Do Tottenham Hotspur miss Gareth Bale? Despite losing a world class talent, Spurs have more or less achieved just as much as they did in the final season with Bale. In fact, Spurs have a good chance of finishing in the top four without him. Emerging stars such as Christian Eriksen, Nacer Chadli and Harry Kane now lead the club.
Under Mauricio Pochettino, Spurs have not only continued to express their football in a beautiful and forward thinking style, but have also developed mentally. Where Gareth Bale would often ‘Bale’ the team out of many situations, the whole team now drives for the late equalizer or winner. Christian Eriksen receives most of the credit for this late success, but in truth, the entire team deserves credit for the way they adopt a ‘never say die’ attitude. Isn’t it better to have four or five players to rely on rather than one?
Currently, it feels like each member of the team is vital in some way. Hugo Lloris with his phenomenal goalkeeping; Jan Vertonghen shutting out the opposition attackers; Christian Eriksen pulling the strings in midfield and, of course, that man Harry Kane rattling in the goals up front. After that there are players such as Nacer Chadli helping the team, Eric Dier proving himself in defence and the duo of Ryan Mason and Nabil Bentaleb becoming a formidable force in the Premier League. Once a one-man army, Spurs have now developed into a stoic squad.
Whilst Bale languishes 2000km away from home country at a club that perhaps isn’t turning out to be a dream come true, Spurs sit just three points off Top Four. They didn’t need Bale for this though, apart from the transfer fee he brought to the club.
His departure has allowed so many younger players to be introduced. Would Harry Kane be anywhere near fruition if not for his departure? He’d have got a lot less game time with Bale in the team. Overall, the team has been able to grow together, not overly reliant on any one player. Instead of trying to play football around one central figure, there are many duos and trios that link up during the games, which prove to be much more effective than said solo player. Every player can’t be man marked. This allows maybe just one player in a situation, for example, Andros Townsend, to burst down an otherwise congested wing to create an opportunity for either a dangerous cross, or to cut inside and test the goalkeeper. Similarly, it could be a burst down the middle from Mason, or an adventurous run from Vertonghen.
A team might be able to keep close tabs on Kane and try to throttle Eriksen, but not every man can be that closely watched. This is why Spurs don’t miss Bale. Also, one long term injury would effectively injure the whole team. Now, there are many players capable of playing in all positions.
Gareth Bale is an amazing talent. Any Spurs fan would probably take him back in a heartbeat. But, do Spurs miss him? No. Spurs have developed and matured from his departure. No-one knows what is round the corner, including Bale, who might just switch back to where he truly belongs.
