10 - Lionel Messi - v2

[FCBarca]

See that's the thing, are you sure that isn't just a perception? because I look at this video, which is just his highlights from this year, and I see one heck of a magical player, so much so that you'll need all of the 4 years of Ronaldo's Madrid career to be able to compile something like this.


[YOUTUBE]l0UWajMcnIA[/YOUTUBE]

He was the SINGULAR goal threat we had over the past 2 seasons. That will naturally come with a lot of sacrifice, to be able to do all that and still score 100+ goals that carried the team over the past 2 years is remarkable.

It's an excellent comp & a reminder of how outstanding a player he is but when you look at when those moments took place and take note of how much of that occurs after April you see a big gap..Being primarily comprised of action that took place in the first third of the calendar year, we're in November and there's nothing of note for the 7 months since...Yet despite how much he's been less than 100% and his best action took place in a short window, it surely trumps anything any other footballer on planet earth has done in 2013

The larger point, if anything, that vid overwhelmingly lends support to the theory that he's less than 100% now

 

[Flavia]

It's an excellent comp & a reminder of how outstanding a player he is but when you look at when those moments took place and take note of how much of that occurs after April you see a big gap..Being primarily comprised of action that took place in the first third of the calendar year, we're in November and there's nothing of note for the 7 months since...Yet despite how much he's been less than 100% and his best action took place in a short window, it surely trumps anything any other footballer on planet earth has done in 2013

The larger point, if anything, that vid overwhelmingly lends support to the theory that he's less than 100% now

He's been struggling with injuries since April. He said himself he's not 100%, and all this surely made an impact in his mind. He was injury free for a long time, it's quite normal.
He was on fire against Celta, bar his finishing. That performance alone should give peace of mind to those thinking there's something else wrong with him.

Also, he already has 2 hattricks this season, won the game vs Sevilla with that run... there are some things worth of note since April.

 

[FCBarca]

Flavia, we're in agreement he's not 100% but there are still some here who refuse to even concede that point nevermind why he might not be 100%...I am not advocating/defending some conspiracy or outlandish scenario, just that there might be something more than recovering from injury at play...I'm not definitively saying there is but I don't know how you or anyone else can dismiss that possibility out of hand either

I wasn't worried about Messi until now, the Asspanyol match changed my opinion about it...I saw more than fitness at issue but no idea what it might be

The good is that a match is only 2 days away and Messi typically elevates his game in CL...With all the increased attention over his fitness/play, I suspect it's possible we'll see a statement match from him or unfortunately more questions cropping up

I finally took a moment to appreciate your ava, it's an excellent one...not sure how I overlooked it before

 

[numero]

Hard to gauge whether there's truth to Messi's comments or merely an attempt to deflect media attention...Could indeed be fitness but even when he's been in position to score, his accuracy has failed him - for 99% of the footballing world, this is not a cause for concern...He takes matches by the throat and that lethality in his game has been absent so would he be out there if not 100% and risk reaggravating his injury?...Would be hard to buy that theory

Flavia, we're in agreement he's not 100% but there are still some here who refuse to even concede that point nevermind why he might not be 100%...I am not advocating/defending some conspiracy or outlandish scenario, just that there might be something more than recovering from injury at play...I'm not definitively saying there is but I don't know how you or anyone else can dismiss that possibility out of hand either

I wasn't worried about Messi until now, the Asspanyol match changed my opinion about it...I saw more than fitness at issue but no idea what it might be

The good is that a match is only 2 days away and Messi typically elevates his game in CL...With all the increased attention over his fitness/play, I suspect it's possible we'll see a statement match from him or unfortunately more questions cropping up

I finally took a moment to appreciate your ava, it's an excellent one...not sure how I overlooked it before

haha. Way to contradict yourself man. Now you agree that messi is not 100% ?? How did that change suddenly from your earlier point of view?

 

[FCBarca]

haha. Way to contradict yourself man. Now you agree that messi is not 100% ?? How did that change suddenly from your earlier point of view?

The world weeps at the collective lack of comprehension & absence of deductive logic from our youth...Not being 100% fit due to injury and not being 100% for whatever reason does not have to mean the same thing

 

[NotInHere]

At first I was seriously questioning why Leo's recent performances haven't been up to his usual standards, but at the end of the day all we can do is speculate.

I give him the benefit of the doubt only because of who he is and what he has did against Celta, especially on that 2nd half. Now if his poor level of play against Espanyol transcends against Milan, people will seriously question what's wrong with him, if its his fitness, lack of motivation or just another off day, but he can't afford to have another "off day" simply because that's not who he is.

We shall wait and see.

