10 - Lionel Messi - v1

[Ryan_Cule]

 

[Raed]

And yet Xavi so make a single assist for Messi this season.

I am not sure if you think I am trolling or not because of my previous post which gathered so much attention for some reason, and actually intended as a compliment but the fault is not yours, completely mine.

I slightly exaggerated my point when I was discussing Xavi's influence on Messi's performance in the Argentina thread a while back (don't know if you recall that) to make highlight an observation. Messi is not a lesser player without Xavi, but with him on the pitch he goes from a once in a decade player to once in a life time player. He goes from awesome, to unreal, goes from best player in the world to best in history, catch my drift?

And the fact that Xavi has made only one direct assist to Messi is, in a way, a misleading statistic because it reduces the cohesion and understanding between the two to merely a relationship of a play-maker and striker. Similar to what Ozil and Ronaldo has.

It does not matter where the final balls from from for Messi, what matters is the structure of your team that defends through possession, attacks through possession. There is a reason why Messi explodes in the CL and in the league without a close competitor (besides Ronaldo's fluffed goal tally) and it is because he is backed by the second and third best players in the world.

So when I say Xavi activates Messi, I do not think I am trolling, or exaggerating, or belittling Lionel, it is a testimony to Xavi's abilities to reduce the pressure on Messi to unlock tight defenses year after year. It is even a greater testimony to the Maestro knowing that despite Argentina's misfortunes in defense, their midfield is in fact stacked with world class quality, yet cannot replicate the dominance of Xavi on the field to ultimately, activate Messi's genius at full capacity.

 

[Raed]

Raed, you are being unpleasant man. Can you please stop with your trolling?

Yes. But I find it awkward when I praise Iniesta, Busquets, Xavi, among many others of Barcelona and I get replies such as 'raed has been washed, raed is losing it' or whatever weird replies I had...

 

[La LL]

Guys chill. Raed isn't even that great of a troll.

Beast on the other hand scares the crap out of me...

 

[BarcaOG]

I am not sure if you think I am trolling or not because of my previous post which gathered so much attention for some reason, and actually intended as a compliment but the fault is not yours, completely mine.

I slightly exaggerated my point when I was discussing Xavi's influence on Messi's performance in the Argentina thread a while back (don't know if you recall that) to make highlight an observation. Messi is not a lesser player without Xavi, but with him on the pitch he goes from a once in a decade player to once in a life time player. He goes from awesome, to unreal, goes from best player in the world to best in history, catch my drift?

And the fact that Xavi has made only one direct assist to Messi is, in a way, a misleading statistic because it reduces the cohesion and understanding between the two to merely a relationship of a play-maker and striker. Similar to what Ozil and Ronaldo has.

It does not matter where the final balls from from for Messi, what matters is the structure of your team that defends through possession, attacks through possession. There is a reason why Messi explodes in the CL and in the league without a close competitor (besides Ronaldo's fluffed goal tally) and it is because he is backed by the second and third best players in the world.

So when I say Xavi activates Messi, I do not think I am trolling, or exaggerating, or belittling Lionel, it is a testimony to Xavi's abilities to reduce the pressure on Messi to unlock tight defenses year after year. It is even a greater testimony to the Maestro knowing that despite Argentina's misfortunes in defense, their midfield is in fact stacked with world class quality, yet cannot replicate the dominance of Xavi on the field to ultimately, activate Messi's genius at full capacity.

+1

 

[Aryagorn]

Beast on the other hand scares the crap out of me...

true. real badass that old man

 

[enzza]

Guys chill. Raed isn't even that great of a troll.

Beast on the other hand scares the crap out of me...

btw where is beast ...

 

[estranged]

The Messi needs Xaviesta argument has some truth to it but it's a very primitive one, of course Messi can perform better when he has a better team around him, which player wouldn't? Nobody doubts this but the reason people get sensitive over that topic is because of the intention of many of the people who keep saying Messi needs Xaviesta since they are trying to make Messi seem like a lesser player, and as Guardiola said recently, one can do nothing but feel sorry for those people.

 

[enzza]

I am not sure if you think I am trolling or not because of my previous post which gathered so much attention for some reason, and actually intended as a compliment but the fault is not yours, completely mine.

I slightly exaggerated my point when I was discussing Xavi's influence on Messi's performance in the Argentina thread a while back (don't know if you recall that) to make highlight an observation. Messi is not a lesser player without Xavi, but with him on the pitch he goes from a once in a decade player to once in a life time player. He goes from awesome, to unreal, goes from best player in the world to best in history, catch my drift?

And the fact that Xavi has made only one direct assist to Messi is, in a way, a misleading statistic because it reduces the cohesion and understanding between the two to merely a relationship of a play-maker and striker. Similar to what Ozil and Ronaldo has.

It does not matter where the final balls from from for Messi, what matters is the structure of your team that defends through possession, attacks through possession. There is a reason why Messi explodes in the CL and in the league without a close competitor (besides Ronaldo's fluffed goal tally) and it is because he is backed by the second and third best players in the world.

