Lionel Messi - v7

[The Observer]

The players need a shot in the arm and to take some responsibilty.

Too many think they are untouchable.

Likes of Pique is an absolute disgrace the way he swans about for example.

His error is not also taking into account the sporting side as playing into the situation.

For me the playing squad is old, too much control and that needs to be challenged or this will drift on until they all retire when feel like it.

I dislike Pique's personality more than anyone, he is the prototype sunnyboy who was born into gold dust. But he is the least of Barca's problems for now. Last season up until Anfield he was considered the top 2 performing CB in Europe. Getting rid of him is not a priority. Who you going to replace him with? Todibo? Umtiti whose knees might not hold? Who cares that he goes to tennis matches or has businesses running? He could be much better if he were more focused but it's on the management to provide those elite alternatives that can push him out of the starting XI or make him work hard for his place. Not Pique's fault that giving 7/10 effort is enough to be better than any other alternative at the club. Whose fault is that? Who is the sporting director again?

Messi is Messi, when you have GOAT status you have influence. If he were to fake injury from tomorrow until end of season and decided to watch Barca on TV alongside Suarez, the club would fight hard for a CL spot. Also he was hardly wrong on the Neymar wish in the summer and supposedly not wanting Griezmann. Neymar is the top performer in Europe right now, playing better than ever before while Griezmann still does not fit the team in February. Also still waiting for Démbéle to make an appearance.

I'm amazed Messi actually puts up with this. You are GOAT and you play with a 17 year old and wait for Démbéle to return from injury and rescue the season. If he joined Madrid right now, they'd win the CL again 3 times in row with their defensive and midfield stabilitiy. A game changer upfront is all they are lacking.

The nerve from Abidal to call out player effort while not helping the team with shitty signing after shitty signing.

Senior players effort is not the biggest problem at the club at all. Messi, Suarez, Pique still deliver. Rakitic, Busquets are finished. Alba about to be finished but still miles better than Firpo. lol

 

[DonAK]

If Rakitic had done the same thing in place of Messi would the reaction from fans be the same? Doubt it.

No, because Rakitic is irrelevant and no one cares about him in the grand scheme of things. He can go and cry about the club taking the ball from him instead.

 

[soul24rage]

Absolutely no reason to come public with these sort of matters. Clearly a power play by Leo.

If Rakitic had done the same thing in place of Messi would the reaction from fans be the same? Doubt it.

Messi had an affinity toward Valverde and his laxed training style. He obviously did not take kindly to Abidal exposing the squad in public. Difference is Abidal is a board member with the right to say things like this, Messi despite all his power at the club is still a player and should keep quite.

I really cannot be arsed if Messi does not want to renew his contract past 2021. It might be a welcome change of direction at that point.

Of course Abidal has a right to say things like this internally, but in public?

tbf I think both are wrong and things like this should have been kept in house.

 

[malvolio]

Don't know what all the talk is about Messi defending Valverde 's relaxed attitude towards training. From what have I seen Messi has been an exemplary professional that kept the club alive all these years with his contribution on the pitch.
So as long as the guy is not skipping training and also delivers big time on the pitch, why would I care if he likes Valverde?!

 

[JamDav1982]

I dislike Pique's personality more than anyone, he is the prototype sunnyboy who was born into gold dust. But he is the least of Barca's problems for now. Last season up until Anfield he was considered the top 2 performing CB in Europe. Getting rid of him is not a priority. Who you going to replace him with? Todibo? Umtiti whose knees might not hold? Who cares that he goes to tennis matches or has businesses running? He could be much better if he were more focused but it's on the management to provide those elite alternatives that can push him out of the starting XI or make him work hard for his place. Not Pique's fault that giving 7/10 effort is enough to be better than any other alternative at the club. Whose fault is that? Who is the sporting director again?

Messi is Messi, when you have GOAT status you have influence. If he were to fake injury from tomorrow until end of season and decided to watch Barca on TV alongside Suarez, the club would fight hard for a CL spot. Also he was hardly wrong on the Neymar wish in the summer and supposedly not wanting Griezmann. Neymar is the top performer in Europe right now, playing better than ever before while Griezmann still does not fit the team in February. Also still waiting for Démbéle to make an appearance.

I'm amazed Messi actually puts up with this. You are GOAT and you play with a 17 year old and wait for Démbéle to return from injury and rescue the season. If he joined Madrid right now, they'd win the CL again 3 times in row with their defensive and midfield stabilitiy. A game changer upfront is all they are lacking.

The nerve from Abidal to call out player effort while not helping the team with shitty signing after shitty signing.

Senior players effort is not the biggest problem at the club at all. Messi, Suarez, Pique still deliver. Rakitic, Busquets are finished. Alba about to be finished but still miles better than Firpo. lol

Senior players are a huge problem.

Pique attitude is a disgrace and he is not a leader in any way. Been poor this season and not delivering.

Suarez and Messi as a pair mean Barca cant play as a unit that plays high inensity, pacey football and press from front etc.

It should be Messi only of those three in the team and he should be in final third and game given back to midfield.

 

[fergus90]

Club is in an absolute shambolic state, although would of been nice to see this kind of public reaction from Messi after the Anfield shambles. Reminds me of 07/08, players having all the power and Barca suffering for it. Back then it was Rijkaard who had lost control of the big names in the squad. This time it's not the manager but the board. The entire Bartomeu reign has been a giant mess behind the scenes.

Players that should of been phased out are still the backbone of the side in 2020, unacceptable squad management and zero sporting direction.

