Bale not Allardyce´s sole focus

West Ham manager Sam Allardyce says his side cannot focus only on Gareth Bale in Monday’s match against Tottenham.

West Ham manager Sam Allardyce says his side cannot focus only on Gareth Bale in Monday’s match against Tottenham.

The Wales winger had scored all his side’s six goals in a run of four matches unbeaten run going into the game against Lyon on Thursday, but it was Moussa Dembele’s late equalizer that ensured progression to the Europa League last-16.

Allardyce insisted: “We can’t just pay particular attention to Gareth Bale, we have to pay attention to a lot of players at Tottenham, certainly on the front line because they’re so dangerous in attack.

“Mousa Dembele in midfield is a terrific player as well. Clint Dempsey, Jermain Defoe, Emmanuel Adebayor, Aaron Lennon, as well as Bale, are very, very strong in possession and we must be very good defensively to cope with that.

“But then of course we will try and deliver the sort of performances at home we’ve done on a regular basis this season to cause them a few problems and score a few goals.”

West Ham’s last game at home saw Andy Carroll’s goal bring a 1-0 win over Swansea and end a run of six matches without a win, and the manager stated that stopping the supply lines to the winger could be the key to getting another positive result.

“The team has got to provide him with the service that he needs to express that ability,” Allardyce explained.

“If you take Lionel Messi out of Barcelona people say when you watch him for Argentina he’s not the same player as at Barcelona.

“There’s always going to be a good team around you in terms of delivering and supporting the play and the service that he needs – and all the other players around Bale are very, very good.”

Allardyce did acknowledge the unique quality the 23-year-old possesses, however, when he estimated the player’s value, concluding: “I would have thought that Tottenham would want nothing less that 40-50 million pounds.

“I suppose the world of football outside of this country might decide. Who knows.

“There might be somebody else from another country that decides he could be the man rather than just people that might just be interested in this country, so that would inflate the price a little more.”