Bale booing continues | Declining?

[Minimalist]

The money Madrid would demand for him would rule it out for me. His injury record is far too noteworthy (never mind his form when he does play) to spend decent money on him.

 

[Emrethis]

Agree with this.
I remember when Moyes was given a standing ovation at OT, for turning us into a running joke. I think at the time we were 6th and heading down the table (ultimately finishing 7th). It sounds like I am making this up, but it actually happened.
Mediocrity should be booed. In England, however, it seems that losers are hailed, respected and given standing ovations.

I suppose its a matter of perspective. Are the players, manager and club your mates that are going through a rough patch? Or are they under-performing employees that should be ruthlessly replaced?

I suspect the answer isnt so black and white, but those are probably the two extremes.

 

[Tarrou]

Didn't look the same player in the recent Wales games. Just seems to have lost a yard to get away from players and it makes a huge difference.

 

[United22]

He's fecked if hes gonna be 29 and playing like this. He will never top that season he had at Spurs

 

[Eddy_JukeZ]

Stay far away from him.

I think he's definitely lost a yard of pace.

 

[kouroux]

His best football was at Spurs.

 

[Ayush_reddevil]

Feck him to be honest , he is going to spend the whole season on the bench and he fully deserves that plus the boos

 

[amolbhatia50k]

This place has been obsessed with Bale for too long. It was all well and good when he was a terrific player but his actual performances and fitness have been ignored for a good while. He puts up good stats at Madrid and while everyone there gets booed, it says a lot that he's always targeted for special treatment. And it's not a surprise. He often stands out like a sore thumb because his technique is a bit weaker than others in tight spaces. Maybe that doesn't matter so much with us, given even Lukaku would look a poor fit at Madrid given his all round game. But Bale has many other issue such as fitness and age and losing pace.

 

[Sayros]

His game has been based so much on his pace, rather than his technique. It's concerning that he's already losing some of it at his age, and I'd be surprised if he manages to improve. Without that blistering pace, Gareth Bale is not worth the price he'd cost to get.

 

[Schneckerl]

Agree with this.
I remember when Moyes was given a standing ovation at OT, for turning us into a running joke. I think at the time we were 6th and heading down the table (ultimately finishing 7th). It sounds like I am making this up, but it actually happened.
Mediocrity should be booed. In England, however, it seems that losers are hailed, respected and given standing ovations.

Except Moyes did feck all and was always terrible, Bale on the other hand helped Real win titles.

 

[McGrathsipan]

I never want him at United.
He had his chance.

I think this will be his last season at Madrid too.

 

[Sammyjunn]

Im quite glad Giggs will stay Wales' GOAT for a while.

 

[jojojo]

There was always an issue with the way he played. Not slow in speed terms, but always a little bit behind what his teammates were doing. Like the kid in the formation dance team who doesn't know the steps but who's following the next one in line.

His ability in the final third, and the odd real dramatic matchwinner like in that Copa del Rey final compensated. After a couple of years though, it looked like he really had settled in, or maybe it was just that players like Carvajal and Benzema had learned what he needed.

Whatever it was, he looked genuinely at home for a while (though I'd put it at months rather than years). Whether the injuries took that from him, or whether his teammates stopped making allowances (maybe because he lost form/got injured), I don't know.

What I do know is that he will be an expensive and high risk buy for anyone who wants to take him off Madrid. The fact that he doesn't want to leave, makes it even riskier.

 

[togg]

The fact that allegedly he snubbed us and that he almost laughs with disdain when we are mentioned, on top of the fact he seems to have become rather mediocre is a huge reason never to let him into the car park at OT let alone the stadium....!!

 

[Andy_Cole]

It was clear Jose wanted him. If he just wanted us we would have got him. He's made his bed, now he has to suffer.

 

[redspoony]

Didn't look the same player in the recent Wales games. Just seems to have lost a yard to get away from players and it makes a huge difference.

Can't say I agree.

The shift he put in against Austria was unbelievable, an example being when he sprinted 40 or so yards to make a tackle on the edge of the Welsh box, covering for Gunter.

Wales don't play in a manner that allows his to put his head down and bomb past players. Maybe the injuries have taken a bit of a toll on him, but he's still a fantastic player.

IMO he's made for United.

 

[Striker10]

I would have no problem with him. People can say he's declining but he still has quality in and around the final third. Him or that (or maybe both hehe) would do.

 

[B20]

It was clear Jose wanted him. If he just wanted us we would have got him. He's made his bed, now he has to suffer.

The bed he's made has so far yielded 3 CL titles and la liga. I think he's ok with how he's made the bed.

 

[Adisa]

We shouldn't be signing a player just because he's been forced out.
It's clear, he'd rather not play for us.
Feck him.

 

[simmee]

The bed he's made has so far yielded 3 CL titles and la liga. I think he's ok with how he's made the bed.

3 CL titles since this summer? That's quite a return I have to admit. But it's not 5 though.

 

[Tarrou]

Can't say I agree.

The shift he put in against Austria was unbelievable, an example being when he sprinted 40 or so yards to make a tackle on the edge of the Welsh box, covering for Gunter.

Wales don't play in a manner that allows his to put his head down and bomb past players. Maybe the injuries have taken a bit of a toll on him, but he's still a fantastic player.

IMO he's made for United.

Yeah he put a great shift in I agree, and the tackle was brilliant. Don't you think he's lost his edge going forward though?

 

[The Cat]

Yeah he put a great shift in I agree, and the tackle was brilliant. Don't you think he's lost his edge going forward though?

