Gareth Bale

After being much maligned by a curious statistic that Spurs had never won a league game with him in the team Gareth Bale finished last season in fantastic form being the key influence on Spurs late run to fourth place scoring crucial goals against top opposition.

Seemingly not possible, the Welsh wonderkid has started this season in even better form. He looked dangerous against Man City, scored both goals away at Stoke and set up all four today against Young Boys to secure Spurs place in the Champions League group stages.

What do you think of the leagues most promising youngster? Just a flash in the pan on a good run of form? Or will this be the season he really announces himself as a superstar in the making?

I remember when Bale was an up and coming youngster at Southampton.

I thought he looked a tremendous prospect and that he would go on and become a quality
player but I was really surprised when he joined Spurs and his career started going backwards.

It was an incredible stat that he didn't win a league game for 32 months when he started for Tottenham!

I'm delighted that things have turned around for him and its just a shame that he's Welsh not English

I'm ecstatic he's not English, can you imagine the pressure that would already be on him to be Englands saviour?

Fantastic player who just gets stronger and stronger each game,like hams said it's a shame he's not english lol

He'll be a superb player in a few years when he's at Man Utd or Chelsea

yeah, it's pleasant to see that) he really has been improved and developed a lot since i saw him for the first time, and...

... that's why there won't be an easy life for England in their qualifications to Euro

I like him , as long as he leaves his hair alone on the pitch ffs!
He is a perfect example of a player doing the best with what he's got. He's not blessed with incredible speed ,but he can go around players with his good body movement. I think he had a very good game against Man city and there defenders are no slouch ,so he's past one test. The true test will be your Arsenal, CHelsea and Man u,consistent;y god form against those 3 will define him as a player. I think he did ok against at least one of them at the end of last season so it's a good start.

Yeah he seems like a good solid player from what I've seen, he's got nothing spectacular but he's dangerous on the wing and puts in some great deliveries, yet to prove himself at the top level but if he keeps up his recent form he's on the way there. Also a huge bonus he's not English, up to now coverage of him has been relatively low key so if he does things right he shouldnt get carried away and think he's 'made it' already

The best thing 'Arry's done with him was realise that he's not good enough as a left back, hence why BAE has been given that berth.

This has helped Bale to concentrate on his outstanding attacking potential, and the rest is history. The boy has a tremendous energy, and in an era where the ability to defend and attack quickly is crucial, this aspect of of game is reaping great rewards for us, and long may it continue.

I remember when i first saw him at Southampton, i saw alot potential. I'm glad that he starting to realise it and hopefully he can develop further. I'm also glad he isn't English. I think it's important that the other home nations have star players they can believe in and showcase to the world.

He'll go far as long as he's played on the left wing all the time, he is terrible at left back I've seen him get Pardewed a good number of times in that position. He does need to work on his defensive side a lot though if he wants to be considered an all round good player.

shouldn't this be in the 'curse of Steely Hill thread'?

i have maintained all along that Bale could and should be a top player. a better prospect than Walcott i believe was my exact summary when Spurs bought him and i expressed my disappointment that West Ham never bothered.

Bale just suffered from being a young player at Spurs. that seems to be enough to turn any good prospect into a total clown.

i have always liked him as a player and also pushed his credentials as a midfield player long before his excellent displays caught the eye of the latecomers to the party.

good to see my vision being realised once again.

Yes all hail the visionary Steely Hill, the only one who saw the potential in Gareth Bale...

quick to mock with the opening of new threads when you sense some wounded prey but slow to praise when the 'curse' proves fruitless.

certainly not the only one. no, that would be foolish.

but certainly among an elite band of brothers on this one.

"As things stood at 9am this morning, UK time, Tottenham’s Gareth Bale was the most popular player in the world in terms of the number of fantasy managers who had him in their team. The Welsh full-back-cum-winger features in a staggering 46 per cent of all teams."

http://www.sportingintelligence.com/2010/09/01/revealed-tottenham%E2%80%99s-gareth-bale-the-world%E2%80%99s-most-in-demand-footballer-followed-by-chelsea%E2%80%99s-drogba-newcastle%E2%80%99s-carroll-and-united%E2%80%99s-rooney-010901/

quality player who's showing his competences.

Is there an equivalent Englishman that plays a similar role?

Even though I don't like him I'd say Ashley Cole is The best English left back who can play further forward too in midfield.

Cole is clearly better at fullback tho, and oppositely Bale is clearly better in the midfield.

He was stifled against West Brom being forced into the more defensive fullback role. Hopefully he is unleashed against Bremen tomorrow morning.

Not sure how you can come to that assumption?

I think (as much as I hate him) Cole is head and shoulders far better than Bale.

Cole has never been given the chance to play as a left midfielder but I think given the opportunity he would do a good job.

He's just far too good at full back to play anywhere else.

I think he's better than Bale in every single department thanks to the nurture of Arsenal Football Club.

How does a superb hat-trick away against Inter Milan fit into Bales increasingly impressive CV?

Keeping hold of this kid should be the clubs number one priority over the next few years.

If The Spanish sides go for him there is nothing Spurs will be able to do about it ,if the rest of the team doesn't improve along with him it will mark the end of his career with that team.
There will be untold hoopla ,because of this performance the usual reactionary and sensationalist crap that always accompanies a decent performance by a domestic player and the foreign press , always influenced by the British will read those headlines and go for Bale to show their superiority over anyone else. It's not that they really need Bale ,it's just a macho thing to psychologically bury the British. That is why they are still considered the best in Europe by name alone ,because they have a embedded an inferiority complex in the minds of the weak. The best place Bale can go to is CHelsea because they have the structure set in place to go to the next level,and if Spurs fail to qualify for Europe next year which i predict will happen ,i wouldn't blame Bale for moving.