Bale up front ??

Chris coleman wants to play Gareth Bale up front for wales ?
Really chris so when our left winger is put up front on his own in your boring defensive 451 formation , where is our only decent striker Bellamy going to play ? oh yeah the left wing good idea !!!Makes total sense that .
If you want to be brave and try things how about a 4-3-3 formation and actually let them attack for once



CHRIS COLEMAN is considering playing Gareth Bale as a striker in a bold bid to end Wales’ centre-forward goal scoring problems.

The new mega-star of the Welsh game will line up in his customary position on the wing for this evening’s friendly international against Austria at the Liberty Stadium.

But Welsh boss Coleman has revealed he is ready to give the nod for Bale to play up front in the looming World Cup qualifiers against Scotland and Croatia.

The move comes as Tottenham also consider a change of role for Bale against Newcastle this weekend, with Spurs boss Andre Villas Boas saying he may use his scoring wonder to fill in for the absent duo of Jermaine Defoe and Emmanuel Adebayor.

Defoe is injured, while Adebayor is away on African Cup of Nations duty with Togo.

Coleman says he has already tried Bale up front, during the second half of Wales’ last match away to Croatia and may make the switch permanent.

He knows he needs to find a solution to Wales’ scoring crisis, with none of the centre-forwards tried since John Hartson hung up his boors having nailed down the number nine shirt.



Coleman said: “Gareth won’t be starting up front tonight, but it is something I’m actively considering for the future.

“You have to score goals to win matches and it’s a role he could perform, without any shadow of a doubt.

“I do think about these things. Can I surprise Scotland or Croatia by playing someone like Gareth out of position?

“He could even perform this role of a false nine, so to speak, the system Spain introduced with no out and out striker. Barcelona also play that way from time to time with Lionel Messi.

“Could I see Gareth doing that for us, too? Yes I could.

“Once you put somebody like Gareth up front, the formation of the opposition changes completely. Defenders drop deep because they are terrified of his pace and that, in turn, creates space for your midfield to run into and support Gareth.

“We tried this when we were chasing the game against Croatia and, if we can get the formation around him right, we may well use Gareth in that type of role going forward.

“Obviously that means the position he traditionally fills is not as strong for us, and I don’t wish that to sound derogatory to anyone. But these are the balancing acts I have to think about.

“I’m not surprised to hear Spurs talking about playing Gareth up top because he has such pace, such power and, from the middle, can run either way at defences.

“It’s funny how I’m hearing people say Tottenham are a one-man team these days, just like they’ve been saying about us and Gareth!”

He is capable but If he is upfront he needs huge support.
Wales don't create enough chances so its just a waste.

Might be a good idea to be fair.

We have absolutely no remotely good strikers at the moment.

But we have a couple of half decent wingers apart from Bale so with a midfield of Ramsey, Allen and say Vaughn, Bale up front, Robson-Kanu on one wing, Bellers on the other we might create something.

Might be a good idea to be fair.

We have absolutely no remotely good strikers at the moment.

But we have a couple of half decent wingers apart from Bale so with a midfield of Ramsey, Allen and say Vaughn, Bale up front, Robson-Kanu on one wing, Bellers on the other we might create something.

I don't get Robson-Kanu at all.
He must have talent because he gets prem games but he looks to poor to me.

maybe worth a try,he is getting to easy to mark out of a game on the wing..

He is capable but If he is upfront he needs huge support.
Wales don't create enough chances so its just a waste.

Exactly my thoughts
they would need new team tactics and a better work ethic for him to shine up front , he would be lost in the current 451 we use

Might be a good idea to be fair.

We have absolutely no remotely good strikers at the moment.

But we have a couple of half decent wingers apart from Bale so with a midfield of Ramsey, Allen and say Vaughn, Bale up front, Robson-Kanu on one wing, Bellers on the other we might create something.

I don't get Robson-Kanu at all.
He must have talent because he gets prem games but he looks to poor to me.

tbh I'm not entirely convinced but he's regularly getting games for a rapidly improving Reading and he's got to be a better option than Church or Morrison up front.

Might be a good idea to be fair.

We have absolutely no remotely good strikers at the moment.

But we have a couple of half decent wingers apart from Bale so with a midfield of Ramsey, Allen and say Vaughn, Bale up front, Robson-Kanu on one wing, Bellers on the other we might create something.

I don't get Robson-Kanu at all.
He must have talent because he gets prem games but he looks to poor to me.

tbh I'm not entirely convinced but he's regularly getting games for a rapidly improving Reading and he's got to be a better option than Church or Morrison up front.

I assume I'm missing something about Robson-Kanu and was hoping you would say otherwise
He looks decent in prem highlights as well just so lacklustre In games.

