10 - Lionel Messi - v1

[Phatroonaldo]

Great argument there.

 

[barcelonista]

Great argument there.

What kind of argument do you expect for the notion that "Messi can't dribble 6 defenders now"?

 

[Dinho]

Hopefully the fans turn on him and he moves to Russia to become a pimp like Eto'o.

 

[jayzsa]

He definitely lost some of his speed, I even started to see that over the last season, and his dribbling ability seems to be worse too.

I really hope thats only temporary.

 

[Hatem Ben Arfa]

Messi is definitely slower than 09/10

I don't know if that's to do with bulking up and hitting the weights at the gym or an extra chin from Christmas. I don't know.

I'm hoping it's just to do with the fact that he needs a 2 week rest.

There was a point in the game where Messi was played through with 2 defenders either side of him. 09/10 Messi would have blazed right past them both leaving them for dead. Instead they managed to keep the pace with him and he lost the ball just before pulling the trigger.

He's definitely slower.

It's true that putting on Muscle weight slows you down. My m8's soccer coach went beserk at him for finiding him in the Gym trying to bulk up, complaining that he was going to lose his speed and agility and that he didn't want to find him in the gym again, otherwise he would lose his place in the starting 11.

 

[barcelonista]

It's true that putting on Muscle weight slows you down. My m8's soccer coach went beserk at him for finiding him in the Gym trying to bulk up, complaining that he was going to lose his speed and agility and that he didn't want to find him in the gym again, otherwise he would lose his place in the starting 11.

And you think your mate's pub coach knows better than Barcelona's training staff which is looking after a € 200 million professional athlete?

 

[jayzsa]

So why did he bulk up then? I'm interested to know, because I can't remember when messi ever was wrestled of the ball, even as an 18 year old, he always had exceptional balance

 

[Maria]

He definitely lost some of his speed, I even started to see that over the last season, and his dribbling ability seems to be worse too.

I really hope thats only temporary.

This season Messi has 5 succesful dribbles/game(only in the league);Iniesta is second with 2.1. From RM, Marcelo has 2 per game, while CR, Di Maria and Lass have 1.3 dribbles/game. Messi's problems were in the last 2 games, where he only managed 3 dribbless.
But like I said..we should just cash in while we can.
I don't want to imagine what it will be of him when he has a season like the one Iniesta had in 2009/2010.

 

[Deco 20]

It's about his agility. If you haven't noticed yet he has lost some of it; it's been clear since the preseason clasicos. By bulking up, he's traded some of his agility for the upper body strength.That's why most small agile and technical players who are bullied off the ball easily rarely bulk up.

He's actually right about this, Messi is now a bit slower and not as good a dribbler (mind you, he's still fucking incredible, it's not that big a difference). In return for sacrificing some speed he's become stronger and less injury prone, and he's become a smarter player too. So it's not that big a worry, although I wouldn't mind him losing some of that muscle.

 

[Deco 20]

Messi is definitely slower than 09/10

I don't know if that's to do with bulking up and hitting the weights at the gym or an extra chin from Christmas. I don't know.

I'm hoping it's just to do with the fact that he needs a 2 week rest.

There was a point in the game where Messi was played through with 2 defenders either side of him. 09/10 Messi would have blazed right past them both leaving them for dead. Instead they managed to keep the pace with him and he lost the ball just before pulling the trigger.

He's definitely slower.

It's true that putting on Muscle weight slows you down. My m8's soccer coach went beserk at him for finiding him in the Gym trying to bulk up, complaining that he was going to lose his speed and agility and that he didn't want to find him in the gym again, otherwise he would lose his place in the starting 11.

This as well

 

[jayzsa]

He's actually right about this, Messi is now a bit slower and not as good a dribbler (mind you, he's still fucking incredible, it's not that big a difference). In return for sacrificing some speed he's become stronger and less injury prone, and he's become a smarter player too. So it's not that big a worry, although I wouldn't mind him losing some of that muscle.

But why the need to become stronger? is this directly related to injury? His legs always seemed strong, the main increase in muscle is in his upper body, which is not one of the major areas for injuries.

I repeat, he never was easily knocked off the ball, even when he was younger, so why the need to bulk up?

 

[Maria]

Lionel Messi has now been directly involved in 249 gls (all competitions) under Guardiola: 171 gls, 78 assists.

 

[Hatem Ben Arfa]

And you think your mate's pub coach knows better than Barcelona's training staff which is looking after a € 200 million professional athlete?

he's not a pub coach. Soccer coach of University team in US. One of his former players is now playing MLS.

 

[gingerless]

Bulked up, lost some of his agility. Same shit happened to Cristiano, before bulking up he was a decent dribbler.

I don't think Messi can now score a goal like he did against Madrid in the CL semis.

lolmad

did you see his performance against plzen? he had 2 or 3 runs better than the one at bernabeu (technically) but was extremely unlucky in front of goal. unless he bulked up since then? :

 

[Myrmecophile]

Unimpressive tonight, but how can anyone worry? He'll turn up against Madrid for sure.

We need him to start scoring against the mid-table sides away from home really badly.