10 - Lionel Messi - v3

[raskolnikov]

I think his wc performance is already acceptable, 4 goals, influencing the play, dragging Argentina to the semi's mostly on his own for the first time in 24 years.
Had they gone out vs Belgium people would have said see, he couldnt drag them pas the quarters again.
He is also the best player in the tournament after james and Robben,arguably. even though Argentina has been mediocre troughout.

 

[Kohe321]

Acceptable is putting it mildly. Without him they wouldn't even have made it out of the group stages. Argentina with and without Messi is like comparing a supercar with a Fiat.

 

[Icarium]

Reaching final is important for messi. Losing in final will not be his fault. Netherlands is not a great team, they a great coach and robben. Cruyuf did not win the world cup still he is considered one of the best. Losing against Germany is okay but he must win against Netherlands. Without Di Maria it is hard but hoping masch and higuain will help him. This is a big moment for him, may be the biggest ever. Hope he reproduces the champions league final performance 3 years ago. But the main thing is stopping that diving cunt robben, I hope masch has some surprise for him.

Sent from my Lumia 900 using Tapatalk

 

[Cules 96]

I think that Leo is a great individual player,he can cross 3-4 players alone and send perfect balls to his teammates. He is huge boost to Barca and to Argentina

 

[AURELIUS]

When sides have come out to play like Nigeria and Belgium they have been sliced open at times. Most teams would struggle to open teams that place 10 behind the ball.

Give Sabella credit for bringing in Biglia and Dimichelis. Sabella is an astute tactician and I am sure he will come up with a plan to contain Robben and isolate van Persie from supply. He will need to win the midfield and Biglia/Masche/Perez with Lavezzi and sometimes Messi and Higgy as they did yesterday dropping in should help.

If they can get at de Vrij and Vlaar they have a chance and Indi is a disciplinary problem waiting to happen.

 

[AURELIUS]

https://vine.co/v/MUQQmUiIFJu

Aerial view: https://cdn.mediacru.sh/3rnAUP9CDEZ6.mp4

Angelito should have kept running into the box then cut back or played it off to Higgy to shoot as the Belgian centrebacks run towards the goal.

 

[King Leo]

When sides have come out to play like Nigeria and Belgium they have been sliced open at times. Most teams would struggle to open teams that place 10 behind the ball.

Give Sabella credit for bringing in Biglia and Dimichelis. Sabella is an astute tactician and I am sure he will come up with a plan to contain Robben and isolate van Persie from supply. He will need to win the midfield and Biglia/Masche/Perez with Lavezzi and sometimes Messi and Higgy as they did yesterday dropping in should help.

If they can get at de Vrij and Vlaar they have a chance and Indi is a disciplinary problem waiting to happen.

This game will be managed by two tacticians. LVG will have a plan for Messi as well. My guess the game will go to over time and fatigue will be a factor. Aguero has to be ready for this game. Missing Di Maria will make Messi play a different role.

 

[King Leo]

Angelito should have kept running into the box then cut back or played it off to Higgy to shoot as the Belgian centrebacks run towards the goal.

this should be added to Messi's compilation video of great passes

 

[AURELIUS]

This game will be managed by two tacticians. LVG will have a plan for Messi as well. My guess the game will go to over time and fatigue will be a factor. Aguero has to be ready for this game. Missing Di Maria will make Messi play a different role.

I'm sure Sabella will just give Messi his normal free role. Several options to replace di Maria but bearing in mind his defensive work that player will need to work back. Maxi is very intelligent and also fresh. Alvarez is tricky, pacy but works less hard. Augusto Fernandez also works hard and is creative. They are all a step down from di Maria but as we saw yesterday in both games good team play rather than star names often leads to success.

They all need to work like mad, remain disciplined, patient and calm. Kun is a risk. If he plays and breaks down that could be a substitution wasted. The defence will need to protect Romero as they did yesterday and be very wary of crosses. Romero flapped at a couple.

 

[King Leo]

I'm sure Sabella will just give Messi his normal free role. Several options to replace di Maria but bearing in mind his defensive work that player will need to work back. Maxi is very intelligent and also fresh. Alvarez is tricky, pacy but works less hard. Augusto Fernandez also works hard and is creative. They are all a step down from di Maria but as we saw yesterday in both games good team play rather than star names often leads to success.

They all need to work like mad, remain disciplined, patient and calm. Kun is a risk. If he plays and breaks down that could be a substitution wasted. The defence will need to protect Romero as they did yesterday and be very wary of crosses. Romero flapped at a couple.

BTW this far; Argentina has not faced a goal down situation.

 

[Kerrybai]

No he doesn't. Dutch are vulnerable. If Leo would just run this entire game he could seal the team for him and his team.

No mate it's not that simple. Argentina struggle to get the baclk from defence to attack as Messi will have to drop very deep as usual. Unfortunately for Argentina he gets very few goal opportunities. Without Di Maria he is the only way creative enough to find holds in the Dutch defence.

 

[Luftstalag14]

Another good read from the New York Times on Messi.

By the way, is the Messi family ethnically Italian?

Messi Less a Dazzler, More Argentina's Provider

 

[ViscaBarca914]

Italian roots, yes.
I'll have to give it a read!
He is having a great tournament btw. Probably not player of the tournament but still great. Not to mention how shitty his team has been lol.

 

[GoobiePls]

Another good read from the New York Times on Messi.

By the way, is the Messi family ethnically Italian?

Messi Less a Dazzler, More Argentina's Provider

More than half of Argetinas squad has Italian roots

 

[Kerrybai]

His turn and pass in the lead up to the goal was Xaviesque.

BTW where would people rank him at this World Cup? For me it goes Robben>Rodriguez>Messi/Neymar.

Next up we have Messi vs Robben with the winning almost certainly taking the Golden Ball.