10 - Lionel Messi - V6

[Devils]

It's a shame he's not good at penalties. He would be monopolizing these awards if he could convert them.

 

[serghei]

I think the way he plays now is the best, not necessarily for La Liga, but for CL. He should not occupy central positions, he should only move into central space from the right, when space is available due to other players' movement (midfield plays a very big role here). We should stop seeing Messi as a creator of space. He is a dribbler and a scorer first and foremost. We should pass more and better in midfield and create that bit of space Messi needs to operate in. Him staying in RW more and making the other team have a less narrow and compact shape is a good idea. The LB of the other team won't give Messi time. A bigger gap between that LB and the corresponding CB will be created if Messi stays wide a bit more. That can be exploited big time. Either by Messi himself (he declined but still can turn a single opponent upside down), or by a player making a run.


If Valverde can make him stay more in RW, while picking his time when to attack central channels and when to keep shape and stay wide, we could see the best Messi in CL since 2015.

 

[Ritchie]

Leo wasting his time playing in a crap side that isn't good enough to win CL and an awful national team. He won't win any more individual awards without a CL or international title.

 

[Ritchie]

This shows the Champion League is more prestigious than the league and the WC as well. Messi not winning the best player award recently has to do with Barcelona's performance in the UCL.

I don't think he will win it anymore.

Barca take the irrelevant Copa Del Ray more seriously than the CL.

CL is be all and end all these days. The domestic trophies are only recognised when in addition to the CL.

Bayern, Juve, PSG can win every trophy in their country but only CL matters.

 

[soul24rage]

I think the way he plays now is the best, not necessarily for La Liga, but for CL. He should not occupy central positions, he should only move into central space from the right, when space is available due to other players' movement (midfield plays a very big role here). We should stop seeing Messi as a creator of space. He is a dribbler and a scorer first and foremost. We should pass more and better in midfield and create that bit of space Messi needs to operate in. Him staying in RW more and making the other team have a less narrow and compact shape is a good idea. The LB of the other team won't give Messi time. A bigger gap between that LB and the corresponding CB will be created if Messi stays wide a bit more. That can be exploited big time. Either by Messi himself (he declined but still can turn a single opponent upside down), or by a player making a run.


If Valverde can make him stay more in RW, while picking his time when to attack central channels and when to keep shape and stay wide, we could see the best Messi in CL since 2015.

I also think that RW might suit him better than at CAM in the CL for the reasons you mentioned and it's less intense in the RW. Two problems that I see of this defensively is that Rakitic will most likely move to that right hand side to cover for Messi's lack of defensive work with Busi and Coutinho in the center and Dembele on the left side. The right side of Rakitic, Roberto and Pique are slow in acceleration and I can imagine a LW guy like Neymar and Hazard would cause a lot of trouble for us. Maybe a guy like Semedo, who is defensively stronger, is needed in the CL while I think Bob is more useful in La Liga. 2nd problem I see is that a 'double pivot' of Busi and Coutinho doesn't seem strong defensively to me. I think Suarez would also have to drop deep to help those two and use Messi as an outlet on the RW whenever the ball is won.

 

[Ritchie]

It's a shame he's not good at penalties. He would be monopolizing these awards if he could convert them.

Or didn't pass over hat tricks all the time and stop playing after 2 goals.

He's not ruthless enough to win these awards anymore (and held back by team mates, whereas Ronaldo is always well serviced and bailed out).

If Ronaldo does go 6-5 this year then that's bad for Messi's legacy because he isn't winning another one. Ronaldo can still win more if Juve win CL or Portugal do well at 2020 Euros.

 

[DonAK]

They'll have to do something different in the away games in the CL if Messi keep playing wider this year.

Possibly Vidal for Rakitic to add more pace and mobility + ability to break up plays and Semedo for Roberto as the former is better defensively and got pace to burn.

 

[eaman]

Barca take the irrelevant Copa Del Ray more seriously than the CL.

CL is be all and end all these days. The domestic trophies are only recognised when in addition to the CL.

Bayern, Juve, PSG can win every trophy in their country but only CL matters.

And vice versa. Champions leagues don't mean as much without a domestic league title. Especially when you finish 20 or so points behind the winners

 

[DonAK]

He said again in his interview with Catalunya Radio that it's time to win the CL again and focus on it starting from this season.

 

[Devils]

He said he doesn't know if he will continue once his current contract ends here.

 

[Pedro]

He said he doesn't know if he will continue once his current contract ends here.

He will move to Newell's after his contract ends, that's where he wants to end his career.

 

[Stoichkov1]

He said again in his interview with Catalunya Radio that it's time to win the CL again and focus on it starting from this season.

Terrible news, if we focus only on CL and underestimate the league we'll probably finish the season trophyless.

I don't think we play well enough to win the CL but even if we do a Chelsea 2012 can happen again because CL is a knockout tournament.

 

[DonAK]

Terrible news, if we focus only on CL and underestimate the league we'll probably finish the season trophyless.

I don't think we play well enough to win the CL but even if we did a Chelsea 2012 can happen again because CL is a knockout tournament.

Calm down dude. Stop being such a pessimist.

 

[Mitchell1978]

He will move to Newell's after his contract ends, that's where he wants to end his career.

I used to think so but right now, with the state Argentina and their league is in its very unlikely he will go play there.
Its more likely he retire with Barça, somewhere in 4 to 6 years.

 

[DonAK]

I can see him going to Argentina for a season at most with his family staying back in Barcelona. Think Barcelona is where he and family will stay for a long time until his kids grow up.