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Glenn Hoddle has explained that he wants to see more “aggression” and “intent” from Tottenham star Gareth Bale moving forward.

Spurs secured top spot in their Europa League group on Thursday in their final European match until the knockouts in February and the manager Jose Mourinho continued with his policy of squad rotation.

Bale, who started all six group games but just one in the Premier League, played just short of an hour during Thursday’s 2-0 win over Royal Antwerp.

The 31-year-old nearly scored a stunning long-range free kick and showed some flashes of brilliance, but the right-winger is yet to really spark into life since his return to Spurs on a season-long loan from Real Madrid.

Hoddle has suggested that the Wales international is perhaps playing within himself right now:

“I think there is still more to come [from Bale] which will elevate Tottenham’s performances as well, which is good for Jose, good for the fans, good for everyone,” Hoddle told BT Sport (10:10pm, 12 December).

“It just looks like he’s on the back foot. I’d like to see him have a bit more intent, bit more aggression in his own mind to go out and say ‘right I’m now going to prove to Jose I need to be in this first-team for the Premier League’. I don’t see that at the moment.

TBR’s View:

With Spurs flying at the top of the league right now and in such great form, the spotlight is not so heavily on Bale’s return this season despite it being massive news for the club.

The left-footed attacker is going to have to do it the hard way if he wants to break into league XI, as Mourinho has a fairly settled team right now and the rest of December is just filled with top-flight fixtures.

He would surely love to be completing an attacking trio alongside in-form duo Harry Kane and Heung-Min Son, but perhaps isn’t ready physically for 90 minutes of league action.