Gareth Bale

[TheReligion]

Just been watching a programme about him on Sky which prompted this thread.

He really has done brilliantly at Madrid but you can't help but feel he is underrated when it comes to best in the world discussion. As a winger he's bagged 66 goals and 55 assists since joining Real which is phenomenal in my opinion.

At 27 years old he's just going into his peak and I'm expecting another level which is frightening.

 

[Fridge chutney]

Agree. In his final premier league season he took Spurs by the scruff of their necks and dragged them to 4th with some truly outstanding displays. He's also been mostly excellent from the limited time I've watched him at Madrid.

A special player, and one of the world's best right now.

 

[Couch potato 82]

Just been watching a programme about him on Sky which prompted this thread.

He really has done brilliantly at Madrid but you can't help but feel he is underrated when it comes to best in the world discussion. As a winger he's bagged 66 goals and 55 assists since joining Real which is phenomenal in my opinion.

At 27 years old he's just going into his peak and I'm expecting another level which is frightening.

Wonderful player. Greatest British talent since George Best. Well worth the money real paid for him. Being Welsh saves him from the hype machine.

 

[yumtum]

He's really, really fast, it's truly amazing to think he was a left back, the transformation from a left back to a goal scoring winger is incredible really, usually players go back when it's found that they aren't good enough to be attacking players, but to do the opposite and to become that good in a relatively short space of time should be recognised.

 

[carvajal]

Unfortunately when he is playing well and being one of the best he gets injured for some weeks

 

[edcunited1878]

World class player and I agree that him being Welsh gives him an advantage that he isn't in the spotlight compared to English players. His body type is Ronaldo-ish and his Frodo-features are aerodynamically advantageous!

 

[giorno]

Wonderful player. Greatest British talent since George Best. Well worth the money real paid for him. Being Welsh saves him from the hype machine.

Now, let's not get ahead of ourselves. Henderseon and Alli are much better

He's great and he'd be even better if we didn't have cristiano ronaldo. Needs to learn to play with his back to the goal and stop getting injured. If those two things happen, we'll be looking at the welsh version of shevchenko/henry

 

[ADJUDICATOR]

Don't think he's underrated.

 

[Massive Spanner]

In what way is he underated? Most of the media and fans consider him one of the best attackers in the world.

 

[Adisa]

Seems to be injured half the time.

 

[Vato]

I love him.

 

[TheReligion]

In what way is he underated? Most of the media and fans consider him one of the best attackers in the world.

You hear Ronaldo, Messi, Neymar, Suarez but Bale always seems in that bracket below.

 

[PlayerOne]

Unfortunately when he is playing well and being one of the best he gets injured for some weeks

IMO this is why he's often left out when it comes the best player in the world discussions. Superb player though

 

[Massive Spanner]

You hear Ronaldo, Messi, Neymar, Suarez but Bale always seems in that bracket below.

Because he 100% is in the bracket below those four.

 

[Sammyjunn]

You hear Ronaldo, Messi, Neymar, Suarez but Bale always seems in that bracket below.

Because he comfortably is.

 

[TheReligion]

Because he 100% is in the bracket below those four.

I don't think he is you know.

 

[Massive Spanner]

I don't think he is you know.

I'd say you're in the extreme minority.

 

[PlayerOne]

You hear Ronaldo, Messi, Neymar, Suarez but Bale always seems in that bracket below.

He doesn't have their technical ability. Bale mostly power and pace, which he's great at.

 

[predator]

Simply due to playing in the same league as Ronaldo, Griezmann, Suarez, Neymar and Messi he doesn't really stick out.
He is one of the best players in the world though and has been great for Madrid.

 

[BlueCelery]

In what way is he underrated? He's one of the most overrated players in football if anything. He scored 0 goals in Madrid's CL winning campaign & he somehow finished Top 3 in UEFA voting.

 

[Synco]

He doesn't have their technical ability. Bale mostly power and pace, which he's great at.

He isn't anymore, and that's the reason why I too think he's underrated.

