Ryan Giggs, Gareth Bale... whos better?

1. 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, butit’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,comparisonsbetweenthe twoisinevitable.
Can Gareth Bale stepinRyan Giggs’sshoes?Ishe betteralreadyorhas a longway to go?
Ratherthan lettingBale totake on Giggs,let’sfirstsee how he faresagainsthimself.
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 situp and take notice wasthe hattrick againstthe mightyInternazionale atthe SanSiro.
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
inthe returnlegagainstInteras he well andtrulyestablishedhimself asEurope'shottestproperty.
Gareth Bale was rewarded with the PFA Player of the year award on popular demand, thus following in
the footstepsof fellowWelshmanand ManchesterUnitedlegendRyanGiggs(2008/09).
Gareth Bale seasonscomparison:
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 0.1034 0.3448 34 17.64
2010/11 39 12 3 83 31 0.3076 0.0769 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, vindicatingRedknapp'sdecisiontomove himupfield.
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 thatended on the scorecard. This approves the belief that Gareth Bale is
indeedbetterasafootballerwhenplayedinthe left wingthanasa leftback.

2. Nowlet’sputBale to testwithanotherflying-wingerof thisgeneration,TheoWalcott.
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 0.2055 0.2108 35.67 28.17
Theo
Walcott 34.5 8 6.5 70 31 0.2205 0.1743 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
speedandmovementonthe 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 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 fairto Bale let’shave a comparisonbasedonstatisticsforthe currentseason.
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 0.3076 0.0769 37.34 38.70
Theo
Walcott
39 12 11 97 46 0.3076 0.2820 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 thisseasonbutthe sheerimpactthat Bale has had onSpurs markshimout.
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.

3. So, are Bale and Walcott on track to be legends? To find out let’s see how they fare when pitted against
the Legends.
Giggsvs Bale vs Walcott
To make the result fair comparison is done taking age into account, comparisonis done for season when
all three playerswere 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 0.2055 0.2108
Ryan Giggs 49 10.5 15 0.1965 0.3245
Theo Walcott 31.5 4.5 2.5 0.1424 0.0787
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 per game statistic and had 54% and 312% more
AssistsperGame than GarethBale and TheoWalcott as 20-21 yearoldsresp.
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
Giggsis almostinconceivable.
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,
outsmartingandoutplayinghisyoungerpeer’sweek-inweek-out.
There will onlybe one RyanGiggs
Runningdownthe wings,
Fearedbythe Blues,
Lovedby the Reds,
Ryan Giggs,RyanGiggs Ryan Giggs