10 - Lionel Messi - v5

[xavisionary]

Minus Leo Barca wouldn't have half the trophies won since 2004. So very difficult to criticise the man. Still the GOAT.

 

[Chomutov]

Messi was awful yesterday, true. But I think he suffers from the tactics LE is using. I really don´t get why we don´t play a 4-2-3-1 system. We don´t have the players anymore for a 4-3-3. It´s so obvious! You have to make the right side work again. And give Messi a chance of combining with someone. Put a right wing on the field, Rafinha or Deniz or even Iniesta for Gods sake (he has no legs anymore for controlling the midfield), play Messi behind Suarez and 2 defensive minded midfielders (Masche and Busquets or Rakitic). Sit deeper and wait for counter attacks using Neymars and Messis speed. That´s it! There no more tiki taka in this team since Xavi AND Dani left. Latter one was so important for our game after Xavi had left because he gave options to Leo. Now or right side is dead land. A desert.
Lucho really is bad at tactics.

 

[RevoTeller]

Minus Leo Barca wouldn't have half the trophies won since 2004. So very difficult to criticise the man. Still the GOAT.

Well, from my side I can say that mine is not a critic, on the contrary it is exactly because I love him so much for what he has done during the last 10 years that seeing him playing souless like that (and hurting nobody but himself in the process) makes me really sad.

 

[BBZ8800]

why was he so uninterested yesterday , like seriously now ....

Is it about his contract ?


It's not the first time he just walks around the field but it was never like this , in the same time the other team is destroying us , in such an important match


Is this a fuck you to the board or what ?

My guess would be that Messi is quite sad and depressed about Barca/his individual career and our not so bright short term future. This is why:
1. he loves this team and he don't want to leave ever. Barca gave him everything and he gave everything to Barca.
On the other hand, he sees that a club in whole is in a worst state since 2007'
A president is poor, people in charge are incompetent and mostly frauds, but you can't sack them.
A coach is horrible.
Our rooster is probably one of the weakest (Barca's) in which Messi has played (apart from MSN trio)

Now, let's go back to the first sentence: he doesn't want to leave, but he sees that a club is in a total mess: president, a board, average directors and planning, a coach, and an average team.

He doesn't want to live.
But if he stays, we will maybe get a new coach and 2-3 new players and probably not too much will change.
He is torn to some extent.

What does a current situation mean for him as an individual player?
1. probably no CLs in the next 2-3 years, so maybe his career is over in terms of CLs. So, winning days are maybe over forever (for him)
2. La liga will also be a huge problem in upcoming years
3. he never won a WC, so his only "joy" was Barca and Barca's trophy. If even that part of his career is dead and gone, well, then it's not good.
4. on an individual level: CR7 and his club/NT are on fire lately. RM will La liga this year. And just imagine what will happen if RM wins a CL again. That would be 3 CLs in 4 years for him. Something which even Pep's Barca didn't achieve. This Real will be hailed as the best CL in a history by all neutral media.
That means a lot of new BaloonDor's for a CR7.
And since a revisionism kicks in over years, in 10-20 years, it is quite easy that people will say that Messi played better, but that CR7 was much more influental and his teams were winning more trophies (due to these CLs in the last few years).

Don't jump on me, I am just saying possible thoughts which can cross his mind.

So, in Messi's mind it could be:
1. I don't want to leave
2. if I stay, it will be a crap
3. the worst thing is, there aren't any signs that things will suddenly improve too much as long as Barto and his guys are here, as long as director Robert is here, as long as majority of players are here.

 

[FlaFCB]

Messi lost the ball for the second goal, but there was no midfield behind him for cover... the psg player had a clear lane until our goal. He was frustrated, and he usually plays badly like that.

 

[MagIX]

I have to say that his attitude yesterday wasn`t worthy of a captain`s armband. He deserved that armband with everything he did for this club, but a captain should be someone who drives the team forward, like Puyol was. Not this.

I will always say that Messi is a top3 player in history of football, but to look that uninterested in a game as big as this is very bad If he tried and failed, I wouldn`t mind, but to walk around the pitch for 90 minutes, while your team is getting destroyed is inexcusable.

I totally agree.
As you wrote, no problem if he tried and failed,but for sure I will see him fighting like a lion.... (and also because he gains 20 million annually).

 

[MagIX]

Messi lost the ball for the second goal, but there was no midfield behind him for cover... the psg player had a clear lane until our goal. He was frustrated, and he usually plays badly like that.

if you lost the ball, you run back and try to recover the ball. No excuses.

 

[RevoTeller]

My guess would be that Messi is quite sad and depressed about Barca/his individual career and our not so bright short term future. This is why:
1. he loves this team and he don't want to leave ever. Barca gave him everything and he gave everything to Barca.
On the other hand, he sees that a club in whole is in a worst state since 2007'
A president is poor, people in charge are incompetent and mostly frauds, but you can't sack them.
A coach is horrible.
Our rooster is probably one of the weakest (Barca's) in which Messi has played (apart from MSN trio)

Now, let's go back to the first sentence: he doesn't want to leave, but he sees that a club is in a total mess: president, a board, average directors and planning, a coach, and an average team.

He doesn't want to live.
But if he stays, we will maybe get a new coach and 2-3 new players and probably not too much will change.
He is torn to some extent.