What has mostly gone under the radar is the massive improvement of his overall game and playmaking skills. He started out at Real as a very direct winger/forward, basically a worse version of Ronaldo. Those two combined could be a ballhogging abomination at times. But under Zidane his positioning, first touch, short passing and decisionmaking under pressure has become top notch. He's significantly better than Ronaldo in deeper areas.

Plus he's the only one of BBC willing to spend energy defending and working for the buildup. He's helping Real in all phases of the game, unusual for a superstar there. All in all he has developed into his own version of a complete offensive player, and I don't think that's as commonly known as it ought to be.

Because he 100% is in the bracket below those four.

Not for me, see above. Messi is way above everyone, but a fit Bale is right in the bracket below. The big problem is that he's injured too often.

 

[Righteous Steps]

He isn't anymore, and that's the reason why I too think he's underrated.

What has mostly gone under the radar is the massive improvement of his overall game and playmaking skills. He started out at Real as a very direct winger/forward, basically a worse version of Ronaldo. Those two combined could be a ballhogging abomination at times. But under Zidane his positioning, first touch, short passing and decisionmaking under pressure has become top notch. He's significantly better than Ronaldo in deeper areas.

Plus he's the only one of BBC willing to spend energy defending and working for the buildup. He's helping Real in all phases of the game, unusual for a superstar there. All in all he has developed into his own version of a complete offensive player, and I don't think that's as commonly known as it ought to be.


Not for me, see above. Messi is way above everyone, but a fit Bale is right in the bracket below. The big problem is that he's injured too often.

Bracket below Suarez, has less to his game.

He's close to Neymar though.

 

[devil in me]

Id have him over ronaldo now (yes i know Ballon dor winner bla bla bla) and i would probably have him over Neymar too. Unbelievable player, always produces in the big games too.

 

[PieCrust]

I love Bale. I sometimes think he's a bit wasted when played on the right though. He such a sweet left foot, the way he can whip in a cross is top notch.

 

[Boycott]

You hear Ronaldo, Messi, Neymar, Suarez but Bale always seems in that bracket below.

Messi and Ronaldo are above all.

The other two stay injury-free for most of the year and play with perfect synergy with Messi (i.e. all of them link up together, understand each other's qualities and movement and rather than competing against each other for stats they enjoy playing together). Whereas Bale picks up niggles more often and is genuinely second-fiddle to Ronaldo when fit.

I'm going to add Griezemann to the conversation as while he's a top player...he is the main guy at Atletico. We all know what Bale with Spurs and Bale with Wales can do as the main man but until Ronaldo finishes, or he moves on then he won't be in that status again.

 

[Bwuk]

If you offered me Bale or Neymar I'd take Bale every day of the week.

 

[Robbie Boy]

If you offered me Bale or Neymar I'd take Bale every day of the week.

I think Bale would suit our style of play a-lot more than Neymar would, so yeah agreed.

 

[Bwuk]

I think Bale would suit our style of play a-lot more than Neymar would, so yeah agreed.

I just think he's a more effective player to be honest. Neymar is better technically though.

 

[Synco]

Bracket below Suarez, has less to his game.

He's close to Neymar though.

In some aspects, certainly. But he also has more to his game in others. His goalscoring threat from headers is a huge plus for example. The only one I can think of who is equally good is Ronaldo. He's also faster over longer distances and physically stronger. Not that Suarez is slow or weak, but Bale is a freak.

But in the end everyone ranks those players differently. My main point is that Bale should be in the discussion.

 

[Righteous Steps]

If you offered me Bale or Neymar I'd take Bale every day of the week.

Neymar everyday, not only is he a joy to watch but he combines the efficiency while still keeping the traditional Brazilian aspects of his game, i think Messi and Suarez are the only other player in the world who strikes the balance so well, and both are coming to the end of their peaks.

He can score he can assist and still amaze you all at the same time, Bale is more machine like in his approach to the game and very similar to Ronaldo, but for me Neymar has the highest ceiling because of his incredible amount of natural ability, coupled with the fact that he has proven that he can be nearly as ruthless as them all in the past, a 27 year old Neymar who doesn't have to play 2nd fiddle to Suarez and Messi is a scary sight.

