10 - Lionel Messi - V6

[ThwiX]

I swear to God...if he doesn't press and try to win the ball back with the rest of his teammates as well as create space and passing lanes for himself against Lyon, I have had it. He previously said that he wanted to win the Champions League this season. Time to show it.

Then you should prepare yourself to get disappointed. If he didn’t actively press and try to win the ball back with Argentina at the WC two times, do you really think he is going to start doing that now? He might track back a couple of times, but that is the most he ever did and will do. That’s his game and I don’t see him much different from the treble season. Difference is decline in other players, and especially the likes of Suarez who thinks he can get away with doing the same as Leo.

 

[clemente]

How daft you have to be to think Messi doesn't run because he just doesn't want to, instead of being physically incapable

 

[KingLeo10]

How daft you have to be to think Messi doesn't run because he just doesn't want to, instead of being physically incapable

I think people are asking for a special effort in CL KO games. Which isn't unreasonable, considering there's only 7 of them over 3.5 months.

Also, he doesn't need to chase down every loose ball, but the sort of hunger he showed v Tottenham away this season should suffice.

 

[clemente]

I think people are asking for a special effort in CL KO games. Which isn't unreasonable, considering there's only 7 of them over 3.5 months.

Also, he doesn't need to chase down every loose ball, but the sort of hunger he showed v Tottenham away this season should suffice.

When did he not give his best effort besides that Roma game? His best effort will still be running only 5km per game, no point in asking for impossible.

 

[KingLeo10]

When did he not give his best effort besides that Roma game? His best effort will still be running only 5km per game, no point in asking for impossible.

There are some games where he runs 8 kms (Spurs away) and others where he does 6-7 in the CL (the usual). that 1-1.5 km of pressing makes all the difference in the final third, when it's done by the best attacking player/ finisher of all time. the best of the best are supposed to up the ante in the biggest games, not play a copa del rey game and CL KO at the same intensity, regardless of what the result is. I'm not against Messi or singling him as the reason for our troubles (he's far last on that list and Valmierda is first). But all of the above is a fair criticism.

 

[FCB1987]

When did he not give his best effort besides that Roma game? His best effort will still be running only 5km per game, no point in asking for impossible.

Atletico in 2014 and 2016 as well

 

[FCB1987]

I'm hoping that he hasn't been at his best recently because he's taking it easy to be ready for the Champions League, but I'm starting to think that it's because he still hasn't recovered from rushing back after the knock he picked up against Valencia

 

[Mitchell1978]

There are some games where he runs 8 kms (Spurs away) and others where he does 6-7 in the CL (the usual). that 1-1.5 km of pressing makes all the difference in the final third, when it's done by the best attacking player/ finisher of all time. the best of the best are supposed to up the ante in the biggest games, not play a copa del rey game and CL KO at the same intensity, regardless of what the result is. I'm not against Messi or singling him as the reason for our troubles (he's far last on that list and Valmierda is first). But all of the above is a fair criticism.

There's probably very little difference in the amount of kms he runs its only the perception thats different, Tottenham away if i remember correctly was 8,3 km, Sevilla away 7,8 km. I'm thinking its almost always somewhere between 7,5 and 8,5 km.

 

[Pedro]

Let's hope the re-appointment of Zidane motivates Leo to do even better

 

[Luftstalag14]

Let's hope the re-appointment of Zidane motivates Leo to do even better

As if he cares

 

[messi2140]

Let's hope the re-appointment of Zidane motivates Leo to do even better

 

[El Barcelona]

Better than 25 goals in la Liga and leading European topscore charts, sure. But yeah, he plays a lot more conservative the last couple of weeks.

 

[FCB1987]

Tuchel: "2 days after the match, many of the players wanted to go on holiday.

If PSG are lacking motivation, it may help Leo win the golden boot as Mbappe's goalscoring will suffer.

 

[Havesaks]

Messis best period was pre arm-injury. He was in goat mode, after that he has just been reAlly clinical without really play his beautiful football game imo. and now The last couple of months his stats and play has taken another little hit. It looks suspicious much like messi from previous years where his stamnia and form decreases on the second stage of The season. Which is weird because he got rest from The national" team, in copa del rey, the whole period where he was injuried. But we wont Know before after the Lyon game and hopefully other chl games if he is saving energy or just doesnt has the physical attributes anymore to play 40-50 games (in his walking pace) a season. Maybe we should consider to rest him way more in the first stage of next season so he can go all out in the second stage (chl).

 

[Andresito]

GOAT masterclass incoming. Don't worry guys.