10 - Lionel Messi - v2

[rivaldo10]

This season was better though, Tito had at times discouraged his usual nagging to start imo.

i dont know but i still thiink that messi can decide if he wants to play or not

 

[Yannick03]

I think we should rest him more next season. In my opinion is he the main reason why we don't press as hard as we used or at least not that effectively. Others have to come a long way in order to press the central defenders. Against Bayern I saw Xavi run 30 metres in order to press Dante while Messi could have done that easily and this happened multiple times. Also, seeing someone who doesn't show full commitment when defending hurts the spirit of the others. I hope next season he presses like he should do.

Off course, his match fitness could have been a major issue and maybe he was ordered by Tito to conserve his energy a bit more.

 

[AzaR]

He surely must have aggravated the injury against PSG, when he came on in the 2nd leg against them he looked explosive and capable of getting things done. The other night against Bayern he just didnt have it in him, hopefully he will be fit for the 2nd leg against Bayern, so we can at the very least restore some pride.

 

[Thierry]

i dont know but i still thiink that messi can decide if he wants to play or not

Yes, exactly.
he keeps nagging the coach, and so its hard to face up to the "face of barcelona" (that is Messi) and tell him NO.
no-one wants him to feel inferior anyone way and in hopes to avoid tension at the club.

This is the first "long-recovery-from injury" time he's ever had to face and hopefully it helps the coach to motivate why he should no longer start at every match frome next season onwards.

 

[BerkeleyBernie]

Dante (Bayern): "I talked a bit with Messi, he wasn't 100% fit... But it's still Messi, he tried nonetheless, but we defended well" [rmc]

I think it's safe to say now, that he wasn't clearly fit.

Despite Bayern's excellent defending, Messi's lack of fitness was key. With a fit Messi, the gameplan has to be a CF (Villa, preferably, or Sanchez) to pin the CBs so that Messi can play between the lines. In effect, Messi is then pinning the opposing midfielders, taking pressure off Xavi/Iniesta/Busquets, so they have more freedom. What you had the other day was Messi dropping back all the way to become a midfielder outside the Bayern defense, actually drawing the pressure onto the Barça midfielders. Instead of helping the Barça midfield get the ball up the field (his intent), he actually made it nearly impossible for them to do so.

 

[TornAndFrayed]

That's very insightful, clear as day when I watched Messi's individual performance vs Bayern (barcastuff)

 

[Garrus]

Despite Bayern's excellent defending, Messi's lack of fitness was key. With a fit Messi, the gameplan has to be a CF (Villa, preferably, or Sanchez) to pin the CBs so that Messi can play between the lines. In effect, Messi is then pinning the opposing midfielders, taking pressure off Xavi/Iniesta/Busquets, so they have more freedom. What you had the other day was Messi dropping back all the way to become a midfielder outside the Bayern defense, actually drawing the pressure onto the Barça midfielders. Instead of helping the Barça midfield get the ball up the field (his intent), he actually made it nearly impossible for them to do so.

I can't say i agree, Messi always drops back to midfield, Ever since he became a false 9, This isn't a new scenario for the team, Even if fabregas played, He would've also dropped to midfield, So this is definitely not about an unfit messi, Although it may have contributed to fact we couldn't score a single goal.
Putting a CF infront of messi is the best solution, Yet doint that in Allianz Arena is suicide, Because someone has to occupy that vacant space left by villa/sanchez, And alves would've turned into our right winger, Leaving Ribery on his own.
But i think we can use this in camp nou, It worked against milan, And PSG in paris, With some good amount of luck we can succed with this tactic against bayern.
Two things mainly contributed to our heavy loss:
1-Bayern simply played their best game in years, A flawless performance, Strangely no one is bothering to point this out.
2-We paid the price for having such a low avg height squad, They killed us with their corners.

 

[BerkeleyBernie]

I can't say i agree, Messi always drops back to midfield, Ever since he became a false 9, This isn't a new scenario for the team, Even if fabregas played, He would've also dropped to midfield, So this is definitely not about an unfit messi, Although it may have contributed to fact we couldn't score a single goal.
Putting a CF infront of messi is the best solution, Yet doint that in Allianz Arena is suicide, Because someone has to occupy that vacant space left by villa/sanchez, And alves would've turned into our right winger, Leaving Ribery on his own.
But i think we can use this in camp nou, It worked against milan, And PSG in paris, With some good amount of luck we can succed with this tactic against bayern.
Two things mainly contributed to our heavy loss:
1-Bayern simply played their best game in years, A flawless performance, Strangely no one is bothering to point this out.
2-We paid the price for having such a low avg height squad, They killed us with their corners.

Messi drops back, but never as far and as much as he did vs Bayern.

Props to Bayern, but Barça still could have kept it close or won with different tactics.

Reducing set plays has to do with keeping the ball in their half so we lose it in their half. This is the furthest back Barça has been pushed.

I agree, with a fit Messi, playing a CF against the CBs is essential. Even without Messi, that should be the approach when the opponent defends behind the ball.

 

[evilhita666]

I think that Messi will catch a break if Ronaldo leaves RM... I think their competition is starting to take its toll on both of them, they have to play every game to try to outscore the other and in the end the physical and psychological burden may be becoming too much...

 

[rivaldo10]

yeah i think that too

when ronaldo came to madrid the papers allways made a messi vs ronaldo of the el clasico

 

[darthvader7888]

I think that Messi will catch a break if Ronaldo leaves RM... I think their competition is starting to take its toll on both of them, they have to play every game to try to outscore the other and in the end the physical and psychological burden may be becoming too much...

Perhaps that's (part of) the reason Ronaldo (apparently) wants to leave?

 

[oz187]

I think the competition is already over because Cristiano is on the downslope. His performance this season is reduced compared to last. He's done well the few months since January but he is now aging as a footballer and I can't see him maintaining that level for a whole season again.

 

[ThwiX]

Yeah, I can see this being Ronaldo's last "superhuman" season.

 

[frostdude1]

I think the competition is already over because Cristiano is on the downslope. His performance this season is reduced compared to last. He's done well the few months since January but he is now aging as a footballer and I can't see him maintaining that level for a whole season again.

Umm Ronaldo is the early favorite for the Ballon D'Or (Not that that award matters imo. Team trophies > Individual trophies)
Hate to admit it, but he's had a better 2013 than Messi so far.
Still a long way to go but let's at least give credit where its due.

 

[Kerrybai]

I think the competition is already over because Cristiano is on the downslope. His performance this season is reduced compared to last. He's done well the few months since January but he is now aging as a footballer and I can't see him maintaining that level for a whole season again.

His best season yet for me, I can see him at his prime for another 2 years.