*Official* English Football Season 2012-13

[Marcuss]

Just loling at the idea of any footballer being 'comfortably' better than Bale.

There's this short Argentine chap who's been doing quite well in La Liga I've heard?

Btw, has anyone actually read the Stelling interview?

What Bale's got that Ronaldo hasn't is incredible strength and power

lolz.

Sagna incredible today which was nice to see as he's been below par for a while. Wojciech excellent too, should shut up the few who are still bemoaning us not signing a keeper 18 months ago.

Something so satisfying about holding on to a 1-0.

Oh, and left him out earlier for fear of 'red-tinted glasses' but there's no way in hell I'd rather Bale than Wilshere.

[grecian]

There's this short Argentine chap who's been doing quite well in La Liga I've heard?

Btw, has anyone actually read the Stelling interview?

lolz.

Sagna incredible today which was nice to see as he's been below par for a while. Wojciech excellent too, should shut up the few who are still bemoaning us not signing a keeper 18 months ago.

Something so satisfying about holding on to a 1-0.

Oh, and left him out earlier for fear of 'red-tinted glasses' but there's no way in hell I'd rather Bale than Wilshere.

I like Jeff, but it's really got little to do with owt, if one bloke rates him higher than Messi, it's not a tragedy. He's probably addled from watching Hartlepool all these years, can't blame him.

Oh and I'd rather have Bale, because he's not potentially a crock.

[Marcuss]

I just find it depressing and hilarious in equal measure that the guy who's the main host of the nation's most popular football reporting show is just so, so stupid.

[GIMH]

One opinion that you find ridiculous doesn't make him stupid FFS.

[Marcuss]

One opinion that you find ridiculous doesn't make him stupid FFS.

I'm going to say I disagree

[Ikki]

@ Marcuss, your stats are just goals and assists - and they're old. Bale is the main focus and drive of the Tottenham team; Walcott isn't for Arsenal. Walcott has great output but you don't rely on him near as much as they do for Bale.

If you like stats, there is a site called Whoscored.com which tracks some 200 raw stats, has a pretty complicated algorithm, and assigns a rating for every performance with an overall rating. Right now, after that match, Bale has jumped ahead of Suarez and Van Persie. There isn't an important area (goals, assists, chance creation, volume passing, tackles, interceptions) where Bale isn't superior to Walcott.

[Marcuss]

@ Marcuss, your stats are just goals and assists - and they're old. Bale is the main focus and drive of the Tottenham team; Walcott isn't for Arsenal. Walcott has great output but you don't rely on him near as much as they do for Bale.

If you like stats, there is a site called Whoscored.com which tracks some 200 raw stats, has a pretty complicated algorithm, and assigns a rating for every performance with an overall rating. Right now, after that match, Bale has jumped ahead of Suarez and Van Persie. There isn't an important area (goals, assists, chance creation, volume passing, tackles, interceptions) where Bale isn't superior to Walcott.

I'm not saying Walcott is better than Bale. Never have I said that anywhere.
In fact, this is the third time where I've clarified that's not what I'm saying.

The bolded bits explain one another. Everything Tottenham do goes through Bale so it's natural he'll so he'll have the opportunity to create more chances, pass the ball more. Walcott's also spent half his time upfront where interceptions and tackles are of absolute zero importance to his game and there's also the fact Bale has just spent more time on the pitch at the end of the day.

For the final time, I'm not saying Bale is poor. I'm not saying Walcott is better. I'm saying he's overrated. Talk of a £65m price tag is ludicrous and saying he's better than Ronaldo is nigh on slanderous.

But hey, I feel like this discussion is almost done so let's move on to my other favourite one of just because Joe Hart is approximately 50 times better than any other English qualified keeper it doesn't mean he's a world beater.

[Ikki]

But Bale has played more because he is more important to his team. That he does more and is relied to do more is because he has shown himself capable. Bale, even today playing very forward, had a tackle and 3 interceptions - Walcott averages 0.5 and 0.3 respectively of each per game. That you have such an attacking player who has that kind of work-rate is obviously valuable.

I actually think Walcott can be one of the best players in the league...but Bale already is. Certainly top 25 IMO. By Whoscored.com's rating system he is currently 9th in Europe this season. Ronaldo is #3 and a little ahead, but not that far ahead. The comparison isn't that ludicrous, although Ronaldo is still better for mine and I agree with you. I don't know whether he is worth that much - I disagree, personally - but I think if Torres got sold for 50m, Bale is going to be in that 40-50m price range. Lest we forget, he is only 23.

[Marcuss]

But being more important to his team isn't just dependent on the player's quality. I'm more important to my Uni side than either, I'm ****ing awesome me.

I'm dropping the Walcott v Bale argument as that was never my intention. It's not a discussion I'm interested in having particularly. Theo was just a name I picked out to show the kind of quality of player that Bale warrants comparison with more so than Ronaldo.

[sledger]

Southampton doing Utd a huge favour here then.

Edit: Also, Gareth Barry

[GingerFurball]

One opinion that you find ridiculous doesn't make him stupid FFS.

It does when Stelling is suggesting that Cristiano "6ft 2 and built like a brick ****house" Ronaldo is weaker and less powerful than Gareth "looks like a chimp" Bale.

[Pothas]

****ing football, conceded two ridiculously soft goals today. Tranmere and Doncaster lost again so a massive wasted opportunity.

Anyway on the Bale thing he has quite clearly improved a great deal this season. The strange thing is that the one side in the world that I think would not really benefit from signing him is Real Madrid.

[Pothas]

That is that then.

[The Sean]

I'll take that - nice work Saints.

Dear United, ****ing this opportunity up tomorrow will make me sad.

[Neil Pickup]

I'd pay out on United right now. They may slip up, but they have no challengers of any quality.