Lionel Messi - v7

[Morten]

Nope, ronaldinho was done and dusted, partied a lot, fat and uninterested, complacent. Messi is not.

Ronaldinho was declining, but he actually had a couple of good seasons for Milan left in the tank, didnt he? Not quite done.

 

[snowy]

And also look at 7:03

it was offside but he kicked that ball in frustration and scored in auto-mode

ma prediction: 7 goals open play and 5 assists in the next 5 games

here's the other smooth grooves:

.30 and .35 Through-ball attempts to Griezz but intercepted (Ideally he's the one to receive it)
.46 Lob attempt to Ansu but too strong and off-side anyways
.58 cool turn n pass!
1.03 nice pass from Bouze (good position from Leo but could've passed it earlier - happened very fast though)
1.14 cool nutmeg n pass
1.42 keeper was beat but Florian L saves the day
… series of good passes but still too deep
3.06 HH u Fuk - shoulda gotten it in the cojones
3.38 good run but weak shot (though shot though as ball was not passed in front of him)

2nd half

3:56 good idea but a touch too strong
4.14 maybe cross to Griezz? but that's only for the tough critics. Valid attempt in my book
4.40 good control but ran out of inspiration
5:20 yeah baby!
5:44 nice from Pjanic
5:58 good attempt!=
6:24 good chemistry between Leo and Ansu _ close!
6.28 good 1-2s _ here if Griezz tries to redirect it with the heel towards the centre _ could be easy 1v1 for either Trink or Pedri
… series of good passes and 1 failed muti-dribble
7.14 _ almost assist to Dest
7.18 _ almost assist to Pique
7:40 misleads both Tavares + the CB, passes between them to Trink
8,06 good attempt

So of course, these the parts I liked. Like it was pointed out, he did lose balls through misplaced passes and 3 dispossession. I'm good with that but I understand if some prefer more safety.

Thing I like was his fighting attitude and trying to make shit happen. No luck this time but if we play it by the numbers, odds say we find the net real soon.

 

[Jadentheman]

Ronaldinho was declining, but he actually had a couple of good seasons for Milan left in the tank, didnt he? Not quite done.

Only 2009-2010 season. Was mostly underwhelming and still didn't lead the team to much success. in the 2010-2011 season he was benched by Allegri and he left in January to play in Brazil.

 

[Morten]

Only 2009-2010 season. Was mostly underwhelming and still didn't lead the team to much success. in the 2010-2011 season he was benched by Allegri and he left in January to play in Brazil.

Wait, what about 08/09? He left for Milan in 08, and i didnt know he left for Brazil in 2011 already, oh well.

Milan were a sweet team in Fifa 11 though, Ronaldinho and Zlatan in the attack

 

[Katarina1]

Messi will start vs Dynamo Kiev (Sport)

 

[Vilarrubi]

Messi will start vs Dynamo Kiev (Sport)

Hat trick..... (of pens)

 

[sikkboy]

And also look at 7:03

Watching that through like that you realise what an unbelievable player he is, and that performance was considered by many as awful. Only could have a 'touches' reel like that. I mean look what he's having to work with in terms of space, personnel, a tough ref, and 10/9 players behind the ball condensing space. Unless they go by-line cross for John Fashanu et al. there's nobody else going to do anything. All that chaos and nobody from Barca could take adavantage. Well, Greizmann managed to latch onto a defensive slip at least.

 

[BarcaOG]

Nope, ronaldinho was done and dusted, partied a lot, fat and uninterested, complacent. Messi is not.

messi is pretty uninterested and complacent. has been for years. he does not have the drive/fire, nor the athleticism, anymore. sure, hes much better than 08 ronnie, but thats not the point.

 

[malvolio]

At the moment he is clearly not the best in the world. Maybe not even top30.

Not even segunda level surely.

messi is pretty uninterested and complacent. has been for years. he does not have the drive/fire, nor the athleticism, anymore. sure, hes much better than 08 ronnie, but thats not the point.

Make that decades or centuries, son. It doesn't cost you anything to make shit up in your head anyway

 

[BarcaOG]

Not even segunda level surely.



Make that decades or centuries, son. It doesn't cost you anything to make shit up in your head anyway

I'm not making anything up. You can find pictures of Messi walking around with his head down, defeated, all the way back to the 0-3 loss away to Juventus.

