10 - Lionel Messi - v3

[FiReFTW]

I think an important thing for many to keep in mind regarding his dip in form is that he IS coming off of the worst injury period of his entire career. He just returned from a 2-month absence, following 5 muscle injuries in 6 months. He's effectively been injured since the Champion's League run in 2012-2013.

He has only been back for barely 4 months now. I refuse to believe that such a huge injury problem has no lingering repercussions for a player. I never expected Messi to be fully 100% recovered from such an extended period of injury so soon. Even if he is, for the most part, recovered physically... there is a big mental component that goes with getting continually re-injured for a year and then getting sidelined for two months due to injury. Not to mention, that is two whole months of not playing... thus lacking rhythm, feel and momentum. (He's had to restart his engine from zero, whereas Ronaldo has been getting steady play and rhythm all that time.) I believe that that has to be at least some part of it.

We'll just have to see if, with a little time, he can return back to his herculean heights. Although I am one that is "defending" Messi in this thread against what seems to some of us an unreasonable amount of blame and criticism, I completely do admit that Messi is not the Messi of 2012, or 2011, etc. I rememeber watching every single game in the 2011-2012 season and being absolutely AMAZED game in-game-out by the Messi's incredible genius... 96 goals in that year... undoubtedly at his peak. I think it is obvious to all that he hasn't really reached that peak since maybe Champion's League 2012-2013 season. What IS obvious and clear to see, however, is that since his injuries he has never FULLY reached that level again.

Either way, I think the World Cup will be very telling. The pressure of the occassion and his desire to win might be enough for him to forego his cautiousness and break any mental barriers he might have and give it 120% effort again, and really beast it. If he's able to sustain an entire World Cup run playing back at or near his best, that might be all it'll take for him to get over it.

Or, it's not just the injury but other factors. But I refuse to believe that his talented has degraded as much as numbers tell. I think the injury problems, lack of cohesiveness in the squad, ultra man marking etc all play a part in it. If he can fully put this past injury spell behind him, get decent help up front to take some of the burden off and get a team with a reliable D, a trusted coach and a confident and unified team spirit... I don't see why he won't start performing to near his best again. I see this as more of a dip than a permanent drop off... after an injury especially, dips like these are to be expected. Hope I'm right... but it seems plausible.

Very good post, sums up alot.

 

[Kerrybai]

Yes , I'm a total cunt for wanting him to run more than 6 km per game and put more effort in games of such importance while watching him on my tv.

Anyway , until now I used to defend his shocking games ( by his standards ) by saying that he is more focused on the world cup but now I think there is something wrong with him , medically speaking. In his glory days I seriously can't remember him throwing up in any of the games he played , and I think from 2009 until now I've missed only 2-3 games. These days he's vomiting a lot of times , spitting every 5 seconds on the pitch .

I refuse to think that he doesn't care anymore or doesn't want to give his best in crucial games. During the game there was a camera on him when some player missed a chance , and Messi was really pissed.

And I don't think his injury has to do much with his current form . He returned from injury 4,5 months ago and in some games he really looked like his old self ( Madrid and City game ) .

2011 is the earliest I recall. I should be noted that Messi never gets a rest, even during the summer he flies all over the world doing promotional stuff. According to Messi this has been happening to him for a long time, perhaps it is excercise induced nausea. http://www.livestrong.com/article/533517-how-to-avoid-exercise-induced-nausea-vomiting/

Personally I was please with Messi's effort last game. He had 7 shots ( only 2 on target ) Meanwhile Iniesta had 3 and I think Pedro and Sanchez had 2 each. He might be off form but it's a bit unfair to say a player with 7 shots isn't putting in effort.

 

[CatalinR10]

2011 is the earliest I recall. I should be noted that Messi never gets a rest, even during the summer he flies all over the world doing promotional stuff. According to Messi this has been happening to him for a long time, perhaps it is excercise induced nausea. http://www.livestrong.com/article/533517-how-to-avoid-exercise-induced-nausea-vomiting/

Didn't he return from his vacation just a couple of days before the game ?

