10 - Lionel Messi - v5

[gatsu]

I have a feeling that this world cup will end for him in the most miserable way, no goal, Argentina out in the first round or with France in ko stages where Messi never scored in his entire career.

A bad WC would be devastating and could negatively influence his Barça carrier. Knowing that he is not that strong mentally speaking.
This just the beginning. let's hope that the iceland match will be a trigger for better perfomances

 

[viper76]

Exaggerating much? Though to be fair it might be best if someone else had the next one.

I dont think its exaggerating .anyone here have a stats of his penalty conversion rates ?

 

[Ritchie]

Everything that could go for Ronaldo now does. Anything that could go against Messi does.

This World Cup will be no different.

 

[blaugrana1987]

I dont think its exaggerating .anyone here have a stats of his penalty conversion rates ?

82% I think.

 

[PhilS]

Messi should not take the penalties, for the Albiceleste or for Barca. But it is impossible for him to not take this responsibility, and no team could deny him from stepping up.

 

[Altomonte]

82% I think.

Messi conversion rate 80%, Ronaldo 84%, top close to 90% (Balotelli, Zlatan)

 

[Vilarrubi]

A bad WC would be devastating and could negatively influence his Barça carrier. Knowing that he is not that strong mentally speaking.
This just the beginning. let's hope that the iceland match will be a trigger for better perfomances

A bit like losing the WC final then winning the treble the season after.............

 

[Hardy]

Messi is under 80%, 79 scored, 24 missed but in the last years i'm pretty sure is under 70%

 

[Felipetonelo]

Can you guys imagine living in Brazil after Messi performance? Makes me laugh the amount of shit I read in newspapers

"Messi is done", "Messi is dead and can't run anymore", "Messi was the worst argentinian player" and more stuff saying how Aguero played an amazing game, how Argentina has to create for Messi because he can't create for himself, how Ronaldo carry a team of second division players and Messi can't do anything having 5 or 6 WC players around him (I guess they forgot Mascherano is in China, Biglia plays for Milan, Banega for Sevilla, Dybala didn't play yesterday, and they're considering we live in 2014 for Di maria to be WC).

I'm curious to see what will happen if Neymar has a bad game today

 

[ebc_99]

A bad WC would be devastating and could negatively influence his Barça carrier. Knowing that he is not that strong mentally speaking.
This just the beginning. let's hope that the iceland match will be a trigger for better perfomances

Why do people keep saying he is mentally weak, where is the evidence? Performing at the highest level for a decade, carrying the team on his back week in week out.

 

[KingMessi]

Lots of reactionary drivel in this thread. Yikes.

 

[blaugrana1987]

Meh Maradona missed plenty pens as well. He missed in WC 1990 so what...Messi will be back next match. He will dominate.

People forget he was sole reason Argentina is here at all.

 

[eaman]

Can you guys imagine living in Brazil after Messi performance? Makes me laugh the amount of shit I read in newspapers

"Messi is done", "Messi is dead and can't run anymore", "Messi was the worst argentinian player" and more stuff saying how Aguero played an amazing game, how Argentina has to create for Messi because he can't create for himself, how Ronaldo carry a team of second division players and Messi can't do anything having 5 or 6 WC players around him (I guess they forgot Mascherano is in China, Biglia plays for Milan, Banega for Sevilla, Dybala didn't play yesterday, and they're considering we live in 2014 for Di maria to be WC).

I'm curious to see what will happen if Neymar has a bad game today

Can anyone name a player who was better than Messi in yesterday's game. Ya aguero got the goal but argentina only looked dangerous when Messi started running and playing one twos and playing dangerous passes. Even when he was been marked by 3 he was taking the ball and when they weren't giving it to him and he had 3 players occupied no one else was able to create really

 

[serghei]

Agreed with your first paragraph 100% but I thought the second paragraph was quite off-putting. I don't think there are many who said Messi carried the team back in the Guardiola days when we had the prime Xavi, Iniesta, Busquets and Alves etc. Clearly he benefited from playing with great players (who wouldn't?), but to diminish his contributions is silly. I think most of those who said Messi carried the team were referring to the last several years when we had a declining midfield, to the point of abysmal midfield we had sometimes, that Messi had to drop deep and help create, something that he didn't have to do in our prime years.

It is a fact that Messi created a lot of chances in the last several years, there were stats stating that Messi was among the top in Europe in terms of number of chances created, to the point that Messi had been ranked as one of the best playmakers in Europe consecutively in the last several years. Of course you can say most of the chances created were against weaker teams but isn't that the case for all the other playmakers or players who created a lot of chances? You can't use that to dismiss Messi.

Messi's problem other than those that many have stated (stamina, lack of off the ball, mentality, inconsistent effort etc.) is, to me he has become somewhat predictable in his approach to penetrate defense. He either dribbles through or he tries to play one-twos. His dribbling is getting worse as he declines so he can't always dribble through opposing players any more. And he often found that he is not always on the same wave length with his teammates when he wanted to do one twos, especially when he plays for Argentina. The two best players he used to do a lot of one-twos were all gone (Dani Alves and Neymar). So unless he tries different things and approaches he will fail more often than succeed with those two methods.

The rest I agree with.

Here's the thing. Ronaldo (I don't normally speak about Ronaldo when Messi is the subject, but I'll make an exception this time) keeps his consistent scoring against the best sides. Hell, in recent seasons he's scored more goals in decisive games than just about any other player. And Messi, in comparison, isn't deciding these matches anymore. Messi doesn't score a lot in the big games, his scoring rate is very low. But he also doesn't dominate the midfield in these games either, so you could say that he is this great AM now. So, what exactly does Messi do in the big games lately, beause outside some goals here and there and some bits of genius at times. His consistency in anything, being goals or chances created, is rather low. Isn't an elite scorer anymore, his explosiveness has declined majorly, and his genius passes are picked up by any serious team with some good defensive discipline.

In short, Ronaldo is a better no9 than Messi is a no10 in the last years. I don't see Ronaldo as a poacher and Messi as a total presence in both goals, dribbling and passing anymore. Ronaldo is a no9 and Messi is a no 10 in recent years (again, not talking about games vs Deportivo and Malaga), and Ronaldo just does his job better.

Part of the reason for this is both Messi himself, and Barca & Argentina, who treat Messi as some kind of god who could do anything. These teams should wake the fuck up, and give Messi a precise tactical role, with roles and duties he needs to perform.

 

[blaugrana1987]

Where was Ronaldo against Bayern in two games and CL final? He was worst player on pitch in all 3 games ffs and they still won. He was nowhere till Hungary in Euro and passed as 3rd in group, in final didnt play, they won. How is that favorable comprable to Messi? You would think this guy is sole reason they passed Bayern and won against Liverpool, what people wont tell you is he was complete passanger in all 3 games, and his team won DESPITE him. Lets see Argentina win despite Messi, or Barcelona without him. We would be lucky to be 3rs in league.