 

[Flavia]

Flavia, we're in agreement he's not 100% but there are still some here who refuse to even concede that point nevermind why he might not be 100%...I am not advocating/defending some conspiracy or outlandish scenario, just that there might be something more than recovering from injury at play...I'm not definitively saying there is but I don't know how you or anyone else can dismiss that possibility out of hand either

I wasn't worried about Messi until now, the Asspanyol match changed my opinion about it...I saw more than fitness at issue but no idea what it might be

The good is that a match is only 2 days away and Messi typically elevates his game in CL...With all the increased attention over his fitness/play, I suspect it's possible we'll see a statement match from him or unfortunately more questions cropping up

I finally took a moment to appreciate your ava, it's an excellent one...not sure how I overlooked it before

I dismiss most possibilities because I've seen no evidence to support them. Like when you said it could be Neymar. Messi was too happy when Neymar scored against rm. He could be unsettled about playing rw, but he worked his ass off there against rm as well. And he was great against Celta at rw. Then he was off agaisnt espanyol. If I were to guess something, it'd be he could have felt something minor on training, and was worried he could get injured again. He seems worried about himself. As he always do, when he knows he didn't play well.

If you saw the videos of training before the espanyol match, you'd see he was smiling and joking around. To me there's nothing to support anything else other than his problem is fitness and/or a mental block caused by fear of getting injured again.

 

[Luftstalag14]

The highlighted part is something many are worried about, but few have the guts to say it out loud like you did right there. There is something that is missing here, but I DO NOT think it's Tata's fault. Villanova has put Messi on a piedestal, the team was literally playing for him to score goals and win matches. That is not normal, nor a durable tactic. Not to speak that it can create havoc in a team. Martino has changed that. He does not treat Messi preferentially and Messi himself shoud stop acting like a spoiled kid whose toy has been taken away from him by his father and realise he's just a part in the mecanism that is a football team not the team itself. Tata asks him to play in the right? He should respect that and give everything as a winger. Hell, he won his first Ballon d'Or by playing there.

In a team the coach calls the shots. We have a record number of points in La Liga, we won the clasico and we are first in the Champions. Tata Martino has my support. He has earned the right to impose his own philosophy.I remember Neymar said when he was transfered to Barca that he has come on Camp Nou to help Messi remain the best in the world. WTF is this shit? Since when players come here to be Messi's right hand or help Messi do this and that? That comment pissed me off big time. I've been a fan of Barca well before Messi's time and I don't think a club that huge can ever depend on a single player, no matter how great of a player. Messi should cut the crap and get back to work.

Messi has shown some signs who suggest that his ego is getting in his way of being extraordinary again. The "Messia" crap has got too much in his head and he started to think he is more than one player.

How do you know Messi was throwing a fit and acting like a spoiled kid? Any major change in tactics and player's position will take a while for a player to get used to, right?

Let's see: The first time he played in the right under Tata was the Clasico, he was not outstanding offensively, but he certainly did not sulk and do nothing, right?

 

[CatalinR10]

Will you all shut up if he scores 2 goals against Milan ?

 

[serghei]

How do you know Messi was throwing a fit and acting like a spoiled kid? Any major change in tactics and player's position will take a while for a player to get used to, right?

Let's see: The first time he played in the right under Tata was the Clasico, he was not outstanding offensively, but he certainly did not sulk and do nothing, right?

I've seen a change in his commitment to the team. No matter what some believe, in the past he gave more to the team. I'm not talking about goals, I'm talking about his overall attitude. And this isn't new. For instance, rewatch Barcelona Atletico 4-1, from last season. Messi had one sprint the whole 1st half of the game and his error led to Falcao's goal. You see, after the break he scored two goals, one with A.Sanchez's important contribution and one after a massive error from Godin. Everybody praised him afterwards, but didn't care that he was the most lazy player on the pitch in the first half of the game. Probably Villanova had a talk with him at half time and the Messi from the second half was more active than the one in the first. But, after a long time, I saw a player that behaved like a protégé.

 

[Sumlit]

So according to some of you body language experts, you've seen signs that not only is Messi lacking fitness, but he is also: Declining, disgruntled, apathetic, lazy, has poor diet, insubordinate and a bad team mate.

Did I leave any other observation out?

 

[Jadentheman]

Sounds like 07/08 R10

 

[ThwiX]

So according to some of you body language experts, you've seen signs that not only is Messi lacking fitness, but he is also: Declining, disgruntled, apathetic, lazy, has poor diet, insubordinate and a bad team mate.

Did I leave any other observation out?

Don't waste your time on trolls. Nothing good will come of it.

 

[suckabov]

Will you all shut up if he scores 2 goals against Milan ?

Not if he does it by walking most of the time.

 

[Meitux]

Sounds like 07/08 R10