does not refute the claim he's overrated.
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Nor does it disprove it.

"Over-rated" is in the eye of the beholder. There are plenty of neutrals who think Bale is very, very good.
 
Homeomorphic said:
Well, IF he leaves, he won't leave for less than € 30 million. Could be included in a swap deal as well. Let's say for Thiago Silva. :drool:
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City's not a bad shout, but would Milan swap their best CB for a fullback, especially one who isn't the best of defenders? Hmmm! They are not exactly super solid at the back anyway, so losing Thiago silva and gaining Alves is weakening their defence far too much.

If Alves does become available, unfortunately i can't imagine City not being interested.
 
GlastonSpur said:
Nor does it disprove it.

"Over-rated" is in the eye of the beholder. There are plenty of neutrals who think Bale is very, very good.
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Possibly, but there are always extremes on both sides, sensationalism is part of football, and countered by those who go to the other extreme of giving them very little credit at all.

As reluctant as i am to quote Pogue, he was spot on when he said the truth usually lies somewhere in the middle, and i agree with that. Bale is very good at what he does already, with plenty of time to improve. If he was available for £25m i doubt there would be many fans anywhere who would object too strongly if their club were in for him.

So in many ways the excessive valuation of £50m being attached to him is causing everyone to critique his game more than is usual. Ironically, regardless of how we may rate him, to disprove a valuation that nobody except Levy and Arry, accepts as very realistic anyway.
 
Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber said:
Bale is they type of pacey out and out left side attacker Barca currently lack. If they ever go for him it wont be to play him at left back.
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They're not gonna start him every game then without changing their style then. His game and their game are totally different. I can't see them moving away from how they play so they're either gonna play him full back with license to roam like Alvez or he's going to be the most expensive plan B ever.
 
Ash_G said:
They're not gonna start him every game then without changing their style then. His game and their game are totally different. I can't see them moving away from how they play so they're either gonna play him full back with license to roam like Alvez or he's going to be the most expensive plan B ever.
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Yeah I think if they buy him it would be as a left sided Alvez. Alvez plays as pretty much a right winger at times anyway, so Bale playing as their left back would still get the most out of his forward play. They'd drop the three at the back experiment you'd think and play with two centre backs again with the two wing backs.

I think he'd be a great signing for them.
 
Theon said:
Yeah I think if they buy him it would be as a left sided Alvez. Alvez plays as pretty much a right winger at times anyway, so Bale playing as their left back would still get the most out of his forward play. They'd drop the three at the back experiment you'd think and play with two centre backs again with the two wing backs.

I think he'd be a great signing for them.
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I think that sort of player would give them an option they lack, certainly someone like Bale would have made a difference against Chelsea, but then again that still depends on if they want to change their game. There were so many occasions in that chelsea game for instance where iniesta have tonnes of space on the left and every time he chose to pass it back central and not cross it and it was clearly tactical, so I dunno if they do go for him maybe they're recognizing the need for variety but something tells me they'll want to persist with this current style. Either way as good as he is I don't know if they need to spend the sort of money being talked about on what will either be a fullback or an impact player. But who knows maybe they will, suppose he can fit two roles for them and there's not much else they need to do.
 
Ash_G said:
They're not gonna start him every game then without changing their style then. His game and their game are totally different. I can't see them moving away from how they play so they're either gonna play him full back with license to roam like Alvez or he's going to be the most expensive plan B ever.
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There is absolutely no reason why he wouldn't fit in their style. Bale is a winger who can score. They lack a left sided attacker with the pace to consistently stretch defences like Henry did in his best season for the, while still providing a reasonable cross. Bale has both the pace and the ability to make excellent crosses. Be them aerial or ground ones. Not to mention the fact he'd enjoy himself with their though balls, since he also can score a few. I have little doubt Bale is young enough and good enough to be moulded nicely into a Barca fitting weapon by that club. They'd improve him as a player and add more intelligence and variety to his game. Without ever having to turn him into Alves part 2 on the left side
 
Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber said:
There is absolutely no reason why he wouldn't fit in their style. Bale is a winger who can score. They lack a left sided attacker with the pace to consistently stretch defences like Henry did in his best season for the, while still providing a reasonable cross. Bale has both the pace and the ability to make excellent crosses. Be them aerial or ground ones. Not to mention the fact he'd enjoy himself with their though balls, since he also can score a few. I have little doubt Bale is young enough and good enough to be moulded nicely into a Barca fitting weapon by that club. They'd improve him as a player and add more intelligence and variety to his game.
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Walcott has been playing at arsenal for years and yet his link up play and intelligence hasn't improved loads. Maybe Bale could, personally judging by how he's done in a more free role for spurs I don't think he'd get much better. For their game it's all about intelligence and ability to make a pass, if someone, in such an important area as the places he would place is not on that same wavelength then it's going to seriously effect them. People have pointed out how Hernandez slows are attacks/doesn't link up well and we play a much more basic game than Barca. Bale's whole game is built on explosive pace and getting to the byline and putting in a dangerous game, which isn't something barca do, and certainly doesn't fit with what a winger would need to do for them to play they way they do. Also Henry played on the left coming inside, he didn't play how Bale plays for spurs. Bale when he comes inside looks uncomfortable and has a much smaller impact.

At left back he could get away with it more as he would naturally not be expected to come inside as much, but his role in the attack would be much more reduced. However as Barca will always have so much of the ball he can help them stretch teams with the width he can get them at left back. As an impact player he could be important as well. But I don't see him linking up with messi and sanchez as the front 3 on a regular basis as his game does not fit with how they, or iniesta/xavi play.
 
Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber said:
Bale is they type of pacey out and out left side attacker Barca currently lack. If they ever go for him it wont be to play him at left back.
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I could easily see him at LB though Chief, especially if Alves leaves and they go for a more defensive minded RB.

I rate Bale, but is he good enough technically and clever enough on the ball to play further up, considering Barca's style. Others have raised this point and i admit i have my doubts. Bale in the PL is great, with a game very much suited to our league. But La Liga plays a lot differently, with much more emphasis placed upon quick incisive possession based passing and lots of imagination. I just get the feeling it may show up his lack of technique. So i think he would be better suited to a LB or wing back role, than he would as a wide striker. Their passing is just so fast and fluent around the box, Bale's touch would be regularly tested, and i don't see him coping too well in that type of set up.

For me his best position is a left winger. All his best attributes are most effective from that position and i can't imagine too many top European sides that play a system to fit a true left winger.
 
Ash_G said:
I think that sort of player would give them an option they lack, certainly someone like Bale would have made a difference against Chelsea, but then again that still depends on if they want to change their game. There were so many occasions in that chelsea game for instance where iniesta have tonnes of space on the left and every time he chose to pass it back central and not cross it and it was clearly tactical, so I dunno if they do go for him maybe they're recognizing the need for variety but something tells me they'll want to persist with this current style. Either way as good as he is I don't know if they need to spend the sort of money being talked about on what will either be a fullback or an impact player. But who knows maybe they will, suppose he can fit two roles for them and there's not much else they need to do.
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I don't think they'd have to change their game really mate. They could still play possession football like you say, with Iniesta etc passing it centrally, but with Bale at left back they would have an attacking threat on the left wing, in the same way they have a threat on the right with Alvez.

I think at the moment they are an unbalanced side, it's pretty clear when you watch them that they don't have the same width on the left as on the right with Alvez, unless Tello or Cuenca played for example, instead of Fabregas or Iniesta. If they had two attacking fullbacks on each side, then their team would be more balanced I think. They could go back to 4-3-3 with Busquets, Xavi and Iniesta with Fabregas, Messi and Sanchez ahead. Then even though that seems narrow, because they have Bale and Alvez, in reality it wouldn't be narrow as they have two wingbacks who are excellent going forward.
 
Ash_G said:
Walcott has been playing at arsenal for years and yet his link up play and intelligence hasn't improved loads. Maybe Bale could, personally judging by how he's done in a more free role for spurs I don't think he'd get much better. For their game it's all about intelligence and ability to make a pass, if someone, in such an important area as the places he would place is not on that same wavelength then it's going to seriously effect them. People have pointed out how Hernandez slows are attacks/doesn't link up well and we play a much more basic game than Barca. Bale's whole game is built on explosive pace and getting to the byline and putting in a dangerous game, which isn't something barca do, and certainly doesn't fit with what a winger would need to do for them to play they way they do. Also Henry played on the left coming inside, he didn't play how Bale plays for spurs. Bale when he comes inside looks uncomfortable and has a much smaller impact.

At left back he could get away with it more as he would naturally not be expected to come inside as much, but his role in the attack would be much more reduced. However as Barca will always have so much of the ball he can help them stretch teams with the width he can get them at left back. As an impact player he could be important as well. But I don't see him linking up with messi and sanchez as the front 3 on a regular basis as his game does not fit with how they, or iniesta/xavi play.
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Beat me to it Ash, i agree completely.
 
