And Chelsea to be fair scored for fun at times when winning Premiership under Jose
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The few times I've watched him play at Spurs, don't know if it's just me, but I noticed that other players didn't seem to want to pass to him.
He's making runs, with no end product. Looks well pissed off, if you ask me.
I think the empty stadium thing has affected each player differently...
Bale has always struck me as someone that thrives off the support or pressure from critics.....
I think as hes Welsh and was a great player people are looking for excuses for him.
Hes a shadow of the player he was.
Cmon crowds are not the issue.
These things are usually down to a number of factors that feed off each other, not one reason.
What we seem to have is a very talented player, who is very much out of sorts, apparently lacking confidence and with fitness issues.
All of this is going to have a psychological effect on Bale and the reported wage only exacerbates that. This might make it look like he doesn’t care or has an attitude problem, but given that he’s a man of few (public) words, I’d doubt that. I also think that Josh Murphy is - to some extent - going through a similar experience. I just don’t buy it that they don’t care - footballers have professional pride as well, although in truth, none of us actually know.
I’m of a mind that a move to somewhere where the expectations are lower would benefit Bale, but time is not on his side.
If only that place could be Cardiff City.
Terminate 2 million a month.....he’s fallen out of love with football clearly, probably can’t be arsed to put his body through too much more grief as he has plenty of years of life left in him yet. Can’t see any other PL club coming in for him after his showing for Spurs this season.
The best thing that could have happened was his move to China - guaranteed to play when fit and lower standard of football to showcase if he's still a class act. Instead, partly his contract situation, pride, and agent mean that he's unlikely to get a move to a club that would be a good fit for his needs.
In my opinion he's not the player he was but that doesn't mean he's cr@p. You wouldn't play Tyler Roberts or Madondo ahead of him for Wales. I think he's capable of adapting his game just as Giggs did later on in his career so that he becomes less reliant on pace and physicality... but does he want to and will he get the opportunity?
I did yes, games go like that once in a blue moon.
However watching the games prior to last night (i tend to tune into their games in the hope Bale plays some part) and they've been bloody awful. Lacklustre and clueless.
Its frustrating whats going on with him, not just from a welsh point of view but a football in general viewpoint - the team as a whole look to have really lost it though considering they were top not so long ago.
I think what we're seeing now is a quite rapid decline of a once truly great player, most likely due to the effects that multiple injuries have had on his body.
It is more noticeable because of the heights he reached in his prime. Where once there was a buzz whenever he got the ball, nobody now expects him to do anything out if the ordinary, like his famous overhead kick in the Champions League final for instance. Those days are most definitely behind him.
Of course he's still good enough to play for Wales but at club level I think he will fade into anonymity. After this season, I can't see any of the top clubs clamouring for his signature. If he wants to extend his career he could still live off his reputation but to any potential suitors it's now obvious that they would not be getting the Gareth Bale that thrilled the football world. This one is a pale imitation of a once magical footballer.