If he doesn't return to basics and starts playing for the team, who cares? 2016 Neymar is not something Barca would miss.
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If he doesn't return to basics and starts playing for the team, who cares? 2016 Neymar is not something Barca would miss.
Icarium
Lifestealer
Very true. If he is supposed to be the main man he should be more consistent and less baggage. Things may change after messi though, maybe then he will play for barca like he plays for brazil. He is a beast there, almost consistently he performs there. Plus our style might change without messi, xavi and iniesta. But by the time messi starts declining neymar might too, you never know with these Brazilians.
JamDav1982
Senior Member
Neymar has been good in 2016 just a bit up and down and had a really bad month or so last season at worst time.
There isnt a player in the world that could fit in with the other two in MSN so well.
He has something like 20 goals and 20 assists in 35 games for Barca in 2016.
Would love to hear the likes of Messi and Suarez response to those that dont rate Neymar this year etc. I would bet anything they would mock that suggestion and they understand what he brings.
The fact he is creating so many chances and works so hard off the ball defensively and off the ball offensively etc doesnt suggest he is not working for the team, it suggests the exact opposite. He just needs to stop holding on to the ball too much at times.
Stopped reading at first sentence. If you, or anyone, thinks he's been good in 2016 then you can't be reasoned with.
JamDav1982
Senior Member
Fair enough.
I dont think you can be reasoned with on Neymar either.
Could have predicted the 'stopped reading at first sentence' cliche a mile off anyway. Not all written to try and persuade you that you are wrong just that I dont agree with that opinion.
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Icarium
Lifestealer
Neymar is not as good as he was in last year. And we can make an argument that Griezman and Bale were better. He is working for the team but he disrupts the our style when he is not playing well. I think that is the main argument against him now and it is valid. But as you said he works hard and creates many chances.
JamDav1982
Senior Member
Agreed he has not been as good as he was last year. He was for spells the best player in the world with Messi out in 2015.
Ney needs to stop holding on to ball so much at times when frustrated. There have been games like Valencia at home this year where it was unbelievably bad, even the other night he did it too much but in that game he was also the one player that looked most likely to break them down.
He is a huge team player though outwith that and the other players know it. Remember watching the Arsenal v Barca game last year and one of the things the likes of Henry was drooling about is how Barca get the likes of Neymar to play such a team role. The way he chases back, the way he covers so much ground and the way he moves off ball offensively to create space.
BBZ8800
Senior Member
I never thought about this part, but now while reading your post, I actually realized that Messi is actually ONLY 4 and a half years older than Neymar.
Majority of us probably think of Messi as a guy who already played 12-13 seasons at the top level, and how he is in his last footballing years. Or, Messi is a some sort of granny already.
On the other hand, majority of us look at Neymar as a guy who is at a beginning of his career and who has yet to achieve his best things and who is yet to be 5-10 years on top. Aka, Neymar is a kid, he is the future, his best years are infront of him.
But then again, when you think a little and look at their age, then (at least that's how I think), this theory written above doesn't make sense.
If Messi will stay here till the age 33-34, that is 4-5 seasons more.
By that time, Neymar will be aged 29 or 30, he will be aged as Messi today, or even older.
I want to say: there will be NO TIME for Neymar after Messi because he will aged 30-ish when Messi will retire/leave.
On the other hand, since we are comparing everyone with Messi, I just wanted to travel back in time and see how Messi played when he was aged 24 and a half or 25 (the same as Neymar is today). Then I have checked his 2012's video (25 years old Messi).
There we can see, that was Messi at his prime. Much faster and much more agile than today.
Some logic would say that Neymar will probably also lose his speed and agility from now on (or in the near future), so as I have said before, it is hard to expect that he will grow as a player aged 26, 27 or 28 suddenly.
But also, I wanted to check how a 25 years old Messi played compared to a 25 years old Neymar.
(I know that nobody can be a new Messi, but still, it is interesting to compare players at the same age and how they play, their skills, their decisions, their impact in small and key matches, consistency etc)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiPaXx9flLk
Anyway, let's focus on that part where you said: Neymar after Messi.
The more I think about it, I don't think that it will ever happen.
Neymar won't stay here for 4-5 years, and even if he'll stay for 5 years, by then he'll be 30 and we will just build a team around some new Messis and Neymars, aged 22-24 in those years.
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mark1nhu
New member
I think we can all agree, haters and fanboys, that Messi was obviously better at 25 or any other age, just because no one can be like him.
When people say that Neymar is the replacement for Messi or "the future", they are not saying he is or ever will be at Messi's level.
Those are completely different things.
That being said, you got a fair point about not having enough room (years) for Neymar being the focal point, depending on when Messi retires.
Yes, I expected Neymar to be better than he is right now at 25 and also more consistent.
He is not, unfortunately, but I really struggle to think about any other player better than him (both now and in the future) to be out LW in a trio with Messi and Suarez.
So, those who say that we can sell him and we will not miss him could start throwing names to discussion (until they have a wake up call that he is indeed the best one out there for us).
When people say that Neymar is the replacement for Messi or "the future", they are not saying he is or ever will be at Messi's level.
Those are completely different things.
That being said, you got a fair point about not having enough room (years) for Neymar being the focal point, depending on when Messi retires.
Yes, I expected Neymar to be better than he is right now at 25 and also more consistent.
He is not, unfortunately, but I really struggle to think about any other player better than him (both now and in the future) to be out LW in a trio with Messi and Suarez.
So, those who say that we can sell him and we will not miss him could start throwing names to discussion (until they have a wake up call that he is indeed the best one out there for us).
Icarium
Lifestealer
[MENTION=16942]BBZ8800[/MENTION] I did say that Neymar might also decline when messi starts declining. So you think messi at 33-34 will be a right winger with the same efficiency is having now? I dont think so, he will move slightly behind and concentrate more on his passing. As a winger it will be super hard for him to replicate that success for 4 more years. He is almost 30. After 30 lot of great players decline, messi will be an exception if he changes his role. He will still lead barca but neymar will be the main guy in attack unless we sign a better player.
te amo barca
Blaugrana al vent
I can comfortably see Messi not losing his current speed until 32-33. Robben and Ribery are in that age and still quite fast.
Icarium
Lifestealer
Plus some of things like hogging the ball and getting fouls is actually part of his job and it helps us sometimes. Gets player sent off and he attracts more attention that way and leaves spaces for messi and suarez. Defense gets irriated and commits more mistakes. When he is in form he loses the possession very few more times and creates hell lot of chances directly and indirectly. Last year he was performing like that, if he can just bring back the form i will be very happy.
Icarium
Lifestealer
Ribery and Robben are plauged with injuries. Messi relies on his acceleration rather than speed. I hope he maintains if for 4 more years but if it has an impact on his physical condition i would rather see him be the playmaker of the team. There is no one better than him.
Robben and Ribbery are actually slower now
And can't play two games without getting injured
evilhita666
Barçapocalypse NOW!
That was always the case with Robben, hahaha...
Either way, we don't need Ney to play great in 5 years or when/if Messi is retired, we need him to get his head out his ass right now! Especially if we take into account all this talk about age, he's no longer a kid, it's his third season here, so it's the perfect time for him to start acting like a man...
Either way, we don't need Ney to play great in 5 years or when/if Messi is retired, we need him to get his head out his ass right now! Especially if we take into account all this talk about age, he's no longer a kid, it's his third season here, so it's the perfect time for him to start acting like a man...
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