Gareth Bale: Overhyped or The Real Deal?

SlickRic

(i'm sure this has been done before, but here we go, a fresh new thread for this, complete with a lovely poll...)

he's one of the most hyped players in the EPL.

Harry Redknapp came out today and said he is in the same league as Messi and Ronaldo.

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/19957299

is he that good?

could he be that good?

personally, i think the hype doesn't do him any favours. he's never criticised for his antics, while whenever he does anything worthwhile, it's made out that it's one of the greatest things we've ever seen.

he's one of the better players in the EPL IMO, but nowhere near the Messi and Ronaldo conversation. he doesn't score enough, and certainly doesn't change enough games to warrant being in the same breath as those 2.

but i do think he is one of the few players in the EPL with the potential to be genuinely world class. he needs to be more productive though.

so, what do people think?

all hype? the real deal already? potentially the real deal?

Aenaes

He'll be in the same league as Ronaldo when he starts getting the same criticism for his diving.

Giggsy11

Over hyped but still very very good player.

Corvo

Potentially the Real Deal

A year ago I would have agreed he was overhyped but to be honest, he has been a huge influence in games for a good while now. Top player.

Leiva

Potentially the Real Deal

Harry Redknapp came out today and said he is in the same league as Messi and Ronaldo.

^no^

but a very good player that will shine at club and international level and will be an elite player.

does himself no favours but with the diving.

LuckyLloyd

Excellent attacking player. In the same league as Messi Ronaldo? Does he score more than a goal a game? It's a ridiculous comparison.

He's also an awful cheat, something that is wilfully ignored by the British media.

5starpool

The Real Deal Now

He's not all hype, but that's the category I've chosen as none of the others fit the bill. He is a very good player who can be devastating on his day, but he will never be in Messi/Ronaldo's league.

GavRedKing

Overhyped to death for the last 2 seasons, but he has the potential to be an excellent player so went with that option.

I think hes a bit of a one trick pony, ball at feet, approach full back, kick it 10 yards ahead of him and sprint, lather rinse and repeat.

Also, hes up there IMO as the worse diver in the league. :P

Easy Rod

Not too sure what you meant by 'The real deal' but I would say he is probably in the top 10 attacking players in the world and will get better.

Still not close to Messaldo though.

uch

If he was English he'd be the best thing since Jesus Christ or Mahatma Gandhi.

SlickRic

i suppose by "real deal", i meant an elite player. a player that would greatly improve any team in the world.

GavRedKing

SlickRic wrote: »

i suppose by "real deal", i meant an elite player. a player that would greatly improve any team in the world.

If and it will never happen, Spurs wanted to sell him, I'd have him at Chelsea as Cole's replacement in the next season or two.

Wont ever happen, as Levy probably values Bale at about £70 Million.

Jax Teller

Good player think he could do with a move to a bigger club to bring him to the next level though .

gimmick

The Real Deal Now

Where is "overhyped to a degree".

He is a decent player, but after his hat trick against Inter the Brit media had him down as the second coming. Probably one of the better wingers in the EPL. Will he remembered as a great? Well he has a lot to do yet.

FutureGuy

Presuming "the real deal" means world class, Bale has the potentail to be world class in 4-5 years.

Right now? Not a hope.

SlickRic

gimmick wrote: »

Where is "overhyped to a degree".

i wasn't going to put 8 different options.

people can interpret however they want to

GavRedKing

Thinking of it, he started as LB for the Saints, was tried their at Spurs and had the horrible record of something like 50 losses when started, was bumped to LM and plays as part of a front 3 for Wales now a days.

I think LM or LW would suit him for certain teams as he has the size and pace to be a good winger, must FB's wont be able to keep up with or knock him off the ball as hes so direct and hes decent in the air too.

Personally, I'd be playing him at LB for Chelsea though.

SlickRic

GavRedKing wrote: »

Wont ever happen, as Levy probably values Bale at about £70 Million.

and that's why Levy is a fúcking genius; always seems to get top dollar for the players he sells.

Red Crow

The Real Deal Now

Good player severely overrated by many and a class a cheater. He hasn't near the same talent as Ronaldo or Messi.

JPA

He's a dangerous player but he needs to be given space to run at people or he's ineffective.
A well organised team can stifle him.

Neil3030

Ladies and gentlemen, the defence rests.

SlickRic

it'll also be very interesting when he doesn't have his pace anymore. i don't think there's a top-tier footballing brain in there.

