10 - Lionel Messi - v5

[KingMessi]

To say Messi lacks the drive to be the best is bull. You don't end up being the GOAT without the drive to succeed. All the talent in the world and no drive makes you end up a nobody.

 

[blaugrana1987]

Its so crazy that Messi was our best MF and attacker this year. Had it not been for him, we would have been way way worse. Possibly not even 2nd in La Liga, which is travesty, but shows how much team has stagnated. God how I wish he wins WC next year...

 

[BarcaOG]

To say Messi lacks the drive to be the best is bull. You don't end up being the GOAT without the drive to succeed. All the talent in the world and no drive makes you end up a nobody.

take a long walk down this thread and you will find dozens and dozens of people complain about messi's occasional lackadaisical attitude, walking around etc. hell, if you have been around here long enough, you might even find yourself talking about it. so let me put it this way: it is not that messi doesnt have the will and drive to be the best, it is that, relative to CR's, that drive is less intense. from 1-4 bdors to 5-5 is proof of that.

 

[xavi_the_Boss]

when CR had 1 bdor and messi had just won his 4th there was no argument
notwithstanding 1-2 of CR's bdors that should have been won by ramos (for similar reasons why maybe 1 of messi's should have been won by iniesta or xavi) CR has definitely closed the gap, especially this season. he was far more decisive than messi except for the clasico. if messi had put 8 goals past juventus and psg/x opponent in hypothetical semis we would have no problem calling messi the greatest, and we should not be so biased against CR as to deny him at least the credit he is due for winning what is his inevitable 5th bdor.

messi lacks CR's drive/will to be the best and CR lacks messi's sui generis talent. for whatever its worth, its an epic rivalry and the greatest in football history since both played in the same era unlike pele/maradona.

Well Messi has to create for us so he doesn´t get as many clear chances to score compared to Ronaldo.How many did he have against PSG and Juve?
Probably 1 in 4 matches which he should have scored.

 

[KingMessi]

take a long walk down this thread and you will find dozens and dozens of people complain about messi's occasional lackadaisical attitude, walking around etc. hell, if you have been around here long enough, you might even find yourself talking about it. so let me put it this way: it is not that messi doesnt have the will and drive to be the best, it is that, relative to CR's, that drive is less intense. from 1-4 bdors to 5-5 is proof of that.

That run to 5-5 speaks more about how RM have built a team that amplifies Ronaldo's strengths and masks his weaknesses. Whereas our board has done fuck all except sit on the success of their team.

 

[BarcaOG]

That run to 5-5 speaks more about how RM have built a team that amplifies Ronaldo's strengths and masks his weaknesses. Whereas our board has done fuck all except sit on the success of their team.

be that as it may, ours is not a totally inept squad--we finished only 3 points behind Real and did not lose to a top 5 Spanish side, including Real, this season (who, of course we even beat). the point is not about whether Real has a stronger squad (they do) but that CR should be given credit for what he has done in the last two seasons or so, especially 2016/17, and that the gap between Leo and CR is no longer as wide as it used to be.

when Barca was winning everything between 2008-2010, and again in 2015, many non-barca and non-messi fans tipped their hats and acknowledged the magnitude of our achievements as well as our superiority. we basked on that non-fan support. i am not so biased nor so resentful as to deny that CR and real deserve similar credit for what they've done this past two years. that, i need not remind anyone, is what being objective means. Real's and CR's style may not be as aesthetically appealing as Messi's/Barca's, but it is ruthlessly efficient and that is admirable.

 

[KingMessi]

Im not taking anything away from Cristiano or Real here, for what it's worth. In terms of pure footballing ability, the gap is wider than it has ever been. But on paper, sure it's narrowed.

 

[Mitchell1978]

take a long walk down this thread and you will find dozens and dozens of people complain about messi's occasional lackadaisical attitude, walking around etc. hell, if you have been around here long enough, you might even find yourself talking about it. so let me put it this way: it is not that messi doesnt have the will and drive to be the best, it is that, relative to CR's, that drive is less intense. from 1-4 bdors to 5-5 is proof of that.

the 5-5 has everything to do with barça's decline as a team and RM peaking right now because on an individual quality level the gap is still there

 

[vlad]

Still his missed penalty vs chelsea 2012 is chasing me, that was a perfect opportunity for defend CL title, but it wasnt meant to be...

 

[Mitchell1978]

2010 might have been a better opportunity had the eto'o ibra trade/transfert never happened

 

[Aryagorn]

2010 might have been a better opportunity had the eto'o ibra trade/transfert never happened

Nah!

Still his missed penalty vs chelsea 2012 is chasing me, that was a perfect opportunity for defend CL title, but it wasnt meant to be...

As good as Eto'o was, this team was better!

 

[RevoTeller]

2010 might have been a better opportunity had the eto'o ibra trade/transfert never happened

That's obvious.
With Eto'o we would have done the Treble again hands down, while Inter would have sinked way before reaching the finals with Ibrahimovic choking as always at the crucial moments.

 

[Sultan]

Messi will be so motivated next year that i sure hope he stays healthy and injury-free.

With some luck and good coaching, buckle up boys and girls, the next two years could potentially be legendary.

 

[GetIn]

Messi will be so motivated next year that i sure hope he stays healthy and injury-free.

With some luck and good coaching, buckle up boys and girls, the next two years could potentially be legendary.

Who knows how he plays next season. I expect him to be great again, but don't surprised if he goes into sleepwalk mode on the pitch to conserve his energy for the World Cup.

 

[Sultan]

Who knows how he plays next season. I expect him to be great again, but don't surprised if he goes into sleepwalk mode on the pitch to conserve his energy for the World Cup.

That is expected of course, neither he, the club or Argentina would want him to run riot from the get go each match. This is were proper coaching comes in and why most also think he will need to play as an AM.