Lionel Messi - v7

[Porque]

Our mental preparation is not bad since 2017 but since 2012.

We were always mentally fragile.
The only difference is that in some eras we were so technically superior that we managed win CLs inspite of being a team of choirboys.

In other eras, when we aren't technically superior, we are just a normal team with a weak mental strength.

In the core of our footballing phylosophy is to play, pass and dominate.
There is no word or lessons about mentality, leaders, fighting spirit.

So, it is what it is.
It is more a cultural and historical thing with Barca.

A fun fact:
Do you know that in a CL final of 1986, between Barca and Steaua, played in Seville, a match ended 0:0 and we went into a penalty shootout.
Since Barca never won a CL prior to that final, our players were so scared and impressed that we missed all 4 penalty kicks, and lost 2:0.

A classical example of our mental strength in CL finals and key moments over years.

Our strength improved only due to having Messi to save our asses.
Without him, more or less, we were always a team of frightened choirboys who can play a nice flowing possession football, but who eventually crumble under pressure in key moments.

With or without Valverde.

So are Barcelona as an institution just mentally frail and this is contagious to each Board of Directors, manager and players. Only broken by Messi or in previous successes by technical superiors like Van Bommel, Oleguer, Giuly, Edmilson, Bakero, Ferrer, Naldo.

When did this start? After the Fairs Cups, after Franco? Or is it digested into the Catalunyan DNA ever since 1516.

Was Ernie once a roaring alpha mentalist at the peak of physical preparation only to be undone and suffocated by the Catalunyan inferiority complex to Madrid.

Let's hope Setien can avoid this virus, or atleast- wear a face-mask.

 

[Devils]

[tw]1225071480540745728[/tw]

Peacekeeper Barto.

 

[Messigician]

[tw]1225071480540745728[/tw]

Peacekeeper Barto.

Messi "Announce Neymar"

Barto "Yes Boss"

 

[Ritchie]

I can understand why Messi is pissed. Suárez got injured and they tried to sign a #9 in the winter and failed. Not only that, they've also sold one of the wingers in the squad while hoping for Demélé, a player who is very talented, but very injury-prone. So all they did in this whole month was selling players, weaken the squad (at least in depth), chasing Rodrigo and buying a winger who won't join before summer.

Then Abidal has the nerve to come out and saying players didn't work hard under Valverde. I'm sure he is right with this statement, but he shouldn't say that. Instead of criticizing players he should admit that he failed to sign a Suárez-replacement the same way players took responsibility for Anfield or Valencia.

What the club should have done is got rid of Suarez a year or two ago and signed a world class striker but then Messi wouldn't have been on board with that, or any signing who threatened his mates place.

Coutinho and Demebele was a clusterfuck but why is Coutinho playing for Bayern, while Barca still pick shit like Rakitic every week and have no creativity apart from Messi?

In reality the players knew Valverde was no good but Messi used his influence to keep him around which while Leo was leading Barca to the recent titles with his one man band, the Rome and Anfield disasters were the result of sticking that with shitty coach. They still stuck with him after Anfield and now they're not good enough domestically either.

There's probably a divide between the younger or hungry European players like Ter Stegen, De Jong, Lenglet, Umtiti, Griez and the dad's army of Messi, Suarez, Pique, Busquets, Alba and Rakitic who've won it all and haven't got the hunger or haven't got the ability anymore, or haven't got the energy to live with teams like Liverpool.
It's okay having Messi walking all game if he can do a bunch of brilliant things but it means the other 10 need to work harder. The problem is there's carrying others as well.

 

[KingLeo10]

Our mental preparation is not bad since 2017 but since 2012.

We were always mentally fragile.
The only difference is that in some eras we were so technically superior that we managed win CLs inspite of being a team of choirboys.

In other eras, when we aren't technically superior, we are just a normal team with a weak mental strength.

In the core of our footballing phylosophy is to play, pass and dominate.
There is no word or lessons about mentality, leaders, fighting spirit.

So, it is what it is.
It is more a cultural and historical thing with Barca.

A fun fact:
Do you know that in a CL final of 1986, between Barca and Steaua, played in Seville, a match ended 0:0 and we went into a penalty shootout.
Since Barca never won a CL prior to that final, our players were so scared and impressed that we missed all 4 penalty kicks, and lost 2:0.

A classical example of our mental strength in CL finals and key moments over years.

Our strength improved only due to having Messi to save our asses.
Without him, more or less, we were always a team of frightened choirboys who can play a nice flowing possession football, but who eventually crumble under pressure in key moments.

With or without Valverde.

Instead of saying EV was mentally fragile, this lad would rather undermine our whole institution.

Insane cartwheeling, dawg. You MUST be biologically related to EV. This baffles even the most fleeting of senses.

Imagine saying Barca (not recently, but HISTORICALLY) are CL/EC mental midgets when we have won 5 out of 8 finals (62.5% W/L ratio), which is only bettered by RM, Milan (64% aka close), Pool (66%).

It's better than Bayern, United, Inter, and way better than Juve.

You're making it sound like we're Atletico.

Basically, only RM is superior to us in CL. But everyone knows RM is superior to everyone in CL. Not exactly news.

 

[LeeRomeno]

Just this season. Can't be bothered to get last seasons.

https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsl...d=2001140/match=2027091/statistics/index.html
A. vs Inter
H. vs Inter
A. vs Slavia
A. vs Dortmund
H. vs Slavia

Valverde: "I never give much importance to physical fitness"

Atleast you admit he was sh*t at mental preparation too though.

