As Gareth Bale takes the charge of the welsh football throne, lets look at how he compares with the former King, Ryan Giggs

1. Ryan Giggs vs Gareth Bale
The Premier League ends this weekend as a roller coaster season finally comes
to an end. There have been numerous stand out performers so far, but it’s hard
to look past a certain flying Welshman n plying his trade in North London. Gareth
Bale has been a poster child for the Premier League this season, enthralling fans
and pundits with his speed and skill. Ryan Giggs has set the bar for left wingers in
the Premier League era and with Bale hailing from the same country as the
inimitable Manchester United legend, comparisons between the two is
inevitable.
Can Gareth Bale step in Ryan Giggs’s shoes? Is he better already or has a long
way to go?
Rather than letting Bale to take on Giggs, let’s first see how he fares against
himself.
Bale (2009/10) vs Bale (2010/11)
The English season of 2010/11 saw Harry Redknapp accommodate both Benoît
Assou-Ekotto and Gareth Bale in the playing eleven, pushing Bale into the left
wing from his traditional left back position. Bale responded by making an
explosive start to the season. Hcores two against Stoke, created four goals
against Young Boys and scored one against FC Twente. But the performance
that made the whole of Europe sit up and take notice was the hat trick against
the mighty Internazionale at the San Siro.
Although Tottenham lost the game 4-3 after being reduced to 10-men following
the dismissal of Heurelho Gomes, the game is remembered for Bale's blistering
hat-trick. He set up a further two goals in the return leg against Inter as he well
and truly established himself as Europe's hottest property.
Gareth Bale was rewarded with the PFA Player of the year award on popular
demand, thus following in the footsteps of fellow Welshman and Manchester
United legend Ryan Giggs (2008/09).

2. Gareth Bale seasons comparison:
Season
Games
Played Goals Assists Shots
Shots on
Target
Goals
per
Game
Assists
per
Game Accuracy
Conversion
Rate
2009/10 29 3 10 50 17 0.10 0.34 34 17.64
2010/11 39 12 3 83 31 0.30 0.07 37.34 38.70
Looking at statistics from this season and the last, Bale has shown vast
improvements in his goal scoring prowess as he managed to get more shots,
overall and per game, to add to the increase in accuracy rate. Thus, vindicating
Redknapp's decision to move him up field.
Speaking in hard core statistical terms, Bale has scored 300% more Goals, with
66% more Shots attempted and an 82% increase in Shots on target. There's also
a 197% improvement in goals per game and a 10% increase in accuracy. Most
interestingly, there has been a 119% increase in Conversion Rate i.e. the % of the
shots on target that ended on the scorecard. This approves the belief that
Gareth Bale is indeed better as a footballer when played in the left wing than as
a left back.
Now let’s put Bale to test with another flying-winger of this generation, Theo
Walcott.
Bale vs Walcott
Season 2009/10 & 2010/11 Average
Games
Played Goals Assists Shots
Shots
on
Target
Goals
per
Game
Assists
per
Game Accuracy
Conversion
Rate
Gareth
Bale 34 7.5 6.5 66.5 24 0.20 0.21 35.67 28.17
Theo
Walcott 34.5 8 6.5 70 31 0.22 0.17 42.31 25.54
Looking at the statistics there’s not much to separate the two footballers,
Walcott has his fiery pace while Bale has his strong physical presence and a
powerful left foot, but both are blessed with blinding speed and movement on
the pitch.
Walcott edges out Bale in most parameters, only marginally though. Walcott has
a significant advantage over Bale in terms of Shots on Target (33%) and

3. Accuracy (19%). on the other hand, Bale has a 10% advantage over Walcott in
terms of Conversion Rate i.e. off all the shots on target for both players Bale is
more likely to score than Walcott by 10% and a 21% advantage in assists per
game. A thing to note in this analysis is that Bale started playing as a Left Winger
recently unlike Walcott who started his career as a winger.
So, to be fair to Bale let’s have a comparison based on statistics for the current
season.
Season 2010/11
Games
Played Goals Assists Shots
Shots on
Target
Goals
per
Game
Assists
per
Game Accuracy
Conversion
Rate
Gareth
Bale
39 12 3 83 31 0.30 0.07 37.34 38.70
Theo
Walcott
39 12 11 97 46 0.30 0.28 47.42 26.08
Walcott this season has created 277% more Goals overall and per Game, he
also managed to have 17% more Shots and 48% more Shots on Target at an
Accuracy advantage over Bale of 27%, Bale has a 48% advantage over Walcott
in terms of Conversion Rate. Statistically speaking Walcott performed better that
Bale this season but the sheer impact that Bale has had on Spurs marks him out.
With the statistical analysis, what we conclude is that Gareth bale has indeed
improved as a football as he has evolved from a Left Back to a Left Winger but
Theo Walcott manages to give better numbers on the pitch.
So, are Bale and Walcott on track to be legends? To find out let’s see how they
fare when pitted against the Legends.
Giggs vs Bale vs Walcott
To make the result fair comparison is done taking age into account, comparison
is done for season when all three players were 20/21 years’ old
Ryan Giggs vs Gareth Bale vs Theo Walcott
Games Played* Goals Assists Goals per Game Assists per Game
Gareth Bale 34 7.5 6.5 0.20 0.21
Ryan Giggs 49 10.5 15 0.19 0.32
Theo Walcott 31.5 4.5 2.5 0.14 0.07
Ryan Giggs as a 20-21-year-old footballer for Manchester United scored 40%
and 133% more Goals, created 131% and 500% more goals, had better goals

4. per game statistic and had 54% and 312% more Assists per Game than Gareth
Bale and Theo Walcott as 20-21 year olds resp.
As the statistics clearly indicate and what the rest of the world already knows,
Bale and Walcott are indeed good footballers but have a long way to go. Ryan
Giggs at the same age was a much fiercer winger and beats the both wingers
hands down in every parameter. Comparing either one of them to Giggs at this
point is rather naive, considering the ocean of success he has enjoyed with
United. Bale does have his advantages when it comes to physical strength, a
strong left foot and ability to score goals. Walcott on the other hand might give
Usain Bolt a good run, but seeing them challenge Ryan Giggs is almost
inconceivable.
There will only be one Ryan Giggs, and any comparisons between the current
crop and the 12-time Premier league winner is bound to end on a disappointing
note. Ryan Giggs has managed to keep himself relevant in the fast-paced world
of the Premier League even at the astonishing age of 37, outsmarting and
outplaying his younger peer’s week-in week-out.
There will only be one Ryan Giggs
Running down the wings,
Feared by the Blues,
Loved by the Reds,
Ryan Giggs, Ryan Giggs Ryan Giggs