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Weekend games

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Haha, Fergie, the king of the mindgames... his Rooney one has led to him getting injured, them getting knocked out of Europe, and probably just lost the league.

Well done Alex.
 
Roma beating Atalanta 2-1 with 35 remaining.

Catania Calcio beating Milan 2-1 at the San Siro.
 
[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=39778.msg1086569#msg1086569 date=1271005095]
its a sad day when come the end of the season the only crumb of comfort is manu failing to get 19
[/quote]

If, not when.
 
Gareth Bale is absolute quality going foward.

A bit like Malouda, he's putting in some top class performances these days, after a very poor start.
 
[quote author=livvy185 link=topic=39778.msg1086593#msg1086593 date=1271006950]
Boateng makes it 2-0 to Portsmouth
[/quote]

leaving spurs free to concentrate on 4th
 
[quote author=FPI Project link=topic=39778.msg1086597#msg1086597 date=1271007099]
Does this mean pompey are in the europa league next season?
[/quote]

nope, because they went to administration
 
Happy for Pompey after the season they've had. If they could pull one over Chelsea in the final... fairytale
 
Chelsea has by far the better players and far higher 'wage bill' (TM).

But if Pompey wants it more they might get something.
 
What is the fucking point of Tottenham Hotspurs? Do they ever win any big games, ever? I'm delighted for Pompy. They'll be destroyed in the final though.
 
[quote author=SaintGeorge67 link=topic=39778.msg1086355#msg1086355 date=1270995965]
Haha, Fergie, the king of the mindgames... his Rooney one has led to him getting injured, them getting knocked out of Europe, and probably just lost the league.

Well done Alex.
[/quote]

I'm not sure about any extenuating circumstances but his team selection baffled me today, too. Fletcher unused on the bench while an ineffective Giggs toiled only to be replaced by Gibson (I believe). Didn't see the game but read reports. Maybe Ryan or someone else can shed some light on but this surprised me.

As for Bale, there's an article on him on soccernet.com from earlier in the week that is a bit hyperbolic:

On the eve of Tottenham's first FA Cup semi-final in almost a decade, Harry Redknapp will be delighted that despite the long list of players injured or ineligible to play at Wembley, his left-sided midfielder Gareth Bale is not one of them.

"Can't be a better left-sided player anywhere," Harry Redknapp says of Gareth Bale.

Indeed, the sight of Bale galloping down the left wing, harrowing defenders with his pace and poise is one to behold, and one which indicates that the young Welshman is finally realising his abundant potential.

Stephen Kelly wouldn't disagree with that assertion. Indeed, it was Bale's torturing of the Fulham right back in the second half of Tottenham's FA Cup quarter-final victory that led, not only to the free kick from which David Bentley scored, but to Kelly's yellow card, substitution and presumably miserable journey home.

Kelly will take solace in the knowledge that he is not the first, nor will he be the last, to be torn to shreds by a player who may replace Ryan Giggs as the subject of every England fans' hypothetical whimper of "I wish he were English".

Spurs manager Harry Redknapp said on Friday: "There can't be a better left-sided player anywhere. If he was English he'd be going to the World Cup, that's for sure."

The key to Bale's coming of age is embodied in the development of his defensive solidity and that, for a player with such attacking prowess, was always going to be crucial.

Redknapp said: "He realised he had to improve that side of his game. We've talked to him a lot about it and worked on it in training and now defensively he's no longer vulnerable. He's a different boy altogether.

"He's now showing that ability that I saw in him as a kid at Southampton."

The maturity that Bale now displays when defending, ushers him ever closer to the echelon of the complete player.

Redknapp said:"He can play left back or wide left, he's got great physique, he can run all day, he's got an unbelievable left foot, he's skilful and can head it. He's aggressive and strong and has everything to be a great player. Everything."

With his defensive frailties and liability to injury having finally been put to bed, Bale's form for Tottenham in the second half of this season has been nothing short of a revelation.

He has played every minute for Tottenham this year, in stark contrast to the mere 93 he clocked up in Tottenham's previous 20 games of the season, and in doing so, has repaid the faith of his manager (and the chairman, who splashed out £10 million on him) with some blistering performances from left back and on the left side of midfield.

The Spurs manager believes Bale's progress has been a result of the player developing a physical and mental steel that didn't exist before. He said: "Gareth's got a year older, he's grown up and is mentally tougher. [Before] he'd get a little knock and limp off and he doesn't do that anymore."

When asked why he thought that has changed, Redknapp admitted: "When he used to get injured I'd tell the physio to leave him on the floor."

Bale has certainly come a long way from being the symbol of defeat for Tottenham fans, given the curious and record-breaking statistic that he played 24 Premier League games for Spurs without being on the winning side.

Having broken his duck last year as a substitute against Burnley, the 20-year-old's performances for Spurs are now drawing comparisons to another full back his manager nurtured, Liverpool's Glen Johnson.

Redknapp said: "Gareth is similar to Glen. He's got that great ability to get forward and run all day. Both are great athletes with skill.

"When Glen comes forward he can murder full backs when he's one on one. But he also gets crosses in, plays one-twos and gets shots in. He improved a lot at Portsmouth. And Gareth's the same, he's got everything."

Bale's form hasn't escaped the notice of Tottenham legend and former Wales international Cliff Jones, who told Redknapp recently that he believes Bale will be the first player to reach 100 caps for Wales.

He already has 24 caps and is a part of a new generation of young Welsh talent that will be trying to derail England's bid to qualify for Euro 2012, a feat that is not beyond them.

But for Bale, his immediate concern is with continuing the form that has seen him mature into one of the Premier League's most exciting wide players, in a season that could yet see Bale reach an FA Cup final and qualify for the Champions League.
Click to expand...
 
You'd take him over Insua though. That doesn't mean much in fairness.

I think Bale will be pure quality in the years to come, the potential was always there.
 
He cost 10M though, and was completely unproven. And he's not that good defensively. If we played with him and Glenjo, good teams would bury us.
 
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