10 - Lionel Messi - v3

[FCBarca]

Played great, still not 100% sharp but you can see there's a different effort from him out there...even looks happier

 

[hellsangel1]

You saw the same game the rest of us did right?

Did you just start watching Barca from last season???

 

[Behrox]

Did you just start watching Barca from last season???

if you're comparing him to the Messi that scored 91 goals you might be partially right but Messi had a good workrate and was generally mobile even though its less that other players but you are making it sound like he moved 2 km the whole game

 

[CatalinR10]

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.

he could have had 7 assists yesterday if other players scored the chances Messi created for them and still someone complains that he didn't do this or that , he doesn't run (wtf ?) etc...isn't the same calibre of Maradona when playmaking even if he already has around 150 assists and could have had double if he had wc strikers in front of him.

didn't expect this at all

 

[Behrox]

he could have had 7 assists yesterday if other players scored the chances Messi created for them and still someone complains that he didn't do this or that , he doesn't run (wtf ?) etc...isn't the same calibre of Maradona when playmaking even if he already has around 150 assists and could have had double if he had wc strikers in front of him.

didn't expect this at all

I'd like to see him argue with this

 

[Ocurrente]

 

[CatalinR10]

I've seen you posted 1 with casillas also.

Did u make them ?

 

[hellsangel1]

if you're comparing him to the Messi that scored 91 goals you might be partially right but Messi had a good workrate and was generally mobile even though its less that other players but you are making it sound like he moved 2 km the whole game

I know this is a fan forum and objectivity isn't exactly held in the highest regard in a fan forum but anybody who thinks Messi worked hard off the ball only just started watching him the last season or so. I'd give credit to the other Barca forwards for their work-rate but not Messi, when he doesn't have the ball at his feet he looks completely disinterested. But maybe certain fans have lowered expectations now after his injuries etc. I don't know what the exact distance was that he ran in yesterday's game but it's nowhere near what you'd expect from him in normal circumstances.

 

[hellsangel1]

he could have had 7 assists yesterday if other players scored the chances Messi created for them and still someone complains that he didn't do this or that , he doesn't run (wtf ?) etc...isn't the same calibre of Maradona when playmaking even if he already has around 150 assists and could have had double if he had wc strikers in front of him.

didn't expect this at all

Maybe you need to go watch some vids on the net of Maradona to know what calibre of playmaker he was You'd learn some more instead of making stupid gifs.

 

[CatalinR10]

Maybe you need to go watch some vids on the net of Maradona to know what calibre of playmaker he was You'd learn some more instead of making stupid gifs.

how ironic making a gif stupid after your post from the last page.


I've seen alot of maradona videos and I don't see him superior to Messi when it comes to playmaking.

Don't forget to post next time Messi has a hatrick complaining about his work rate or other dumb stuff

 

[Behrox]

I know this is a fan forum and objectivity isn't exactly held in the highest regard in a fan forum but anybody who thinks Messi worked hard off the ball only just started watching him the last season or so. I'd give credit to the other Barca forwards for their work-rate but not Messi, when he doesn't have the ball at his feet he looks completely disinterested. But maybe certain fans have lowered expectations now after his injuries etc. I don't know what the exact distance was that he ran in yesterday's game but it's nowhere near what you'd expect from him in normal circumstances.

Maybe you should lower your expectations aswell. You seriously expect him to run like Pedro, assisting 3 goals while scoring a hattrick himself. You don't know how much of a toll his bursts of acceleration take on his muscles. I remember an article where they said Messi needed to conserve energy between bursts because of under developed muscles due to his childhood HGH deficiency. Messi doesn't have alot of contribution in defense but he makes up for it in attack

Maybe you need to go watch some vids on the net of Maradona to know what calibre of playmaker he was You'd learn some more instead of making stupid gifs.

Come back when you find Maradona marked by 3 players like Messi is all game and deliver a defense shattering thoughball or a mazy dribble past all of them

 

[messi2140]

Ray hudson's commentary
http://youtu.be/CPbA8reGjiw

 

[FCBarca]

I think Ray Hudson must feel some pressure to continually outdo himself with memorable lines but like a fish needs a bicycle? :zzz:

I was thinking about this during last season as to whether Messi had put on some mental breaks to his game, perhaps saving himself from re-injury, the WC, fitness, peaking or some combination of the aforementioned...Did Tito, Pep, Rosell vs Laporta, Madrid media et al have some affect on his psyche as well?...Of course, I also wondered, maybe it was family?

Having a child with someone you love, in general, is a life changing event but for someone so private, family-centric and driven I wondered if it might either take the edge off his game or distract him enough to have less focus...Because he's a natural, IMO...He trains incredibly in general but his skillset is more of being born with a gift...Often we seem him seemingly deciding when to flip the switch and go into Messi mode

But I saw less of that in the past season and since we've never really seen anything less than relentless & lethal pursuit of winning from him for years, it justifiably raises questions...For me, I ultimately started considering the family aspect as being an area where his focus had been quite understandably shifted a bit...Then the question became, will family become the drugs that killed Maradona's career for Leo?

I know it might seem harsh but I thought it was at least plausible...This season, far too early still, I see a renewed Messi...He's not yet 100% for me but I see a different player than last season...a player sharper in areas he needed to be - intensity, defending, movement & teamplay...How much of that is on Lucho too, I wonder...But either way, I feel less concerned that family will be his undoing even if I think his sort of Doberman like intensity might never be regained...So all in all, very good things for Barcelona & fans because Messi is back and best of all he is showing a willingness to not have to be the goalscorer

 

[dakt]

Now, CR scored yesterday from penalty. Leo didn't score at all but made two great assists.
So, do goal counts really matter that match, even though Leo is better in these terms as well?

 

[dakt]

I think Ray Hudson must feel some pressure to continually outdo himself with memorable lines but like a fish needs a bicycle? :zzz:
r

Hahaha, great line.