Neymar Hazard and then Bale for me, if you ask who i would take out of the next generation of potential ballon d'or winners.

 

[Eddy_JukeZ]

If you offered me Bale or Neymar I'd take Bale every day of the week.

I don't think I would. I've never seen Bale as a player with BPITW potential nor has he ever played like one. I think Neymar is a level above him. And I've seen Neymar play like the best player in the world(last season for Barcelona without Messi for 1-2 months).

I think if Neymar didn't play at Barcelona, people would see him as the 2nd best player in the world. I don't think he can fully apply himself at Barcelona and I think if he ever wants to win the Ballon D'Or, he should move(although I doubt he cares that much about it after his recent interview).

Only question mark with Neymar is his apparent immaturity, but I think a better manager would knock that off him and improve him even more.

 

[Castia]

Hazard above Bale? no chance Bale is twice the player.

On topic it's crazy how he started at left back then suddenly finds himself among the best wingers in the world, I remember his early Spurs days he was awful.

Good for him though after his first good year at Spurs I thought it was a fluke, he's proven me wrong and gone on t be a brilliant player, I wish United could have got him he would have been fecking unstoppable here.

 

[VorZakone]

Bale's technique is pretty fecking good. His crosses are 99% spot on and his shooting technique is excellent. Perhaps his close control isn't that special but to say Bale is technically limited is a bit odd IMO.

 

[harms]

Don't think that Bale is an inferior player to Suarez, although his injury issues makes him a less effective player over the course of a season. One is playing with an egofreak and the other with one of the best and most creative passers in history, even if Madrid probably has more creativity in their midfield unit. Imagine Bale's pace with Messi's vision A mirrored version of Bale would've worked with Messi better though.

Neymar is more talented but he lacks the insane motivation that Bale has - which is somehow similar to Messi/Ronaldo situation, although the gap between them is not as big as it is with the big 2.

Messi
Ronaldo
Neymar, Suarez, Bale, Griezmann etc.

 

[Scholesy]

Imo he isn't good enough in tight spaces but still a great winger for any top team

 

[redNATION]

Don't think that Bale is an inferior player to Suarez, although his injury issues makes him a less effective player over the course of a season. One is playing with an egofreak and the other with one of the best and most creative passers in history, even if Madrid probably has more creativity in their midfield unit. Imagine Bale's pace with Messi's vision A mirrored version of Bale would've worked with Messi better though.

Neymar is more talented but he lacks the insane motivation that Bale has - which is somehow similar to Messi/Ronaldo situation, although the gap between them is not as big as it is with the big 2.

Messi
Ronaldo
Neymar, Suarez, Bale, Griezmann etc.

I don't think that's a fair view, Neymar's achieved more than Bale despite being younger than him. Whilst Bale carries the hopes of a smallish national team like Wales, Neymar has Brazil on his shoulders and 50 goals in 75 apps for Brazil by the age of 24 suggests he's more than happy to take on that burden.

 

[Hernandez - BFA]

Have people in this thread seriously said that Bale lacks technical ability? feck me.

 

[harms]

I don't think that's a fair view, Neymar's achieved more than Bale despite being younger than him. Whilst Bale carries the hopes of a smallish national team like Wales, Neymar has Brazil on his shoulders and 50 goals in 75 apps for Brazil by the age of 24 suggests he's more than happy to take on that burden.

And how does that contradict my statement exactly?

 

[redNATION]

And how does that contradict my statement exactly?

I thought it was pretty obvious. In 5 years as a top level footballer, Neymar's achieved more than Bale has in around 10 years, and that includes carrying the burdens of the most expectant nation in the footballing world. By definition, it took Bale longer to get going than Neymar did. If that doesnt demonstrate "insane motivation" on Neymar's part, I'm not sure what does.

 

[BlueCelery]

Both Hazard & Neymar are better than Bale.