Prime Bale or Prime Salah?

Well...

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It will forever pain me that Gareth Bale was a never a United player. He's the epitome of what a Manchester United player should be (back then anyway).

Salah was and is an exceptional player, but Bale was frightening. So much skill and flair, allied to the kind of pace that completely destroys defences. He could casually bang one in from 25 yards as well.

If a United player had scored THAT goal in a Champions League final, we'd still be raving about it in 50 years time.

Then there's his extraordinary efforts with Wales, he dragged them to a level they could barely have dreamed of.

I also haven't fully got over Ronaldinho not signging for us yet either. Give it another 20 years, I'll be fine.
 
hasanejaz88 said:
I find these discussions of 'Bale in that one season was unstoppable' a bit weird. Kevin Philips scored 30 league goals one season, Ruud never crossed 25, does that mean peak Philips was better than peak Ruud?
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yes. only one of them was good enough to win European Golden Shoe.

but Ruud gets some points for consistency at least. no shame in being second best to K. Philips.
 
Prime Bale at Madrid was the next best player to Messi and Ronaldo in world football. He was a flying machine.

His prime was short though due to his loss of love for the game.
 
Devil81 said:
Prime Bale at Madrid was the next best player to Messi and Ronaldo in world football. He was a flying machine.
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He was never even Madrid's 2nd best player outside of a stretch in the first half of 2016
 
hasanejaz88 said:
I find these discussions of 'Bale in that one season was unstoppable' a bit weird. Kevin Philips scored 30 league goals one season, Ruud never crossed 25, does that mean peak Philips was better than peak Ruud?
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It's not about the numbers though, is it? Kevin Philips never played better football than Ruud; purple patches, especially goalscoring ones, happen from time to time. But Bale was absolutely untouchable at his best (and pretty damn great before that and after, at Madrid, albeit never quite reaching these heights consistently anymore) and it wasn't just luck and good form, he possessed an absolute unique skillset that made him unplayable.
 
If I'm a manager it's hard to imagine a scenario where you won't pick a more consistent, motivated and productive player. I'm not a manager though so I'll go with my gut feeling and pick Bale.
 
giorno said:
He was never even Madrid's 2nd best player outside of a stretch in the first half of 2016
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I think Neymar was better on top of that too. Would have to go back and check who peaked when back then to compare more, but I remember Neymar Vs Bale comparisons being rife at the time and Neymar was better in my view.
 
Devil81 said:
Prime Bale at Madrid was the next best player to Messi and Ronaldo in world football. He was a flying machine.
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I don't think that was ever the case. not long after he signed for them you had Suarez scoring 59 goals during season and then Neymar started toying with defences in French league with some even claiming he finally overtook CR. I don't remember anyone ever talking about Bale the same way. maybe they did, I don't know.

he will always have that amazing goal in that final, but in truth, he was rarely scoring for them in CL. 2 or 3 goals per season, rarely more.
 
Valencia Shin Crosses said:
Probably Salah, but Bale is probably the better pure matchwinner if you only needed one of them for a single game.

Salah edges it because he's very underrated as a creator for me.
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Salah has done nothing but win matches all season. Liverpool have looked quite OK but for Salah elevating them.

I don't know what Bale can do that Salah can't. This is Salah's 10th season in a row of top level performances and top level outputs. How many players in the history of football have had that kind of world class consistency?
 
Snow said:
Salah has done nothing but win matches all season. Liverpool have looked quite OK but for Salah elevating them.

I don't know what Bale can do that Salah can't. This is Salah's 10th season in a row of top level performances and top level outputs. How many players in the history of football have had that kind of world class consistency?
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I was under the impression we were talking about "primes", and for the record I chose Salah. But Prime Bale is one of the best big game players we've ever seen which is why i commented on probably favoring him in a one off game.

As far as comparing them, Bale is clearly the better athlete (probably the best athlete in football at his peak aside from maybe CR7) and better ball striker. Probably more of direct take on threat than Salah. Adds a set piece threat. Better in the air as well. Salah is the better creator, works harder out of possession, and in general has very few weaknesses to his game (he's still a top athlete, great finisher, very versatile) along with all time world class consistency year after year.
 
harms said:
It's not about the numbers though, is it? Kevin Philips never played better football than Ruud; purple patches, especially goalscoring ones, happen from time to time. But Bale was absolutely untouchable at his best (and pretty damn great before that and after, at Madrid, albeit never quite reaching these heights consistently anymore) and it wasn't just luck and good form, he possessed an absolute unique skillset that made him unplayable.
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In all seriousness, if you want to take a view of more than a season, Salah is still above Bale. Bale was great at Spurs and Madrid but Salah's time at Liverpool has been above that. If Bale was considered untouchable than so has Salah been as well.
 
hasanejaz88 said:
In all seriousness, if you want to take a view of more than a season, Salah is still above Bale. Bale was great at Spurs and Madrid but Salah's time at Liverpool has been above that. If Bale was considered untouchable than so has Salah been as well.
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It's subjective but I prefer Bale's 12/13 over Salah's 17/18 despite the difference in numbers. But yeah, if you even begin to consider longevity, Salah obviously blows him out of the water, there's no argument for the Welshman (aside from, maybe, the NT performances... but it's a small one).
 
