10 - Lionel Messi - v3

[DonAndres]

Yeah, that was me over in another thread. Where'd you get the stat?

I went to the UEFA website and found the match center for the Barcelona-APOEL match. There you scroll down to match statistics and click on players and you should be able to find it. You can do that for all matches this season but I can't seem to find the stats for last season if that's what you wanted to compare with. Distance covered and heat maps were available last season but I think they removed it from the records as they went to this season.

1. He spent much more time towards the right wing. This obviously puts him closer to other players than when he walks up front, so he sees more touches there.
2. His game is much more vertical, rather than flat, when he is center. Messi is at his best running at players.

So his right side positioning means both that he sees more touches and has more opportunities to run at defenders (with Suarez keeping the centerbacks from coming out). It also has the MASSIVE benefit of keeping Alves from crossing as much , as there is nothing Alves loves better than to play 1-2s with Messi.

I agree that the freedom to own the right side benefits him as he's no longer restricted to zones where he won't see the ball. Instead he has the ability to move to the flank and retrieve the ball and thus change the shape of the game. The Alvessi connection is pretty much the only good (and truly invaluable) thing that Alves provides these days and that has been utilized to the max this season whenever Messi decided to drift wide.

Since opponents bunker down so much these days it's easier for Messi to penetrate the middle by drifting from an angle than going head-on. He also gets plenty of time in the middle, except that he only has to do it in the times when he has the opportunity create something truly substantial from there. That means he has all the added bonus of playing centrally when it's appealing minus the large portions of time where there aren't enough openings to attack from there. At least playing at the right gives him the opportunity to stretch the opponent in a way that creates openings.

 

[BerkeleyBernie]

I agree that the freedom to own the right side benefits him as he's no longer restricted to zones where he won't see the ball. Instead he has the ability to move to the flank and retrieve the ball and thus change the shape of the game. The Alvessi connection is pretty much the only good (and truly invaluable) thing that Alves provides these days and that has been utilized to the max this season whenever Messi decided to drift wide.

Haven't found the distance stats yet, but found the passing combo stats, and guess who had the highest (shock shock)? Alves to Messi, by a long shot, 42 passes to Messi. 2nd highest was Messi to Alves, 28. A few other combos around 20 passes, but clearly Messi being close to Alves prevents Alves from being...Bad Alves.

 

[KyletheMuslim]

Except Suarez is anything but stale. But I agree South Americans strikers are usually fantastic with their back against the goal, Suarez is no exception as he showed today.

Question for ya'll, how good is Suarez at heading the ball?

Pretty damn Good, look at the goals between 0:45-0:56 and 1:25 to 1:34 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R40_TDSmb70

 

[Autumn]

Messi and Alves were so good together, I love them in close proximity. You just have that certainty that something good is going to come from it. And it also seems to prevent random wild crosses!

Another great record for Messi today of course, I hope he can keep this up.

At this point I feel like the Balon D'or vote is much more a test of it's legitimacy and objectiveness. Messi is clearly so far and away the greatest player in history, there's no need for some year-to-year award going to him to affirm his ability, but I think for the award's sake it'd just be embarrassing to give it anyone else. Though even if they absurdly simplify it down to goal tally's, as seems to be all the media is capable of comparing, Messi still could come out on top.

 

[doublehh03]

7 UCL goals this campaign for Messi. Ronaldo's record is 17. Let's hope the team goes deep enough to allow for Messi to challenge that record too!!!

 

[sabby]

Looks like if I don't watch the Barca matches live, they play well and Messi scores a lot. If this means I have to be content with watching highlights then so be it !! Let the goals galore begin

 

[footyfan]

In the third goal against Sevilla, in one fluid move he both evaded a challenge and passed to Neymar, both with his left foot. That was so nice to watch. His body is completely in sync, it's like it reacts before his mind has even created a picture of what he is going to do.

If he scores 2 vs PSG, he equals Luiz Adriano and Ronaldo's record for most group stage goals in 1 season, unless Luiz Adriano himself scores too.

 

[Empty]

Honestly, before the False Nine era, the Messi-Alves-Xavi triangle was a fucking engine of destruction and beauty.

 

[Icarium]

penaldo is beyond reach this season and this year. Not counting the 8 penalties NOT GIVEN to barça in la liga for the franco referees

Not beyond reach. Messi can finish 2014 with more goals than ronaldo and he can finish this season with more goals than ronaldo. But la liga alone is impossible, the difference is too big. Ronaldo will have more matches like club world cup though. We have to wait and see if ronaldo red hot form continues. If it does continue it will be hard for messi to compete.

 

[KingMessi]

Records he broke today. #LEYENDA #SIEMPREMESSI

 

[dakt]

We seen this graph many times, but just to remind us how good he is:

 

[hardyboy]

 

[CesDel]

Roncero being Roncero ends up with him being owned.

For you who don't understand spanish and Portuguese(I think?), Roncero claims that Messi is being Messi by scoring goals against a small team like Iran, Apeol, Bosnia etc. So they posted some very interesting stats, the team that Messi scores the most against in Spain is Real Madrid, the team that C.ronaldo scores the most against in Spain is Getafe. The team that Messi scores the most against in Europe is Milan, the team that C.Ronaldo scores the most against in Europe is Galatasaray. The team that Messi has scored the most against for his NT is Brazil, the team that C.Ronaldo has scored the most against for his NT is Sweden..

 

[raskolnikov]

Roncero being Roncero ends up with him being owned.

For you who don't understand spanish and Portuguese(I think?), Roncero claims that Messi is being Messi by scoring goals against a small team like Iran, Apeol, Bosnia etc. So they posted some very interesting stats, the team that Messi scores the most against in Spain is Real Madrid, the team that C.ronaldo scores the most against in Spain is Getafe. The team that Messi scores the most against in Europe is Milan, the team that C.Ronaldo scores the most against in Europe is Galatasaray. The team that Messi has scored the most against for his NT is Brazil, the team that C.Ronaldo has scored the most against for his NT is Sweden..

Who is that guy anyway?

 

[Luftstalag14]

Roncero being Roncero ends up with him being owned.

For you who don't understand spanish and Portuguese(I think?), Roncero claims that Messi is being Messi by scoring goals against a small team like Iran, Apeol, Bosnia etc. So they posted some very interesting stats, the team that Messi scores the most against in Spain is Real Madrid, the team that C.ronaldo scores the most against in Spain is Getafe. The team that Messi scores the most against in Europe is Milan, the team that C.Ronaldo scores the most against in Europe is Galatasaray. The team that Messi has scored the most against for his NT is Brazil, the team that C.Ronaldo has scored the most against for his NT is Sweden..

And what does this Spanish loser have to say in response?

Eh...eh...eh.......?