Tottenham faced off against Burnley over the weekend which saw Gareth Bale get his 3rd start in the league and great news for Spurs fans, he looks ready for more starts. His previous two starts were near the beginning of the season against West Bromwich Albion and Brighton and Hove Albion. He played 77 minutes and 60 minutes respectively in each game contributing no goals or assists in either game. So, what’s the difference between the Bale we saw against Burnley vs the Bale we saw at the beginning of the season?
From watching that game, fitness appears to be the big change. Anyone who has seen the Welshman at his best knows his pace and energy are frightening for defenders and the midfielder tasked with doubling up on him. This game was no different. Bale’s presence on the pitch meant that at half time Dwight McNeil, Burnley’s creative presence, has an average position just inside his own half. While on the opposing flank, Josh Brownhill, who is top of the league for interceptions, had an average position nearly in Tottenham’s final third. Considering Brownhill had Son Heung-min and the attacking full back of Sergio Reguilon on his side while also being the more defensive wide man. He managed to get further forward than McNeil who just had Gareth Bale and had help from Charlie Taylor.
Bale wasn’t just staying up field by the full back either, he tracked back and contributed defensively. He was fouled on the edge of his box by Jack Cork, sprinted past the left sided from the Tottenham third all the way to Burnley’s box and fired a long ball to assist Harry Kane also from deep in his own half. One he left the pitch in the 69th minute Dwight McNeil was freed up to attack where he finally was able to contribute to the attacking play but had no joy.
8 of Bales 14 goal contributions this season have come in 2021, with 7 in the last 4 games. The fixture against Burnley means Bale has now played the same number of games for Spurs as he did Real Madrid last year, 20. Although he has played 260 fewer minutes this year, an average of 13 minutes less per game. I think this is evidence that Jose Mourinho has used him well allowing him to build fitness rather than tire throughout the season. A Gareth Bale nearing full flight can do more in the 50 minutes he’s averaging than most players can do in a full 90. For now, where he’s at is enough to contribute to this Spurs side which so we should expect more games in the league from Bale and certainly in the League Cup final and Europa League games which Mourinho will have his sights set on winning.
Having just sung Bale and Mourinho’s praises and said we should expect more league starts from him. I’m not convinced he’ll be starting the next fixture against Fulham, 4 days after hosting the Lancashire side. The weekend fixture against Crystal Palace may be the sort of game Bale will be more useful as an additional presence in the box as well as running at a static defence. At the moment having Bale at 80-90% for most of the match is more important than having him 50-60% for a full 90.
As fans, we need to not get over excited about Bale’s apparent re found form as he still has a short while to get up to full fitness, but with 46% of Bales successful dribbles coming in his last 5 matches, including 4 in 20 minutes against Manchester City, and his success rate rising from 50% to 67%, he and Spurs will be worth tuning in to watch. Proving the North London side don’t get any new injuries, I think they’re favourites for the Europa League and may be able to beat this City side in what has been the Citizen’s cup over the past few years.
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