10 - Lionel Messi - v2

[Luftstalag14]

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.

Messi can, and should perfect his game.

I have not watched him playing for Argentina that much, does he walk around there as much as when he plays for Barca?

 

[footyfan]

I have not watched him playing for Argentina that much, does he walk around there as much as when he plays for Barca?

Yes he does. But, when he gets the ball, he's far more dynamic. But it probably seems that way because of the extra space afforded to him in Argentina games.

 

[fendiking]

I think you guys should watch the English translation of Pep describing why he changed Messi's position to false 9 and you'll clearly understand that messi drops back into midfield to create a 3 vs 2 situation

A player scoring 60 goals a season is dissected for walking around too much

I hope he does more walking in that case!!!

 

[BigBarcaBoy]

keep on walking Leo !

 

[raskolnikov]

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.



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.

How much goals does Pele have? Everyone that has looked a little further knows the 1281 number is clearly wrong, in reality its probably something like 750+ along with Romario, Puskas, eusebio, Gerd Muller and a few other guys.

Im sure Messi might join them once he is done, Muller is the only one I take seriously out of those guys.

 

[BarcaGirl]

Messi vs Betis, vip camera

I love how pissed he was, that he didn't score on that last chance

 

[ThwiX]

Strange how Marca haven't written an article about how Messi tried to kill the cameraman by kicking that box at him.

 

[CatalinR10]

Strange how Marca haven't written an article about how Messi tried to kill the cameraman by kicking that box at him.

They tried but Messi was 1 step ahead of them and threatened he would kill the family of those who would publish the article.

 

[Papabeef]

How much goals does Pele have? Everyone that has looked a little further knows the 1281 number is clearly wrong, in reality its probably something like 750+ along with Romario, Puskas, eusebio, Gerd Muller and a few other guys.

Im sure Messi might join them once he is done, Muller is the only one I take seriously out of those guys.

Official goals 1 - Josef Bican : 805+

2- Romario : 772

3- Pele : 767 4- Puskas : 746+ an 5- Muller : 735.


As for Non Official goals, Pele being second to Arthur Friedenreich. both with non proven numbers due to old dates though.

 

[Papabeef]

How much goals does Pele have? Everyone that has looked a little further knows the 1281 number is clearly wrong, in reality its probably something like 750+ along with Romario, Puskas, eusebio, Gerd Muller and a few other guys.

Im sure Messi might join them once he is done, Muller is the only one I take seriously out of those guys.

Official goals 1 - Josef Bican : 805+

2- Romario : 772

3- Pele : 767

4- Puskas : 746+

and 5- Muller : 735.


As for "Non Official" goals, Pele being second to Arthur Friedenreich. both with non proven numbers due to old dates though.

 

[Kerrybai]

How much goals does Pele have? Everyone that has looked a little further knows the 1281 number is clearly wrong, in reality its probably something like 750+ along with Romario, Puskas, eusebio, Gerd Muller and a few other guys.

Im sure Messi might join them once he is done, Muller is the only one I take seriously out of those guys.

Here is a complete list. http://www.rsssf.com/players/prolific.html

A user on here by the name of Khaled has a revised list where he excludes Bican as he doesn't have a source for his goals. He has Pele number 1 at 757 excluding 1 military goal and 9 for the Sao Paolo selection. I think he has Romario revised to around 750. The list has the top 28 scorers with Henrik Larsson at number 28 on 470 goals.

Messi's average scoring rate for the last 3 seasons is 1.13 goals per game. To break into the top 28 he will need to play another 111 games ( excluding internationals ) At this rate he will hit 470 before he is 28.

 

[KhaledBarca]

 

[KhaledBarca]

Here is a complete list. http://www.rsssf.com/players/prolific.html

A user on here by the name of Khaled has a revised list where he excludes Bican as he doesn't have a source for his goals. He has Pele number 1 at 757 excluding 1 military goal and 9 for the Sao Paolo selection. I think he has Romario revised to around 750. The list has the top 28 scorers with Henrik Larsson at number 28 on 470 goals.

Messi's average scoring rate for the last 3 seasons is 1.13 goals per game. To break into the top 28 he will need to play another 111 games ( excluding internationals ) At this rate he will hit 470 before he is 28.

Counting just official goals at Senior level (club+country):
- Pele 757 goals in 815 games
- Romario 749g in 972m
- Puskas 709g in 720m
- Gerd Muller 640g in 723m

Messi (345g in 457m) should end his career in Top 5, if he stays fit!

 

[jiopi]

If Messi continues like this through his prime years, I see him beat everybody.

And that 1281 Pele goals has to be the funniest calculation ever, he even counted movie goals, which he scored with Rambo and co.

 

[Yannick03]

The most important thing will be the evolution Messi will make when he gets older. I can see him reaching the 600 mark when he's 30 but how will his scoring ability be affected when he gets older. He'll have to keep scoring a lot.