3 things Tottenham must do to unlock Gareth Bale

2. Play Bale through the middle

Conventional wisdom still suggests that Bale’s most natural position is out on the wing. However, his lack of elite pace makes him less dangerous for Spurs out on the periphery. Instead, Tottenham should strongly consider giving him a chance to ply his wares through the middle of their formation.

Deploying Bale as an advanced No. 10 would give him a real chance to maximize his current skillset. He does an excellent job holding the ball up against pressure. Playing him just behind Kane would give Spurs’ midfielders another excellent pressure release when moving the ball up the pitch. Bale’s excellent passing ability would make the dynamic duo of Harry Kane and Son Heung-Min even more dangerous going forward on the break.

Playing Bale through the middle would also make him more of a goal-scoring threat. Kane’s presence as a No. 9 always commands a lot of attention from opposing centre backs. Bale still has the pace and guile required to run away from defensive midfielders trying to track his runs.

One thing that hasn’t left Bale’s game is his exquisite ability to strike the ball. He still has goals in his game and his odds of scoring increase dramatically when he’s given time and space in the middle of the pitch. Bale actually played his best football at Tottenham the first time around through the middle. It’s time to give him an opportunity to reprise that role.