10 - Lionel Messi - v5

Windhook

Well-known member
FC Barcelona's results are above all. Dropping Suarez for Messi, just to keep the goalscoring race ahead of CR7 is crazy. BTW Luis Suarez does more than adequate job to pass the ball exclusively to Leo, who somehow misses the target, it happens.
 

FCBfan22

Senior Member
Since Alba does a lot of attacking duties, we should play a slightly modified false 9 when Dembouz comes back IMHO. Suarez on the left as a LWF, Messi slightly off from the center to the right and Dembouz on RW. Alba should help Suarez with his lack of pace.
 
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MessiCam

Guest
FC Barcelona's results are above all. Dropping Suarez for Messi, just to keep the goalscoring race ahead of CR7 is crazy. BTW Luis Suarez does more than adequate job to pass the ball exclusively to Leo, who somehow misses the target, it happens.

This is a very naive way of looking at it. Dropping Suarez means we can play with wings. It’s is pivotal to the way Barcelona play football... We played a whole lot better earlier in the season when Suarez was injured.

I don’t care about Messi’s scoring race with Ronaldo at all to be honest but the quality of play, amount of goals scored per game have all taken a nose dive since Suarez has taken up a central position.

Give me one good reason why Messi should play in midfield so an out form Suarez can play in his preferred position.

I think Messi has earned the right to have the team play towards him.
 

JamDav1982

Senior Member
This is a very naive way of looking at it. Dropping Suarez means we can play with wings. It’s is pivotal to the way Barcelona play football... We played a whole lot better earlier in the season when Suarez was injured.

I don’t care about Messi’s scoring race with Ronaldo at all to be honest but the quality of play, amount of goals scored per game have all taken a nose dive since Suarez has taken up a central position.

Give me one good reason why Messi should play in midfield so an out form Suarez can play in his preferred position.

I think Messi has earned the right to have the team play towards him.

Do you even watch the games?

The whole team is built around Messi and the false nine thing stopped being all that effective years ago.
 

Windhook

Well-known member
Give me one good reason why Messi should play in midfield so an out form Suarez can play in his preferred position.

Jordi Alba, Luis Suarez, Paulinho, ffs even Andre Gomes, when featured, seeks pass to Messi to finish the attacking move. All of our opponents know how things might end, it's not rocket science. That's why yesterday Villareal's 6-8 men defence was absolutely stunned when Luis Suarez found himself one on one against Sergio Asenjo (GK). It was totally "Oh, shit!". And it was a move initiated by Leo Messi from deep position, the sort of AM.

We are yet to see the team adjust back to a 4-3-3 system with Ousmane either on the RW or LW.
 
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MessiCam

Guest
Jordi Alba, Luis Suarez, Paulinho, ffs even Andre Gomes, when featured, seeks pass to Messi to finish the attacking move. All of our opponents know how things might end, it's not rocket science. That's why yesterday Villareal's 6-8 men defence was absolutely stunned when Luis Suarez found himself one on one against Sergio Asenjo (GK). It was totally "Oh, shit!". And it was a move initiated by Leo Messi from deep position, the sort of AM.

We are yet to see the team adjust back to a 4-3-3 system with Ousmane either on the RW or LW.
You still haven’t answered my question...

Barcelona (as a collective) were playing better with Messi as False 9... the only one that was struggling was Suarez... Playing 2 wings also gives you better attacking shape as witnessed last night as well as defensive shape in a 4-5-1.

If it hasn’t dawned on you yet... We’re not going to play 4-3-3 when both Messi and Suarez start anymore. The 4-3-3 gets played every occasion Messi is not in the starting lineup otherwise it’s 4-4-2.
 

Windhook

Well-known member
You still haven’t answered my question...

Barcelona (as a collective) were playing better with Messi as False 9... the only one that was struggling was Suarez...

I don't know what to tell you, man. You are the one who firmly believes Barca are playing better without Suarez and it's all based on total of 3 games. Suarez missed two games at the start of the season due to injury - Betis at home and Alaves, an away game which we played the same eco-Valverde tactics and the demolition of Eibar at Camp Nou (Messi's 4 goals).

All in all false-nine might work against bottom-placed teams, but against Real Madrid, Atletico or CL teams - no. Let's not forget, Messi is not 23 anymore to make those insane dribbles regularly.
 
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MessiCam

Guest
I don't know what to tell you, man. You are the one who firmly believes Barca are playing better without Suarez and it's all based on total of 3 games. Suarez missed two games at the start of the season due to injury - Betis at home and Alaves, an away game which we played the same eco-Valverde tactics and the demolition of Eibar at Camp Nou (Messi's 4 goals).

All in all false-nine might work against bottom-placed teams, but against Real Madrid, Atletico or CL teams - no. Let's not forget, Messi is not 23 anymore to make those insane dribbles regularly.
False 9 is not about dribbling... It’s about creating space and confusion as well as gaining numerical advantage in midfield at times. The False 9 was played with Suarez in the team too but he played wide and was useless. It was used in the first leg against Juventus too... A champions league team.

Are you really going to sit wherever you are and tell me that Barcelona didn’t play better with the False 9? Since the change, we’ve created less chances, scored less goals and just played worse... I don’t think it’s coincidence.
 

Windhook

Well-known member
False 9 is not about dribbling... It’s about creating space and confusion as well as gaining numerical advantage in midfield at times. The False 9 was played with Suarez in the team too but he played wide and was useless. It was used in the first leg against Juventus too... A champions league team.

Are you really going to sit wherever you are and tell me that Barcelona didn’t play better with the False 9? Since the change, we’ve created less chances, scored less goals and just played worse... I don’t think it’s coincidence.

I know it's not about dribbling, I just mentioned it as the thing that makes Messi unique in that position. One of many things actually! :D

End of the conversation. Have a great one, mate!:cheers:
 

ASordidGod

New member
Gotta say, I'd like to see the false nine tried again too. Our attacking play at the moment is just so plodding and predictable. With the false nine we'd have more options in attack, more passing avenues. And if Paulinho was one of three in mid (with Rakitic dropped) he could make the runs past Messi when Messi drops off.
 

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