Stric
New member
There aren't any. What on Earth are you talking about? Alexis is criticized for his playing, and his playing alone. Nobody ever said that he's persuading the coaching staff to play him instead of Villa or someone else.
There aren't any. What on Earth are you talking about? Alexis is criticized for his playing, and his playing alone. Nobody ever said that he's persuading the coaching staff to play him instead of Villa or someone else.
Mes que un club
New member
No, he was criticized for taking playing time away from Villa and Tello.
Stric
New member
That's why I put 'starting' in brackets. Because in certain periods he is a regular. Luckily he hasn't been one recently.
Once again, I do hope you realize this is a figure of speech. When it is said that he takes playing time away from others, this is criticism of the coaching staff, not Alexis.
Mes que un club
New member
There were, as there often has been with Alexis, clear indications that the criticism of him is exaggerated exactly because Villa is on the bench.
MarkYaeger
New member
Unfortunately the primera division nets aren't getting crucified by the ball off of Alexis' boot. So again, you're a starting forward for the best club in the world. Finish easy and clear chances, or make way for someone who will.
Mes que un club
New member
That is such a basic point to make. I hope i don't have explain why finishing isn't the be-all-end-all criteria for deciding who plays. For a while, Pedro wasn't scoring. Should we have given up on him? Before Villa's injury, there was a period where his finishing was off; should we have given up on him?
Cule4life
The Culest
For a forward it is. Making runs and creating space are a bonus which can distinguish and elevate you above others
Mes que un club
New member
Well, luckily the staff at barcelona whose knowledge of football is much superior to yours and mine, disagree. The criteria for selecting anyone should be that the team is better off from it, not the individual.
MarkYaeger
New member
No, you absolutely don't. But let's be honest, you have to have confidence for someone to make the runs that he does, then finish. Especially since defenders are 2,3, or even 4 on Messi. If Messi is drawing that many defenders, he's leaving the line open for Sanchez to.... miss. That will eventually take the toll on Messi and the such. Why put in so much effort to give the ball to Alexis for him to miss. It becomes tiring
Mes que un club
New member
Well, it is more common that Alexis is making runs drawing defenders to him, and away from Messi, than the other way around.
Cule4life
The Culest
What happens when Messi is triple marked and ball falls to Alexis.... He will pass to Messi instead of trying himself
DonAndres
Wild Man of Borneo
Not really I mainly see Messi drawing defenders away from everyone else. As for others, defenders get drawn towards Cesc, Iniesta, and Pedro. They always operate without much space because defenders are stopping them from either scoring or providing a killer pass. As for Sanchez, he gets an unbelievable amount of space which is why he always gets the goalscoring chances on breakaways. There's barely anyone who bothers to mark him. And why should they bother? Every chance he does get after being provided with a perfect pass and space to operate in, he manages to waste.
MarkYaeger
New member
Not really, and if he does.. he then often loses the ball. If in the situation he does dispatch to Messi, Messi still has 3 guys on him and he can't feel confident (in Alexis' current form) to get the ball back for Alexis to have a shot on goal.
footyfan
Calma, calma
I disagree. When Alexis takes defenders away, it looks obvious because it is something different and he does it through runs. Whereas with Messi, you always see players marking him so it doesn't stand out.
Home of Barca Fans