So when I say Xavi activates Messi, I do not think I am trolling, or exaggerating, or belittling Lionel, it is a testimony to Xavi's abilities to reduce the pressure on Messi to unlock tight defenses year after year. It is even a greater testimony to the Maestro knowing that despite Argentina's misfortunes in defense, their midfield is in fact stacked with world class quality, yet cannot replicate the dominance of Xavi on the field to ultimately, activate Messi's genius at full capacity.

comparing messi & xavi with pk7 & ozil ffs man XD

 

[Barcaman]

So when I say Xavi activates Messi, I do not think I am trolling, or exaggerating, or belittling Lionel, it is a testimony to Xavi's abilities to reduce the pressure on Messi to unlock tight defenses year after year. It is even a greater testimony to the Maestro knowing that despite Argentina's misfortunes in defense, their midfield is in fact stacked with world class quality, yet cannot replicate the dominance of Xavi on the field to ultimately, activate Messi's genius at full capacity.

Not meant to take anything from Xavi but Argentina wasn't exactly blessed with capable managers as of late. Although on the opposite, Spain did win before del Bosque so I don't know who is really behind anyone's success.
I guess things just have to click. Messi came through youth ranks and is part of the system so with Barca he looks natural.
As a footballer, he is more Catalan than Argentinian so maybe there lies the problem too.

 

[Raed]

comparing messi & xavi with pk7 & ozil ffs man XD

What?

 

[Raed]

Not meant to take anything from Xavi but Argentina wasn't exactly blessed with capable managers as of late. Although on the opposite, Spain did win before del Bosque so I don't know who is really behind anyone's success.
I guess things just have to click. Messi came through youth ranks and is part of the system so with Barca he looks natural.
As a footballer, he is more Catalan than Argentinian so maybe there lies the problem too.

There is also age and leadership, two things that are not ripe in Messi. There are plenty of factors that make it absolutely difficult for one to accept, reject, or draw connections/observations.

Xavi was present in both the Euros and the WC, I apologize I do not understand your point.

The sensitivity Estranged mentions is ridiculous, and I do not understand it. Or maybe it is because I am a Madridista? I also do not understand why anyone would assume that such an observation is to belittle Messi's achievements.

Managers are part of the problem but not the entire problem. The difference in Messi's direct influence on Argentina's results is because of Messi's one of two: Messi's inability to surrender part of the duties to his team mates with full confidence or his coaches pile on him so much work that he cannot adapt.

Regardless though, Messi is not totally effective when he has to move the ball around a lot, get everyone involved, stretch the field. Xavi does that brilliantly, he builds momentum, something Messi can cling on at any moment and explode. Xavi does not need to directly put Messi in firing range for all of you to see how much he lifts his game.

And yes, everyone benefits from Xavi's control over the game, except maybe Torres, Llorente, and Jesus Navas, because he will 1. find you and 2. protect you. Doesn't mean it doesn't lift Messi a considerable margin either.

 

[oz187]

It's the Barca system that 'activates' Messi. Doesn't matter whether it's Xavi and Iniesta, or Cesc and Keita, whatever the players as long as they can play the system they can enable Messi to achieve his potential. Argentina do not have the manager or the players to play a system that 'activates' Messi. It's not just the higher quality of passing, but also the movements off the ball and positioning that are key. These don't just rely on an individuals skill or passing ability, but multiple players working together.

 

[Agri]

I am not sure if you think I am trolling or not because of my previous post which gathered so much attention for some reason, and actually intended as a compliment but the fault is not yours, completely mine.

I slightly exaggerated my point when I was discussing Xavi's influence on Messi's performance in the Argentina thread a while back (don't know if you recall that) to make highlight an observation. Messi is not a lesser player without Xavi, but with him on the pitch he goes from a once in a decade player to once in a life time player. He goes from awesome, to unreal, goes from best player in the world to best in history, catch my drift?

And the fact that Xavi has made only one direct assist to Messi is, in a way, a misleading statistic because it reduces the cohesion and understanding between the two to merely a relationship of a play-maker and striker. Similar to what Ozil and Ronaldo has.

It does not matter where the final balls from from for Messi, what matters is the structure of your team that defends through possession, attacks through possession. There is a reason why Messi explodes in the CL and in the league without a close competitor (besides Ronaldo's fluffed goal tally) and it is because he is backed by the second and third best players in the world.

So when I say Xavi activates Messi, I do not think I am trolling, or exaggerating, or belittling Lionel, it is a testimony to Xavi's abilities to reduce the pressure on Messi to unlock tight defenses year after year. It is even a greater testimony to the Maestro knowing that despite Argentina's misfortunes in defense, their midfield is in fact stacked with world class quality, yet cannot replicate the dominance of Xavi on the field to ultimately, activate Messi's genius at full capacity.

Read, Messis play without Xavi (or any other player that has been accused for being a big part of Leos succes for that matter), the endless driblings where he makes every defender wanna retire, is the work that makes him the best player in the history and a once in a life time player. That's why we all will remember him.

 

[Yaotzin]

Regardless though, Messi is not totally effective when he has to move the ball around a lot, get everyone involved, stretch the field. Xavi does that brilliantly, he builds momentum, something Messi can cling on at any moment and explode. Xavi does not need to directly put Messi in firing range for all of you to see how much he lifts his game.

He's not totally effective when he has to mark and tackle, either. He's not a midfielder. Of course he's not as good a midfielder as Xavi, who ever said he was?

He's a way better midfielder than Xavi is a forward, though.