Owen Hargreaves identifies what will make Gareth Bale ‘unplayable’ at Tottenham

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Owen Hargreaves has told BT Sport’s (Thursday, 7.50pm) coverage of Tottenham’s 3-1 win over Bulgarian side Ludogorets that a tactical switch could make Gareth Bale ‘unplayable’ during his second spell at the club.

Bale, 31, made his fifth appearance for Spurs since returning to the club – a few days after scoring his first goal during a 2-1 win over Brighton on Monday. He started on the right flank and lasted an hour.

Goals from Harry Kane, Lucas Moura and Gio Lo Celso rounded off a comfortable night in Bulgaria – despite Ludogorets scoring before Tottenham’s third during the second half. It was more minutes in the tank for Bale.

He played on the right but Hargreaves thinks Bale would be “unplayable” at Spurs over the course of his loan spell and potentially beyond if he was moved into a more central role, perhaps playing off Kane.

“Out wide, he’s got to be tracking back but with his fitness, he isn’t going to do that. In the 10 role, he is closer to the goal and that’s what you want. He could be unplayable,” Hargreaves said.

TBR’s view – Bale in the 10 role makes perfect sense

During his last season under Andre Villas-Boas, Bale was used in the middle and he came alive. It ultimately earned him his world-record move to Real Madrid – where he scored more than 100 goals in 251 games.

As Hargreaves said, playing him out wide would force him to track back – especially in a Jose Mourinho team. But giving him that freedom in the 10 role would bring the best out of Bale, and that is a frightening prospect.