10 - Lionel Messi - V6

[Raketa10]

You know BBZ, I always agreed with you on this idea that we need more variety in our attacking plays. Our recent attacking plays have been predictable in CL standards: take Messi out and our chances of scoring will drastically reduce. Plus with Messi always drifting to the center, our right wing is dead so the opponents can focus on only the left side. For me in this current season and with the current squad, I think that we should play this line up and formation

(4231) MATS---Semedo, Pique, Lenglet, Alba---2 CMs---Dembele, Messi, Coutinho---Suarez

Back 5 explains themselves. Our CMs of Rakitic, Busi, Arthur, Vidal can all play in a double pivot. It's just a matter of selecting the best players for a selective opponent.

I believe the 4231 brought the best out of Coutinho last season as he would have more protection from a double pivot than just a pivot in a 433 if he played as the left interior CM. He's also not that great as a LW in a 433. In a 4231, Coutinho can drift in to the left half space while Alba can occupy the left wing. Messi can stay in the right half space while Dembele stays out on the right wing. They can always interchange their positions as both of them are very versatile. The opponent would have to spread out more rather than just focusing more on one part of the field. Always love the 433, but for the current squad, I believe that the 4231 is the best option to get a variety of attacking plays from our best attacking players.

I am with you on this but if we want this to work none of the front 4 can't walk while we are defending and that's exactly what they are doing now. In order for this to succed entire team needs to work hard and I can't see Suarez or Messi doing that for more than 30 min. A world class team can have a luxury of ONE player not playing defense while we have almost always TWO or more and that's the main reason we don't risk more with our line up.

 

[Luftstalag14]

it's simple mate. To be able to win in CL you need to have a game plan an entire team needs to function as one. This is a team sport and the way we are playing has nothing with the team at all. Ronaldo was always a crucial part of the team while Messi is one man show. And the worst of all is he doesn't have to be since he has world class teammates. Our plan is simple give ball to Messi and he will do something and if not fuck it. If he loses the ball he will walk on together with Suarez and than people will blame Pique, Roberto or Rakitic for conceding goals and Coutinho or Dembele for being useless. We need to build a team with Messi in it and not team around Messi. In this way we'll become Argentina.

I understand what you are saying but it is easier said than done. I don't like Valverde but Messidependencia did not start with him. Under multiple managers we have been playing like that, ie., passing the ball to Messi and end of story. How exactly do we do it, building a team with Messi being the icing on the cake but not the focal point? I don't think there is an easy answer to that, at least none of our managers of late have figured that out yet.

Perhaps repeatedly instructing the players to not always look for Messi and pass the ball to him, instead try to create something and finish it on his own?

 

[Messigician]

Didn't we just about win every game while messi was out and Suarez was in the form of his life? Reslly makes you think...

 

[CatalinR10]

Didn't we just about win every gsme while messi was out and Suarez was in the form of his life? Reslly makes you think...

`yeah , suarez lost his football ability because messi is on the field

 

[serghei]

Guys. It's a manager issue. We hired average managers post Pep. Lucho was the best we had. And he was just okay-ish. He took a year off btw. Did you see big clubs lining up and fighting to get him?

Do you see top clubs dreaming to land Ernie? Ernie will be back to a 5-8 club in La Liga after Barca.

Besides Pep, none of our managers since Van Gaal has had any success as a manager at a big club.

Tito was a rookie, Tata was a nobody in European Football, Lucho failed at Roma and got fired in a year, and then did reasonably well at Celta. Valverde did ok in La Liga, and is basically a conservative manager without the European credentials to back it up. You can find right now about 30 managers at least as good as Valverde and 10 aren't even known names.

Valverde is the type of manager you put up with if he shuts you up with golden results. Like Mourinho was. Problem is Mourinho built some great sides, and flat out got things done. Valverde is far far from that.

 

[FCB1987]

Guys. It's a manager issue. We hired average managers post Pep. Lucho was the best we had. And he was just okay-ish. He took a year off btw. Did you see big clubs lining up and fighting to get him?