GavRedKing

SlickRic wrote: »

and that's why Levy is a fúcking genius; always seems to get top dollar for the players he sells.

He is good at what he does, although the Modric deal with Real was nearly a cluster fcuk.

Real were never going to be held to ransom and they weren't going to pay anything close to what Chelsea apparently bid for him the summer before hand.

I honestly thought Modric wouldn't leave as Levy was holding out for more from Real but in the end he managed to get somewhere close to £30 Million for him.

SlickRic

Neil3030 wrote: »

Ladies and gentlemen, the defence rests.

it wasn't a cold, wet evening.

null and void.

PerrinV2

GavRedKing wrote: »

Thinking of it, he started as LB for the Saints, was tried their at Spurs and had the horrible record of something like 50 losses when started, was bumped to LM and plays as part of a front 3 for Wales now a days.

I think LM or LW would suit him for certain teams as he has the size and pace to be a good winger, must FB's wont be able to keep up with or knock him off the ball as hes so direct and hes decent in the air too.

Personally, I'd be playing him at LB for Chelsea though.

Ya I remember that,every game he had started at spurs at LB at the time they had gone on to lose.
Don't think it was as high as 50 though

Insect Overlord

PerrinV2 wrote: »

Ya I remember that,every game he had started at spurs at LB at the time they had gone on to lose.
Don't think it was as high as 50 though

I think they failed to win in about 50. There were loads of draws as well.

GavRedKing

Insect Overlord wrote: »

I think they failed to win in about 50. There were loads of draws as well.

That sounds correct, failing to win in 50 games.:o

Liam O

The year he won YPoTY over Nani he was hugely overhyped, after the 2nd half of last season and the good start to this he has confirmed to me he is cut out for the top level and would improve pretty much every team in the world. Is he Messi or Ronaldo? Not even close but then who is?

Super-Rush

Was watching the Wales v Scotland game on Friday and when he scored the peno to equalise (which was never a peno) he ran to the crowd and done his stupid love heart sign.

When he turned around to celebrate with the rest of his team mates they were all running back to their own half to restart the game. Any other player would have grabbed the ball and ran back to the halfway line to get the game going asap. You can see some of the Wales players shouting at him to get back.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CcGE62Il2A

He's a good player when he's allowed play. Any decent fullback with some pace can easily snuff him out.

Jayob10

He is a very very good player. He will never be a world class attacking wide player though. He has limited ability in tight spaces and needs alot of space to operate effectively, or at least to a level to hurt top class opposition. The likes of Messi and Ronaldo can be unplayable in alot of different situations, Bale will never be at that level, shut off the space and you limit his impact.

Bale would however be a world class left back in time, for someone like Barcelona perhaps. His main strength of overlapping and running into the space in front of him would be maximised to great effect and he would have the space to do this, space that he would not be afforded in midfield/attack. His crossing and shooting are also very impressive but the defensive side will need polishing, but experience in the position will sort that.

Its a bit like Liverpool fans calling for Glen Johnson to be pushed onto the right wing. Its a whole different dynamic being an attacking full back with freedom to break safe in the knowledge you will have space in front of you being the "extra" man, to being a winger capable of receiving the ball back to goal in tight spaces expected to beat your man and make things happen in the final third.

Milkers

The clip above sums him up. First goal he shows how dangerous he is running at defenders with pace and control then minimal contact and an awful dive (takes an extra step then falls). Scores peno, focuses on a bit of personal glory instead of the best interests of the team. Then scores an absolute screamer to win the match.

Pro. F

Potentially the Real Deal

He's the real deal now imo. Not nearly as good as Ronaldo or Messi obviously, but still up there near the best wingers in the world.

Like all wingers he gets a lot of stick because most people just won't accept that wingers only do a very limited number of things with the ball. Beating defenders, crossing and shooting - that's all he does and he does it excellently.

Himself, Lennon, Nani and Stirling are all top quality, but they will always get stick because people expect them to transform the position into something more. Lavezzi, di Maria, Robben and Alexis Sanches would be the four who I would put as the absolute best wingers in the world. Ronaldo and Messi being something different to wingers.

Edit: Mata and Silva I don't really think of as wingers because they like to come inside more. Hazard I just forgot about, he's very special too.

Dempsey

as said, good defensive discipline limits bale alot. ronaldo and messi are rarely stifled and their goals to games ratio adds weight to that argument. bale is capable of hitting that level in small patches but i dont think he'll ever be as consistent

G.K.

