Soccer • Football • Voetbal • Fútbol • Calcio • Futebol - 2012-2013 Thread (Including EURO2012) - Page 247

He's Spanish. There's Iniesta, Xavi, Cesc and Silva ahead of him. And ahead of Bale.

Bale is like Ronaldo, without the technique.

Bale just missed a sitter and scored a cracker..

Not to mention Pique and Busquets. (Yes, Busquets. His influence on Barcelona and Spain is huge. Still a bit of a shit, though.)

Recently read a good summary of Bale: a brilliant athlete who is also a good footballer. Ronaldo is brilliant at both.

Yeah, Busquets is great. Didn't mention because Mata doesn't compete with him for playing time.

I fully expect Busquets to become a coach once he retires. He plays so good tactically.

Work mate just came over to ask about the Tottenham game.

Too bad I'll be in meetings on Tuesday when Arsenal and Bayern Munich play.

No problem Shah, just gloss over the fact that your heralded Falcao has scored exactly 1 more goal than Gareth Bale this season.




Ha ha. Such a world beater as Mata can't find a spot on that team?

Ronaldo was heavily criticized at Man U for no end product for quite a while. I told everyone that would listen that this kid was going to be the best player in the world. Actually, it was my father that told me. He was going out of his way to see this new kid at Sporting Lisbon he wouldn't shut up about. First time I saw Ronaldo was that match back in '02 against Man U and he blew me away. Bale has that same feel without the same level of technical skill and foot speed, thus #3.

Now that we're here, first time I saw Messi was at the U-19 world cup in the Netherlands back in '05... he blew everyone there away too. Again, I said to myself this is going to be a star.

And Zidane in his early Juve years? Mother of god he was incredible. Only wish I saw him at Caan.

The only one I've missed on? Jay Jay Okocha. After the '94 World Cup I was like OMG holy mother fuckers this is a monster footballer. He toiled, but never brought it all.

Bale? Watch this space.

this is retarded, i didn't bring up falcao, he plays in a league with better defenders (EPL is demonstrably worse in that department on average, Torres set a first-season total goals record...look at anyone having come into the league)

LOL



done with your tolling so no more from me on this issue
Edited by the shah - 2/15/13 at 7:12am

Shah: I know why you quit. Falcao 19, Bale 18.

Cheers bro. I've forgotten more football than you know.

Bale could well become the 3rd best. He's got great potential, and seems to be becoming more versatile slowly this season.

Still, you accuse me of not watching Tottenham, but I'd be pretty sure you don't watch Barca when you talk like you do. Messi's the best, but he's not the one I'm most excited to watch most of the time. Messi amazes me most times he scores or produces a goal. Iniesta amazes me most times he touches the ball.

Bale has always been versatile. He played full back his first couple of seasons as a pro, then went to the wing and now has been playing more centrally. I think he could easily play striker as well.

I just don't see the Iniesta love. He's a top class player, but I prefer to watch Ozil if I had a choice.

By the way... doesn't show up in big games? How about a 93rd minute free kick game winner last night fellas?

Could become #3? He already is #3, you're just slow on the uptake. And to the idea I'm alone in this thinking:

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/4788388/Alan-Pardew-Gareth-Bale-would-walk-straight-into-my-world-XI.html


http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/european/match-report-a-new-ronaldo--gareth-bale-hits-greater-heights-with-stunning-double-8496251.html




http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/the-new-cristiano-ronaldo-gareth-bale-keeps-astonishing-run-going-with-two-spectacular-freekicks-8496624.html


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2276858/Cristiano-Ronaldo-v-Gareth-Bale--comparison.html


Last night's game winner:

Playing LB and becoming a LW = being versatile. His skillset is still highly one-dimensional. But he's getting better, shown by his transition to a more central role. He's an athlete first, a footballer second. His greatness doesn't come from his footballing skills, but from his athletic superiority. You need more than that to be one of the greats.

And you're going to use comments made by coaches to 'prove' your point? While at the same time you don't see what's great about Iniesta, who is praised by everyone, and was chosen as the best player in Europe last year. You choose who to listen to based on if their words back up yours, with no further logic. English coaches have a pretty commonly over-praised British players, and players in the EPL. AVB is Bale's coach. You expect him not to praise him? And even when he does, he's saying he's having a great individual moment. He recognizes he's on a heater, rather than claiming based on a few great performances he's the world's greatest.
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And I didn't say he doesn't show up in big games, you claimed that of somebody else, and I noted Bale hasn't played in big games.

Someone said he doesn't show up. Dont recall who. I then said that of Ibra which is true.

I posted quotes because someone said I was alone in this belief, not to support my position. I don't need AVB to tell me he's #3, I can see it for myself, but others are trying to isolate me in the view and I'm exposing that to be false.

Yes, Bale in a good vein of form, but this has been coming for a long time. For me it's just the vindication on my claims last year he was #3. And I need no further logic: he's playing at the #3 level. Name a player other than LM or CR in better form right now? Every player shows flashes of brilliance but has to develop to a point where they become a sustained presence. I think we're seeing that, and so is R Madrid.

I don't ignore Iniesta or his quality, I just don't share the groupthink that he's that good. He and Xavi play well within that boring ass system, and unfortunately they'll retire in that system so we won't know if I'm wrong.

Nope. Somebody named players better than Bale, and you picked Ibra out, saying he doesn't show up in big games.

I've already named a bunch. Iniesta, RVP, Mata, Cesc, Falcao... Maybe Bale's form of the last two games has been slightly better, but a sudden boost of form doesn't elevate him over them. If he played like that for the rest of the season, maybe he'd have a contender's spot.

Sorry, someone said he doesn't play in big games, you're correct.

He's been in superb form all season. We'll see in a few months. To be continued...

Drogba scored within 5 minutes of his first start for Galatasaray