Real Madrid winger Gareth Bale is the topic of discussion yet again. The Welshman has been working hard to guide his team to victory, but it seems that he isn’t nearly as productive as the club would like.
It’s been said a million times before and will continue to be said, the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo has greatly affected this team. But, there is no reason why Real Madrid should struggle this much to fill the void.
With the Portuguese star gone, much of the pressure fell on the shoulders of Gareth Bale. Many were hoping that the pressure would help him grow some wings but that hasn’t been the case. In fact, Bale’s story has been quite the opposite this season.
Bale has failed to score in 10 consecutive La Liga matches which is his longest scoring drought since arriving at Madrid in 2013. He started off hot – scoring a goal in each of the opening three matches of the season. The last time the winger scored in league play was September 1, against Leganes.
Unfortunately, his impact in La Liga hasn’t been stagnant just in the goals column. Having assisted his team twice in the opening four matches of the season, he has failed to do so since then. Bale has now gone nine games without an assist to his name. This just echoes the idea that he must improve his mentality and think like a leader.
The Welshman ranks fifth highest in minutes played in La Liga this season with 974 minutes played. Ahead of him are Luka Modric, Toni Kroos, Karim Benzema, and Sergio Ramos. Give credit where it’s due but center-back Sergio Ramos has scored one more goal than Bale. Of the 974 minutes that Bale has played, he has gone 793 without netting a goal.
Most Minutes Played – La Liga (outfield players only)
- Sergio Ramos – 1260
- Karim Benzema – 1092
- Toni Kroos – 990
- Luka Modric – 981
- Gareth Bale – 974
On the plus side, Gareth has proven time and time again that he has the ability to score goals and plenty of them. The winger has been proficient in the Champions League putting up some decent numbers in just four games. Bale has scored three times and assisted his teammates twice.
The 28-year-old has the tools in his kit to get the job done, but putting it into practice is what’s important. Real Madrid will return to action in a weeks time as they faceoff against Huesca who are currently at the bottom of the table.
Huesca has allowed 29 goals this season, this is a great time for Bale to grow his confidence to help Madrid chase for the top spot.