10 - Lionel Messi - v3

[Kohe321]

Pep can try whatever he wants, even out of form messi drags 2 players out of position and that gives space for suarez and neymar. If he played in god game, there is nothing pep could do. If it is only messi like in 2012 then he could easily stop him, but that is not the case anymore. Suarez and Neymar are good enough to win matches on their own.

Yeah, with three forwards who are as dangerous as MSN, marking Messi with too many defenders is asking for trouble. If they do, Messi suddenly nutmegs his way through the first line and suddenly all three of them is running full speed into tons of space... That is a recipe for goals. And it's hard to go 180 minutes without that happening many times. If he has a good night Messi alone can't be marked out of the game effectively, let alone all three of them.

 

[Icarium]

If we win this cl he will get ballond'or for sure. Doesn't matter if ronaldo scored 10 more goals than him or even 20. Hope he turns up for these matches, really need him to perform to have a chance at the title.

 

[Mido]

If we win this cl he will get ballond'or for sure. Doesn't matter if ronaldo scored 10 more goals than him or even 20. Hope he turns up for these matches, really need him to perform to have a chance at the title.

Watching Ronaldo win the CL this season would rip my heart in bits

 

[Icarium]

Watching Ronaldo win the CL this season would rip my heart in bits

You know what's worse? madrid defending their cl. Even pep's barca couldn't do it. This madrid team is inferior.

 

[Luftstalag14]

No

Why not?

I am one of Messi's biggest fanboys, but even I have to say Messi's approach to games, his moves etc. are rather predictable these days. It is not that hard to shut him down. Especially for someone who knows Messi so well, probably better than 99% of folks on this planet, Guardiola.

 

[Ekul]

Why not?

I am one of Messi's biggest fanboys, but even I have to say Messi's approach to games, his moves etc. are rather predictable these days. It is not that hard to shut him down. Especially for someone who knows Messi so well, probably better than 99% of folks on this planet, Guardiola.

Messi. Predictable.

These words do not go together.

 

[Luftstalag14]

Messi. Predictable.

These words do not go together.

I certainly hope I am very wrong.

 

[Kohe321]

Alves: Hey Messi, I hear Pep is going to tell his defenders how to shut you down

Messi: Wow, interesting news bro

The thing is, Pep can teach Bernat as many tricks and tips as he wants, but at the end of the day it's Bernat who is out on the pitch facing Messi. As soon as he commits a leg into a challenge (or steps back), Messi will swoop around him and either get past or draw a foul. His dribling is unpredictable because he simply goes with the flow of things and exploits any weakness in the opponents balance or stance at any time, you can't really "learn" how to mark Messi.

All of this is of course given Messi has a good game and isn't limping around exhausted of course.

 

[Topolino]

If Alves plays like he did vs PSG at home, Messi and him are going to tear Bernat a new one. If you know what I'm talking about

 

[KingMessi]

If Alves plays like he did vs PSG at home, Messi and him are going to tear Bernat a new one. If you know what I'm talking about

He's only a kid.

 

[Blaugrana Bull]

If Leo does not move his ass to make himself available as often as possible, he will stand around and watch the opponent run the show like he did in the 1st half of the last Clasico.
As good as Messi is, he needs to do the basic things on the pitch first to influence the game.

 

[Kohe321]

If Leo does not move his ass to make himself available as often as possible, he will stand around and watch the opponent run the show like he did in the 1st half of the last Clasico.
As good as Messi is, he needs to do the basic things on the pitch first to influence the game.

That quiet first half performance from Messi in the clasico was mostly due to Iniesta and Neymar having all of the ball, and the distance between the right and left players were too great so they had no interplay together. Mascherano kept passing to Iniesta, who passed it to Neymar, and the ball went back and forth between them (and Alba) until they lost it, and Messi was often reduced to just a spectator in that half. This was fixed in the second half, a lot due to the substitutions in midfield, and suddenly Messi got heavily involved.

And don't forget he was playing with that big painful bump on his foot that he received against City at home as well.

Other than that I agree with you, he absolutely needs to move and be lively. Just needs to be rested so he has enough energy for the game, and if he has that I'm sure he's going to have a great game.

 

[messi2140]

He's only a kid.

Fixed

 

[Blaugrana Bull]

That quiet first half performance from Messi in the clasico was mostly due to Iniesta and Neymar having all of the ball, and the distance between the right and left players were too great so they had no interplay together. Mascherano kept passing to Iniesta, who passed it to Neymar, and the ball went back and forth between them (and Alba) until they lost it, and Messi was often reduced to just a spectator in that half. This was fixed in the second half, a lot due to the substitutions in midfield, and suddenly Messi got heavily involved.

And don't forget he was playing with that big painful bump on his foot that he received against City at home as well.

Other than that I agree with you, he absolutely needs to move and be lively. Just needs to be rested and have the energy. I'm sure he's going to give it his best.

There is always an excuse for Leo in here. Real guided Barca to their left side and wanted Messi to have as few touches as possible. BUT we are talking about the possibly the best player ever who simply has to make adjustments on his own in such a game. He is drifting into the center anyway most of the time and that could have been a possibility to get more touches and influence the game e.g.

I am just saying: In order to have a great performance Messi has to do basic work that every footballer has to do. (Clever) movement to make himself available, participate in pressing (not in every situation if that is the coach's plan but recognize when it is necessary) and just read the game in general.

 

[CatalinR10]