Abidal is stupid to say this stuff to the press of course, but no one comes out looking particularly spectacular in this situation either way.

 

[Tackle]

That's because Rakitic hasn't scored ~625 goals and won 6 Ballon D'or as a Barca player. The Croatian cuck has no power to wield and rightfully so. Stop being a muppet.

Both are players and should not come out and openly disrespect their superiors in public. Have an issue? Take it up with the board in private. The amount of shiny golden balls he has makes no difference to me. He can become a sporting director after retirement and tell the press anything he wants after he's done playing.

Problem is, like so many of our other players he thinks he runs the club and has no problem walking over anyone. Part of the "Club de Amigos" as you lot would call it. Don't expect the blokes with profiles named Messi/LeoXYZ123 to do anything than defend him to death, but some things have to be said.

Next season Neymar will be brought in no matter the cost to appease Leo and they will try to recreate MSN with a crocked Suarez. Meanwhile you'll have Busi stinking up the joint in midfield and Pique daydreaming on the pitch. Leo will have absolutely no problem with any of the aforementioned. We will get pumped in the CL again while he walks and acts like nothing needs to be changed. Rinse and repeat.

 

[bismp]

Don't know what all the talk is about Messi defending Valverde 's relaxed attitude towards training. From what have I seen Messi has been an exemplary professional that kept the club alive all these years with his contribution on the pitch.
So as long as the guy is not skipping training and also delivers big time on the pitch, why would I care if he likes Valverde?!

Just because Messi delivers 9/10 times because he is the GOAT doesn’t mean that he should have backed Valverde repeatedly.He is the captain,he should have seen the team has been playing like shit for ages and that it needed a change.Also,backing Valverde meant that he indirectly backed the old guard,many of whom were underperforming.

It’s true that he can’t solve everything on his own,especially with this board.For example,yes Neymar would have been a great signing,so that means that Leo was right to want him back.But firstly he betrayed us and secondly,even if you ignore this,you can’t have everything in life.

 

[bismp]

Furthermore,it is true that the board has fucked up big time and we are left with 15 players for the rest of the season.But that means Messi should have publicly criticized the board earlier,instead of now.

 

[serghei]

Sell him.

Basically this. Not sure if you mean it or not, or you are sarcastic, but his ego is getting in the way of the team. He is not a leader in any way, and this is very disappointing to see from the best player in the history of this club.

 

[malvolio]

Just because Messi delivers 9/10 times because he is the GOAT doesn’t mean that he should have backed Valverde repeatedly.He is the captain,he should have seen the team has been playing like shit for ages and that it needed a change.Also,backing Valverde meant that he indirectly backed the old guard,many of whom were underperforming.

It’s true that he can’t solve everything on his own,especially with this board.For example,yes Neymar would have been a great signing,so that means that Leo was right to want him back.But firstly he betrayed us and secondly,even if you ignore this,you can’t have everything in life.

First off, he delivered 11/10 for Barcelona. The best era in the history of this club has been marked by him, irrespective of the shite managers that we've had.
Secondly, him backing Valverde is mostly exaggerated as he didn't outright glorified the man. He was just polite and made sensible statements without going overboard. When did the praise Valverde or his management style? The fact that most people want Messi to openly criticise individuals doesn't mean he is in love with a manager or player when he doesn't do it (but it seems you got your wish with the Abidal debacle).

PS: the idea of Barcelona selling Messi is one of the most iditoc things I've read on a football forum

 

[JamDav1982]

First off, he delivered 11/10 for Barcelona. The best era in the history of this club has been marked by him, irrespective of the shite managers that we've had.
Secondly, him backing Valverde is mostly exaggerated as he didn't outright glorified the man. He was just polite and made sensible statements without going overboard. When did the praise Valverde or his management style? The fact that most people want Messi to openly criticise individuals doesn't mean he is in love with a manager or player when he doesn't do it (but it seems you got your wish with the Abidal debacle).

Two different arguments.

Are you arguing that because Messi has delivered he should be able to behave however he wants even if not for good of club as a whole?

Messi came out and supported EV and kept him in the job.

 

[Sterlingfan2000]

Messi is still mad for valverde sacking.

 

[Devils]

This is mind boggling that people have an issue with Messi.

-Messi has ALWAYS been consistent with his feeling towards Valverde when discussing him in public: He backs Valverde

-For Abidal to make a statement such as "players didn't like Valverde's methods" goes against everything Messi has always said publicly about Valverde.

-So Messi refuted it and said that the Sporting Management need to take responsibility for their decisions instead of ambiguously stating player disconetent to justify their decision to fire Valverde. Which he is 100% right in doing so.

This is an incredibly easy concept to grasp. I don't know how people can be split on this.

 

[JamDav1982]

This is mind boggling that people have an issue with Messi.

-Messi has ALWAYS been consistent with his feeling towards Valverde when discussing him in public: He backs Valverde

-For Abidal to make a statement such as "players didn't like Valverde's methods" goes against everything Messi has always said publicly about Valverde.

-So Messi refuted it and said that the Sporting Management need to take responsibility for their decisions instead of ambiguously stating player disconetent to justify their decision to fire Valverde.

This is an incredibly easy concept to grasp. I don't know how people can be split on this.

Abidal said some players were not happy with training under EV he did not say all were unhappy.

No issue with that really.

Does Messi only think players should be referred to when keeping EV in a job?

Comes across as Messi being pissed off EV was sacked and some in squad playing a part when he didnt want it to happen.