I don't rate Morison but if he wants to play bale I would play him alongside him.
I'll cry if I see Bale being used as a target man in a 4-5-1

Against Croatia last time out we were nothing with Bales on the wing. As soon as he was brought into a central role Croatia went from being solid in defence to vunerable. Tbh it was the only way we were going to get near their goal.

Might be a good idea to be fair.

We have absolutely no remotely good strikers at the moment.

But we have a couple of half decent wingers apart from Bale so with a midfield of Ramsey, Allen and say Vaughn, Bale up front, Robson-Kanu on one wing, Bellers on the other we might create something.

I don't get Robson-Kanu at all.
He must have talent because he gets prem games but he looks to poor to me.

tbh I'm not entirely convinced but he's regularly getting games for a rapidly improving Reading and he's got to be a better option than Church or Morrison up front.

I assume I'm missing something about Robson-Kanu and was hoping you would say otherwise
He looks decent in prem highlights as well just so lacklustre In games.

I don't rate Morison but if he wants to play bale I would play him alongside him.
I'll cry if I see Bale being used as a target man in a 4-5-1

Sorry

i'm hoping for more of a fluid 433 really.

Like Arsenal pretend they play.

Iwill switch off if i see bale up front on his own and i allways put myself through the pain of watching it
maybe 433 would be full of pace and skill looks good to me , ramsey in a free role up with the strikers

---------------------hennessy-------------------

matthews----williams----collins-----taylor

ledley-------collisson--------allen

--------------------ramsey-----------------
bellamy------------------------bale

Against Croatia last time out we were nothing with Bales on the wing. As soon as he was brought into a central role Croatia went from being solid in defence to vunerable. Tbh it was the only way we were going to get near their goal.

I can understand him playing more central, ideally a free role.
But I worry Coleman will play him upfront alone in a 4-5-1 and he won't get a kick

Been saying it for months, his movement is up there with Ronaldo and Messi, just build the team around him, let him do what he wants.

Against Croatia last time out we were nothing with Bales on the wing. As soon as he was brought into a central role Croatia went from being solid in defence to vunerable. Tbh it was the only way we were going to get near their goal.

I can understand him playing more central, ideally a free role.
But I worry Coleman will play him upfront alone in a 4-5-1 and he won't get a kick

Right, well basically in Croatia he took a midfield central role, a bit like the goal against Scotland.

Iwill switch off if i see bale up front on his own and i allways put myself through the pain of watching it
maybe 433 would be full of pace and skill looks good to me , ramsey in a free role up with the strikers

---------------------hennessy-------------------

matthews----williams----collins-----taylor

ledley-------collisson--------allen

-------------------- ramsey-----------------
bellamy------------------------bale

is hennessy fit...?

Iwill switch off if i see bale up front on his own and i allways put myself through the pain of watching it
maybe 433 would be full of pace and skill looks good to me , ramsey in a free role up with the strikers

---------------------hennessy-------------------

matthews----williams----collins-----taylor

ledley-------collisson--------allen

-------------------- ramsey-----------------
bellamy------------------------bale

is hennessy fit...?

No it was just a the wales team i wouldnt mind him playing when fit . i dont think taylor or collins are either but the rest are fit and available , if he wants to try something new lets do it properly maybe the fans will get behind him a bit more if hes braver ????

Against Croatia last time out we were nothing with Bales on the wing. As soon as he was brought into a central role Croatia went from being solid in defence to vunerable. Tbh it was the only way we were going to get near their goal.

I can understand him playing more central, ideally a free role.
But I worry Coleman will play him upfront alone in a 4-5-1 and he won't get a kick

Right, well basically in Croatia he took a midfield central role, a bit like the goal against Scotland.

I can understand that.

He has been doing to to good effect for spurs as well.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2013 ... ootball%29

Against Croatia last time out we were nothing with Bales on the wing. As soon as he was brought into a central role Croatia went from being solid in defence to vunerable. Tbh it was the only way we were going to get near their goal.

I can understand him playing more central, ideally a free role.
But I worry Coleman will play him upfront alone in a 4-5-1 and he won't get a kick

Right, well basically in Croatia he took a midfield central role, a bit like the goal against Scotland.

I can understand that.

He has been doing to to good effect for spurs as well.

Well Luke its like this. Its the only option we have if we want to get something from a game.

I would like to see a rigid 4-4-1 with Bale have a completely free role. Our lone striker needs to be able to hold the ball up and bring players into play - more often than not this would probably be a free running Bale. Ideally we get a time machine and bring back a 25 year old Mark Hughes who could hold a ball up for 90 mintues.

I think this would be great as it has the advantage of a solid "two banks of 4" and something different and unpredictable offered in attack.