No offense, but the current version of Messi is so bad and ruining our team so much that I wouldn't even play him as a starter anymore.
If I were a coach, he would enter in the 60th minute.
If he would enter and do whatever he wants, he would go to stands like Rabiot in PSG's case.
1. Fati-Coutinho-Dembele/Trincao + Griezmann/Braithwaite
2. Dembele-Coutinho-Griezmann/Trincao + Fati/Braithwaite
3. Fati-Coutinho-Griezmann/Dembele/Trincao + Braithwaite
8 matches this season, 0 goals from an open play.
In the last 10 La Liga matches of the last season, he scored goals from an open play ONLY in the last round vs Alaves, in a friendly match when the season was already decided.
In 2 CL matches, he scored 1 goal from an open play vs Napoli.
And now, in 8 matches this season (5 La Liga, 1 CL, 2 NT team) he has 0 goals from an open play.
That is:
1. last 20 matches = he scored 3 goals from an open play
2. last 20 matches = he scored on 2 matches (2x Alaves, 1 Napoli) and hasn't scored on 18 matches
So, LITERALLY, his current scoring ratio from an open play is 1 in 10 matches, lol.
Add to this:
1. his unwillingness to stay here
2. not defending at all
3. killing all formations with dropping deep to a false double pivot position
4. zero off the ball movement
5. playing in the middle all the time
6. demanding every single ball
7. teammates respecting him too much and passing the ball to him all the time even though some other teammates are in way better positions
8. not passing to some teammates in better positions
9. quite dumb decisions with trying to dribble past 4 opponents through the middle all the time, with zero pace in his legs
10. extremely predictable 1-2s through the middle after which we are losing balls and allowing easy counters
11. wanting to play every match even thought he is barely walking
And I see that a lot of guys think that this is psychological.
As if: Messi would run in a new team where he would be happy (Man City).
Lol.
He is done.
He is 33 and a half.
He played 15 years without rest.
He played more matches than former all time greats due to playing in a CL every season and due to playing stupid CDR matches all the time.
There is no way back from here.
From now on, all what is left is going to Youtube and watching old videos when Messi was younger and an awesome player.
The current Messi will only give us headaches and will be worse and worse each new Month due to being even more slower than in this moment.
(Yes, if you think that this is the worst version of Messi, just wait till March, June or next September).
His decline is so strong that imo he should retire this summer or go to MLS and play a season or two there.
If he'll stay in Europe, he'll become a joke and ruin his legacy even more.
Imagine him going to England and letting the opponents and media laugh at his pace and losing balls left and right.
So, the question now is:
1. can we bench him?
2. and for how long we will need to suffer to finally see him on the bench for a match or two?