Lionel Messi - v7

[serghei]

But does it matter he is not so strong? I mean, we don't look like wining much with the other cms we have, so at least we could enjoy this guy playing at 100% tempo and making great plays. I am just so tired of the turtle pace, I am not sure I would mind him playing more.

If he is fast he could evade contacts well. He at least should be fast, and agile.

 

[DonAndres]

Like Fati and Puig and should see more of them. Too bad Puig is not stronger physically... Would love to see Alena, Puig and De Jong some games next season in midfield.

Does Puig's strength even matter that much? I would trade a few more physical duels lost for 90 minutes of high tempo, aggressive, flowing offense any day of the week.

And he still presses and closes down enough which is what TEAM defense is all about. Neither Xavi nor Iniesta were even remotely elite ball winners but they did the role they needed to as part of the unit in terms of covering space. And it worked.

That last 30 minutes gave me the smallest flicker of hype for Barca once again. Even if we don't always win playing like that, at least we look like a real football team again.

 

[JamDav1982]

Yea, his weaknesses are as important as the goals he scores. And unfortunately, Messi shares some of that weaknesses. He needs to be dropped sadly.

We should play through Griezmann more. His moves and link-up play are world class.

Griezmann would benefit at CF with Fati out left as well as he wants that quick play and ball moved into space but rarely will get those chances.

 

[mc_lovin]

He had an excellent 2nd half, no?

 

[FinBarcelonafan]

Does Puig's strength even matter that much? I would trade a few more physical duels lost for 90 minutes of high tempo, aggressive, flowing offense any day of the week.

And he still presses and closes down enough which is what TEAM defense is all about. Neither Xavi nor Iniesta were even remotely elite ball winners but they did the role they needed to as part of the unit in terms of covering space. And it worked.

That last 30 minutes gave me the smallest flicker of hype for Barca once again. Even if we don't always win playing like that, at least we look like a real football team again.

Amen man. That last thirty minutes was fun and the way we played was very nice and entertaining.

 

[FCBfan22]

In short, we need Fati and Leo on the wings.

Whoever plays in the middle should be determined on form and what the match wants from our central attacker (defending, bulldozing etc...).

 

[JohnN]

I would not drop Messi at 39yo for griezmann.

 

[CatalinR10]

He had an excellent 2nd half, no?

he's had an assist , 5 key passes and 10 dribbles but it's only a good game if he scores 2-3

 

[vuji_31]

Too bad he does not likes assists anymore...
He could create few chances for danish demon

 

[Horatio]

@henias

I made the same mistake at first but I think hes referring to suarez with the player needing to get dropped

 

[DonAndres]

he's had an assist , 5 key passes and 10 dribbles but it's only a good game if he scores 2-3

In the first half he was constantly lobbing up lazy balls over the defense right to the keeper. Suarez is just a toxic influence on him and has made parts of Leo's game way too careless. Alba as well doesn't give a shit to make those runs anymore but Leo will send those balls over the top all the same.

Leo needs to be re-invigorated by the POWER OF YOUTH. I liked him in the 2nd half and he found a nice connection with Puig.

 

[Horatio]

Leo needs some players around him that create space. He will be a goalscoring machine if so.

 

[henias]

@henias

I made the same mistake at first but I think hes referring to suarez with the player needing to get dropped

Ah, got it.

 

[te amo barca]

He?s become messy. Messy in his passing, messy in shooting, messy in dribbling. No sense of his usual surgical precision in his movements right now. I hope he finds form.

 

[soul24rage]

bad 1st half, good after the puig sub