Is Gareth Bale the best player in the Premier League?

By Chris Linnell

It goes without saying; Gareth Bale has improved dramatically since his move to Tottenham from Southampton in 2007. But is it fair to say that he has become the best player in England?

This season alone Bale has already scored 10 times in just 21 appearances (a ratio of 45%) a very impressive total for a left sided midfielder. As a result, Tottenham sit in fourth place in the league, a promising position considering their target of Champions League football.

During the 2012/13 season, Bale has won 1.79 points per match (on average) whilst on the pitch, this accompanies a 52.63% win ratio.

Bale is excellent going forward and possesses a deadly eye for goal, he can deliver a great cross and isn’t at all bad when given an opportunity from a free-kick. He joined Tottenham Hotspur as a left-back by trade, but he has since flourished to become one of the most highly regarded wingers in world football.

As a result, he has often been linked with a move to La Liga, with the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid showing a keen interest.

But how does he compare to the rest of the Premier League elite? Bale is certainly a huge driving force in his current side, without him there’s no doubt Andre Villas Boas’ men would have struggled at times this season. But is he the biggest talent in the Premier League? Personally, I would argue that he isn’t!

The likes of Robin Van Persie, Sergio Ageuro and Juan Mata are all better players in my opinion. However, this is simply due to a greater wealth of professional experience. There’s no doubt Bale has the potential to surpass the quality of these players, especially considering the Welshman is only 23-years-old.

I would argue that Bale is undisputedly the best British player in world. Having won the PFA Player of the year award in the 2010-11 campaign, Bale has also been included in the PFA Team of the Year on two occasions (2010-11 & 2011-12.) In my opinion no other British player comes close to emulating the Welshman’s performances within the last few seasons.

How far do you agree? Please feel free to comment with your thoughts and opinions.

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