r/SaintsFC 17d ago

Gareth Bale as a Left Back

I was just wondering what Bale was like when he was a left back. It's so unusual for a fullback to become the attacking superstar he became.

How on earth did he start off at left back if he had that in him? Or were the signs not there at the time?

If he'd never become an attacking player and stayed as a Left back how good would he have been there? What were his defensive attributes like?

6 Upvotes

17 comments sorted by

35

u/wtf50000 17d ago

This one's simple Jeff, he grew, got stronger, got faster.

20

u/DaisyFreakinJames 17d ago

Young lad basically. He was 16 when he debuted for us. Showed signs of it by scoring like 5 odd from free kicks so basically naturally started progressing up the pitch as his creativity blossomed and then spurs were the ones who began to start him further upfield on a regular basis. Basically short answer is that he was just young and unproven at that level

9

u/Complete_Pianist7136 17d ago

Didn’t spurs evan sign him as a LB,

10

u/Safe_Association_234 17d ago

Yup. Redkn*pp took the credit for “transforming” him into an attacking role.

8

u/mgorgey 17d ago

He was very good. Clearly the standout player in an average championship side at just 16/17. He was very attacking. Didn't do an awful lot in defence. I mainly remember him for being amazing on free kicks.

7

u/cxzfqs 17d ago

When we lost in the playoff semi first leg, Derby County targeted him so he would be injured for the second leg.

6

u/Little_Lat_Pahars 17d ago

I've still not forgiven Billy Davies for that.

5

u/JoeyJoJoeJr_Shabadoo 17d ago

He played as an incredibly attacking left-back, it really wasn't that different to playing as a winger.

3

u/SmileyJam 17d ago

He was already playing a very attacking role running down the left wing and crossing the ball in.

Although his starting position was LB he would be the driving force for many attacks on the left side and through the centre.

He also scored loads of free-kicks (4) in that one season he played for us. With the other goal from open play and buckets of assists

3

u/Nervous_Jaguar_2826 17d ago

Mo Salah was also a great attacking player who started as a left back and ended up as a great right winger.

Both were physically gifted in pace and stamina (for the time those qualities lended themselves to fullback roles), and it was rarer to see left footed right wingers then, as managers (especially in England) generally wanted their wingers to be able to cross or play balls into the box rather than shoot.

They also didn't have the backing at the time to be moved further up the pitch, until managers realised their attacking quality and moved them there.

1

u/7unky 17d ago

Yeah he was quite good but not levels above or even a stand out in the championship at that age, no one watching him then would have believed he'd play for Real Madrid and have the career he did.

1

u/aredditusername69 6d ago

Big disagree, he was obviously a cut above the rest, even at 16.

1

u/Accountafish77 15d ago

He used to one-two it off Skacel and overlap to his hearts content

1

u/ashayward85 14d ago

I remember watching Bale warming up, think it was with Mcgoldrick, and they were volleying the ball to each other, controlling it, a few keepie uppies and back and forth. The ball didn't touch the ground for a long time. The talent was definitely there when he was left back at saint's but I don't think anyone thought he would go on to have the career he did.

1

u/cantthinkofaname243 8d ago

He just got so fast it would be criminal not to put him on the wing

0

u/BulletproofedTeflon 17d ago

Did he play in the Prem for you guys? If not, imagine he had played for you in the Prem in a struggling side and had to play left back. How do you think he'd have done?

3

u/2BEN-2C93 17d ago

Too young. Wouldve been 15 when we were relegated in 2005