As I said Abidal is factually correct and even supported by the quotes of the ex-manager.

We gloriously collapsed vs PSG under fitness-guru Lucho just to bring Remontada at home. Majority of our losses have been away at home and related to mental collapse, rather than physical. Possession based teams are never focused on physical, but technical side of game.
You may be physically on top shape, but fragile mind can make any sportsman fail, it is even worse for teams, as it may stick like virus as it has with us and Messi as well.
Our CL wins have come when we have had absolutely brilliant technical players compared to competition like MSN or Xavi/Iniesta at their prime.

 

[El Gato]

Imagine saying Barca (not recently, but HISTORICALLY) are CL/EC mental midgets when we have won 5 out of 8 finals (62.5% W/L ratio), which is only bettered by RM, Milan (64% aka close), Pool (66%).

It's better than Bayern, United, Inter, and way better than Juve.

You're making it sound like we're Atletico.

Basically, only RM is superior to us in CL. But everyone knows RM is superior to everyone in CL. Not exactly news.

Ya, well, not really mental midgets, but the squad has stayed quite flawed in that department over the years to say the least. If there were any personalities other than Puyol and Xavi who could make the difference between scoring the one goal vs Chelsea in 2012, scoring the one goal vs Liverpool at Anfield, scoring the one goal away at Atletico, or basically whenever the struggle is real, then you'd definitely not be considered as 'weak'. Premature exits predate EV's reign so it's not just a question of leadership from the dugout.

Also, not convinced we're historically that superior to Liverpool in the CL. It's a big question mark that needs answering. I can't remember the last time they've been resoundingly outplayed in the knockouts and if they beat us, they may well be the team to better our three-peat achievement.

 

[The Observer]

We gloriously collapsed vs PSG under fitness-guru Lucho just to bring Remontada at home. Majority of our losses have been away at home and related to mental collapse, rather than physical. Possession based teams are never focused on physical, but technical side of game.
You may be physically on top shape, but fragile mind can make any sportsman fail, it is even worse for teams, as it may stick like virus as it has with us and Messi as well.
Our CL wins have come when we have had absolutely brilliant technical players compared to competition like MSN or Xavi/Iniesta at their prime.

The forum clowns take these out of context badly translated quote snippets and create a completely made up narrative around it. Like Valverde just chilled around and drill master Setien is now here bringing hard work based on 2 additional training sessions which he ordered only because he is new in the middle of the season and needs to get to know the squad better quickly.

And what EV said was always said by Pep, Xavi and every other Barca icon. At Barca the players work with the ball and on technique, not primarily on the physical aspects. At this level of sports you don't win a league title with 93 points and go 37 games unbeaten while chilling around.

The stupidity is off the charts sometimes.

 

[behindbrowneyes]

What the club should have done is got rid of Suarez a year or two ago and signed a world class striker but then Messi wouldn't have been on board with that, or any signing who threatened his mates place.

Coutinho and Demebele was a clusterfuck but why is Coutinho playing for Bayern, while Barca still pick shit like Rakitic every week and have no creativity apart from Messi?

In reality the players knew Valverde was no good but Messi used his influence to keep him around which while Leo was leading Barca to the recent titles with his one man band, the Rome and Anfield disasters were the result of sticking that with shitty coach. They still stuck with him after Anfield and now they're not good enough domestically either.

There's probably a divide between the younger or hungry European players like Ter Stegen, De Jong, Lenglet, Umtiti, Griez and the dad's army of Messi, Suarez, Pique, Busquets, Alba and Rakitic who've won it all and haven't got the hunger or haven't got the ability anymore, or haven't got the energy to live with teams like Liverpool.
It's okay having Messi walking all game if he can do a bunch of brilliant things but it means the other 10 need to work harder. The problem is there's carrying others as well.

It's hard to agree for me with the Suárez-part since he is a player who is difficult to replace. It is really hard to find a striker who is good enough to be the #9 in this team.

The board missed the perfect opportunity to sack Valverde. After losing in CL and against Valencia everybody would've agreed that there is no progress anymore and the team needs a fresh restart. Bartomeu made the choice to keep Valverde. It wasn't Leo's decision since he is not the one in charge. The sporting director can ask the players what they think about the coach, but at the end of the day it's up to the management. Players took responsibility for the losses but that doesn't mean they had to continue with Valverde.

Messi was right to speak up because he was covering the pathetic mistakes made by the board for far too long.

 

[Pedro]

[tw]1225158764250025986[/tw]

[tw]1225152329957224453[/tw]

 

[CatalinR10]

lame

 

[sickstar]

Come on this thing is dragging too long.
It's right that rather than thinking out of field matters, better prepare for next match and throw aside all those boring stuffs.
If any player has personal hatred to someone, its not healthy better solve it like a man or forget it and work together again.

EV is history and people too arent suppose to bring back pass issue. Not abidal, not messi, not anyone. Is someone of board, management or player talks again about that, than i can assume he has his own personal agenda.

 

[JohnN]

So, Abidal is staying then? Messi must not be running the club hard enough. Needs to be a better dictator.

 

[Ritchie]

[tw]1225158764250025986[/tw]

[tw]1225152329957224453[/tw]

The crisis is the state of the team. I wouldn't back Barca to win any away game anymore.

 

[Vilarrubi]

[tw]1225158764250025986[/tw]

[tw]1225152329957224453[/tw]

Thrice.