10 - Lionel Messi - v2

[DonAndres]

Riquelme (Boca): "Messi is obviously the best player on the planet, but if he loses focus for 10-15 minutes, Iniesta takes control" [sofoot]
Riquelme (Boca): "Iniesta decides how Barça attack. Meanwhile, Messi walks around and when he remembers there's a game going on, he scores twice."


Is this an insult towards Messi or is he joking??

A compliment towards Messi's ability but a criticism on his tendency to sometimes walk and not be involved due to lapses in focus.

 

[Kerrybai]

Riquelme (Boca): "Messi is obviously the best player on the planet, but if he loses focus for 10-15 minutes, Iniesta takes control" [sofoot]
Riquelme (Boca): "Iniesta decides how Barça attack. Meanwhile, Messi walks around and when he remembers there's a game going on, he scores twice."


Is this an insult towards Messi or is he joking??

Riquelme clearly doesn't know what he's talking about.

 

[jiopi]

Riquelme clearly doesn't know what he's talking about.

Agreed, probably watches 1 or 2 Barca games a season.

 

[Irish_Cules]

I know where he's coming from. He's putting it a bit bluntly or else it came across that way in translation. Up until the last couple of months when Messi has been dragging us by himself at times, Iniesta was our best player in terms of his contribution over 90 mins. Even in games when Messi scored goals, he would disappear for periods of the game or his general play would be below his usual standard. Iniesta was always playing at a high level though and was the one who usually initiated our attacks. I think this is what Riquelme is getting at. Of course over the last couple of months Messi has been the team though.

 

[Keikoku]

Riquelme clearly doesn't know what he's talking about.

You're wrong, Riquelme is already reached status legendary about "walking around" in the game. He mastered that walking around technique to pure perfection, thats why he named "lazy magician"

 

[spark]

Riquelme (Boca): "Messi is obviously the best player on the planet, but if he loses focus for 10-15 minutes, Iniesta takes control" [sofoot]
Riquelme (Boca): "Iniesta decides how Barça attack. Meanwhile, Messi walks around and when he remembers there's a game going on, he scores twice."


Is this an insult towards Messi or is he joking??

Coming from a player never got out of walking pace its ironic.

 

[Kerrybai]

I know where he's coming from. He's putting it a bit bluntly or else it came across that way in translation. Up until the last couple of months when Messi has been dragging us by himself at times, Iniesta was our best player in terms of his contribution over 90 mins. Even in games when Messi scored goals, he would disappear for periods of the game or his general play would be below his usual standard. Iniesta was always playing at a high level though and was the one who usually initiated our attacks. I think this is what Riquelme is getting at. Of course over the last couple of months Messi has been the team though.

The comparison is stupid though. Iniesta is a midfielder so of course it is him ( and Xavi ) who decide how we begin to attack as they collect the ball from our defence. It's the case with virtually all football teams. Also e sounds like he is suggesting that Messi sleeps for the whole game and then pops up and scores but that couldn't be further from the truth, in fact the PSG and Bilbao games would suggest that the opposite is true.

Riquelme is obviously trying to compliment Iniesta but has gone about it in a strange way.

 

[fendiking]

CR7 519 CLUB games 322 CLUB Goals

MESSI 379 CLUB games 313 CLUB Goals

140 games more played by CR7 and only 9 goals more scored in his career......

Just Wow!!!

 

[Paganinisrvnge]

CR7 519 CLUB games 322 CLUB Goals

MESSI 379 CLUB games 313 CLUB Goals

140 games more played by CR7 and only 9 goals more scored in his career......

Just Wow!!!

Messi had it down to like only a 3 or 4 goal difference before he got injured. Messi will definitely surpass Ronaldo in career goals next season.

 

[Kerrybai]

Messi had it down to like only a 3 or 4 goal difference before he got injured. Messi will definitely surpass Ronaldo in career goals next season.

