Giggs v Bale at similar ages

davisjw

I'm wondering how people compare Giggs at Bale's age to Bale now. Does Bale come close? Or is he surpassing him? My memory is far too fuzzy these days to remember Giggs back then.

Obviously his first season or so at Spurs doesn't compare but since he's skyrocketed in production.

Snow

Giggs had already been voted the young player of the year twice. At the same age as Bale is now Giggs won the double and was playing in his 5th season as a definite starter.
At age 21 he played 58 games in a single season.

He's not surpassing him. Very few who can claim to have been similarly good at age 22.

Thanks for reminding me that he's younger than I am. At least Messi is older

Jake

More direct.

not as unpredictable as Giggs,

rather see Giggs play as a youngster, not too sure which one is more productive though, Bale is a good winger.

Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber

No where near Giggs' level at that age.

RedRonaldo

Sorry nowhere near Giggs' level. Only Messi is better at that age.

SharkyMcShark

Ronaldo surely?

Snow

The Brazilian one, just to clarify.

Snow

Charlton might say Duncan Edwards.

SharkyMcShark

Both Ronaldos were performing at an extremely high level in the year that they turned 23.

rcoobc

Bale on this forum has seemed to go from very overrated to a bit underrated, as in my opinion he has had a better season this time than last year.

It's not a fair comparison anyway, players peak much later now. There are very few who where turning it on at the age of 21 now for example; Cleverley was 21 when he played for Wigan and is 22 now. If my maths is correct Giggs had played 180 League games for United by Bale's current age, whilst Bale has played 140 for Tottenham and Southampton, whilst Giggs also played an extra 20 or so games in the FA Cup. Maybe they are closer than I am giving credit.

Hal9000

Can't really compare, at 21 Giggs was playing in a very different era of English football.

RDCR07

I don't see Bale using tricks a lot to get past his opponent. He just uses sheer speed. Giggsy had pace and nice trickery as well from what I have seen.

marjen

I don't think you can generally say that players peak much later. When Messi and Ronaldo was 22-23, they were the worlds two best players. When was the last time the worlds two best players were that young?

rcoobc

Good point, perhaps peak is the wrong word. Players like Welbeck and Cleveley though where still trying to break out of the reserves at the age of 20, whilst players like Evans and Gibson are on the fringes at the age of 24. And that is just at United.

It just seems to be that the Premier League is saturated with talent, and for a player to break in they need to be at a higher level and therefore cannot do it as young any more, making the comparison between Bale and Giggs a bit unfair.

Plechazunga

Hehehe... this thread is a joke, right?

Giggs at his age was the best winger in Europe along with Figo

Bale is very good, but basically a kick-and-run merchant with a nice shot on him

I think if anything they peak slightly earlier. Traditional peak years for an outfield player were about 27-31.

misterredmist

Bale had a poor start to his Spurs career, something about Spurs not winning a game when he played , which went on for a fair number of games, however, to be fair, he's come on leaps and bounds in the last two seasons, and has added some devastating finishing to his game and has started playing centrally a lot earlier than Ryan did.

I mean, a hat-trick at the San Siro is not performed by too many opponents, but there again, could you see Bale scoring the goal Giggs scored at Villa Park and has Bale got a hairier chest ?

In my judgement, Giggs used more ball skills at that age, but though Bale has dynamic pace, he is able to use that pace and still make some excellent crosses into dangerous areas - certainly for me, Bale is a more consistent crosser of a ball than Ryan.

I'd take Giggs every time though, the unpredictability was all part of the fun

Hectic

Yes, Bale is not near the talent Giggs was, or even half the human that he is now.

Ramshock

Yeah but I think we missed a trick there, would have become a more complete player under Fergie.

Cina

I don't think anyone is disputing the fact that Bale would be an excellent player to have at the club.

He ain't a patch on Giggsy though.

amolbhatia100

Human?

Hectic

Treble

In terms of goals + assits there isn't much between Giggs and Bale. However, Giggs was much better to watch. Bale relies much more on pace to beat defenders.

