Speaking on the BBC Radio 5 Live Football Daily Podcast, Jermaine Jenas has said that he thinks Gareth Bale wants to play as a striker for Tottenham.
Bale has been used almost exclusively as a right-winger this term, with transfermarkt’s data showing that he’s only played centrally once, and even then, that was as a second striker, rather than a centre-forward.
Jenas says that Bale wants to play as a number nine, and that’s a position Jose Mourinho is yet to use him in.
“I always thought that when they brought Bale in, my opinion was that I feel like Gaz wants to play centre-forward,” Jenas said.
“I think even when you watch him play for Wales, he doesn’t play in the wide areas anymore, he’s always up there as a centre-forward.
“I would have thought the minute Harry Kane got injured that would have been music to Gareth Bale’s ears, because he’s thinking ‘well this is what I’ve been wating for’ but unfortunately, he doesn’t look interested in playing at the minute and that’s the God’s honest truth.”
Jenas has perfectly encapsulated the dilemma Mourinho has with Bale here.
The Welshman may do very well as a number nine, and we know he has unbelievable talent in his locker, but as Jenas says, he’s just not looked interested as of late, so playing him as the focal point of your attack is a risk.
However, if Mourinho is ever going to experiment with this, the time is surely now.
Indeed, with Harry Kane out injured, there is scope to try something different in the centre-forward position, and giving Bale a run there probably isn’t the worst idea in the world, especially with Carlos Vinicius misfiring.
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