10 - Lionel Messi - v3

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Butaan4barca

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besides all, he has developed very well. I think he will be a great great midfielder (in a traditional 10) role when he is 31,32, and may well go to play at the very very top level till 36-37. And will probably be the best the world has ever seen in that role too.

And i think, he will have to take that role finally when his speed declines as he has, passing, vision, set piece skills, and surely can dictate plays. So i wouldn't mind a messi with far less speed, in 5 years time. All i hope is we just don't let him go as long as he doesn't decides to hang his boots.
 
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doublehh03

New member
BBZ8800 said:
Some users say that Messi can do all things as back then.
Nobody says that he is a bad player now.
He is just older and plays more with his brains and routine.
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No, different situations, different teams, different expectations, and different defenses.

He wasn't asked to "carry" a team back then.
He had easily the best mid-field in history back then.
He was expected to primarily "score" back then.
And he's not marked like multiple defenders when he first played or at least his first few years before his stardom ascended.

It's like you're saying a Lebron James or Michael Jordan declined by 27-28 also b/c they didn't dunk as much or get to the FT line as much. Well duh, defenses keyed in on them more and more, and their responsibilities got bigger year in and year out. EVERY great player in every sport understands the grind of a season as they get older. They pace themselves more and more.

Most footballers don't carry the weight that Messi does. He not only has to score, but also create plays for his team. He's basically Ronaldo + Hazard/Cesc for Barca.
 
BibB

BibB

Junior Member
@Blaugrana Man no worries :)

I too miss Messi's youthful exuberance but the trade off for his mature and more experienced game is well worth it. Especially the way he's playing this season.
 
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BBZ8800

BBZ8800

Senior Member
doublehh03 said:
No, different situations, different teams, different expectations, and different defenses.

He wasn't asked to "carry" a team back then.
He had easily the best mid-field in history back then.
He was expected to primarily "score" back then.
And he's not marked like multiple defenders when he first played or at least his first few years before his stardom ascended.

It's like you're saying a Lebron James or Michael Jordan declined by 27-28 also b/c they didn't dunk as much or get to the FT line as much. Well duh, defenses keyed in on them more and more, and their responsibilities got bigger year in and year out. EVERY great player in every sport understands the grind of a season as they get older. They pace themselves more and more.

Most footballers don't carry the weight that Messi does. He not only has to score, but also create plays for his team. He's basically Ronaldo + Hazard/Cesc for Barca.
Click to expand...

Again, when I said that Messi is not 100% as fast as before, it sounds (by some replies) as if I said that Messi is the worst player in the world.

He is not that fast, regardless of who played in our midfield and how many players are marking him.

Further, I am talking about young Messi, not Messi who played with Busi+Xavi+Iniesta.
Young Messi played with Marquez, Xavi and Deco or with Edmilson+Van Bommel+Deco.

Why is it so hard to accept that Messi will be 28 in 2 Months and he is not as fast as back then, since I am saying only that and nothing more.
He was a kid/a teenager with skinny legs back then.
He is a grown man with 1000s of matches in a row on his back.

Saying that he is older and not that fast isn't exactly an insult, but a fact of life.
 
LordLichtenstein

LordLichtenstein

New member
Butaan4barca said:
besides all, he has developed very well. I think he will be a great great midfielder (in a traditional 10) role when he is 31,32, and may well go to play at the very very top level till 36-37. And will probably be the best the world has ever seen in that role too.

And i think, he will have to take that role finally when his speed declines as he has, passing, vision, set piece skills, and surely can dictate plays. So i wouldn't mind a messi with far less speed, in 5 years time. All i hope is we just don't let him go as long as he doesn't decides to hang his boots.
Click to expand...

The dude already has 170+ assists and will likely reach 300 before his career is over. He is already one of the greats in the midfield.
 
Ursegor

Ursegor

World Champion
"Messi 99 pace"? In which universe was this? Messi was never super pacey. Remember this?

[youtube]mNh63zqZLZs[/youtube]

I'm hearing about his "loss of pace" for at least 4 years now. Too bad most old threads are deleted otherwise I'd show you the exact same debate in the away Leverkusen CL game in 2011. People still can't differentiate between a teenager playing at full speed whenever he gets the ball and a 27 year old who choses his moments?

Here is Messi in the 5-0 Clasico in 2010. Can't escape Pepe on the break @ 41:55.

[youtube]nNWKi2rNT8E[/youtube]

His pace is very good but far from extraordinary.

Another funny Internet myth is this "bulking up = slower" bollocks. Since when does muscle mass slow you down? Have you seen the body of 100 m sprinters? Usain Bolt is 6.4 ft. and weighs 210 pounds. Do you see Bale who is one of the fastest players?

These debates. smh
 
footyfan

footyfan

Calma, calma
Ursegor, I agree with your point but your examples aren't exactly fair examples here.

That Kaka goal - Messi had played 88 minutes while Kaka had just come on as a sub (Kaka was also EXTREMELY fast)
Pepe instance - we had seen a 32 year old Henry outpace Pepe in the corresponding Clasico the previous season and there are many examples of Messi outpacing Henry as well
 
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doublehh03

New member
Messi is MOTIVATED today!! He has run like crazy to chase down balls 2-3 times already.

It's clearly obvious he paces himself in some games LOL.
 
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