10 - Lionel Messi - v3

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Jelboo

New member
Everyone disappointed me to my deepest core tonight, but Messi most of all. I saw nothing there. What the fuck Lionel?
 

Pepe Silvia

Active member
... and we want to give the captains armband to this guy? Someone who couldn't even light a fire under his teams ass? I understand more are to blame, but these are the TYPES of games where a leader is made. You know, guys like Puyol that used to pull Pique by the ears when he messed up and screamed at everyone urging them on? Messi can't do that yet he is considered a leader by people. Baffling.
 

Luftstalag14

Culé de Celestial Empire
Unfortunately, tonight's game gave more credence to those who have been saying that Messi really doesn't perform well when the likes of Iniesta and Xavi are contained, that he relied on the brilliant Barca stars to get to where he is today.

I hate it so much that I don't know how to give a rebuttal to this.
 

evilhita666

Barçapocalypse NOW!
Unfortunately, tonight's game gave more credence to those who have been saying that Messi really doesn't perform well when the likes of Iniesta and Xavi are contained, that he relied on the brilliant Barca stars to get to where he is today.

I hate it so much that I don't know how to give a rebuttal to this.

Seriously? Messi has proved in way too many occasions that he can perform without Xavi and Iniesta... People must be living in 2008 if they still believe that...
 

Armando929

New member
Kilometers ran by Atletico players

'Cebolla', 2,023
Courtois, 3,313
Diego, 4,521
Adrián, 7,758
Miranda, 8,477
Godín, 8,670
Villa, 9,149
Juanfran, 9,548
Filipe Luis, 9,819
Tiago, 11,348
Rául García, 11,660
Gabi, 11,737
Koke, 12,280



Kilometers ran by our guys
Pedro, 2,494
Alexis, 3,346
Pinto, 5,359
Iniesta, 7,735
Cesc, 7,733
Messi, 6,853
Mascherano, 9,160
Neymar, 9,519
Bartra, 10,640
Busquets, 10,753
Alves, 10,827
Alba, 11,525
Xavi, 11,820


Numbers don't tell the whole story. But when you see a player like Lionel Messi on the low end of this, it really does make you wonder a bit. Love Messi to death don't get me wrong, but ever since Pep left, he's gotten a little too comfortable and maybe just maybe he's more concerned with just scoring goals than doing whats best for the team.
 

Gamegod

Member
The thing is Messi isn't some kid anymore lighting up the footballing world. He's nearly 27 years old and shows lack of passion and energy in games when he should be playing in his prime. He should be a leader and he should inspire this team. He's MORE THAN CAPABLE of doing this as anyone here knows.

Where is the passion? Where is the drive? Where is the hunger? Where is the heart? Where is the energy? Where is the motivation?

No one in the world questions Messi's talent, it's unanimous that he is the most talented player in the world, but talent isn't enough.

This was a disaster in the highest order, today we saw a soulless Messi, someone who just didn't give a shit anymore.

I know this forums laughed at Cristiano when he cried after winning the ballon d'or and beating Messi this year. But it really showed his passion for the game.

The Messi 4 years ago couldn't bear losing, broke into tears when he was injured and couldn't play. The kid oozed of desire to win.

Where has it gone?

+1

Maybe its the money that changed him, maybe the fact that he nearly won everything or some problems inside the club...hard to say.
 

footyfan

Calma, calma
Kilometers ran by Atletico players

'Cebolla', 2,023
Courtois, 3,313
Diego, 4,521
Adrián, 7,758
Miranda, 8,477
Godín, 8,670
Villa, 9,149
Juanfran, 9,548
Filipe Luis, 9,819
Tiago, 11,348
Rául García, 11,660
Gabi, 11,737
Koke, 12,280



Kilometers ran by our guys
Pedro, 2,494
Alexis, 3,346
Pinto, 5,359
Iniesta, 7,735
Cesc, 7,733
Messi, 6,853
Mascherano, 9,160
Neymar, 9,519
Bartra, 10,640
Busquets, 10,753
Alves, 10,827
Alba, 11,525
Xavi, 11,820


Numbers don't tell the whole story. But when you see a player like Lionel Messi on the low end of this, it really does make you wonder a bit. Love Messi to death don't get me wrong, but ever since Pep left, he's gotten a little too comfortable and maybe just maybe he's more concerned with just scoring goals than doing whats best for the team.

