10 - Lionel Messi - v2

[jiopi]

In general Fabregas/Xavi/Iniesta are all also able to make brilliant passes and are definitely on Messi's level if not better in terms of passing/vision (Iniesta's trademark crazy passes from the opposing goal line to find a player open in a crowded box without even looking..Xavi we all know obviously has a ridiculously flawless sense of timing/weight for passes and crazy vision etc..)

No. Messi is beyond them, when talked about final balls and vision. Messi can do any pass that they do, and he does more ridiculous passes, more regularly. Messi is the only person who I've ever seen giving a perfectly weighted ground balls, that cut through whole teams.

Final ball statistics

League 09-13

Through Balls

129 Messi
103 Fabregas
84 Xavi
73 Iniesta

Assists

56 Messi
43 Fabregas
36 Xavi
33 Iniesta

Key Passes

293 Xavi
270 Messi
257 Fabregas
174 Iniesta

 

[putogusiluz8]

Basketball player Nate Robinson chooses to wear no. 10 in honor of Lionel Messi. And some were arguing Lebron was a more influential figure than Messi.

 

[Stric]

I don't think I was ever this much excited to see pics from the training session.

 

[tariqo]

I didn't watch that video of Messi's passes and assists. Did he do a lot of that against CL teams too?

u can just STFU

 

[tariqo]

No. Messi is beyond them, when talked about final balls and vision. Messi can do any pass that they do, and he does more ridiculous passes, more regularly. Messi is the only person who I've ever seen giving a perfectly weighted ground balls, that cut through whole teams.

Final ball statistics

League 09-13

Through Balls

129 Messi
103 Fabregas
84 Xavi
73 Iniesta

Assists

56 Messi
43 Fabregas
36 Xavi
33 Iniesta

Key Passes

293 Xavi
270 Messi
257 Fabregas
174 Iniesta

don't waste your time ,,

 

[mixer]

Rummenigge (chairman Bayern): "What does Messi give to football? Joy. Can he win 5th Ballon d'Or? Sure, but the competition is strong." [as]

 

[Ode to Django]

Not trying to talk down the man's passing/vision, just saying that I think there are a lot of OTT reactions, as if every assist he makes is a piece of genius that few/no others would be able to pull off, and he's often talked about as though he's in a league of his own, head and shoulders above anyone else in terms of passing in the final third which is pure nonsense for me. Of course he's incredible but there's a good handful of players who are up there with him.

Anyways as for examples, I don't wanna go digging for footage 'cause I'm lazy, but IIRC Messi's first assist to Villa in that 5-0 vs Madrid, his previous similar pass to Xavi in same match, (both of which were way better than the 2nd assist to Villa which got similar praise even though Villa had retarded amounts of space to run into and it woulda been crazy not to spot that) there was a lot less space and room for error in those instances imo not to mention more pressure on Messi. In general Fabregas/Xavi/Iniesta are all also able to make brilliant passes and are definitely on Messi's level if not better in terms of passing/vision (Iniesta's trademark crazy passes from the opposing goal line to find a player open in a crowded box without even looking..Xavi we all know obviously has a ridiculously flawless sense of timing/weight for passes and crazy vision etc..)
Again, don't mean to take away from the guy or sound like a hater because he's a pretty near to impossible combination of a fantastic footballing brain with a deadly quick/explosive body and technique. But better vision/passing than anyone else playing, and he'd be the best CM in the world if he played there? Riiight...

+1000

 

[raskolnikov]

Barcafans belittling Messi's vision and passing, why?
Its not as if every pass is genius, but its pretty obvious he is among the best playmakers in the world despite already being a legendary goalscorer and dribbler, the latter causes people in general to ignore his vision/passing more (beside Barcafans and hardcore football fans of course).
For example over the last 5 years, only Özil gave more assists than Leo.
If you think his passing/vision/timing of the pass isnt brilliant then you dont know shit about football or never watch him play, its as simple as that.

 

[jiopi]

Lionel Messi has won the Goal 50 award for the world’s best footballer after another record-breaking season.

 

[KhaledBarca]

Lionel Messi has won the Goal 50 award for the world’s best footballer after another record-breaking season.

Iniesta 19th is a joke (he should be 3rd/4th)... Bale the OVERRATED 6th, Robben 5th !!!!!!!!!!

Although I agree with the top3 : Messi, Ribery and then Cristiano!

 

[jiopi]

Here's the full list

1. Messi, Lionel
2. Ribery, Franck
3. Ronaldo, Cristiano
4. Müller, Thomas
5. Robben, Arjen
6. Bale, Gareth
7. Lahm, Philipp
8. Silva, Thiago
9. Vidal, Arturo
10. Van Persie, Robin
11. Schweinsteiger, Bastian
12. Paulinho
13. Fred
14. Neymar
15. Lewandowski, Robert
16. Cavani, Edison
17. Falcao, Radamel
18. Dante
19. Iniesta, Andres
20. Yilmaz, Burak
21. Scocco, Ignacio
22. Mandzukic, Mario
23. Martinez, Javi
24. Mba, Sunday
25. Ibrahimovic, Zlatan
26. Götze, Mario
27. Neuer, Manuel
28. Courtiois, Thibaut
29. Aboutrika, Mohamed
30. Akinfeev, Igor
31. Suarez, Luis
32. Mata, Juan
33. Martinez, Jackson
34. Guerrero, Paolo
35. Gundogan, Ilkay
36. Isco
37. Varane, Raphael
38. Willian
39. Rahman, Omar Abdul
40. Rodriguez, James
41. Weidenfeller, Roman
42. Pirlo, Andrea
43. Mkhitaryan, Henrikh
44. Wanyama, Victor
45. Khune, Itumeleng
46. Fernandinho
47. Sato, Hisato
48. Keane, Robbie
49. Keun-Ho, Lee
50. Lampard, Frank

 

[jiopi]

Iniesta 19th is a joke (he should be 3rd/4th)... Bale the OVERRATED 6th, Robben 5th !!!!!!!!!!

Although I agree with the top3 : Messi, Ribery and then Cristiano!

Yeah Top3 is correct, these list do seem to always be more inaccurate, lower you go because votes becomes more even.

 

[CesDel]

No, just no.

Why not? Fabregas has even shown a greater passing range and variety of passes than Messi and his final ball is really great. Even last season when he was criticized by almost everyone, he was the player with the 2nd most assist in the team..

 

[jiopi]

Why not? Fabregas has even shown a greater passing range and variety of passes than Messi..

No. Which pass Messi hasn't done that Fabregas has?

 

[CesDel]

No. Which pass Messi hasn't done that Fabregas has?

Those 40-50 meter long balls. Messi has done them as well, but not nearly as much as Fabregas..