Lionel Messi - v7

Z

Zica

New member
Messi is probably not hurt. He has looked like this for Argentina for a long time. The team just sucks. It's just a lot easier to neutralize him when there are no other threats in the team. Without the ball, Messi has for a long time relied on other players to open up some space for him and lapses in defensive coverage where they lose track of him. He has always walked a lot. At least for a long time now. He is not going to force run into spaces ... he waits for plays to develop and openings to appear. I've seen him twice live in his prime in 2012 - 14 and you'd be amazed how much he walks around live.

In the play Marcelo caught up with him he shouldn't have directed his touch to the right. He should have kept it on his left. It made it much easier for Marcelo to tackle the ball.
 
BusiTheKing

BusiTheKing

Senior Member
Never really felt annoyed at him as I do now.

He honestly looks like he doesn't believe in his teammates. When Semedo gets the ball, Messi is already anticipating the attack being lost. Semedo breaks through and Messi is walking around 40 meters from the action. Semedo has no-one to pass to.

When Arthur made that run and got through on Courtois, Messi was pretty much on level with him when the pass was made. Then he just jogs towards the box while Arthur has no-one to pass to.
 
BusiTheKing

BusiTheKing

Senior Member
The ironic thing is, he was the only player up already the pitch in the Arthur situation because he doesn't run back to defend. Then he doesn't run to attack either...
 
J

JamDav1982

Senior Member
No top coach will entertain the Barca job until the old core are gone and that includes Messi.

Majority of time he is still the best ever on the ball but the balance of the team is completely off as he takes next to no part in a consistent pressing game, doesnt appear to want to hold a position and doesnt run off ball.

Add that to Suarez, Busi and Pique and as Setien has realised the tactics seem to settle on how EV approached it with a bit more pointless passing from the back.
 
B

Barcilliant

Senior Member
Jadentheman said:
Allegri is very pragmatic and defense oriented.
Click to expand...

😂

I like Allegri but to be a defensive team you actually need a good defense. Just look at our CBS. Lenglet is mediocre. Umtiti is done. Pique is a part time professional.

Also Allegri is not going to take a job for just a couple of months. Not to mention we have no squad depth and the players here are finished.
 
bismp

bismp

Well-known member
I also remember a counter attack in the second half where 3-4 players of ours ran to the opponent's box,then wasted time and eventually fucked up.All this time,Messi hadn't reached the opponent's box.

A second example is the one with Arthur in the first half that you mentioned.

And a third example was once again in the second half,when someone(I think it could have been FDJ) made a through pass to Messi,but Marcelo and Varane(if i recall correctly) easily caught him before he could even sniff the shot.

~~~

It is obvious he has some serious stamina and speed issues. It could be age finally catching him up,but he was beasting it just last year,so it doesn't make much sense :/
 
te amo barca

te amo barca

Blaugrana al vent
Gonna pull a BBZ argument here and propose that maybe Setien's intense trainings are leaving him too gassed. Man looks exhausted.
 
BusiTheKing

BusiTheKing

Senior Member
Maybe the first couple of trainings with Setien were a jump in intensity, but I doubt they're working harder than under Valverde nowadays. Telling the players to run doesn't mean they're gonna. At some point you just stop telling them. Probably what happened with Lucho in his last season.
 
soul24rage

soul24rage

Senior Member
bismp said:
I also remember a counter attack in the second half where 3-4 players of ours ran to the opponent's box,then wasted time and eventually fucked up.All this time,Messi hadn't reached the opponent's box.

A second example is the one with Arthur in the first half that you mentioned.

And a third example was once again in the second half,when someone(I think it could have been FDJ) made a through pass to Messi,but Marcelo and Varane(if i recall correctly) easily caught him before he could even sniff the shot.

~~~

It is obvious he has some serious stamina and speed issues. It could be age finally catching him up,but he was beasting it just last year,so it doesn't make much sense :/
Click to expand...

While his acceleration is still WC, I just think he can't sustain his speed for long runs like he used to in the past.

Or there's rumours that he's been carrying injury but who knows if it's true or not.
 
BusiTheKing

BusiTheKing

Senior Member
Those groin muscle injuries are annoying as hell, because while you can play games with them, you are constatly aware that they're still looming right beneath the surface and can show up whenever you really exert that muscle.

He does look like he's holding back in some way when he's sprinting. Like there's a certain movement he shies away from a little bit like an almost subconscious instinct. Mentally, this can be extremely hindering to a performance, because being 90% of your normal self is as good as shit in your head.
 
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