I just thought for a change it would be good to have a thread where we can discuss other football topics other than the usual Ipswich Town related stories. I had the good fortune to be at Upton Park last night as a mate of mine is a die hard Hammers fan and had a spare ticket. I have to say that first and foremost the game was a superb advertisement for English Football especially with the poignant tributes paid to the legendary Bobby Moore (RIP) before the game. It certainly brought tears to my eyes as I found myself being swept along with the raw emotion of it all. Anyhow the game itself had absolutely everything you could ever wish to ask for with both sides showing high levels of skill, passing and attacking play which built up to the sheer drama at the end! A brilliant deciding goal scored by a 23 year old who is at the moment unstoppable! Even the West Ham fans around me were acknowledging Bale's genius for the contributions he made during the game! Having now seen this Bale kid in real life he is going to be a world class player if he isn't already. Spurs will do very well to keep Bale as on this form he could walk straight into any world first XI. I will go so far as to say that he is the best player I have seen in the Premiership era and that includes the likes of Giggs, Cantona, Henry et al. What do you think?
Good shout JWM, if he can clean up his urge to dive on occasion he is destined for greatness! I would suggest on pure footballing skills that maybe Suarez is just ahead of him, but what an arsehole of a man!
I can understand why you were excited to be there last night, but I don't think he is the best player in the Premier League now, let alone in the last twenty odd years. I think those accolades would have to fall to Luis Suarez at present and Christiano Ronaldo or Thierry Henry for attacking players in recent times, Bale doesn't get close to those two.
IMO Suarez is a far better player than bale because of his. Work rate, passion and sublime skills and his willingness to pass the ball and his running off the ball creating space for others
I must admit that Suarez is awesome with his close control of the ball and his work rate and I actually really like that 'edge' he has to his game! All great players have that including the likes of Cantona, Zidane etc. On the evidence of what I saw last night though Bale is destined for greatness afterall he's still only 23 and hasn't yet reached his peak! I guess everyone remembers when a young Wayne Rooney burst onto the scene and all the pundits were saying the same things about him! Rooney as we all know is probably the most overated player in the Premiership.
Bale is very talented but I don't think he is quite the best in the Premier League yet, maybe in a few years (if he's still in England)
Saw the game as well, Saw the game as well, as jwm says, a superb advertisement for English football. Bale has to be arguably the best attacking player in the premier league, every defenders worst nightmare, very good close control, speedy, and has a lot of other player awareness, also has a thunderbolt shot, with a good goalscoring record. Think he would be making a mistake if he played in Spain, okay he might get paid a better wage, but in terms of his professional career, do not see how a move to Spain would improve him. Messi has a terrific goalscoring record in the Spanish league, but feel in our premier league, allthough he would score freely, it would be no way near his record in Spain. Bale would have easier pickings in Spain, and so would not really be testing himself, except against the top teams.
I really don't agree with your assessment of the Spanish game. Barcelona are exceptional but if you think it's easy pickings just ask Jose Mourinho!
