10 - Lionel Messi - v3

[footyfan]

Messi nowadays has to use his guile more, use more turns of pace by going slow and then fast or invite players into challenge (like he did against Milner on the nutmeg and then go past them). He has to use his guile more than his raw pace. Not to say that he is slow or average now in terms of his pace but just nowhere near as explosive. There were times particularly in the 2nd half where he was 1 on 1 and a couple of seasons ago he would've left that defender for dead. Teams had to put at least 2 guys in front of him or surround him in a cage in order to contain him at his absolute peak.........and even then he would score a boatload of gials. Even quick defenders like Pepe or Ramos couldn't deal with him 1 on 1.

His playmaking skills have always been there. He started off his career as a winger.He didn't show us anything that he couldn't have done a few years ago. He was always capable of providing great passes and assists (look at his assist for Villa's goal in the 5-0 demolition of Madrid at the Camp Nou and numerous others in his career). Anyways, I just wanted to put some perspective on all this. Maybe guys haven't seen a performance like this from Messi in some time but during Guardiola's era and most of Tito Vilanova, this would've been a very routine performance for him..... and he would've scored a couple of goals as well. It was a top performance from our players but I'm just saying that we shouldn't get over the top by beating a team that just lost to Burnley and was completely outplayed by a 10-men Bayern team at home. We're going to have to play better against Madrid and going forward in the CL . We didn't exactly beat an elite European team yesterday and they haven't been all that great in their domestic league for sometime now as well.

1 - IMO his playmaking abilities are at a higher level now than that 5-0 game. Don;t get me wrong he was a greatplaymaker then but thoseover the top through balls he does now are just routine for him.

2 - Just had a look at the highlights from that 5-0, his pace looks pretty much the same, as does his acceleration, probably less explosive now than he was when he first made it into the first team though, I'll give you that much.

3 - I don't understand the part about goals, could you explain that? His goal conversion and his goals per game are higher now that they were duirng that Manita season.

If you want to compare Messi's dribbling, agility and explosiveness - the video below is probably the best you can come across. If you ask me, I have to side with hellsangel1. His dribbling just seemed a lot freer in previous seasons. I mean, Messi himself has said he has to regulate himself more.

As for playmaking, I think Messi was as good of a playmaker in 2012, however this season the support cast (and his new deeper, less central role) is really providing him the platform to abuse those skills.

 

[Neeraj]

Performances like this make it even more obvious that D10S will go down as the undisputed GOAT, with nobody coming close. I think I might have ruined my pants multiple times last night

Also, some memes and reactions to Messi last night

http://metro.co.uk/2015/03/18/death...ilner-and-manchester-city-in-general-5110414/

 

[TornAndFrayed]

i really don't get that nostalgic feeling.
Messi seems near his absolute best to me.

What he lost in pace, he gained in strength

 

[footyfan]

i really don't get that nostalgic feeling.
Messi seems near his absolute best to me.

What he lost in pace, he gained in strength

Yeah imo his current form is as good as his 2012 peak, in terms of performances. He's creating chances almost at will. Dribbling wise, I prefer the older Messi - he looked like a 1-man team. That's not to say that his dribbling now is any less than phenomenal.

 

[Richard.H]

Thanks. Hopefully he reaches 60. It's not unreachable if he continues this form.

 

[Gaudi]

Ma father, who watched all those great players (loves Cruyff) said yesterday there is no doubt anymore about who is the best of all time

 

[aaron101]

LOL

And that hattrick at 19 yrs old was scored at El Clasico.

 

[iceon]

My dad says he'll never see anyone like Pele again despite having seen Messi and Maradona and Zico etc. I'll never see anyone like Messi again, no doubt about it, from another planet. What a player, and it's not his top level that does it for me, it's his consistency. Many players in top form were fantastic to watch but they couldn't do it for game after game, this guy can. Hope he shines against Real Madrid and kills the league off this weekend.

 

[dakt]

Guys leave stats alone, this is football...no stat can express Messi's greatness as watching him play the damn game.
If he had more a bit more luck which is always a big factor in football and Neymar and Suarez were better finishers...City would refuse to play further matches against Barca until Messi is retired.
You just cannot express what he is through mathematical models, like one cannot express an art through math.

 

[anguy]

What he lost in pace, he gained in strength

PLus he drastically improved his right foot.

 

[pacp_96]

That nutmeg on Milner

 

[Leo_Messi]

D10S.

 

[Frodo_FCB]

 

[instinct]

I wonder if he does that on purpose

There was a time where he only scored with his right foot and now he nutmegs the fuck out of every opponent in every game
Wonder what he'll do next. Maybe scoring with his teeth.

 

[Alik]

Good one!