Do you see top clubs dreaming to land Ernie? Ernie will be back to a 5-8 club in La Liga after Barca.

I agree but our senior players have too much power for that right now. An elite manager would want to drop Suarez and Rakitic, tell Messi to move more off the ball, bring in high pressing, and rotate the older guard more.

 

[serghei]

I agree but our senior players have too much power for that right now. An elite manager would want to drop Suarez and Rakitic, tell Messi to move more off the ball, bring in high pressing, and rotate the older guard more.

So? I have no problem with it as a fan. If he wants to drop anyone, and I mean anyone, and prove we can improve our performances in CL I'm all for it.

But you'll find that even the players who aren't as hard working now, will give more if they feel they have to do it. Some managers simply get more out of their players than others. The players who do not want to improve and work harder, can go for all I care.

Maybe some want an easier time on the pitch as they approach the end of their careers. They can move. Xavi and Iniesta didn't retire at Barcelona either.

 

[Mitchell1978]

Didn't we just about win every gsme while messi was out and Suarez was in the form of his life? Reslly makes you think...

small sample size and barely won against Rayo (barça probably derserved to loose), even the win against Real wasn't a true reflection of the game, if Real equalises in the 2e half who know how that game turns out

 

[FCB1987]

So? I have no problem with it as a fan. If he wants to drop anyone, and I mean anyone, and prove we can improve our performances in CL I'm all for it.

But you'll find that even the players who aren't as hard working now, will give more if they feel they have to do it. Some managers simply get more out of their players than others. The players who do not want to improve and work harder, can go for all I care.

Maybe some want an easier time on the pitch as they approach the end of their careers. They can move. Xavi and Iniesta didn't retire at Barcelona either.

I have no problem with it but our players will likely throw a tantrum. They're clearly happy with EV

 

[Cule4life]

Hey [MENTION=16942]BBZ8800[/MENTION] you can write essays all you want but why don't you address the elephant in the room.

Do you see your dear Valvy making the changes and tactics you suggested?

Can you admit you were wrong about Valmierda being the right man for us?

Can you admit you were wrong about several players because of your prejudices and because you wanted to defend Valverde?

Or are you gonna completely ignore my post as usual

I have no problem with it but our players will likely throw a tantrum. They're clearly happy with EV

They can throw tantrums all they want. Too bad this is FC Barca not FC Messi and friends.

 

[Raketa10]

I understand what you are saying but it is easier said than done. I don't like Valverde but Messidependencia did not start with him. Under multiple managers we have been playing like that, ie., passing the ball to Messi and end of story. How exactly do we do Ait, building a team with Messi being the icing on the cake but not the focal point? I don't think there is an easy answer to that, at least none of our managers of late have figured that out yet.

Perhaps repeatedly instructing the players to not always look for Messi and pass the ball to him, instead try to create something and finish it on his own?

I 100% agree with you it's not easy at all. For that to happen we would need to have a manager with strong character, clear vision and big balls and not Valverde.

 

[Messigician]

Messi must shave bad luck beard. It is slowing him down. Also tattoos decrease athletes performance. Why do you think Ronaldo never got one? The cant give blood becasue of tattoosthing is a myth

 

[CatalinR10]

Messi must shave bad luck beard. It is slowing him down. Also tattoos decrease athletes performance. Why do you think Ronaldo never got one? The cant give blood becasue of tattoosthing is a myth

CR already has a tattoo

 

[Kul_z]

So, the lyon guy marcelo said that mbappe was heavier opponent then messi and that messi played badly. It could be a long night at nou camp for you my boy <3

 

[Giginho75]

So, the lyon guy marcelo said that mbappe was heavier opponent then messi and that messi played badly. It could be a long night at nou camp for you my boy <3

You mean Bernabeu, right?
Anyway maybe Marcelo forgot all the times that Leo destroyed him, with Barca and Seleccion, mostly in Madrid.

EDIT: I confused Marcelo RM with Marcelo LYON...sorry

Thank you MTL_Barca ;-)