Theon said:
I don't think they'd have to change their game really mate. They could still play possession football like you say, with Iniesta etc passing it centrally, but with Bale at left back they would have an attacking threat on the left wing, in the same way they have a threat on the right with Alvez.

I think at the moment they are an unbalanced side, it's pretty clear when you watch them that they don't have the same width on the left as on the right with Alvez, unless Tello or Cuenca played for example, instead of Fabregas or Iniesta. If they had two attacking fullbacks on each side, then their team would be more balanced I think. They could go back to 4-3-3 with Busquets, Xavi and Iniesta with Fabregas, Messi and Sanchez ahead. Then even though that seems narrow, because they have Bale and Alvez, in reality it wouldn't be narrow as they have two wingbacks who are excellent going forward.
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Nah I meant if they played him alongside messi and sanchez in the front 3. At fullback he could fit in fine and always be there as an option to go his style if they wanted to.

Lol cheers apotheosis, one of the few times we've agreed recently.
 
apotheosis said:
I could easily see him at LB though Chief, especially if Alves leaves and they go for a more defensive minded RB.

I rate Bale, but is he good enough technically and clever enough on the ball to play further up, considering Barca's style. Others have raised this point and i admit i have my doubts. Bale in the PL is great, with a game very much suited to our league. But La Liga plays a lot differently, with much more emphasis placed upon quick incisive possession based passing and lots of imagination. I just get the feeling it may show up his lack of technique. So i think he would be better suited to a LB or wing back role, than he would as a wide striker. Their passing is just so fast and fluent around the box, Bale's touch would be regularly tested, and i don't see him coping too well in that type of set up.

For me his best position is a left winger. All his best attributes are most effective from that position and i can't imagine too many top European sides that play a system to fit a true left winger.
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Yeah I agree with that, but the thing is that if he were to play wing back for Barca then he would be effectively playing in his best position, he'd pretty much be a left winger. Alvez is often more advanced than the majority of the midfielders. If Sanchez for example drifts inside ahead of Messi then there is just a mass of space which Alvez goes into.

It would be the same for Bale if Iniesta was to drift inside. At the moment if Iniesta comes inside then Barca have no width on the left because Abidal ddn't get forward like Alvez, so it kind of prevented Iniesta being as free to drift inside as he would probably like. But if they had Bale then they would always have width on the left, allowing Iniesta or Fabregas to come inside and play centrally, the way that Barca like to.
 
Theon said:
I don't think they'd have to change their game really mate. They could still play possession football like you say, with Iniesta etc passing it centrally, but with Bale at left back they would have an attacking threat on the left wing, in the same way they have a threat on the right with Alvez.
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They would have to change to play him in his best role. I don't think he is good enough to play the kind of link up they require as a wide striker. So as you suggest the only place where he could do his thing would be as a left sided Alves.

Ideal for regular attacking up the left doing what he does best, without getting exposed technically trying to do things he isn't the best at, up front when the interplay is at it's fastest, where his first touch would be most seriously tested.
 
Theon said:
Yeah I agree with that, but the thing is that if he were to play wing back for Barca then he would be effectively playing in his best position, he'd pretty much be a left winger. Alvez is often more advanced than the majority of the midfielders. If Sanchez for example drifts inside ahead of Messi then there is just a mass of space which Alvez goes into.

It would be the same for Bale if Iniesta was to drift inside. At the moment if Iniesta comes inside then Barca have no width on the left because Abidal ddn't get forward like Alvez, so it kind of prevented Iniesta being as free to drift inside as he would probably like. But if they had Bale then they would always have width on the left, allowing Iniesta or Fabregas to come inside and play centrally, the way that Barca like to.
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Im just too slow tonight! :lol: by the time i have got my post out someone has already said what i was gonna say, or already got my point! feck it! bedtime! :lol:
 
apotheosis said:
They would have to change to play him in his best role. I don't think he is good enough to play the kind of link up they require as a wide striker. So as you suggest the only place where he could do his thing would be as a left sided Alves.

Ideal for regular attacking up the left doing what he does best, without getting exposed technically trying to do things he isn't the best at, up front when the interplay is at it's fastest, where his first touch would be most seriously tested.
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Yeah I addressed that in my next post, I think it would be his best role at wing back. He would have the whole pitch to run into, like Alvez does when Sanchez comes inside.
 
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