As one of the biggest transfer stories in Premier League history comes to an end, one question remains: Are Tottenham Hotspur better off without Gareth Bale?
And the same can be asked about Liverpool and Luis Suarez, despite the Uruguayan not leaving Anfield during the summer. He might be a world-class striker, but what good is he if he spends large chunks of the season sidelined through lengthy suspension for biting and racism?
The Gareth Bale question is one that’s easier to answer now that he’s finally completed his world-record move to Real Madrid. Hardly a weekend went by last season without Bale scoring a wonder goal and almost every fan of every other club labelling Spurs a One Man Team.
The fact is that those comments were all but true about Tottenham last season. Bale’s goals were worth a huge 25 points to Andre Villas-Boas’ side last term, meaning they would have merely been a mid-table club without the Welsh wonder. How can a Premier League club replace a player that has so much influence over how successful a season is? Well, Daniel Levy had the answer to that.
The level of quality Spurs have brought in with the Gareth Bale money means that their squad is, arguably, stronger than last season. Although it will take some of their new additions to adapt to the Premier League, a future without Bale doesn’t seem to be that bad for Spurs.
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Erik Lamela’s arrival at White Hart Lane appears to be Bale’s like-for-like replacement, while Roberto Soldado solves their problems up front. Throw in Paulinho, Nacer Chadli and Christian Eriksen and you’ve got yourselves a much more dangerous midfield put together, with the responsibility shared amongst all of them.
By spending big and wisely, Tottenham have quashed any fears they had about life after Bale and have created a future that looks undoubtedly successful. Top four this season should be a formality for them, rather than just a target.
Luis Suarez, however, poses a completely different debate. He’s still a Liverpool player, but still suspended after that bite on Chelsea’s Branislav Ivanovic last season.
Suarez’s 23 goals in the Premier League were worth 11 points to Liverpool last season. Without them they will have still finished in seventh. But what is more interested is that Liverpool don’t appear to miss him when he doesn’t play.
Since the beginning of last season, Suarez has missed eight Premier League games for Liverpool, and they have won seven of those. This suggests that, although he’s capable of scoring 20+ goals a season, Brendan Rodgers’ side remain capable of winning football matches without him. Furthermore, since the beginning of last season, Liverpool had a win percentage of just 39.39%, compared to 87.5% without him. Doesn’t that say something about the negative affect he has on the Reds? Yes, he scores goals. Lots of them. But they’re not goals that Liverpool are particularly reliant on.
Daniel Sturridge has already won Liverpool six points for Liverpool this season, 11 in total since he arrived at Anfield in the January transfer window. Maybe they’re more reliant on him, then?
In a nutshell, it could be said both Tottenham and Liverpool are better without their star players, but both for completely different reasons.
Tottenham accepted Bale was leaving and spent wisely to replace him in numbers. Liverpool dug their heels in and insisted Suarez was going nowhere without really assessing whether they actually needed him or not.
That said, the proof will be in the pudding for both teams as the season goes on but, my guess is that Tottenham will benefit more by allowing their best player to leave than Liverpool’s determination to keep theirs.
Will Liverpool and Tottenham regret their decisions to allow Suarez and Bale to leave?
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