Still, Bale is quite effective and if, say, the top teams in the world had to choose one winger to sign, Bale would probably top their list.

Orton

Why does Bale's name get brought up every time he scores a goal?

Zen

Bales been fucking class this year, I get we all hate the hype....but he's adding more to his game being able to drift into the middle now and creating more and not living off certain games throughout the year. He's a consistently good threat now and can escape markers who pocket him by drifting elsewhere. Fair play to him for being able to step it up despite the hype, and weirdly enough, unlikely to even be nominated for POTY, despite being twice as good(league wide at least) than he was last year.

Sultan

Bale's game is not a patch on Giggs, and never will be his equal. The only advantage Bale has on Giggs is his finishing. I've always been of the opinion Giggs with all his ability has not been lethal in front of goal. I also think Bale, with his kick and run style will not have the longevity of Giggs once he starts losing some of his pace.

Anyway, I reckon Bale is a better comparison to Beckham than Giggs.

ralphie88

Youse a crazy motherfucker, Sultan! Bale is nothing like Becham (as he's nothing like Giggs).

He is, however, very similar to Lee Sharpe circa 1991, who was fucking immense.

Gio

Giggs had Bale's kick-and-run ability allied to the hip-twisting, shoulder-feinting unpredictablility which only the most talented wingers possess.

vuc

apotheosis

Id probably agree with that apart from the pace obviously. I find it difficult to compare Giggs and Bale, because apart from being Welsh and left footed wingers they are fuck all like each other in how they play.

Giggs is tricks, flicks and dribbles, whereas Bale is not as flashy but has a better final product. Some of his crosses into the box are undefendable, which reminds me a bit of how Beckham used to put them in.

Bale has definitely got it though, he is already a very dangerous player and he is only going to get better.

Plechazunga

That's a good comparison in style, though Bale's finishing and all-round game are now better

adexkola

I think Bale has more end product than Giggs had. Can someone put up stats to support this?

rednev

Giggs matured as a player at a very early age, and probably peaked in his early 20s, so it's not an easy comparison to make.

Bale's crossing is as good as Giggs's was at any point in his career, and his ability to score from range is far superior. He's stronger as well. Giggs was faster (I think?), more skilful and a better dribbler of the ball. Overall, Giggs at Bale's age was clearly better, partly because his style was so unique. Nobody had seen anything like him before, at least not after George Best.

Sultan

Good shout with Sharpe.

I never said he can be compared to Beckham or Giggs, dear Professor. I said he was more closer to Becks in style than Giggs. His shooting, and free kick techniques can be compared. However, Bale has pace to burn unlike Becks.

Only comparison Giggs has to Bale is being left footed. Giggs being Welsh is also up for debate.

apotheosis

Wouldn't that make Bale more comparable with Valencia then, than either Giggs or Beckham or Sharpe?

rcoobc

To me fair, although peak isn't really what I meant, Giggs peaked around 94, so he would have been 21.

Very unfair comparison.

::sonny::

Giggs was already of another planet

Bale is a former disgraceful left-back converted into a winger, a great winger

Giggs was fastest, with more class, with a better dribbling, cross and technique.

Commadus

He wont last as long as Giggs - his build is too big. Giggs has lasted long as he has a wiry but strong frame and has been luck with injuries.

IrishLegend

I think some on this forum are massively underrating Bale simply because after the Milan fiasco he was overhyped, but since then if you actually watch games other than United, you can see what a fantastic player he's becoming.

Obviously his biggest strength is his pace, but also his stamina, he seems to be able to keep going for ages, He's pretty strong on the ball, works hard both offensively and defensively, has good ability to finish (better than Giggs) the ball and whip in a good cross and now he's starting to play through the middle and on the right as well, you see him switching sides and drifting in games which (very much like Nani) makes him more unpredictable and harder to mark.

He's just not as flashy as Giggs on the ball. Don't know if he was better than Giggs at his age, but he's currently one of the best left wingers in the world, which isn't bad.

golden_blunder

the only similarity is that they both have a good head of hair at that age

Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber

Bale for me is the same type of player as Valencia. Just a vastly superior finisher