I think he's lost a bit of confidence. I'm not convinced he has lost any pace long term yet, he just looks like he needs a bit of an arm around him.

He won't get much of that from the Madrid fans and I can only see him leaving next Summer.

 

[redIndianDevil]

We should steer clear off him next summer, coz we are the only club who is going to be continuously linked with him, too injury prone, too reliant on pace. He won't age well in terms of football.

 

[Classical Mechanic]

He is a really explosive player so an early decline is a real possibility. His injury record the past couple of seasons is worrying too.

 

[Needham]

Few if any examples of pace/sprint based players doing much after his age.

 

[Sarni]

He hasn't really had a properly good season for a long time to be honest. While he had decent spells at Madrid he has never really hit the same heights he did at Spurs.

Considering his trophy haul while at Real he made the right decision to move there from Tottenham but he has not developed as a player.

 

[Tarrou]

I think he's lost a bit of confidence. I'm not convinced he has lost any pace long term yet, he just looks like he needs a bit of an arm around him.

He won't get much of that from the Madrid fans and I can only see him leaving next Summer.

Could well be yeah. I hope you are right. We (Wales) really need him back to his best if we're gonna make it through these qualifiers.

It's a shame he didn't make the move really as Madrid seems a toxic place for him to be now - but his redonkulous wages are gonna make that very difficult.

 

[Litch]

Every team needs a scapegoat and he's it. He has no connection with the club or the country and no longer the profile player he was with anywhere outside of the PL. There won't be kids in China wearing Bale football shirts....

 

[Revan]

Every team needs a scapegoat and he's it. He has no connection with the club or the country and no longer the profile player he was with anywhere outside of the PL. There won't be kids in China wearing Bale football shirts....

He is also a bit shit nowadays.

 

[izec]

Bale is not only missing confidence. When was the last time he had a really good game, i mean really really good? You probably have to go more than a year back. Reminds me of the Rooney talk, when he clearly was in decline. He will have his moments and obviously still games he will score goals or make the difference, but they will be much rarer than before, and it is showing. He also lost pace, not only confidence. Getting him to his best shouldnt be our problem after rejecting us a few times.

Madrid will ask a huge sum again if we go for him, dont know with other clubs, but we are guaranteed to get rinsed. Coupled with his wages and form/injury issues/age is a deadly trap. Imagine the money and wages we could spend on 2 or 3 younger players or someone like Griezmann. It is a no brainer. We shouldn't fall into the sentimental trap, he is Welsh(Giggs) and knows the PL and all that bullshit, because thats irrelevant in this case. He quite clearly isnt worth it and in a few years we will have another Rooney problem on our hands, when we are building a good team here at the moment. I would have taken him 2 or 3 years ago, but now it is quite clearly too late.

 

[Feed Me]

The bed he's made has so far yielded 3 CL titles and la liga. I think he's ok with how he's made the bed.

It's a fair point you make, but Real Madrid is a brutal place and he faces the prospect of being sidelined at the age of 28.

I really hope United have shut the door on him now. We do need to upgrade in the wide areas, but should be looking at someone younger and with a better injury record.

 

[B20]

3 CL titles since this summer? That's quite a return I have to admit. But it's not 5 though.

I am sure he's regretting fighting for his place with the spanish and european champions instead of being 1st choice for the 6th best team in the English league.

 

[izec]

I am sure he's regretting fighting for his place with the spanish and european champions instead of being 1st choice for the 6th best team in the English league.

You are right, we shoudlnt worry about Bale, he will be fine, it was his decision. I am sad for little Coutinho, wanted to go to warm Barcelona and fight for La Liga, but has to stay in cold Liverpool against his will and fight for the 4th spot.

 

[Feed Me]

You are right, we shoudlnt worry about Bale, he will be fine, it was his decision. I am sad for little Coutinho, wanted to go to warm Barcelona and fight for La Liga, but has to stay in cold Liverpool against his will and fight for the 4th spot.

Coutinho will be fighting for 5th to 7th this season. Poor git.

 

[FC Ronaldo]

He hasn't really had a properly good season for a long time to be honest. While he had decent spells at Madrid he has never really hit the same heights he did at Spurs.

Considering his trophy haul while at Real he made the right decision to move there from Tottenham but he has not developed as a player.

He most definitely has improved as a player. I have first hand experience of that from watching him live for both clubs (including during last season which was his worst at Madrid). His fitness and defensive contributions are the only things to have declined overall since moving to Real. Fitness has been partially mismanaged at times but is a real concern. Defensive contribution is due to Real's playing style and the lack of requirement to do so given they batter most teams week in, week out without needing to track back.

 

[UweBein]

The bed he's made has so far yielded 3 CL titles and la liga. I think he's ok with how he's made the bed.

Yep , he has probably won CL more often than any other british player.

 

[B20]

You are right, we shoudlnt worry about Bale, he will be fine, it was his decision. I am sad for little Coutinho, wanted to go to warm Barcelona and fight for La Liga, but has to stay in cold Liverpool against his will and fight for the 4th spot.

He made his bed, etc.

 

[B20]

Yep , he has probably won CL more often than any other british player.

Phil Neal has 4 european cups.

 

[AshRK]

The money Madrid would demand for him would rule it out for me. His injury record is far too noteworthy (never mind his form when he does play) to spend decent money on him.

I won't be surprised if real madrid sell.him for less now, I can't see any team actively pursuing him if he doesn't have a great year. I don't think jose will go after him now, I can see a team like spurs coming back to sign him.

 

[Adisa]

They want rid that bad, send him on loan.