Valencia Shin Crosses said:
I was under the impression we were talking about "primes", and for the record I chose Salah. But Prime Bale is one of the best big game players we've ever seen which is why i commented on probably favoring him in a one off game.

As far as comparing them, Bale is clearly the better athlete (probably the best athlete in football at his peak aside from maybe CR7) and better ball striker. Probably more of direct take on threat than Salah. Adds a set piece threat. Better in the air as well. Salah is the better creator, works harder out of possession, and in general has very few weaknesses to his game (he's still a top athlete, great finisher, very versatile) along with all time world class consistency year after year.
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I'm not necessarily saying you're wrong, but what makes Bale a better athlete than Salah?

He's taller, and at their peaks he's probably quicker over longer distances but Salah is rapid over the first few yards and incredibly strong. He's Liverpool's target man for how well he can hold off defenders. He's also not breaking down with an injury every few months like Bale either.

I think I'd trust Salah to not be out muscled more than I would Bale.

So I guess Bale is a better aerial threat, but does he have that many headers to his name to himself?
 
DennisReynolds said:
I'm not necessarily saying you're wrong, but what makes Bale a better athlete than Salah?

He's taller, and at their peaks he's probably quicker over longer distances but Salah is rapid over the first few yards and incredibly strong. He's Liverpool's target man for how well he can hold off defenders. He's also not breaking down with an injury every few months like Bale either.

I think I'd trust Salah to not be out muscled more than I would Bale.

So I guess Bale is a better aerial threat, but does he have that many headers to his name to himself?
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I mean I think he's faster, stronger, and has a better leap? I think very few footballers and history can rival Bale as an athlete at his peak. I don't consider injuries as part of athleticism either honestly. Madrid's ex-doctor himself said Bale was the greatest athlete he's ever worked with.

Again we are splitting hairs here, just don't think it's accurate to say Salah is on par with Bale as an athlete as I don't think there are many in footballing history that would have that claim.
 
harms said:
It's subjective but I prefer Bale's 12/13 over Salah's 17/18 despite the difference in numbers. But yeah, if you even begin to consider longevity, Salah obviously blows him out of the water, there's no argument for the Welshman (aside from, maybe, the NT performances... but it's a small one).
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Not just longevity, even if you select that 12/13 season and combine it with Bale's best Madrid years (his first 3), that's still worse statistically, in terms of mins per g+a, than Salah's whole Pool career, let alone if you single out Salah's best years at Pool as well. Hell, even Reus' first few injury free years at Dortmund are equivalent to Bale's at Madrid.

Essentially Bale was amazing in the La Liga (80min per g+a) but horrible in the UCL (147) during those initial Madrid years, while both Reus and Salah were consistent in both major competitions (92/99 and 92/91) respectively.
 
I picked Bale for no other reason than I found his absolute peak to be edge of your seat, hair on the back of your neck raising stuff. Salah never gave me that feeling. An absolutely brilliant footballer and all round probably a bit better than Bale, but Bale wasn’t just brilliant, he was terrifying in an exhilarating way. He had those matches where he was just simply unplayable. Something I’ve seen very few footballers ever do. He had the type of pace to which there is simply no counter. I remember one goal he scored for Madrid where they literally forced him off the pitch, but he still outsprinted them all and scored. And of course those two may he’s against Inter, for Spurs, when he just single handedly destroyed them.

Salah has been much more consistent. And his numbers are incredible. But in a one off scenario, both at their absolute peak, I take Bale.
 
Valencia Shin Crosses said:
I mean I think he's faster, stronger, and has a better leap? I think very few footballers and history can rival Bale as an athlete at his peak. I don't consider injuries as part of athleticism either honestly. Madrid's ex-doctor himself said Bale was the greatest athlete he's ever worked with.

Again we are splitting hairs here, just don't think it's accurate to say Salah is on par with Bale as an athlete as I don't think there are many in footballing history that would have that claim.
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I didn't realise Bale had scored as many headers as he did - 24 Vs Salah's 10 if the website I used is correct.

I don't agree that he's stronger though, Salah is consistently ranked as Liverpool's strongest player (along with VVD) by his team and by rivals. People think smaller is weaker but it's not always the case. Bale never really bullied defenders, he was one of the first I can remember who justified any sort of contact as an excuse to dive.

Faster - as I said, Bale looks faster over longer distances but that doesn't matter when Salah's acceleration over shorter distances is as good if not better given their positions.

I wouldn't argue either way, but to say Bale's athleticism is clearly better and to disregard a key part of an athlete's facet such as availability is wrong.
 
hasanejaz88 said:
Not just longevity, even if you select that 12/13 season and combine it with Bale's best Madrid years (his first 3), that's still worse statistically, in terms of mins per g+a, than Salah's whole Pool career, let alone if you single out Salah's best years at Pool as well. Hell, even Reus' first few injury free years at Dortmund are equivalent to Bale's at Madrid.