I know I was counting down the goals too It's 360 to 345 for club and country. I actually quite like Ronaldo and know these stats mean very little but it is interesting to follow.

Messi has 6 more games this season to try and cut the gap further. I reckon Messi will overtake him around October - December.

CR7 519 CLUB games 322 CLUB Goals

MESSI 379 CLUB games 313 CLUB Goals

140 games more played by CR7 and only 9 goals more scored in his career......

Just Wow!!!

At a goal a game that will put Messi on 453 by the time he has reached 519 games. Throwing International goals in for the same period and he should be around the 500 goal mark arty1:

He's gunning for Pele.

 

[BerkeleyBernie]

Originally Posted by BarcaGirl
Riquelme (Boca): "Messi is obviously the best player on the planet, but if he loses focus for 10-15 minutes, Iniesta takes control" [sofoot]Riquelme (Boca): "Iniesta decides how Barça attack. Meanwhile, Messi walks around and when he remembers there's a game going on, he scores twice."Is this an insult towards Messi or is he joking??

A compliment towards Messi's ability but a criticism on his tendency to sometimes walk and not be involved due to lapses in focus.

I'm with Riquelme here, though I wouldn't call it a lack of focus. I'd say more that Messi just doesn't know what to do without the ball in the CF position. He knows how to play triangles (like any other Barça player), but he's too far away and waits for the ball to get to him. If no one brings the ball close (after the first 15-20 minutes of a game this season), he drops back and becomes an extra midfielder, and starts to play wall passes with the other midfielders (but leaving the CF area vacant).

You can really only be a static number 9 if you are tall and physical, able to win balls in the air under tight conditions (a la Ibra, Drogba). Otherwise, as a 9 you have to make runs: either quick drops back between the lines to receive the ball delivered fast to feet with some space from the CBs, or make runs to get the ball over the top or through, in the space behind the CBs. This season, Messi does neither. He walks, until he decides to become a midfielder.

I'd be curious to see a map of Messi's starting position at the beginning of each Barça move that resulted in a Messi goal, assist, or key pass this season. I'd bet almost none are in the final third, and few, if any, started from a CF position near the CBs. Most would be in the middle third on the opponent's side of the half-line, somewhere towards the right side.

 

[DonAndres]

I'm with Riquelme here, though I wouldn't call it a lack of focus. I'd say more that Messi just doesn't know what to do without the ball in the CF position. He knows how to play triangles (like any other Barça player), but he's too far away and waits for the ball to get to him. If no one brings the ball close (after the first 15-20 minutes of a game this season), he drops back and becomes an extra midfielder, and starts to play wall passes with the other midfielders (but leaving the CF area vacant).

You can really only be a static number 9 if you are tall and physical, able to win balls in the air under tight conditions (a la Ibra, Drogba). Otherwise, as a 9 you have to make runs: either quick drops back between the lines to receive the ball delivered fast to feet with some space from the CBs, or make runs to get the ball over the top or through, in the space behind the CBs. This season, Messi does neither. He walks, until he decides to become a midfielder.

I'd be curious to see a map of Messi's starting position at the beginning of each Barça move that resulted in a Messi goal, assist, or key pass this season. I'd bet almost none are in the final third, and few, if any, started from a CF position near the CBs. Most would be in the middle third on the opponent's side of the half-line, somewhere towards the right side.

I agree mostly but it's not always that Messi doesn't know what to do without the ball. I've seen plenty of instances where a teammate is only a couple yards away ready to pass to him but he's not ready to receive it and start moving. It's a flaw but honestly it doesn't seem to affect him much because every time he is in the zone he is the spark to our attack.

 

[footyfan]

Nobody's game gets more dissected than Messi's, inspite of how good he is.

 

[footyfan]

That being said, I agree with the consequence of the situation Riquelme is talking about, but not the cause. He's worded it poorly IMO, or more plausibly, he doesn't know what he's talking about.

 

[CatalinR10]