 

[Jadentheman]

Wait, what about 08/09? He left for Milan in 08, and i didnt know he left for Brazil in 2011 already, oh well.

Milan were a sweet team in Fifa 11 though, Ronaldinho and Zlatan in the attack

He was just ok. He wasn't lighting it up like he was in Barcelona. He wasn't even the main man or anything. It wasn't till Leonardo came in 09-10 season and decided to incorporate Ronaldinho's strengths and preferred position that he was able to make waves. It also helped it was a World Cup year and he had motivation to get on that 2010 squad.

It's sad that the only seasons where Ronaldinho played to expectations after Barcelona were 09-10 at Milan and 12-13 at Atletico Mineiro respectively.

 

[Birdy]

Need Lady Luck to stop snubbing us. As of late, he only assisted Own Goal and a few pre-assists early in the season. It's like the Goal factory has been shut down due to Covid regulations

So question is: how can we turn the power back on or is it really too late?

here's the location of his passes in the Alaves match:

and his dribbles:

Think most will agree that it would be best for him to stay up to max our chances. With current midfield and even Lenglet and Pique 90% passes, there really is no need to drop back.
We're stacked with technical players who can make those through-line passes, carry it forward, or both.
ie. in your video link, see that run he makes at 26th sec, let some1 else do it, and instead be on the receiving end of that pass... then he'd have 100% of his energy boost to beat the final line and score the goal or assist it.
Really think he'd gain in efficiency (as in less touches but way more success due to more optimal energy usage)

Those solo runs + golazos look cool and super heroic but even when they work, no way is it sustainable over the full season. First, it almost guarantees a totally drained Walking Dead Leo come CL reckoning time and 2nd, it dulls the senses of our midfield and fbs/wingers who are the ones in charge getting the ball up top.

Wanna see more of 5:58 and 6:58 actions. That's the Golden Spot for Leo!

He attempted like 10 shots at goal (5 on target and 3 blocked) and none of them found the net. wut whaaaaaa ... we should call the shrink and the voodoo priestess

and the cuz somebody stole his mojo!!! I suspect it's Colgate

in the upcoming vs Kiev, would be dope to see something like this:

1st half

Ansu - BraithW - Trink
Griezz
Frenkie - Pjanic
Firpo - Lenglet - Pique/Araujo (fit?) - Dest
Neto

2nd half

Ansu - Messi - Bouz
Pedri - Puig
Pjanic (best give Dej some rest?)
Alba - Lenglet - Pique/Ar - Dest
Neto​

5-20 was so cool

The pass location map says it all. He played like a 6 or 8 in a team that attacks and pins the opposition back.
Not as a 10, not as a 9.
Let alone that he played as a bad 6 or 8, as most of his passes from the deep positions were not progressing play and he was slowing down the tempo every time he touched the bal.

5:58 and 6:58 were the only moments he was where he was supposed to be (in the box) and one was the only open-play chance he was involved, the other a marginal off-side goal.
But these were only two moments of a 9min clip. So you get what the problem is.

Everything you say about his position and his role is correct. But you know the answer yourself: he will not do it.
He likes to drop as back as he likes. He likes to do what he wants. He likes to not give a shit about any tactical instruction.
Read Setien's interview people. The guy does NOT like to be managed by any coach. I just wonder how Pep managed to do it (perhaps he was young with less ego, and Pep's personality was authoritative enough)

Given that his performances are what we saw in the clip, there is no reason any more to start games.
But of course, Koeman or any coach is not given permission to bench him.

So, prepare yourselves for another trophy-less year and all the rebuilding falling short

 

[booge]

It now appears that his shot accuracy decreases depending how shit the team is .

R9 was different in this aspect

 

[KingLeo10]

It now appears that his shot accuracy decreases depending how shit the team is .

R9 was different in this aspect

Brilliant analysis.

Have you also considered that he's perhaps declining and that R9 at Messi's age was playing in Brazil or retired.

 

[Kul_z]

Ronaldinho was declining, but he actually had a couple of good seasons for Milan left in the tank, didnt he? Not quite done.

You're kidding me right? Ronaldinho was good for copacabana in 2008, and he went to milan where he did absolutely nothing worth of mentioning. He was un professional, fat, and nothing else. He could do a flip flap but eventualy his belly made a decision to go in another direction.