Lionel Messi - v7

[Batistuta9]

There's another option with Messi. We could also choose to condense his game.

He's not getting younger and his continuous huge failures internationally for club and country should lead to some self evaluation- both teams are built around him.

By condensing the game I mean that rather asking him to increase his output from 7km to 9-10km over 90, we instead get him to increase his output to 7km over 60-70 minutes and then sub him.

He might not like it, but whether he admits it or not, he is in his twilight and needs to adapt accordingly.

It is definitely an option. But we need a new team regardless. This team isn't capable of winning, even against average teams without Messi. I think it was valverde's first year and the penultimate game of the season, Messi was rested for levante and we lost. Cost us going the season unbeaten. When he was injured at the beginning of the season last year, those dropped points may have cost us the league.

 

[Marshall D Teach]

Does this season beat Tata's season as Messi's worst?

 

[Katarina1]

Does this season beat Tata's season as Messi's worst?

Id say no because our team still wouldn't have been good enough even with him on form. 13-14 and even 15-16 are still bigger disappointments for me because the team around him was much stonger but he barely looked bothered at times.

 

[serghei]

Does this season beat Tata's season as Messi's worst?

Yes, imo.

 

[KingLeo10]

In the Tata season, he scored a hat trick at the Bernabeu in a famous 4-3 win.

Also scored to win us the title v AM but was wrongly ruled out.

He was worse compared to that this season.

 

[FCBfan22]

This is his worst season.

Tata's was a complete clusterfuck, but there were signs that it's just a bump in the road.

This one... A free-fall.

 

[ItachiXXX]

That is a typical example of is the fault in me or in every other person but me? Tell me what do you think?

When Messi said it's his fault and the players, people jump to he love Valverde and protecting him.

@JohnN: you look like a sensible guy. hopefully you won't lose your patience by trying to be reasonable with some of this guys like serghei.

it still baffles me why people are so hateful towards messi, when he brought us so much and was never a dead weight to this team. even at 33 he is head and shoulders above all players in our squad and basically the reason we could even talk about having a chance at la liga or cl.

The big reason here why they Hate Messi is because they believe he protecting Valverde and the so called Amigos, the people that bring trophies. The same people that believe Barca got a World Class Squad and only need is to dumped Valverde and we will see the beautiful football back again.
And that one failed, so they're trying to find another one ro Hate. They're over with Suarez, Rakitic, Roberto hate train.
Real Madrid won threepeat without out running the opposing team. Maybe they find players that compliment Ronaldo and have a better back line ? just maybe

 

[ItachiXXX]

There are two things to dominate the other team:

1.) Running

2.) Skills

From 2008-12 our skills (fast passing, dribbling, ball control, football IQ) was very very high so we needed less 'Running' to destroy our oppenents. When the second point 'Skills' decrease you need to increase the first point 'Running'. From 2016-2020 we had less and less and less skills but didnt increase running so we get dominated from our opponents who have less skills than our players but a lot of more running. Do anyone think that Roma/Liverpool were better than us in terms of skills ? No. Aspect running ? YES. Thats why they humiliated us.

Athletico always run a lot with skillful players but achieved what ? And Liverpool was better overall team than Barca. They have great players from back to front.
People trying to push Messi to change his habit yo give more effort in defense while being the sole creator and scorer of the team. Do you actually he will do that at this stage of his career, he didn't do that almost a decade now why will he do that now while doing the most in the attacking side.
Is it hard for Barca to find players that can fill the void. that Messi creating.

 

[tacticvarium]

Been saying this for a looonngg time.
Messi should have left the club when Xavi or Iniesta left.
He made a terrible decision which led to poor career during the prime age as a footballer.
He became too comfortable within his family bubble that made him more difficult to leave the city.

 

[Richard.H]

Been saying this for a looonngg time.
Messi should have left the club when Xavi or Iniesta left.
He made a terrible decision which led to poor career during the prime age as a footballer.
He became too comfortable within his family bubble that made him more difficult to leave the city.

His legacy is very tainted after a three peat of CL humiliations. I'm not entirely sure how kind history will be to him. If he can manage to win one more CL (either with our club or another), he will be above CR7.

 

[Jadentheman]

His legacy is very tainted after a three peat of CL humiliations. I'm not entirely sure how kind history will be to him. If he can manage to win one more CL (either with our club or another), he will be above CR7.

Is it the CL humiliations or the fact that he barely lost the WC cup then consectively Copa Americas while his Rival meanwhile wins 3 Cl and 1 Euro in that time period?

 

[Richard.H]

Is it the CL humiliations or the fact that he barely lost the WC cup then consectively Copa Americas while his Rival meanwhile wins 3 Cl and 1 Euro in that time period?

All of them, but Bayern, Liverpool and Roma make it much worse.

 

[Horatio]

Damn, he?s really leaving then...

 

[vegitot]

His legacy is very tainted after a three peat of CL humiliations. I'm not entirely sure how kind history will be to him. If he can manage to win one more CL (either with our club or another), he will be above CR7.

He is already above CR7. What are you talking about???

 

[malvolio]

The big reason here why they Hate Messi is because they believe he protecting Valverde and the so called Amigos, the people that bring trophies. The same people that believe Barca got a World Class Squad and only need is to dumped Valverde and we will see the beautiful football back again.
And that one failed, so they're trying to find another one ro Hate. They're over with Suarez, Rakitic, Roberto hate train.
Real Madrid won threepeat without out running the opposing team. Maybe they find players that compliment Ronaldo and have a better back line ? just maybe

they hate messi because people get bored and jump on the next flavor of the month bandwagon. all these theories about messi being a dictator and imposing players or managers were never proven to be true. he even tried to get failed signings into some kind of form FFS, what other player of his level did that?! gifting chances and penalties to the likes of zlatan, coutinho or griezmann.

also, all this bullshit about his career choices and legacy just seem to show frustration from the people that think he should have done better. based on longevity at the top, trophies won and individual achievements, there is no player that had a better career. all this by being a one man club, which rarely happens these days. we might not see a better player than him in our lifetime.

yes, he is no leader. yes, he needs support as he is a shy/introvert guy. yes, he may be lazy(not putting enough effort) at times. but he never was unprofessional or didn't want for the club to succeed.