Bale Agrees Terms With Madrid

He's a great player who will be a goal threat. The only problem is Real don't really have a problem scoring goals so does it mean Bale will get in the way of Ronaldo scoring a bucket load?

Will be interesting to see how Bale and Ronaldo work as they both like to start wide and cut in so in theory could end up working in the same space and things becoming overcrowded.

Great players USUALLY figure a way out though, either way will be exciting to watch the power of Ronaldo and Bale versus the skill and balance of Messi and Neymar.

Agreed TRC. I think too many people are assuming he's just going to do what Ronaldo did, go across to La Liga and start banging in 30+ a season and destroying teams.

It would be 50 a season if he wants to emulate Ronny

What i don't figure is where he would actually play.

CR aside - and his technique is streets ahead Bale's - RM have signed 'passers' in this team; in signing Bale, it essentially means they are resorting to the counter-attacking football of the Maureen era.

Bale's best return remains as essentially a SS/AM, would he have the same output on the wing?

I see Bale scoring 'crucial' goals if given the chance and his athleticism being vital in stretched games, but in the regular La Liga game, i don't see him achieveing much if i am honest.

I think the weight of expectation will crush him if i'm honest, with no pals around him if he does'nt hit the ground running i see him realising pretty quickly he's out of his depth.

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The_Red,

The lower league La Liga teams are far, far, worse than the lower league Premiership teams, so why you think he'll struggle against them when he hasn't struggled against Premiership teams, is beyond me.

Apart from Barca, real Madrid and a couple of others, that league is pretty poor - and Bale will be more than competent to handle it.

Chicken, it is a very uninformed argument that the La Liga is 'pretty poor'.

I never questioned whether Bale was 'competent', he is more than that. RM are not buying Bale to be mertely 'competent', they are buying him to be a difference maker.

The problem that could happen with Bale is that he seems a player who thrives on having space to run into and in La Liga that tends to be more limited. Teams normally set-up deep and build.

Bale could navigate this by hitting more shots, but that is a zero-sum game. When it works, as against Southampton and Sunderland towards the end of the season, he was cheered to the rafters.

But at RM, Ronaldo would want to hit the shot, so do Isco, Ozil, Benzema, Di Maria etc

Not to mention the 'politics' in RM and the way it hangs over any personality (be it coach or player) like a Damocles sword.

In summary, Bale is a fabulous player and could perhaps have the fantastic impact, some hope.

Personally, i don't see it.

I think he will do very well and I will miss his brilliance but I am so chuffed with our brilliant transfer dealings this summer that I'm not at all upset that we have sold bale. Erik Lamela is a superb replacement.

The_Red

You make Bale sound like a "hit and hope" player.

Bale is a "difference maker" all over the pitch and his actual trade is crossing or being the provider which, against easier full backs, he will easily excel in that league.

He may have a vicious shot on him but he has also been known to twinkle toe into the box, and even round the goalkeeper, from time-to-time.

If you think his talents end with, and his game thrives on, long, hopeful and ambitious shooting, then you have not seen Mr Bale as much as i have.

He virtually won games on his own when he was the main marked man on the pitch - take that away (by living in Ronaldo's shadow) and i predict him to do very well indeed.