Going, gone: Bale leaves Brazilian Maicon eating dust, not for the first time
Tottenham 3-1 Inter Milan
By Saad Noor
“They’re just doing some drug-testing in there,” joked Harry Redknapp when asked about the outstanding Gareth Bale’s performance.
The Tottenham manager may have been joking but he was correct to suggest that Bale’s performance was almost superhuman.
The Welsh wizard ran the European champions ragged and turned arguably the world’s best full-back inside-out. This was a player who struggled to gain a starting place this time last year. So, what’s changed for Bale?
The former Southampton starlet was a target for Manchester United when he joined Spurs in 2007 and always had the potential to shine at the highest level.
He endured a tough start at White Hart Lane, seeing through three managers in as many years and claimed the infamous record of 24 Premier League games for Spurs without being on the winning side.
The difference, Harry Redknapp feels, is confidence.
“It’s like you’re a boxer knocking everybody out, but it’s only when you do it against the top people that it counts. Well, he was coming up against the champion tonight – and he’s done it again. He’s given him the most torrid time you would ever wish to see. It was amazing.”
“As far as selling him goes, the people who own Tottenham are not poor people. They don’t need to sell him. It’s a well-run club.”
Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy drives a hard bargain and it would take a lot to prize his prize asset away from the club. It seems Bale has found his stage at White Hart Lane and as long as Champions League football remains there, it seems like Bale will too.
Bale isn’t ‘unplayable’ as the post-match pundits and phone-ins suggest though. He was almost anonymous against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Saturday as Sir Alex Ferguson played close attention to him with Rafael marshalling before Wes Brown came on to finish the job.
Redknapp’s approach was questioned after their loss at United with his decision to field five attacking midfielders behind out-of-favour striker Robbie Keane seen as their primary downfall.
However, this same tactic works time and time again when Spurs play at home. With the robust Wilson Palacios in midfield and the towering handful that is Peter Crouch, there was something gloriously liberating about how they have a go at visiting teams, no matter how illustrious. Rafael van der Vaart has certainly made himself at home in this stadium. He has now scored on all five of his appearances here, his tally standing at six.
Another intriguing observation was that Luka Modric excelled from a deep position. His assist for the breakthrough goal oozed class, from the burst of pace and the assured balance to the perfect weight on the through ball. Pushed slightly further forward after Van der Vaart’s withdrawal, he continued to look the part.
Redknapp also aired his views on this topic: “There is a feeling that attack is the best form of defence for us. We are an open team and I don’t have any option other than to pick an attacking midfield,” he said. “I have nothing but attacking players.
“I could leave [Rafael]Van der Vaart out and play with three central midfielders and be strong in there but I would not do that. This is the way I have developed the squad. We have a go. What do you do with a Modric? How do I leave him out to go and put someone bigger and stronger in there? Or how do I leave Van der Vaart out? It might make it a wild ride for everybody but we are at home.”
The one aspect of Tottenham’s game that is always highlighted for sloppiness and the odd error is their defence which was surprisingly solid. Without captain Ledley King, Michael Dawson and long-term absentee Vedran Corluka, Spurs were annihilated at the San Siro. Not this time. Samuel Eto’o had entered the tie with 15 goals to his name. But Younes Kaboul and William Gallas emerged with honours, sticking close to him and letting him know he was in a physical battle. Eto’o got his goal, when he preyed on Alan Hutton, but there was to be no Tottenham wobble. Carlo Cudicini deserved praise, too, for his acrobatic save from Wesley Sneijder’s free-kick.
Despite the home side’s valiant display, Inter too had their fair share of absentees. Key players last season including Esteban Cambiasso, Ivan Cordoba, Thiago Motta, Dejan Stankovic and Diego Milito were unavailable to start.
The latter made a brief cameo appearance due to his lack of fitness but the Argentine looked sharp when he came on and in hindsight he might have been worth the risk.
Spare a thought for Rafa Benítez too. These were the kind of nights that he used to be the master of during his time at Liverpool but against Tottenham, his side showed an aberrant lack of tactical discipline.
Tottenham now lead the pack in Group A with two games to spare. Their Champions League dream looks like it may continue but one half of Champions League football can change everything as they found out in Milan.
Redknapp’s squad looks strong enough to go the distance at home and in Europe and with a few additions in January, they may be able to establish themselves as a top European side.