Undeniably, Bale has, at times, been exceptional to watch. His lightning pace combined with his pinpoint crossing, talents which prompted manager Harry Redknapp to deploy him in a more advanced role, have been a joy to behold. Bale's big game performances, particularly in Europe, have been instrumental to Tottenham's achievements this year, most notably their efforts in the Champions League. Further eye-catching performances in the league, against Arsenal in particular, have boosted his reputation, with many placing an astronomical price tag on his head in January.
Critics have argued, however, that the majority of Bale's key performances this season have been reserved for the Champions League, and that his influence in the League has been limited. A look at the league table would appear to support this argument, with Spurs currently languishing in fifth place, one place below their finish last season. A closer look at Bale's individual statistics, which show he has only managed 1 domestic assist this campaign, despite contributing 7 goals, seems to support this argument further. Compare this to fellow winger Luis Nani, who was sensationally left out of the PFA main award shortlist after producing 9 goals and 18 assists this year. Or even when compared to fellow teammate and nominee Rafael Van Der Vaart, who now has 12 goals and 7 assists, it could be argued that Bale has not even been his team's top performer, let alone the league's.
And then there are the omissions. Along with the aforementioned Nani, teammate Dimitar Berbatov was left out, despite enjoying his most productive season in a red shirt, along with being the league's top scorer, and has arguably done no less than the nominated Carlos Tevez. From the other side of Manchester, Vincent Kompany, who many would argue has been the best player at Eastlands this year, was also omitted. Even Leighton Baines, who, despite his team enduring an underwhelming season up to March, has managed to impress at left-back, particularly by contributing 11 assists.
When looking at the other nominees for the top prize, however, no player stands out in a manner previous winners have done. Perhaps the most prominent candidate is United captain Nemanja Vidic, who has been a rock at the heart of the United team over the last few seasons. Or even Arsenal's Samir Nasri, who has proved himself of almost equal importance to Fabregas in the Arsenal XI this season, and certainly firing his team closer to the league title than they have been for years. With the lack of a Ronaldo or Rooney-type candidate for the award, it isn't altogether surprising therefore, that it was awarded to a British player, with it being given to a foreign player only 8 times in the past 38 years.
There is, however, one burning question that remains unanswered: If Bale was the best player in the Premier League this season, then why did he not also win the PFA Young Player of the Year?
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