Modric or Bale

[SpursDisciple]

Modric everyday of the week. Absolute genius. Natural ability just like Berbatov which can't be taught on a training pitch.

And Bale hasn't?

 

[Spurm]

Interesting question. The way these two players have developed, along with their differences in position and style, I would phrase the question differently in order to find my preferred answer:

Which do you prefer, a team player or a match winner?

I think one of the reasons Bale is struggling at Real is that he is the latter playing in a team of latters, with the biggest latter in the world (Ronaldo) playing right next to him. Until Ronaldo leaves and Bale is allowed to become the alpha male match winner (which I believe he can), he's going to have the fans on his back and will be suffocated by his galactico team-mates.

Luka, by contrast, is probably the best team player in world football right now with the decline of Xavi. He is a cog that will improve any team out there as a unit, but he lacks those explosive skills to win a match single-handedly. It is impossible for a cog to be suffocated by galacticos, as they are - like it or not - reliant on those cogs to create the match winning moments. Real are markedly worse when Modric is out injured than when Ronaldo is out (which is admittedly extremely rare as he is a machine).

Having said all of that, I would pick Modric every time; simply because his skill set as a team player means that he can most probably slot into any team, anywhere, and immediately impose his influence. Put Bale in a team and you have to set the team up to have him as the alpha male. All the idiots accusing us of being a one-man team under AVB can go do one - when you have a player of that calibre on your playing staff, not setting up as a one man team is pure idiocy and (as Bale is now discovering) will hinder the player's development.

So, putting Bale in the Spurs team of today would likely hinder the development of players like Kane and Eriksen, whereas putting Modric in it would likely bring the best out of Bentaleb, Kane, Eriksen, Chadli, Rose, Mason, Pritchard, even Lamela. When you've got a team full of potential like we do, it's Modric every day of the week.

I've always preferred watching a team playing as a harmonious unit. That's why Harry's team was so delightful to watch - the team was set up to get the best out of 11 players. Even those with the match-winning spark such as Bale and VDV never became the be-all-and-end-all of the club.

Just what i was thinking, but you put it more intelligently than i would have

 

[NSIS]

And Bale hasn't?

Very true. What Bale can do, you can't teach, it's natural. He's one of the half dozen most gifted players on the planet right now, who wouldn't want him in their side??

Game changers at that level are few and far between. He's one of them.

 

[PleaseNotPoll]

Bale changes games. Modric runs them. Which is more valuable? Not sure.

 

[NSIS]

Bale changes games. Modric runs them. Which is more valuable? Not sure.

I'd take Bale every time. For Modric to run a game, he needs players of a sufficient calibre around him - those who are attuned to his way of playing and capable of making the most of what he provides. . Bale, as we saw in his last season with us, can win a game for an otherwise very ordinary side, singlehandedly.

If you're Real Madrid, it's a tougher decision. If you're the current Spurs side, it's an easy one, IMO.

 

[PleaseNotPoll]

I'd take Bale every time. For Modric to run a game, he needs players of a sufficient calibre around him - those who are attuned to his way of playing and capable of making the most of what he provides. . Bale, as we saw in his last season with us, can win a game for an otherwise very ordinary side, singlehandedly.

If you're Real Madrid, it's a tougher decision. If you're the current Spurs side, it's an easy one, IMO.

I don't think that Modric needs players of a similar ability level to work well.
You could put him into virtually any side and he'd improve it.
Better players would get more out of him, but that's true of anyone, simply because they're better players.

Bale's more explosive, dynamic and entertaining, but Modric can dominate the pace of a game and offers more control.
It's a tricky choice and one that Real are lucky enough to not have to make.

 

[NSIS]

I don't think that Modric needs players of a similar ability level to work well.
You could put him into virtually any side and he'd improve it.
Better players would get more out of him, but that's true of anyone, simply because they're better players.

Bale's more explosive, dynamic and entertaining, but Modric can dominate the pace of a game and offers more control.
It's a tricky choice and one that Real are lucky enough to not have to make.

Yes, lucky Real!

I am still of the opinion that, being put in the position of having to make the choice for this Spurs side, that Bale would be by far the better option. I still feel that, being the type of player that Modric is, he is more suited to having players of his own calibre around him. Yes, he would improve virtually any side (not sure if that includes The Spammers) but, he wouldn't make us the threat that Bale would.

 

[SpursDisciple]

Yes, lucky Real!

I am still of the opinion that, being put in the position of having to make the choice for this Spurs side, that Bale would be by far the better option. I still feel that, being the type of player that Modric is, he is more suited to having players of his own calibre around him. Yes, he would improve virtually any side (not sure if that includes The Spammers) but, he wouldn't make us the threat that Bale would.

He's only human

 

[Citizen Kane]

I'd take Bale every time. For Modric to run a game, he needs players of a sufficient calibre around him - those who are attuned to his way of playing and capable of making the most of what he provides. . Bale, as we saw in his last season with us, can win a game for an otherwise very ordinary side, singlehandedly.

