Gareth Bale’s talent had simmered for several seasons. We knew all along he had the tools to turn world class performances in Europe into regular Fantasy returns on the domestic front and, last term, we saw it materialise.
The Welshman hit double figures for goals and assists as Harry Redknapp looked to unshackle the left winger and establish Bale as the key attacking figure in Tottenham’s assault on a top four finish.
In the end, Bale’s hot form fizzled out as Spurs failed to maintain the momentum to claim a Champions League place. Faith in Bale had declined as the numbers diminished but, off the back of mid-term form that had seen him become almost unplayable, Bale claims his place in our team of the season.
The Statistics
Early form suggested that Gareth Bale would remain on the periphery of our Fantasy thinking. Just a single goal in the first nine Gameweeks appeared to cement his reputation as a player who promised much, but never quite delivered the returns to justify a place in our squads.
By Gameweek 10, Bale’s initial starting price of 8.0 had actually dropped and yet the White Hart Lane clash with QPR was to signal the start of his ascendency. A two-goal salvo from the Welshman saw off the R’s and was followed a week later by a fourth goal of the season and an assist in the win at Fulham. Suddenly, Bale was catching the eye.
An immediate price rise followed, as Spurs strung together five straight wins in which Bale provided four goals and five assists. Bale had arrived and, within weeks, his price tag begun to look strong value.
Bale failed to maintain the explosive form of that spell but still managed to notch goals or assists in nine of his next 16 league starts – a new level of consistency.
The spurt of form coincided with Harry Redknapp’s decision to shift his relentless energy from a wide role on the left, to central areas in support of Emmanuel Adebayor. So often shackled by two marking players, Bale was now able to find space in front of the defence and the opposition were often unable to cope with his pace and power. Two goals in the 2-0 win at Carrow Road in Gameweek 18 demonstrated Bale’s new role perfectly – Paul Lambert’s side were simply overwhelmed by the Welshman’s running and finishing ability.
Following that game, Bale managed just three more goals, relying instead on notching assists to justify his continued selection in our squads. Even so, Fantasy confidence had begun to drop as Bale ended the season on a run of 14 starts without a goal. Having peaked at 9.7 in February, Bale’s price took a tumble, ending on 9.5 by the season climax. Despite this, almost 40% of FPL managers finished the campaign with Bale in their squads – clear testament to his progress as a Fantasy asset.
His final returns of 10 goals, 14 assists and 21 bonus saw him second only to Clint Dempsey in the FPL midfield rankings. That represented a huge jump in form from the 2010/11 season, in which Bale had contributed seven goals and just three assists. It was an extraordinary transformation, but one we’d almost anticipated having witnessed Bale tearing up defences in the Champions League the previous year.
The Prospects
Despite failing to qualify for Europe’s showpiece tournament next season, Bale has announced he’s happy to remain at White Hart Lane, fending off inevitable attention from the continent’s elite. That’s unlikely to stop Man City making an attempt to prise him from London in the coming months but, in all likelihood, we’ll see Bale remain in the Tottenham ranks.
His place in our Fantasy squads is reliant on several factors. Firstly, Spurs need to show their own ambition in the transfer market and seal the capture of Emmanuel Adebayor or a suitable replacement. Having earned 14 assists last season, Bale’s prosperity in this area is reliant on Spurs installing a goalscoring target man.
Harry Redknapp’s approach to harnessing Bale’s talents is also key. He will be all too aware of the devastation he can cause to a defence, the puzzle now is how to best utilise this in a system which has seemed fairly rigid.
Redknapp has preferred playing Rafael Van der Vaart in support of a lone striker with Aaron Lennon and Bale providing pace on either flank. Bale’s game perhaps demands a heightened role and it’s likely Redknapp will revisit his mid-season scheme to get him more involved in central areas.
A price rise across the games seems assured, with a figure around the 9.0 mark in the FPL on the cards. While Rafael Van der Vaart will also be on our radars and likely steal some of the attention from Bale, we’ve witnessed a new level of consistency which could yet see us turn to Bale as opposed to the Dutchman.
Price, Van der Vaart’s fitness and Redknapp’s tactical ploys will all be critical to our decision and Bale’s pre-season form will be monitored with keen interest.
