Player Focus: Bale's Wonder Goals a Luxury Spurs Can't Do Without

Although Tottenham were unable to secure Champions League football ahead of fierce North London rivals Arsenal, their prized asset did manage to finish his individual campaign on an increasingly familiar high.

Having cleaned up in the respective awards ceremonies from his teammates, peers and the football writers of the UK, Gareth Bale curled in a beauty in the 88th minute to give some Spurs fans and players what turned out to be false hope. Nevertheless, the Welshman's 21st league goal, and 24th when including Europa League strikes, was the icing on a remarkable season for the 23 year old.

Chairman Daniel Levy has acted quickly in offering Bale a deal that is likely to be unparalleled in Tottenham's history up to now, and for some time after, and their desperation in tying the midfielder down to a new contract is not only understandable but entirely necessary.

It's fair to say that this campaign, despite others before it that have been hugely impressive, has been the transition of a top player into a world class one. It's also a year in which he has began to establish an image, with it coming the terrible hairstyle and decision to pin back his ears to increase his marketability.

Comparisons to Cristiano Ronaldo have been drawn in turn, rightly or wrongly, particularly during an unbelievable streak earlier in the year. With Bale's heart celebration set to become his brand identity, Spurs' fans love for their talisman grew in February, with Bale netting no less than 6 goals from outside the box in all competitions during the month.

As many as three of those goals came from free-kicks, including two against Lyon, the first of which came from an impossible distance. His bending strike against Sunderland on the final day was a near carbon copy of his goal against Southampton - where it all started for the Wales international - a fortnight before, and Bale finished the season with a remarkable 9 league goals from outside the box. If some were suggesting the youngster had been studying Ronaldo's technique, particularly from dead ball situations, maybe it is the Madrid forward who should be taking notes from Spurs' star man now.

That tally of goals from distance is unrivalled, with Lionel Messi his closest competitor on 7. Meanwhile, the likes of Ronaldo, Pirlo, Ibrahimovic and Suarez have 5 in their respective leagues this season. When you include his two free-kicks against Lyon this season, Bale has 11 goals from long range in all competitions, and the position from which he has taken a lot of those shots is telling.

The above image shows that his efforts against the likes of Liverpool, West Brom, Newcastle, Southampton and Sunderland, as well as his injury time winner against Lyon all came from a position to the right of centre, with Bale given the license to roam the corridor between midfield and attack. From there, he can cut in on his left foot, as he has for both of his most recent strikes from outside the box, and unleash a trademark bullet into the top right corner.

There have been 36 players to net at least 15 goals across Europe's top 5 leagues, and none come close to Bale in terms of the percentage of their goals that have come from outside the box. The Welsh international's 42.9% (9 out of 21) is in fact almost double that of his closest challenger (Dario Cvitanich - 22.2%). Meanwhile, his 9 goals from distance is an unmatched tally over any of the last 4 seasons in Europe's top 5 leagues, with Cazorla scoring 8 for Malaga last season.

Although he was known for having a wicked left foot, particularly from free-kicks, whilst at Southampton, Spurs hadn't witnessed his true strength from distance before the current campaign. Last season he scored just one goal from outside the box, coming against Man City, and while his ability from range this season hasn't come from out of the blue, the increase in his conversion rate from long range shots (11.7% from 2.1%) is huge.

His strikes from distance have been absolutely crucial to boot. Since his first goal from outside the box this season in the North London derby at The Emirates, with Spurs going down 5-2, Tottenham have won every other game in which Bale has netted from distance in all competitions. What's more alarming, however, is that each of those eight victories have been by a single goal. Bale's goals against Liverpool, West Brom, Newcastle, Swansea, Southampton and Sunderland ensured three points were secured instead of one, while doubles against Lyon and West Ham turned what would have been defeats without his goals into victories.

There can be few arguments to the fact that Bale is more important to his side than any other player in England's top-flight in turn, and it's fair to say Spurs' ambitions for next season may well hinge on the future of the PFA Player of the Year.