10 - Lionel Messi - v3
- Thread starter Barcaman
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Luis Enrique: "I see Messi training every day and he does things you can’t even see in Captain Tsubasa (animation series) or on PlayStation."
omg
TBH he hasn't been that good on FIFA for the past few years
putogusiluz8
The Pale One
Apart from how simple he made everything look, incredible still, the most admirable thing is how he is maturing into the Maradona role. I mean he has always wore the no. 10 but now he is beginning to really wear it if you kno what I mean. He doesn't seem worried about making goals, he knows they'll come by themselves and is beginning to realize he can help the team more than by just slotting it in. He is really impressive, this is exactly the type of player he needs to become. Everything in his career seems predestined to make him the Greatest. He'll be ready for the Cup when he is 31.
Luftstalag14
Culé de Celestial Empire
And that's OK. To those who really appreciate him and understand the beauty of football, Messi not winning a WC will not diminish his greatness.
Stric
New member
Absolutely. We have much to appreciate him for as it is.
BerkeleyBernie
Senior Member
Not beasting, but I don't know about "awful," still created more than anyone else. Haven't watched 2nd half yet, but with Iniesta mostly marked out of the game, was a very uncreative and dull Barcelona for the most part. Messi had a few nice passes (chip to Munir), and Pedro slid a great through ball for Messi, but he was standing slightly offsides, so he gave up on it (roles reversed later when Messi tried a 1-2 near the box with an offsides Pedro). But, to be honest, first half was mostly long balls and crosses over the top to chase, 95% too long or too short (especially Rakatic and Mascherano).
hellsangel1
New member
This game against Bilbao was similar to a lot of the games I saw last season under Tata in that there wasn't the same flow or rhythm to our passing game. It is more surprising given the fact that, as the game progressed, Bilbao were not defending as deep as you normally see from a Barca opponent and there was room behind the defense into which balls could be fed and their defense put under pressure.
Messi's game for the most part was similar to what I saw last season as well. Really pathetic work-rate, I don't think I ever saw him press without the ball once. and i don't think i've ever seen a player stand around as much as he does during a game. It was similar to what I saw in the latter half of the group stages in the WC when Argentina didn't have the ball, it looked like they were playing with 10 men. Even when the ball was out wide and the fullbacks are attacking, he's almost always behind the likes of Munir or Pedro to get on the end of balls. Ronaldo barely ever helps out his defense but he's almost always in constant motion when Madrid are attacking or when they have the ball in their own half. Messi just doesn't show that same hunger any more.
Messi is not Maradona and plays a different role than what Maradona did in his career. Messi is not the same calibre of passer or playmaker, however he is a far superior finisher and goal-scorer. Not making runs or trying to get on the ends of crosses is inexcusable. Barca are playing without a CF and it's Messi's job to make those runs and try to stretch the defense. He's not playing as a No. 10 and even if he was, it's still no excuse for his work-rate. His role at Barca is different. Messi is my favourite player but I don't care if you're the second coming of Pele, if a player isn't willing to run or stands around as often as Messi does, it's hard to excuse that work-rate . It worked out for us in the end but it was quite similar to what I saw last season and if this criticism is harsh or excessive then Messi has brought this on himself with his performances for most of last season (even in crucial games such as CL where our GK showed more passion than he did). I hope we get better off-the-ball movement and workrate from him in the coming matches.
Messi's game for the most part was similar to what I saw last season as well. Really pathetic work-rate, I don't think I ever saw him press without the ball once. and i don't think i've ever seen a player stand around as much as he does during a game. It was similar to what I saw in the latter half of the group stages in the WC when Argentina didn't have the ball, it looked like they were playing with 10 men. Even when the ball was out wide and the fullbacks are attacking, he's almost always behind the likes of Munir or Pedro to get on the end of balls. Ronaldo barely ever helps out his defense but he's almost always in constant motion when Madrid are attacking or when they have the ball in their own half. Messi just doesn't show that same hunger any more.
Messi is not Maradona and plays a different role than what Maradona did in his career. Messi is not the same calibre of passer or playmaker, however he is a far superior finisher and goal-scorer. Not making runs or trying to get on the ends of crosses is inexcusable. Barca are playing without a CF and it's Messi's job to make those runs and try to stretch the defense. He's not playing as a No. 10 and even if he was, it's still no excuse for his work-rate. His role at Barca is different. Messi is my favourite player but I don't care if you're the second coming of Pele, if a player isn't willing to run or stands around as often as Messi does, it's hard to excuse that work-rate . It worked out for us in the end but it was quite similar to what I saw last season and if this criticism is harsh or excessive then Messi has brought this on himself with his performances for most of last season (even in crucial games such as CL where our GK showed more passion than he did). I hope we get better off-the-ball movement and workrate from him in the coming matches.
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You saw the same game the rest of us did right?
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