Lionel Messi - v7

[Judoman]

The solution is pretty straightforward imo. Keep Messi out of the midfield, move him instead of Suarez, and have every other player around him working hard and moving fast.

This solution was available and necessary years ago and yet here we are.

 

[KingLeo10]

My man BBZ has been lurking this thread for a solid 40 mins now.

I'm expecting a 2500 word firestorm.

 

[malvolio]

The solution is pretty straightforward imo. Keep Messi out of the midfield, move him instead of Suarez, and have every other player around him working hard and moving fast.

so he never played in his life as a center forward but suddenly he'll start doing it at 33. why do you think this would be the solution? not to mention he doesn't have the physical characteristics to play there.

don't tell me that you envisioned this setup with griezmann behind him.

 

[serghei]

so he never played in his life as a center forward but suddenly he'll start doing it at 33. why do you think this would be the solution? not to mention he doesn't have the physical characteristics to play there.

He doesn't have the physical characteristics to play in midfield, and he doesn't want to play RW. Not many options left.

 

[malvolio]

He doesn't have the physical characteristics to play in midfield, and he doesn't want to play RW. Not many options left.

by your logic we should put him in goal. let's see what koeman has in mind first.

maybe we'll play 4-2-3-1 with messi behind the striker. or use 4-4-2

 

[DonAK]

Messi would certainly be a better option than Lautaro. Might as well do that and have Griezmann/Donny as the CAM with two proper, hardworking wingers.

 

[KingLeo10]

Messi would certainly be a better option than Lautaro. Might as well do that and have Griezmann/Donny as the CAM with two proper, hardworking wingers.

FDJ and Pjanic double pivot?

 

[malvolio]

Messi would certainly be a better option than Lautaro. Might as well do that and have Griezmann/Donny as the CAM with two proper, hardworking wingers.

so we put a worse player than messi in griezmann in the messi role. and shunt messi into the CF position he will be shit at.

 

[JamDav1982]

so we put a worse player than messi in griezmann in the messi role. and shunt messi into the CF position he will be shit at.

You speak about Messi at CF/False nine as a role he has never played then want him to play AM.

When has he ever played AM in 4231?

 

[DonAK]

FDJ and Pjanic double pivot?

Yup. Expecting Koeman to go in that direction.

so we put a worse player than messi in griezmann in the messi role. and shunt messi into the CF position he will be shit at.

The best way to hide Messi's workrate issue is by him playing far more advanced and having a hardworking team behind him with two wingers. You can actually use your flanks that way and play a balanced style of football.

 

[JamDav1982]

Yup. Expecting Koeman to go in that direction.

He almost has to there is little other option if playing FDJ in Dutch/Ajax role.

 

[KingLeo10]

Griez or Donny need to have the work rate of Muller to pull this off. 11-12 KM a match.

 

[DonAK]

Griez or Donny need to have the work rate of Muller to pull this off. 11-12 KM a match.

Don't think that will be a problem.

 

[KingLeo10]

Dembele is a natural winger (will need to learn how to defend). But who'd be on the left flank. I don't see Fati as a wing and Coutinho is a turtle.

 

[DonAK]

Dembele is a natural winger (will need to learn how to defend). But who'd be on the left flank. I don't see Fati as a wing and Coutinho is a turtle.

I feel like I have been saying this for too long, but upcoming season will truly be the "do or die" season for Dembele and his Barcelona career and perhaps even for his career as far as top teams are concerned.

He need to stay injury free and do what is required. There is no excuse for Dembele not working his ass off defensively and pressing up front when Neymar did that for Barca.