Hotspurs midfielder Gareth Bale gets stretchered off the pitch after injuring his ankle. (IAN KINGTON/AFP/Getty Images)
Gareth Bale of the Tottenham Hotpurs is in the mix for the Premier League player of the season, but after an injury Thursday during Champions League play that could all change. The 23-year-old midfielder from Cardiff was carted off the pitch in the first half after severely twisting his right ankle. To make matters worse, Tottenham was already reeling from the loss of the midfielder opposite of Bale — Aaron Lennon, who also departed in the first half due to injury.
Bale has 17 goals on the season, good for third in the league, as well as three assists. Aaron Lennon brings with him four goals and 6 assists, which leads the Spurs. A lengthy loss of either of these two footballers could spell disaster for a hopeful Spurs season. They currently sit in third place ahead of Chelsea by two points and Arsenal by four; they also were making a run at the #2 spot with Manchester City seemingly hitting a late-season funk. The Spurs upcoming schedule will not be kind to them, even if Bale and/or Lennon suit up. Their next three games come up against teams who are in the hunt for the top spots: Everton, Chelsea and Manchester City.
An MRI is scheduled for Bale on Friday and the team will be eager to see the results. The Spurs aren’t equipped with the players to fill in for Bale. The 30-year-old American Clint Dempsey will be called upon much more than he has been so far this season — though he does have five goals in just 16 matches. Another 30-year-old will be asked to pick up the scoring load in Bale or Lennon’s absence — Jermain Defoe, who has the second-most goals on the season for Tottenham with 10.
It is a worrying situation for Tottenham, who seemed likely to hold onto a Champions League qualification for next season. Their chances take a big hit, even if Bale is to miss only a match or two. This late in the season, missing out on a few points is all it takes for a team waiting in the weeds to pounce. The question is: whom does this open the door for? The easy (or safe) bet would be Arsenal. The Gunners have been picking up their play of late and were poised to challenge both Chelsea and Tottenham regardless of the unfortunate injury to Bale. The injury ups the likelihood of Arsenal ascending in the table considerably.
Since the Football League First Division became the Premier League in 1992, Tottenham has never finished in the top three of the table. Even more substantial is that the Hotspurs have not won the league since 1961. The dreaded thoughts of yet another failed Tottenham season must be encroaching the minds of the Hotspurs; but with seven matches left on the season and a glimmer of hope that Bale could return sooner rather than later, they need to remain confident. Yet though this club has a bright future with Bale regardless, that won’t balm the hurt of a heartbreaker season.