 

[Kerrybai]

Didn't he return from his vacation just a couple of days before the game ?

I'm not sure, I don't think he really gets much of a vacation though as he jets all around the world during the summer. If fatigue is the problem then the club should consider leaving him home for a pre season tour.

 

[CatalinR10]

I'm not sure, I don't think he really gets much of a vacation though as he jets all around the world during the summer. If fatigue is the problem then the club should consider leaving him home for a pre season tour.

I'm not sure but I think it was the time when he was seen with a cigar in his mouth in his vacation.

And if I'm not mistaken he returned to the team 2-3 days before the game.

Him vomiting in that game would be understandable since he didn't even train properly for a game with such intensity.

 

[linetty]

I'm not sure but I think it was the time when he was seen with a cigar in his mouth in his vacation.

And if I'm not mistaken he returned to the team 2-3 days before the game.

Him vomiting in that game would be understandable since he didn't even train properly for a game with such intensity.

This pic is photoshopped. We talked about it back then.

Messi is so far the player with most goals (27) and the player with most assists (11) in the year 2014

Sell him.

 

[BarcaGirl]

I'm not sure but I think it was the time when he was seen with a cigar in his mouth in his vacation.

And if I'm not mistaken he returned to the team 2-3 days before the game.

Him vomiting in that game would be understandable since he didn't even train properly for a game with such intensity.

For god's sake ..that wasn't a cigarette ..it's candy

 

[CatalinR10]

For god's sake ..that wasn't a cigarette ..it's candy

The media said it was a cigar , I thought it was photoshoped . Meh...doesn't matter anyway

 

[linetty]

You believe the media? They make up anything just to make a shitstorm

 

[Flavia]

The media said it was a cigar , I thought it was photoshoped . Meh...doesn't matter anyway

It was a lollipop... It's easy to see that's not a cigarrette. And he was asked about it and confirmed it was a lollipop.

You have to appreciate how special the past 6 seasons have been and how so many things came together to make it work as well as it did - I call it the Gestalt effect...Success is not simply predicated on Messi and when there are as many problems as there are atm, Leo isn't merely going to solve everything...The failures of the board et al permeates the club, players & fans...The body language of several against Elche, for example, resembled a defeated lot...The mental aspect of sport is often bigger than the physical/technical

Yeah. even with the possibility to win the league the players aren't responding well. I saw no excitment in anyone. They still looked down. No wonder, it hasn't been a month since Tito passed away, to top everything bad that's been happening.

 

[Ghostmaster]

For god's sake ..that wasn't a cigarette ..it's candy

You guys, can't you see that it's a joint

 

[CatalinR10]

Dat Ronaldo pass to Messi tho'

 

[Vapor]

You have to appreciate how special the past 6 seasons have been and how so many things came together to make it work as well as it did - I call it the Gestalt effect...Success is not simply predicated on Messi and when there are as many problems as there are atm, Leo isn't merely going to solve everything...The failures of the board et al permeates the club, players & fans...The body language of several against Elche, for example, resembled a defeated lot...The mental aspect of sport is often bigger than the physical/technical

Right on. Good post. That's one of the things I dislike about Tata the most... his body language, his expressions and his reactions on the side of the pitch. Every time we miss a chance you just see the tension and frustration... a guy like that inspires little confidence in his players, because he reflects/projects so little confidence and command himself. He just looks like a huge ball of nervous tension every game, and whenever we miss a vague chance he has a mini-tantrum. Never seems cool and confident.

Kind of besides that point, but still. But you're right... there's a whole lot more going on with the club that is beyond just Messi being 100% to fix. The mental atmosphere and overall vibe/energy at the club has been damaged and just is not good now (as Dani Alves has pointed out, and is obvious to see). It's hard for Messi to shine in such a situation I imagine, as it would be for any player.

 

[FCBarca]

I mean, you can pick up on it in player interviews on a weekly basis...And like Flavia said, there's no way to gauge how difficult Tito's death has affected everyone as well...Many of these players had known him for more than a decade...It's been a rough season, no doubt about it...The toughest, for me, since Rijkaard's last season

 

[DonAK]

The Messis