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

Excellent attacking player. In the same league as Messi Ronaldo? Does he score more than a goal a game? It's a ridiculous comparison.

He's also an awful cheat, something that is wilfully ignored by the British media.

Couldn't put it better than this. Delighted he's Welsh though.

MD1990

The Real Deal Now

a Ronaldo wannabe
even takes free kicks like him too

kincsem

Potentially the Real Deal

He can turn a game on his own. I'm a Spurs fan and he is one of the best they have had in the past 50 years.

GavRedKing

Pro. F wrote: »

He's the real deal now imo. Not nearly as good as Ronaldo or Messi obviously, but still up there near the best wingers in the world.

Like all wingers he gets a lot of stick because most people just won't accept that wingers only do a very limited number of things with the ball. Beating defenders, crossing and shooting - that's all he does and he does it excellently.

Himself, Lennon, Nani and Stirling are all top quality, but they will always get stick because people expect them to transform the position into something more. Lavezzi, di Maria, Robben and Alexis Sanches would be the four who I would put as the absolute best wingers in the world. Ronaldo and Messi being something different to wingers.

Edit: Mata and Silva I don't really think of as wingers because they like to come inside more. Hazard I just forgot about, he's very special too.

Ya forgot Ribery, Id take him over Bale.

eagle eye

Whats the standard for real deal?

If its a top Premier League player then the answer is yes. If its at Messi's standard then no. if its at Ronaldo's standard then no.

IvySlayer

The Real Deal Now

He's a great player, but very overrated. Nani on his day is better than him.

Pro. F

Potentially the Real Deal

GavRedKing wrote: »

Ya forgot Ribery, Id take him over Bale.

No I didn't forget him. I don't rate him that highly. Severe lack of pace for the position.

MD1990

The Real Deal Now

Pro. F wrote: »

No I didn't forget him. I don't rate him that highly. Severe lack of pace for the position.

Ribery lack of pace :eek:
he has tons of pace

Pro. F

Potentially the Real Deal

MD1990 wrote: »

Ribery lack of pace :eek:
he has tons of pace

No he does not. Not by the standards of top class wingers.

MD1990

The Real Deal Now

Pro. F wrote: »

No he does not. Not by the standards of top class wingers.

yeah he does
he is known for dribbling at high speeds

he is without doubt better than bale

Pro. F

Potentially the Real Deal

MD1990 wrote: »

yeah he does
he is known for dribbling at high speeds

he is without doubt better than bale

I don't care what the youtube viewing public think he's good at. He has very good dribbling but he is lacking in pace.

MD1990

The Real Deal Now

Pro. F wrote: »

I don't care what the youtube viewing public think he's good at. He has very good dribbling but he is lacking in pace.

really

Ribery lacking in pace is a ridicolous statement
its one of his main attributes

greendom

Pro. F wrote: »

No he does not. Not by the standards of top class wingers.

He may not be as quick as Bale (he is quick though) but he's a better finisher and a better crosser of the ball

Pro. F

Potentially the Real Deal

MD1990 wrote: »

really

Ribery lacking in pace is a ridicolous statement
its one of his main attributes

One clip? Yeah that proves it so.

greendom wrote: »

He may not be as quick as Bale (he is quick though) but he's a better finisher and a better crosser of the ball

I would disagree on both counts. Although to be fair to Ribery his crossing is hindered by playing on the wrong wing.

Mr Blobby

The Real Deal Now

He's overrated for me. But still a top talent.

Would rather Hulk any day though...

Cienciano

Potentially the Real Deal

Ribery is definitely the better all round player. Great passer of the ball and he has a football brain.
No one is near the quality of Messi and Ronaldo, you can still be the real deal and not be as good as them.

MD1990

The Real Deal Now

Pro. F wrote: »

One clip? Yeah that proves it so.



I would disagree on both counts. Although to be fair to Ribery his crossing is hindered by playing on the wrong wing.

well it is against Farfan who is very quick
so it throws your myth out of the equation

greendom

Pro. F wrote: »

One clip? Yeah that proves it so.



I would disagree on both counts. Although to be fair to Ribery his crossing is hindered by playing on the wrong wing.

He did brilliantly to pick out Giroud's movement tonight although he rarely turns it on for France.

With Bayern Munich though he has 45 goals and 65 assists in 134 matches. Bale 's good but he'll be doing very well to match that sort of record.