10 - Lionel Messi - v3

[ThwiX]

At least we know what happened the last time Messi played against Cillessen and Dutch defence.

 

[Egert]

At least we know what happened the last time Messi played against Cillessen and Dutch defence.

What? Messi has never played againt Cillessen. If you think the Ajax game, then he played against Vermeer.

 

[Mitchell1978]

Another good read from the New York Times on Messi.


Messi Less a Dazzler, More Argentina's Provider

Good article, i agree Messi seems to be transitioning from a "false 9" to a more classical "10". Will be curious to see next season at Barça what position he is going to play.

 

[DinhoR10]

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.

Robben has dribbled really well but hasn't been better than messi for me, in his last too games robben played really well but aside from diving didn't help his team to win, messi has been carrying his team from day one and has been involved in every goal, higuain's goal was the first where he didn't directly assist but set it up Xavi style.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[dakt]

If he somehow manages to drag Argentina to wining the WC...it would be a huge mark in the history of the football, now that diMaria and Aguero are gone....it's just perfect material for a great movie.
Very, very hard to do it, but go Messi!

 

[ViscaBarca914]

Im sorry for saying this...but I really don't see this Argie side winning the world cup. Even with Messi.
But if they do? What do the haters have left? Messi hasn't scored against Cech I guess ?
If he wins a world cup how can you say he isn't one of, if not THE greatest player in history?
Man....imagine CR fans faces as Messi lifts the trophy ...scratch that. Imagine CR's face

 

[beautifulgame]

Messi and still the best player in the world easy but he isn't dragging his team even if he is very much leading them offensively

 

[La Furia]

Messi and still the best player in the world easy but he isn't dragging his team even if he is very much leading them offensively

Part of that is Sabella's system. He's truly a pupil of Bilardo (minus some of the gamesmanship) - his cowardly tactics have hurt Argentina's attack to shore up its defense, and Messi is the one player with the freedom to carry them.

The Maradona comparisons are too easy, but Sabella has followed the textbook to make a team dependent on Messi for goals.

 

[beautifulgame]

Part of that is Sabella's system. He's truly a pupil of Bilardo (minus some of the gamesmanship) - his cowardly tactics have hurt Argentina's attack to shore up its defense, and Messi is the one player with the freedom to carry them.

The Maradona comparisons are too easy, but Sabella has followed the textbook to make a team dependent on Messi for goals.

I agree to some extent but not even cowardly yet Nolan, still pragmatic. Bilardo had it right and so does Sabella. Argentina has shit all to prove to the world attack wise, like Brasil. Their players are good enough that they don't need 25 shots to win a game. As per Belgium, When u go up early no reason to push, especially against a not so great attack like Belgium. Argentina took care of Belgium without any problems and the score line would have shown that of Higuain, di Maria and Messi would have finished like they can.

His tactics have been very apt like they have been generally in his career.

Finally, Nolan, u know the Argentine personality as well as anyone. Some of the "superstars" of the team are waiting for a bit of chance to show off their shit and leave their team to defend for themselves. Talent and tactics have not been an issue for over two decades.

 

[aki13]

I would love him to play in his desired role and score a goal or even two in the Semi. Ultimately I just hope he is involved enough to help them win.

 

[dakt]

Im sorry for saying this...but I really don't see this Argie side winning the world cup. Even with Messi.
But if they do? What do the haters have left? Messi hasn't scored against Cech I guess ?
If he wins a world cup how can you say he isn't one of, if not THE greatest player in history?
Man....imagine CR fans faces as Messi lifts the trophy ...scratch that. Imagine CR's face

Ronaldo's fans can be quite just by the fact that he did nothing to help Portugal go through to the knock out phase.
Messi did exactly that, on his own. This world cup cannot diminish his greatness and the place in the "one of the greatest to ever play the football" hall of fame.

 

[Egert]

Apparently his fingers from his statue at Buenos Aires were gutted off.... Maybe it is fake, but the picture doesn't seem photoshopped.

 

[Galning]

Oh noes.

 

[La Furia]

I agree to some extent but not even cowardly yet Nolan, still pragmatic. Bilardo had it right and so does Sabella. Argentina has shit all to prove to the world attack wise, like Brasil. Their players are good enough that they don't need 25 shots to win a game. As per Belgium, When u go up early no reason to push, especially against a not so great attack like Belgium. Argentina took care of Belgium without any problems and the score line would have shown that of Higuain, di Maria and Messi would have finished like they can.

His tactics have been very apt like they have been generally in his career.

Finally, Nolan, u know the Argentine personality as well as anyone. Some of the "superstars" of the team are waiting for a bit of chance to show off their shit and leave their team to defend for themselves. Talent and tactics have not been an issue for over two decades.

You are mostly right - Bilardo is the most successful coach in Argentine history, and as much as those of us who glorify Menotti and Bielsma might find that a distasteful fact, under the idealistic coaches Argentina has been nothing but an under achiever. Brazil has been exclusively coached by pragmatists since Tele Santana in 82, I hate them for their boring football masked by "joga bonito" marketing, but for Argentina, the divide between beautiful football and pragmatic, cynical football has always been more complex - the two coexist together, and a coach like Sabella, to his credit, understands that need to balance.

I find this Argentina team hardly inspiring, Sabella has made some poor decisions only to be bailed out by a weak draw and Messi, but there's still a reason this is the furthest Argentina has gone since 1990. I'm still bitter Pekerman never got the chance he deserved after constructing the best Argentina side in 20 years, but he failed precisely because of his team's failure at its attempts to grind out wins. At least Pekerman has found redemption elsewhere.

But I understand what you mean. This is a very flawed Argentina side, and only slightly because of Sabella's squad selection. Going all out attacking would be a disaster with that weak central midfield and undisciplined forwards.

 

[Heavy]

Talking about that "Joga Bonito" nike marketing, Adriano had to be so stupid and give up training... Jo had been sent of for free just some time before his run good with R10 assisting him.