Two wins in a week for the one man team?

In my last blog I dared to suggest that Spurs were not a one man team. This was a point stressed by the Spurs Show podcast who highlighted the importance and good form of goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, Aaron Lennon and the returning Benoit Assou-Ekotto. I didn't expect my blog to be embraced by the unconverted, but it does seem that while there is some Bale love, my views were not agreed with.

On Facebook, it was suggested that Spurs were a one man team but it was ‘better to be a one man team than a no man team’, while on Twitter I received acclaim from Spurs fans and criticism from others, with one accusing my two cents of being ‘one cent’ and another saying that ‘without those other players around him, Bale would not be able to do what he does’.

Everyone is entitled to an opinion of course and the whole point of blogging is to stress an opinion and allow others to respond and if you actually responded at all, I thank you for making the effort.

In recent weeks I have watched Spurs win twice against West Ham and Arsenal and in both games, Bale has proved to be a key part of the side. But a one man team? I don't think so.

I was in San Francisco for a work conference the previous week, meaning that I watched the West Ham game in a sports bar accompanied by buffalo chicken tenders and Lagunitas Dogtown ale. I was only able to see the second half but by all accounts, this was the half to see, as I saw excellent finishes by Sigurdsson and Bale, yes him again. There were some definite defensive errors and Joe Cole's goal was a pure example of that, but even though it was 2-2 with seconds to go, I knew it wasn't over yet.

I had the pleasure to attend the last game, the north London derby, and I don't think Bale ran the game at all. What we did do was show how we could play as a unit, especially when Defoe came on for Adebayor, with a solid defence and midfield combining attack and defence.

So I am aware that Bale has scored in both of these games and this does taint my defence somewhat, but I still stand by my word that we could operate without Gareth Bale.

Evidence may come in this week's Europa league game against Inter Milan. There were calls on this week's Spurs Show for Bale to be rested ahead of this weekend's away match at Liverpool, and while he does remain our main attacking threat, I would be in favour of this.

Burning players out is the biggest danger with a talent such as this - Arsenal saw this 10 years ago with Thierry Henry and signed Silvain Wiltord as a back-up. Sadly the most natural back-up for Bale, Andros Townsend, is currently on loan at QPR, so we don't have a like-for-like replacement, but in his current form, would Andros get many games anyway? 

Hopefully this Thursday will see an opportunity for Lewis Holtby, Tom Carroll, Jake Livermore and a returning Clint Dempsey (or a combination of them) to start and give the magical Bale and Lennon a break. I also wonder if with a more attacking midfield pairing of Carroll and Holtby might give some service to Adebayor, unleashing the Togolese giant to increase on his four goals this season?

Aside from that, I hope the 11 starting and 25 man team of Spurs can maintain this form, as with Champions League football beckoning next season, to see this team against Europe's finest would be a delight.