A final GD in the 30s has a high correlation with finishing in the PL top 4. So being +9 on GD like for like after only 4 games is a good sign.
PL (like for like with 2019-20 after 8 games) : Pts = 6, GF = 10, GA = 1. WBA paired with Norwich on the like for like.
The 2 pts per PL game benchmark has been reached this season. We shall see for how long that remains the case.
The fixture list for december is now up. Quite a challenge there PL wise, considering even taking 2 pts per game over all those fixtures is not an improvement on the "like for like" .
Into the last 32 of the EL as "seeded" . The UEFA ranking pts total this season effectively means no drop overall on the 5 year rolling window.
Why would Bale not be fit yet? He's very lean, been through a couple of months of training with us and played several games for an hour or so. Surely that is enough.
He had barely played in roughly a year before joining, getting scraps at Madrid by Zidane. I don't think 60 minutes a week in a rotated side is good enough for a player to reach peak physical condition. I think a player needs a solid run of games to get into the groove of things and he hasn't had that yet. We've seen when the likes of Kane has come back from a couple months out he can be rusty for a spell yet he's generally playing in most matches to help build up that sharpness so I think when someone like Bale who's not played in so long and is in and out of the side, it's tough to be able to get in a rhythm.
Yeah exactly that. Had no pre-season either and joined us injured so it's been a bit of a **** show for him. Ultimately though if we want to see Bale hit anywhere near peak form we've got to give him a run of games to help him build that rhythm and sharpness in my opinion. Another 60 or so against Palace would be good and then ideally coming off the bench against Pool. There's then games against Leicester, Stoke, Wolves and Fulham where he should be able to feature in some capacity.
Indeed. Do training sessions ever go to the intensity of a real PL 90 mins ?? Other than that, IMHO there also seems to be a "getting your eye in" period after a longish return back to a starting XI.
Training probably has a higher physical intensity but a much lower mental intensity. There will be some of that retained by experience but some will need to be relearned.