Team of the Season – Gareth Bale

In Harry Redknapp’s final season in charge at White Hart Lane, Gareth Bale had finally come to the fore as a genuine Fantasy contender. After a couple of distinctly average campaigns, here was a player we could consistently rely upon to pick up the points, with the Welshman serving up double figures for both goals and assists in 2011/12. Then Andre Villas-Boas arrived last summer and Bale stepped up another level.

Initially utilised on the left flank by the new man in charge, Bale’s move to the role in “the hole” behind a lone striker saw him wreak havoc on Premier League backlines, as Villas-Boas afforded him license to dictate play from a central position. By the season’s end, Bale’s displays for Tottenham saw him become only the second player in history to win the PFA Players’ Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year awards in addition to the FWA (Football Writer’s Association) Player of the Year Award, after Cristiano Ronaldo completed the treble back in 2007.

The Statistics

It was a slow beginning to the campaign, though. With both Luka Modric and Rafael Van der Vaart leaving the Lane last summer, Villas-Boas’ side needed some time to hit their stride. Initially starting the season as a premium priced option – with a cost of 9.5 in Fantasy Premier League (FPL) – Bale failed to register any returns in the first three league fixtures as Spurs stuttered out the blocks.

A goal and maximum bonus points in the Gameweek 4 win at Reading hinted at what was to follow as Bale produced an 11 point return in a 3-1 win at the Madejski. In total, Bale’s outstanding captaincy potential helped him register an incredible 14 double figure hauls over his 34 appearances, including a sublime run of eight sets of 10+ points over just 10 appearances between Gameweek 25 and 36.

With a goal or assist in 11 of his final 14 appearances, Bale’s form rarely faltered as he served up one match-winning display after another and afforded Fantasy managers a genuine rival to Robin Van Persie for the armband on a near-permanent basis. Ending the season with 21 goals (more than double his haul from the previous campaign), he also contributed nine assists and an incredible 50 bonus points – more than any player.

A total of 249 FPL points was second only to Van Persie’s 262 points, though saw Bale top the midfield standings by a considerable distance, despite some impressive showings by the likes of Juan Mata, Eden Hazard and Santi Cazorla. The Welshman’s average of 7.2 points per game was greater than any other player, however, as he rewarded his Fantasy owners with a level of returns not seen since Ronaldo’s heyday at Old Trafford.

The Prospects

Without question, we can expect a significant price hike right across the Fantasy games. David Silva – at 10.0 in FPL– was the only midfield initially slapped with a double figure price tag in 2012/13, while Bale was also less than the City playmaker in the Sky Sports game. This time round, the Tottenham man looks set to be the priciest midfield option on the market – few eyebrows would be raised if he comes in around 12.0 in FPL, for example.

Clearly thriving under Villas-Boas, Bale has shown just what a special talent he is – while Zinedine Zidane continues to lavish praise on the Welshman’s abilities on behalf of Real Madrid, Bale – despite his side’s fifth place finish – looks set to stay in north London for at least one more season.

As Spurs prepare for their second year under Villas-Boas, more acquisitions can be expected over the summer as the Portuguese looks to build on his debut campaign. Regardless of who he brings in, though, switching Bale to the middle is likely to be his masterstroke – the Welshman’s sensational displays from central areas, with his ability to beat his marker with a moment of brilliance and find the net from long-range look set to remain a major feature for the season ahead.

With a consistency of both starts and returns that ultimately proved superior to similarly priced midfielders, Bale – despite an increased cost – will still hold huge appeal, then. Playing from a central position from Gameweek 1 this time around, he could quite feasibly better his score from 2012/13 and take Van Persie’s FPL crown away – those nine assists could easily be trumped if his team mates upped their conversion rates, for instance.

Scouring the market for a couple of mid-price forwards looks the best way to accommodate Bale and a heavy-hitter up top, though Chelsea’s early double Gameweek may have an impact on how quickly some may acquire his services. With the Blues set to face Bayern Munich in the Super Cup final in late August, many are already planning to double up on Mata and Hazard – while such a tactic could come to fruition, omitting Bale from our squads would leave those Fantasy managers at the mercy of his explosive abilities right from the off.