2. Jermain Defoe And His Recent Absence
It is only Jermain Defoe's Absence that has led to Bale stepping up to the goalscoring plate and, let's face it, someone had to do so given that it left Spurs with no fit strikers for a short time (thanks to Adebayor's African Cup of Nations trip). Prior to Defoe's injury, he was Tottenham's top scorer for much of the season, and not a word was uttered about Bale being the only player worthy of note and praise in the Tottenham lineup. The whole 'one-man team' thing was non-existent. The short run of games in which Defoe has been missing and Bale has been so sensational does not represent a full season and nor does it explain the fact that Spurs were scoring goals and flying high in the league before it occurred. When Defoe returns, while you can expect Bale to keep playing well, the goalscoring responsibility will be shared out more evenly.