Lionel Messi - v7

[serghei]

Anyway, the signs with Messi for this specific game are positive. Now it remains to be seen if Messi will embrace the change and improve in this more advanced forward role or he'll cause problems because he is no longer the one pulling all the strings in offense. But is rather just a cog in a more collective way of attacking.

 

[JamDav1982]

The thing is that Griezmann can also give Messi some freedom, because he can act as a 9 in the time Messi breaks shape. So, if you replace Griezmann with Trincao, Messi should have even less license to move around, and should keep position more. Or else you'd have Trincao acting as 9 whenever Messi seeks space on the right.

That is exactly what Koeman is trying to do.

He wants to have the option of Messi going RW more if game needs it but Griezmann needs to be a lot better.

Trincao looks like he can cope with quick passing around he box and holds ball well so maybe he can take that place but Dembele can so doubt will see Dembele/Fati wingers much.

 

[KingLeo10]

Tonight's match:
10 players who played a faster, modern one-touch football

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... and Messi

You really gonna count Busquets as one of the faster, modern one touch football ones:

Shameless stuff.

 

[DonAndres]

The thing is that Griezmann can also give Messi some freedom, because he can act as a 9 in the time Messi breaks shape. So, if you replace Griezmann with Trincao, Messi should have even less license to move around, and should keep position more. Or else you'd have Trincao acting as 9 whenever Messi seeks space on the right.

"He can act as a 9" but in truth never really does, and is never good with his back to goal. Never really involved in any meaningful way as a 9 that justifies a healthy/useful occupation of that space. It's something that you can point to only in theory. Our structure in the center/right always looks like a total mess with Griezmann.

When Messi drifts to the right you point to the empty space in the middle. That's the kind of space Ansu would happily dart into when available, or can be functionally taken up in small chunks by Cou or Trincao for some touches here or there in transition. It's not like the touches or movements that Griezmann is providing there is something that cannot be taken up or replaced by pretty much anyone else.

 

[Catta]

Why cant he be subbed. He should never play the full 90 minutes.

 

[snowy]

nope. we won't have a real threat in the box. not all teams are as naive as villareal

coutinho and griezmann don't know how to finish. and that leaves us with fati and messi who are not strikers.

I also prefer the 4 attackers swarming unpredictably. Much more fluid than using a designating Icardi-Giroud type target man but in this katta set-up

I am convinced having all 4 rotating up there (Fati, Coutinho, Messi, Griezman) is more lethal than having a solid striker. If you want a Striker, we will have someone like Suarez both him and Messi won?t move

replace Griezz with Dembele/Trincao for RW

Today, very little attack came from the right till Trink came in.

Griezz, just rotate him with the ref-nutmeggin specialist or as a supersub in midfield since he likes defending so much

Also to note, we played a very high line today. Something we wouldn't be able to replicate vs a faster team.

 

[malvolio]

"He can act as a 9" but in truth never really does, and is never good with his back to goal. Never really involved in any meaningful way as a 9 that justifies a healthy/useful occupation of that space. It's something that you can point to only in theory. Our structure in the center/right always looks like a total mess with Griezmann.

Exactly. That's why we need a true 9.

 

[JamDav1982]

Exactly. That's why we need a true 9.

Then you have Messi on RW again which is difficult to deal with on balance of team.

Barca wont go for a proper 9 they will try to find the best option to pivot with Messi on RW/CF.

 

[jairzinho]

Exactly. That's why we need a true 9.

This might sound crazy but i think we could use some one like Stuani or a similiar profile even if just for one season. Basically a poacher/target man. Something like 2005/2006 Larsson. Against narrow compact teams we could run into some problems with a 'strikerless' formation. Today we looked pretty fluid partly because Villareal lefts loads of space for us to weave around and into. Against more disciplined teams prepared to sit deep, playing Messi up front with Greizmann interchanging could be an issue. The setup today looked good with lots of space. Against a bus i'm not sure it would work well.

 

[malvolio]

Then you have Messi on RW again which is difficult to deal with on balance of team.

Barca wont go for a proper 9 they will try to find the best option to pivot with Messi on RW/CF.

RW is dead anyway with Griezmann played there. Trincao is still green and Dembele can play both wings

 

[soul24rage]

This might sound crazy but i think we could use some one like Stuani or a similiar profile even if just for one season. Basically a poacher/target man. Something like 2005/2006 Larsson. Against narrow compact teams we could run into some problems with a 'strikerless' formation. Today we looked pretty fluid partly because Villareal lefts loads of space for us to weave around and into. Against more disciplined teams prepared to sit deep, playing Messi up front with Greizmann interchanging could be an issue. The setup today looked good with lots of space. Against a bus i'm not sure it would work well.

It's not crazy, I would love to have someone like Stuani as a plan B.

 

[JamDav1982]

RW is dead anyway with Griezmann played there. Trincao is still green and Dembele can play both wings

Messi on RW from outset is a nightmare tactically off the ball.

Teams target it and Barca have to give up other areas of team to compensate.

Cant see him playing there consistently now. A proper nine as an option more than as starter seems more likely.

 

[serghei]

"He can act as a 9" but in truth never really does, and is never good with his back to goal. Never really involved in any meaningful way as a 9 that justifies a healthy/useful occupation of that space. It's something that you can point to only in theory. Our structure in the center/right always looks like a total mess with Griezmann.

When Messi drifts to the right you point to the empty space in the middle. That's the kind of space Ansu would happily dart into when available, or can be functionally taken up in small chunks by Cou or Trincao for some touches here or there in transition. It's not like the touches or movements that Griezmann is providing there is something that cannot be taken up or replaced by pretty much anyone else.

But Messi has tendency to move way more in the right, than on the left. On the left he mainly goes for set pieces and corners. Other than that, his main move is either AM space or RW space. Meaning Coutinho and Griezmann zones. Not Fati's. So the main benefits of synchronization would be between Messi, Coutinho and Griezmann.

It remains to be seen just how mobile and versatile Trincao can be. I saw him at Braga being quite fluid and playing in more ways than just classic winger. Right now it seems the competing pairs are Fati vs Dembele and Griezmann vs Trincao.

 

[henias]

Prolly need a better RW that gives Messi more space to work with, Trincao seems to fit better and create more threats down that right hand side.

 

[serghei]

Messi can't play anything else except False 9 at this point, but a False 9 that keeps position more and drops less as his movement has deteriorated. In the past, he could drop and be back in the box very fast to finishing off the actions. Now when he drops, it takes a while for him to go up and attack the box. Sometimes he even gives up and doesn't go up with the action at all. Which is why he needs to reduce the time he drops to AM positions and trust his teammates more.