Embarrassing.

The stupid no space argument is such nonsense considering that was the explicit reason he was played on the right today. And then you look at Neymar who played on the left and ran so much more. Fabregas who got subbed out in the 60th minute and played in the "no space" zone ran more than him.

Literally got dispossessed every single time he touched the ball, didn't bother to even look back after losing the ball, terrible passing (lowest pass accuracy on the team @ 74%) - completely failed in doing a single action useful for the team.

Last 6 games vs Atleti - 0 goals 0 assists.

He could become Ronaldinho 2.0 except he will keep scoring tap ins and penalties. Wouldn't be surprised if he choked in the World Cup too.
 
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NotInHere

New member
I still have faith Leo will pick himself up, this is certainly not the end of his career, but today he was literally embarrassing... no words for his performance today. Just baffled. No GOAT plays with so little effort on important matches.
 

Ini8

¡Gr?*cies Xavi!
His worst performance in a Barca shirt. I've never seen him like this.

I hope that the transfer ban gets lifted as I think this squad not only needs rebuilding, but a personality like Stoichkov too. A psycho like him would probably make Messi, Alves, etc. fight their guts out for the team. It doesn't have to be a player; a coach like Richino from Valencia just might do it. Either way, we have lacked the intensity of a winning mentality in too many important games the last few years. That's been one of our main problems these last couple of years I reckon.
 

NotInHere

New member
What if he still didn't have a good WC in the end? Risked it all for nothing?
Argentina is not going to win the WC anyway, so all of this talk about him saving himself for the World Cup is nonsense. You know, all of this lazy talk is starting to follow him more and more, its not a coincidence either, he just been inconsistent.
 

footyfan

Calma, calma
Barcelona should hire a tax officer and make him chase Messi, maybe then he'll run more.

But seriously, the weather forecast for Barcelona tomorrow is a pleasant 20 C. The burden of deciding how he wanted his steak done for the barbecue was clearly weighing heavily on his mind. #Leave Messi Alone
 

Luftstalag14

Culé de Celestial Empire
He could become Ronaldinho 2.0 except he will keep scoring tap ins and penalties. Wouldn't be surprised if he choked in the World Cup too.

This is not fair to say. He had one of the worst performance of his career alright tonight. He hasn't been scoring from open play lately alright. But to say he will just keep scoring tap ins and penalties from now on is such a gross dramatization and over exaggeration.
 

Luftstalag14

Culé de Celestial Empire
All sorts of name-callings have poured in. "Lone Missile". "Mr. 6.8k". :facepalm:

I hope these insults provide Messi with the kick on his ass that he desperately needs.
 

DonAndres

Wild Man of Borneo
Honestly it's all down to coaching style. Ever since Pep left, we have coaches that cater more to individuals than the team.

Back in 08-12, Messi was a self-sacrificing part of a larger unit. He may have been the best part, but still a cog supporting the machine. Ever since Tito and now Tata, we play as a group of individuals and he's simply "the boss". Not the leader, not the captain, just the alpha-wolf who calls the shots on his own actions. Even if the individual route brings him success, he'll be served instead of doing the serving. We're not getting the most out of Messi this way.

It's not his own supposed "bad attitude" that is causing this, it's a lack of tactical discipline within the team. Any player will always be satisfied with themselves if they make as big an impact as Messi has, so you can't blame him for thinking he's done his part. What players fail to differentiate is that while they do play well football-wise (good individual actions, doing what they do best, getting goals/assists) they don't devote their fair share of tactical/team work (pressing or at least covering zones, having good movement and involvement in TEAM-play rather than their own plays). There are actions a player does that support their own plays and individual performance, and there are those that support the team and help lift the load.

This does NOT point towards a lack of character in Messi. It's just that when a person becomes great to that level, they feel that their individual actions are all they are responsible for as their contribution to the team. On some level, that is the main contribution because the team does rely on Messi's goals and assists. However, Messi will drift farther from being a group player and closer to an individualist until a coach (new one as Tata isn't the type) reboots the entire system and makes every player a cog in the machine again, with every action serving a greater purpose.

With the fall of the machine that is Barcelona, players are becoming more and more individuals who decide for themselves what they feel like doing. It's not as cynical or immoral as it sounds, honestly it's a natural progression even if a very negative one. Alves, Pique, Messi have all went this way on some level.
 
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