What does a current situation mean for him as an individual player?
1. probably no CLs in the next 2-3 years, so maybe his career is over in terms of CLs. So, winning days are maybe over forever (for him)
2. La liga will also be a huge problem in upcoming years
3. he never won a WC, so his only "joy" was Barca and Barca's trophy. If even that part of his career is dead and gone, well, then it's not good.
4. on an individual level: CR7 and his club/NT are on fire lately. RM will La liga this year. And just imagine what will happen if RM wins a CL again. That would be 3 CLs in 4 years for him. Something which even Pep's Barca didn't achieve. This Real will be hailed as the best CL in a history by all neutral media.
That means a lot of new BaloonDor's for a CR7.
And since a revisionism kicks in over years, in 10-20 years, it is quite easy that people will say that Messi played better, but that CR7 was much more influental and his teams were winning more trophies (due to these CLs in the last few years).

Don't jump on me, I am just saying possible thoughts which can cross his mind.

So, in Messi's mind it could be:
1. I don't want to leave
2. if I stay, it will be a crap
3. the worst thing is, there aren't any signs that things will suddenly improve too much as long as Barto and his guys are here, as long as director Robert is here, as long as majority of players are here.

Very deep analysis as always, BBZ. I agree with this.
Furthermore, I think the two lost Copa finals left a strong mark mentally on Leo and he doesn't seem to have nor the mental nor the physical ability to turn things around anymore. A second-coming 2015 is what would be needed, but Leo doesn't seem to have that kind of power and fire in him anymore.

On top of this, as you perfectly wrote, he sees the current Barça-Real/CR7 situation (unfair luck, overrating and media protection for Cristiano Ronaldo, who has been years that he is actually shit and plays 10 times worse than Leo (and not only him) but nobody seems to care about it and they keep on awarding him as the best player in the world (which is fucking ridicolous and an insult to human intelligence)) and it's obvious that his "souless" games are the consequence.
You could see the sadness in his eyes yesterday.

He doesn't deserve all of this, but at the same time you still have to put up a fight and not play like he did yesterday.

 

[Vilarrubi]

Very deep analysis as always, BBZ. I agree with this.
Furthermore, I think the two lost Copa finals left a strong mark mentally on Leo and he doesn't seem to have nor the mental nor the physical ability to turn things around anymore. A second-coming 2015 is what would be needed, but Leo doesn't seem to have that kind of power and fire in him anymore.

On top of this, as you perfectly wrote, he sees the current Barça-Real/CR7 situation (unfair luck, overrating and media protection for Cristiano Ronaldo, who has been years that he is actually shit and plays 10 times worse than Leo (and not only him) but nobody seems to care about it and they keep on awarding him as the best player in the world (which is fucking ridicolous and an insult to human intelligence)) and it's obvious that his "souless" games are the consequence.
You could see the sadness in his eyes yesterday.

He doesn't deserve all of this, but at the same time you still have to put up a fight and not play like he did yesterday.

Agree with everything except the part about him not having that kind of power in him anymore.

He has been unbelievable this season. He's influenced nearly every game this season without a good coach, tactics or good enough players around him.

Imagine we get those 3 things back he would be even better.

It's down to the board now to sort these problems out.

 

[Chong Li]

He's probably just fed up playing for such an amateur level coach. And I don't blame him.

Without Leo we would be out of CL spots in la liga. Even an alien can't undo the coaching mistakes in every game...

 

[kilian]

He's probably just fed up playing for such an amateur level coach. And I don't blame him.

Without Leo we would be out of CL spots in la liga. Even an alien can't undo the coaching mistakes in every game...

I hope this is the case and not that he just doesn`t care anymore.

 

[FlaFCB]

if you lost the ball, you run back and try to recover the ball. No excuses.

Even so, not having a midfield to cover you makes things difficult. same happened with Neymar. He lost the ball, the psg player had a free lane to our goal and they also scored. Neymar chased and it didn't matter. Messi is not to blame for our gameplay deterioration over the past year.

 

[MIXA]

Well, I guess it's time to bring out the blonde dye again :blondemessi:

 

[MagIX]

Even so, not having a midfield to cover you makes things difficult. same happened with Neymar. He lost the ball, the psg player had a free lane to our goal and they also scored. Neymar chased and it didn't matter. Messi is not to blame for our gameplay deterioration over the past year.

Nobody is saying that he is to blame for our gameplay deterioration, this is not the point.
He lost the ball in a very dengerous position (he did not learn from Chelsea match?), it is too much to ask to try to recover the ball ? to fight for recovering the ball, because he want to win, because he gives his soul and his blood for the team, becuase he owns 20 millions annualy ? it is the attitide, as the world press is saying. As said, no problem if you fail, if you try and fail, if you miss a penalty, if you have a bad day you try anyway to help your team which is fighting and suffering.
Same happened with Naymar.... yes, but look at the video... Iniesta runs as if he were taking a walk in a park... what is this shit ?? please run not walk, try to catch him, try to tackle !!
With Simeone as coach, there would be punishment for these players.

 

[Barcaman]

Messi can't be replaced. Neymar didn't grow into leader who can carry this team and we can't just shift our focus back to midfield as there are no Xaviesta anymore.

Team needs to be re-built around Messi in a new formation with players who will run.