[Rossoneri7]

FORZA MILAN ! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/devil.gif)


EDIT: I don't believe Bale is a deciding factor, sure he gives them more options and increases their quality all around ... But we also don't have Pirlo, so (IMG:style_emoticons/default/96.gif)

This post has been edited by Rossoneri7: Feb 13 2011, 05:21 PM

[acid911]

Agreed. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) And truth is that that for a 21 year-old player there is still time for him to gain the necessary experience and lift his game to world class. As of right now there is potential. Potential and lots and lots of hype (which I don't buy). Sure on his good days, his runs are lethal, but a complete player he is not. Yet.

And as for Ronaldo (the crying variety), he is without doubt the best player in the world at the moment, IMO. With Messi a second. CR7 can do everything there is, epic free kicks, as well as make thrilling runs from half a mile out into the box. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) And a big part of that is because of his strong build and frame. Messi has done awfully well for himself, but he will always be a one-dimensional player for me.

Of course, it is tough to compare both apples-to-apples. Messi plays in a set team, with high amount of chemistry between the players, while Cristiano has new faces and an unstable team. On the NT side of things, even though the Messi plays in one of the bets teams in the world, his performance has been lackluster. Same for CR7 in a way, but at least he can say that his team lacks the flash, legacy, and experience of Argentina. So in reality, it is the case of two player being in an entirely different system, and then there is work-rate and dedication that may be different.

All said and done, no one can say CR7 has to prove anything now. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif) 50 goals in 52 appearances for Real Madrid is nothing to be scoffed at. And for the sake of this thread, I'll leave it at that. Bale though still has to, and while his performances have been wildly fluctuating, there still is chance. We'll see where the guy is at when he is at his peak, 25, 26 years of age. Unneeded hype, I agree, which should not be there. For the record, I don't think of him as the best left back in the world at this time. Far from it.