If you're Real Madrid, it's a tougher decision. If you're the current Spurs side, it's an easy one, IMO.

Politely disagree. Putting Bale in the current Spurs side would severely stunt Kane, Eriksen, Lamela, Chadli, Pritchard etc in their growth. A few years back when the best we could offer was a plodding Parker and Dempsey, I agree 100%. But that's the sting in the tail of having a match winner on board; the rest of the team must be crafted around them or else what's the point in having a match winner? Real's current dilemma is that they have two match winners in Bale and Ronaldo, which creates tension and endless ammo for the gutter press gossip columns.

Put Bale in Spurs of a few years back which was sorely lacking in all areas after the departures of Ledley, Modric and VDV. But put Modric in the current Spurs side to really take our youngsters up another gear or two.

 

[NSIS]

Politely disagree. Putting Bale in the current Spurs side would severely stunt Kane, Eriksen, Lamela, Chadli, Pritchard etc in their growth. A few years back when the best we could offer was a plodding Parker and Dempsey, I agree 100%. But that's the sting in the tail of having a match winner on board; the rest of the team must be crafted around them or else what's the point in having a match winner? Real's current dilemma is that they have two match winners in Bale and Ronaldo, which creates tension and endless ammo for the gutter press gossip columns.

Put Bale in Spurs of a few years back which was sorely lacking in all areas after the departures of Ledley, Modric and VDV. But put Modric in the current Spurs side to really take our youngsters up another gear or two.

Fair enough, but I'd still take Bale anyday. He's a threat! He makes opposition defenses extremely nervous. In my view, he would help the players you mentioned by occupying defenders.

Players like Bale are a constant threat, take your eye of them for one minute and the damage is done. Defenses know that and can become preoccupied with it!

 

[yidokev]

And Bale hasn't?

Don't get me wrong bale clearly has ability and is in the world class bracket but his strengths are attributes that can be worked on like power/pace/striking of the ball. I just get the feeling Modric was always this good whereas bale has developed over the years

 

[yidokev]

And Bale hasn't?

Don't get me wrong bale clearly has ability and is in the world class bracket but his strengths are attributes that can be worked on like power/pace/striking of the ball. I just get the feeling Modric was always this good whereas bale has developed over the years

 

[littleDinosaurLuke]

Modric benefited from having a strong defensive midfielder alongside him in Parker when he played well for Spurs. He was never going to do the tackling or tracking back. Because of Parker, he often received the ball with some time and space to measure his passes - as he does now for Real Madrid. And the pace of the game in Spain suits him too. If he played in this Spurs' midfield he wouldn't quite so influential.

 

[Spurf]

There are a few players who as soon as they have the ball expectations rise and the opposition worries.

Bale is special and IMO would have improved his game more if he had stayed in the PL.

 

[Spurm]

Modric benefited from having a strong defensive midfielder alongside him in Parker when he played well for Spurs. He was never going to do the tackling or tracking back. Because of Parker, he often received the ball with some time and space to measure his passes - as he does now for Real Madrid. And the pace of the game in Spain suits him too. If he played in this Spurs' midfield he wouldn't quite so influential.

He was also quality with Hudd.
He was also quality when he was played out on the left.
He had space because he's quality. You'll find that with a number of players.

 

[Citizen Kane]

Modric benefited from having a strong defensive midfielder alongside him in Parker when he played well for Spurs. He was never going to do the tackling or tracking back. Because of Parker, he often received the ball with some time and space to measure his passes - as he does now for Real Madrid. And the pace of the game in Spain suits him too. If he played in this Spurs' midfield he wouldn't quite so influential.

Actually one of the aspects of Luka's game that impressed me most was how much scrapping and tracking back he did for a player with such a slight build. I don't disagree - Parker certainly helped things, but Luka did far more defensively than the Xavi's, Iniestas, David Silva's of this world.

 

[Spurlock]

I'd have Bale for the simple reason that I don't think the rest of our team is intelligent enough to finish off Modric's work. With Bale he just does it himself..that will do me.

 

[donotputinmicrowave]

In this team currently, I'd take Bale. I still think a Modric type would have seen AVB's team into a top 4 position though.
Both extremely valuable players but Bale just brings the fear factor as everyone says. Real lost form last year when Modric was out - wasn't a coincidence.

 

[Citizen Kane]

In this team currently, I'd take Bale. I still think a Modric type would have seen AVB's team into a top 4 position though.
Both extremely valuable players but Bale just brings the fear factor as everyone says. Real lost form last year when Modric was out - wasn't a coincidence.

Do you mean a Modric type with Bale in the AVB team? If so, that team would definitely have got top 4, no question. This was without doubt the rationale behind the Moutinho debacle

If you mean Modric instead of Bale I'd disagree; he'd be busy creating chances for players who couldn't hit a barn door.

 

[KingHotspur]

When you think we once had both in the same team and now we have Dembele and Soldado