9 - Robert Lewandowski

[El Gato]

With Poland (and I'm sure Temptation monitors his NT performances too) the fans are starting to get fed up of him there and complain he is dragging the team down despite scoring some goals.

I dont know if that's the precise perception
Fairly sure he's not being blamed for much other than maybe being an underwhelming captain through PR crises (which TBF he always was).
But I can barely follow the dramas around him.

Since ~2016 when Poland got to QF (and in hindsight had the best chance of going further considering would meet Wales in semis), I think it's more of an exasperated feeling. Team around him almost always was too shit and wouldnt win a thing unless play the most negative ball possible (incorrect, can even look pretty good in a losing effort to France).

Nowadays he's got more of a rep of a meme celebrity dancing bachata and living the life
Which isn't to say anyone will front an idea he's poor or should end NT career

 

[Temptation]

Messi has good lower body strength and excellent balance.

More than enough.

For Football yes. Him and Hazard are very well built for the sport.


In a street fight? Fuck no. Anyone who says otherwise knows fuckall about fighting.

 

[Horatio]

For Football yes. Him and Hazard are very well built for the sport.


In a street fight? Fuck no. Anyone who says otherwise knows fuckall about fighting.

Why not in a street fight? I admit, reach makes a difference but with good fighting technique low center gravity people are menace. They can generate a lot of power from their balance.

Fun fact: Ottoman army was considered really strong because they lacked long legs.

 

[KingLeo10]

Messi's strength and durability are off the charts for a man his size

He has by far the most # of dribbles and tackles received, while still being able to average 50-60 games and 60-80 G+A for like 10 years + straight

 

[jamrock]

Football isn't a sport that selects for height, especially in midfield.

Being short "stocky", with great balance/low center of gravity is preferred.

Just look at a list of greatest midfielders of all time, gavi physical profile is basically perfect and to that he's brave AF.

Forward line is a bit different

 

[Temptation]

Why not in a street fight? I admit, reach makes a difference but with good fighting technique low center gravity people are menace. They can generate a lot of power from their balance.

Fun fact: Ottoman army was considered really strong because they lacked long legs.

Agility is only one aspect in fighting. Also football agility is very different to fighting agility. Muscular development, brute strength, etc is lacking.


Messi lacks fighting agility. Have never seen him score acrobatic volleys or bicycles either. I doubt he's pulling off insane flexible Taekwondo kicks and shit.

 

[Temptation]

Messi's strength and durability are off the charts for a man his size

That's what I indicated. Read the previous posts on this.

 

[Morten]

For Football yes. Him and Hazard are very well built for the sport.


In a street fight? Fuck no. Anyone who says otherwise knows fuckall about fighting.

Its relative anyway, footballers are skinny, few of them are all that strong, not what the sport is about.

 

[Temptation]

Its relative anyway, footballers are skinny, few of them are all that strong, not what the sport is about.

Ofcourse. This is a bit of a bogus, off topic discussion we're having just for fun.


It doesn't matter. They are footballers not UFC pros.

 

[El Gato]

Football isn't a sport that selects for height, especially in midfield.

Being short "stocky", with great balance/low center of gravity is preferred.

Just look at a list of greatest midfielders of all time, gavi physical profile is basically perfect and to that he's brave AF.

Forward line is a bit different

It isn't 'preferred'
It can be an advantage depending how you play. Can make you a huge liability in other ways.

 

[Horatio]

Agility is only one aspect in fighting. Also football agility is very different to fighting agility. Muscular development, brute strength, etc is lacking.


Messi lacks fighting agility. Have never seen him score acrobatic volleys or bicycles either. I doubt he's pulling off insane flexible Taekwondo kicks and shit.

I wasn't talking about agility. I was talking about generating power. A good punch starts from the legs. You can have people with muscled arms, but with poor balance the punch loses impact.

 

[Morten]

Some height is fine, but outside cb and gk, being above 190 is a bad thing i'd say.

 

[Temptation]

Some height is fine, but outside cb and gk, being above 190 is a bad thing i'd say.

Could this be the reason why the Mediterranean National teams are more successful than the Scandinavian/Nordic NTs?

 

[JamDav1982]

Football isn't a sport that selects for height, especially in midfield.

Being short "stocky", with great balance/low center of gravity is preferred.

Just look at a list of greatest midfielders of all time, gavi physical profile is basically perfect and to that he's brave AF.

Forward line is a bit different

Gavi is nothing like the physical profile of Xavi etc or other small mids.

He moves more like Isco or Jack Wilshere and has that short leg squad build as opposed to Xavi/Iniesta who were athletes and covered ground with ease.

Nor has he shown 'greay balance' yet. There is rarely a player out there that see end up on their arse as much as him.

His physical profile is far from perfect.

 

[jamrock]

It isn't 'preferred'
It can be an advantage depending how you play. Can make you a huge liability in other ways.

It is

If you named the top 5-10 CM of all time, they are all average height or below