10 - Lionel Messi - v4

[bismp]

when he is not on his best, he slows game down, and offers nothing and i mean nothing like we have 10 players.[...]He has become bigger than the club which is wrong in a team sport

Good old forums meltdown.Just like the 13/14 season

 

[footyfan]

its nothing NEW that messi doesnt run or press or defends. When he is in God mode that is easily overlooked, but problem is when he is not on his best, he slows game down, and offers nothing and i mean nothing like we have 10 players. I mean Suarez presses and runs like an wild lion, but i wish messi would give at least half that of Suarez, Ney covers also much more ground. He is not in top form, but when he is terrible coming off injury why not have balls and sub him off in 75 th min??? He has become bigger than the club which is wrong in a team sport

Psychology also matters. Subbing Messi off when he's having a frustrating him could lead him to think that the team is losing confidence in him. Repeat that in a few games and he might either hark for another club or spiral into even worse form.

That's unnecessary. Form fluctuations happen to every player and making trigger decisions is counter-productive. Drawing at the Mestalla while creating many chances is really not that big of a deal and Barca have also already finished all their difficult away games.

 

[Flavia]

What is the relevance of Neymar missing that chance?

I think people know no player is going to score everything. It is hardly a valid argument to Neymar being the better player to just point out a chance he missed.

Relevance is that goal would change the game. As everybody here is hellbent on blaming Messi for the draw. As if one player can be blamed for many missed chances, and other key players(busi, raki, pique) underperforming.

 

[BerkeleyBernie]

Neymar skied his best chance too. And ofc the better chances are the ones converted. In the 2nd half the team slowed down not only because of Messi. It happened after the goal. Complacency and such. Good it happened now, to keep them on their toes. It could had been a goal fest, just one of those days. Looking for culprits is just stupid.

Also, they simply couldn't keep up the tempo of the first half for 90 minutes with no subs. Having Roberto/Turan available is important in games like these.

 

[JamDav1982]

Relevance is that goal would change the game. As everybody here is hellbent on blaming Messi for the draw. As if one player can be blamed for many missed chances, and other key players(busi, raki, pique) underperforming.

Every player misses chances. Messi missed two good ones in first half also. Suarez fucked up a few.

You cant boil it down to missing chances. It is about trying to get the team playing to its maximum and giving best chances of winning. Whether that chance was missed by Neymar or not the team played better in the first half.

Missing chances happens to every player. As far as I see no one is blaming Messi for chances he missed.

 

[Flavia]

Every player misses chances. Messi missed two good ones in first half also. Suarez fucked up a few.

You cant boil it down to missing chances. It is about trying to get the team playing to its maximum and giving best chances of winning. Whether that chance was missed by Neymar or not the team played better in the first half.

Missing chances happens to every player. As far as I see no one is blaming Messi for chances he missed.

I'm not boiling down to missed chances, jamdav... It can't be that hard, keep up. Just look at people blaming Messi, one player, as if he was the main culprit for what happened. Just because he's still not in his "god mode", as some like to call it, any mishap along the way is reason enough for some to crucify him.

 

[Jamie Cal]

Good old forums meltdown.Just like the 13/14 season

Meh, it's no meltdown, there's nothing wrong with calling a bad performance what it is.

 

[bismp]

Meh, it's no meltdown, there's nothing wrong with calling a bad performance what it is.

He should be critisized for bad performances.I was referring to that particular post.He/she said that "he adds absolutely nothing to the game".Also,the Messi thread is the most "hot" one after the end of the match.Many players played bad,but many concentrate on a just recovered,off form Messi.

 

[JamDav1982]

I'm not boiling down to missed chances, jamdav... It can't be that hard, keep up. Just look at people blaming Messi, one player, as if he was the main culprit for what happened. Just because he's still not in his "god mode", as some like to call it, any mishap along the way is reason enough for some to crucify him.

I am not blaming Messi at all but dont like the way the play changed in second half to centre on him. Simple as that.

Who missed chances in first half is irrelevant really as with this front three that wont last and it is not a major worry if you are creating them. Which stopped happening as much in second and Neymar was on outside of game and virtually everything through Messi. Tempo slowed dramatically, less chances created and team going forward looked worse.

 

[FC B]

oh that's nice then. let's see how much good that does.
choosing the off-form messi, instead of the in form neymar to lead attacks

That was the crucial mistake that cost us 2 points besides complacency and incredible misses in front of the goal.

Now that the harm was done against a tough opponent like Valencia and points were lost I reckon they should continue making the game through Messi since there are no as tough games as this ahead.

 

[serghei]

Yea, but on the other hand, Neymar himself looked for Messi a lot in the 2nd half as well. It's either an old habbit of the team, or an instruction from the bench.

 

[bismp]

I am not blaming Messi at all but dont like the way the play changed in second half to centre on him. Simple as that.

Who missed chances in first half is irrelevant really as with this front three that wont last and it is not a major worry if you are creating them. Which stopped happening as much in second and Neymar was on outside of game and virtually everything through Messi. Tempo slowed dramatically, less chances created and team going forward looked worse.

This is a problem(as long Messi is off form ofc).But,we lost because we underestimated them.If you are leading 1-0 at the 88th minute,you have to defend

 

[serghei]

Anyway, we'll be fine. We now need to win the easier games and the pressure will be on Atletico and Real. The game vs Atletico on Camp Nou will be big. If we win our games until then, and we win the derby, it's looking great. Valencia is a team with tradition, great fans and pretty rough on the field. The have a certain pride that shows when they play great teams. Let's not forget that they helped us a lot by stealing points from RM in back to back seasons, even on Bernabeu. We won 6 points against them last year with Bravo being MotM in both games. Could have just as easily lost both times.

 

[Serbian]

all im saying is this. Messi was out for 2 months! he has been back last 2 weeks clearly not 100% fit nor is he match sharp, its understandable, but he OFFERS nothing when he has off game. He doesnt chase balls he does not press or back tracks, he is static and just walks around. In those moments the last 15-20 min you sub him off as procaution, and put some fresh new energy to press for 15 min. It does not help the team out at all keeping him there for 90. If it was anyone else everyone would be screaming to sub him. its not about hurting his confidence, he is messi he is not a 17 year old, he needs to be sacraficed for the team and taken off like any player. You can NOT have him be bigger than the whole team. This team proved without messi, Suarez and neymar can carry thisno doubt, we looked invincible.

Messi makes barca better? yes he does but only when he is 100% and in form, cause out of form messi = 10 players barca

 

[JamDav1982]

This is a problem(as long Messi is off form ofc).But,we lost because we underestimated them.If you are leading 1-0 at the 88th minute,you have to defend

Not blaming the loss of the game on that.

But just as bad defending allowed them to equalise poor play going forward allowed that goal to be an equaliser.

The attack looked too stagnant in second, half was slowed down to often as players almost sucked the urgency out of the game.