10 - Lionel Messi - v3

[crackh0e]

Okay, so now it's so obvious everyone can see that his workrate and dribbling is much, much worse than it was in previous seasons. In 07/08, 08/09, 09/10, 10/11 and partly 11/12, I would be surprised if Messi lost the ball. Nowadays, it's happening very oftenly. He has slacked tremendously on this part I feel, and he rarely chooses to go on dribbling runs. Workrate is just awful too, and this is starting to look like the Ronaldinho story, except I don't think it will get that bad. After all, dinho got fat etc too, and stopped coming to training, something I think never will happen to Messi. However, he seriously needs to wake a bit up. Ronaldo has several mental trainers, maybe Messi should look into the same, dunno if he has any... I think he needs motivation, maybe, just maybe he's afraid of getting injured before the WC, and that's why his workrate is so bad. I hope this is the case, but it's not acceptable even that, though I understand it. A WC win could cement him as the No1 footballer ever

 

[CatalinR10]

I think that after the World Cup we will know for sure if Messi has declined or not.

 

[Jägermeister]

Absolutely. The number of times the ball goes out to the wing and the winger runs at the full back, looking for options, you see Messi stood motionless between the centre half and midfielder. When he gets on the ball, more often than not he's brilliant and makes things happen.

The best player to have played the game can't influence a match if he doesn't move into or create space. I don't like to criticise him. as I've said before, he has more than enough credit in the bank. Its just when every other player in the world loses form, they compensate by trying harder. Every player in the world wants to play in the World Cup, so I won't buy this 'taking it easy arguement'. Barca don't pay him £300,000 a week to think about playing for Argentina.

There were also situations where he went deep, but tha ball was passed to the winger. I don't want to defend his lazyness which has grown quiet worryingly, but our current tactics suit him as badly as they possibly could. This together with his obvious drop in workrate make him look so bad.

 

[eye-switcher]

I think that after the World Cup we will know for sure if Messi has declined or not.

Im not looking forward to the answer to that question...

 

[Armando929]

If Messi has declined, it would be one of the most dramatic falls from grace I've ever seen.

 

[IronAvenger]

disappointing season for him. no interest at all today. I'm officially rooting against Argentina.

 

[BarcaVillain]

There were also situations where he went deep, but tha ball was passed to the winger. I don't want to defend his lazyness which has grown quiet worryingly, but our current tactics suit him as badly as they possibly could. This together with his obvious drop in workrate make him look so bad.

Absolutely. I'm not sitting here blaming all the clubs problems on him. The way we are currently playing doesn't help any of our players, least of all Messi. I'm not sure who in their right mind would decide that the best form of attack is for the full backs to cross the ball to 5ft forwards, all three of which aren't likely to be in the box.

 

[Devils]

If Messi has declined, it would be one of the most dramatic falls from grace I've ever seen.

He hasn't declined in terms of talent.

He's declined in terms of his motivation and inspiration. He can't do what he used to because Pep isn't there to inspire him anymore, to give him animal like hunger that bought him to levels that he used to be at. Not to mention that Tata is tactically inept.

It's so incredibly evident.

 

[CatalinR10]

I'm officially rooting against Argentina.

Really....

So all of the suden , it doesn't matter anymore what he has done for the club in recent years , just because he could be more focused on the World Cup rather than Barcelona , makes you want to root against him. Just because he didn't score a hatrick once again vs Madrid or whatever , you want him to do bad . Great fan.

 

[FC B]

Well Messi is to me the biggest disappointment this season except that stupid board and Tata which were clear utter shit for me.

 

[Mitchell1978]

He played bad like the whole team but maybe instead of blaming him like a bunch of spoiled little children you should support the players so they can get back into it. Messi was playing great a couple of weeks ago (close to his very best), the city return game, the osasuna game, the classico at the bernabeu. Then after that game the form started to dip massively, i don't have an explanation for this but thats life.

 

[BarcaVillain]

Really....

So all of the suden , it doesn't matter anymore what he has done for the club in recent years , just because he could be more focused on the World Cup rather than Barcelona , makes you want to root against him. Just because he didn't score a hatrick once again vs Madrid or whatever , you want him to do bad . Great fan.

Not for me, I'm rooting against him because he's from Argentina, I'm from England and they're cheats.

 

[dakt]

I saw him asking for the ball many times. In most he didn't get it.

It's one thing to ask for the ball, another thing is to FIND a place to receive it. You need to RUN for that, constantly looking for free space.
What I really don't like about him is how easily he gets frustrated. You need to work hard, and when things fail, work even harder. It takes time and effort to gain psychological advantage which can put you in trance, a state where you feel very confident and progressive.
He lost that....and yeah, the team is not helping him either.

 

[IronAvenger]

no player should be trying to save himself for the World Cup. they get paid to perform at the highest level. I don't see Ronaldo, Ibrahim, Suarez taking the season lightly to save themselves for the World Cup.

 

[BarcaVillain]

no player should be trying to save himself for the World Cup. they get paid to perform at the highest level. I don't see Ronaldo, Ibrahim, Suarez taking the season lightly to save themselves for the World Cup.

This.