Essentially Bale was amazing in the La Liga (80min per g+a) but horrible in the UCL (147) during those initial Madrid years, while both Reus and Salah were consistent in both major competitions (92/99 and 92/91) respectively.
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As I’ve said even in that post that you’ve quoted, I don’t care about stats that much, so you’re barking up the wrong tree. It’s clear that statistically there’s no comparison between the two.
 
harms said:
It's not about the numbers though, is it? Kevin Philips never played better football than Ruud; purple patches, especially goalscoring ones, happen from time to time. But Bale was absolutely untouchable at his best (and pretty damn great before that and after, at Madrid, albeit never quite reaching these heights consistently anymore) and it wasn't just luck and good form, he possessed an absolute unique skillset that made him unplayable.
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No, it was very much luck, in fact. In that 12/13 season alone he might have scored more goals from outside the box than in the entire rest of his career. He was awesome, but it was absolutely a freak season.
 
This is a really tough question. If we are talking peaks. Bale was the ultimate big game player, and so explosive and powerful.

Salah consistently rapid, deadly and creative.

I can’t pick.
 
Uh, i really think you need to differentiate pace with and without the ball here. Salah was faster without the ball. With the ball, Bale looked faster than Salah
 
There are few attackers who played with the same attacking intensity as Salah. Suarez comes to mind but not many others. He's always at it, must be absolutely knackering to mark him. The amount of good work he goes through in a game is peerless.
 
If i had to pick one for United during their primes it would be Salah. Bale can be devastating but i think Salahs consistent high numbers throught a season carry you to much more success. That being said I find Bale much more fun to watch.
 
Hammondo said:
Or because Salah was around 20 years old at the time.
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It doesn't matter what angle is used. They also are not required to be "the same age" to make the comparison. His best year > Salah's best year. Yet its Also true Salah has been more consistent all career long number wise and has had a longer peak
 
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hasanejaz88 said:
I find these discussions of 'Bale in that one season was unstoppable' a bit weird. Kevin Philips scored 30 league goals one season, Ruud never crossed 25, does that mean peak Philips was better than peak Ruud?
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Not the remotely the same argument. Its not like Bale has had a career don't absolutely nothing post his stellar best year. Both are two of the very best players of the recent era. Phillips was never amongst the best in any era.
 
Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber said:
It doesn't matter what angle is used. They also are not required to be "the same age" to make the comparison. His best year > Salah's best year. Yet its Al's true Salah has been more consistent all career long number wise and has had a longer peak
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I think you are confused, the argument used was that real Madrid "broke the bank" to get Bale, but Salah was too young at the time, making the argument pointless.

Also I very much disagree with Bales best year being better than Salahs, there is not much to back that up.
 
Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber said:
It doesn't matter what angle is used. They also are not required to be "the same age" to make the comparison. His best year > Salah's best year. Yet its Al's true Salah has been more consistent all career long number wise and has had a longer peak
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Nah. Salah's best season is clearly better than Bale's best.
 
Let's be honest, if this wasn't asked on a United forum (or spurs, or Everton...), it'd be pretty heavily favored towards Salah. Salah is more talented, more consistent, performed for longer, had the higher peak.

I've always been a bit of a Bale hater though. Obviously a great player and very effective, but it was a bit focused towards having a banger of a shot on him and his stupid pace. Aside from that he didn't stand out in other attributes, but those 2 were probably the best in the world so it made him a top player.
 
I can somewhat agree to the idea that Bale had a higher peak as his most outstanding qualities were more rare than what we see from Salah. But if we move on from 'his peak in that match' or whatever, Salah is clearly the better player if we look at just their peak form over a few months or so. And if we look at their respective best seasons it's fairly clearly Salah is ahead.
 
bosnian_red said:
Let's be honest, if this wasn't asked on a United forum (or spurs, or Everton...), it'd be pretty heavily favored towards Salah. Salah is more talented, more consistent, performed for longer, had the higher peak.

I've always been a bit of a Bale hater though. Obviously a great player and very effective, but it was a bit focused towards having a banger of a shot on him and his stupid pace. Aside from that he didn't stand out in other attributes, but those 2 were probably the best in the world so it made him a top player.
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I would have thought the fact it was a United forum would skew it more heavily in favour of Salah. The guy is bloody terrifying - a proper bogeyman for us.
 
giorno said:
Uh, i really think you need to differentiate pace with and without the ball here. Salah was faster without the ball. With the ball, Bale looked faster than Salah
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Is this really true? I wouldn't have had Salah as quicker than Bale without the ball (or with it tbf).
 
didz said:
I would have thought the fact it was a United forum would skew it more heavily in favour of Salah. The guy is bloody terrifying - a proper bogeyman for us.
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United fans will always do all they can to not vote for a Liverpool player, even if he's scored what feels like regular hattricks against us...
 
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