Lionel Messi - v7

[serghei]

Had this been Valverde you would have been killing him.

Valverde never had injuries to this extent and so few solutions to choose from. Doubt I would have.

Also, I don't really defend Setien at all in this game.

 

[Raketa10]

Yeah use him for transition while paying him half of the club's budget to have a walk on the pitch. He isn't even the leader or the kind of player who mentors young players.

Yeah that "walker" is the best player of all time, a 6 time ballon d'Or winner and a guy who was best player of FC Barcelona in every single year during the last 12 years. A guy who scored more than 40 goals in every of the last 10 seasons! A truly horrible role model indeed!

 

[Tackle]

Valverde never had injuries to this extent and so few solutions to choose from. Doubt I would have.

Also, I don't really defend Setien at all in this game.

Yes he did. For the first few months of the season Messi, Suarez and Dembele were all injured for extended periods and that is when we dropped the majority of our points under EV.

You are too caught up and entrenched in your positions that you refuse to see anything that does not support your narrative.

 

[Luftstalag14]

We really shouldn't be blaming Messi for the defeat, or even for playing poorly today. He is still our best player. However, if we don't learn our lessons and still continue to overly have our game play depend on him performing in every game in order for us to win then we won't win that many games in the next 4 months, or 16 months or however long he will be with us, as he will only get worse, not better from here. If he doesn't perform we don't know how to play football anymore, how ridiculous this that??

We need to start thinking about alternatives while we still have him. Get the best out of him for us by all means in his dwindling time with us but we really need to look forward beyond him.

 

[KingLeo10]

Some glorious meltdowns in here of all threads. As always.

He played bad. Either it's injury or he's going through a terrible spell. We'll find out soon enough.

 

[DonAK]

If we cannot win a football game with him not playing a great game then we have some major issues with a bubble that is going to burst and get further exposed once he leaves.

 

[Messigician]

Anyone would struggle with no service, no creativity no width, nothing just all players man marking him.

Actual insanity how bad our build up play and creativity is. This is the worst football Barca has ever played

 

[abbbs97]

genuinely concerned with how he's been playing lately. his last amazing game was in December. after that, he's been very meh.

we shouldnt blame him though. just look at what the board did to him and his career these past few years. and especially this season.

 

[serghei]

If we cannot win a football game with him not playing a great game then we have some major issues with a bubble that is going to burst and get further exposed once he leaves.

No. That would be true if he had a regular role. But he doesn't. Our game is built around him, so if he is gone our game would be structured differently. So the conditions wouldn't really be the same.

 

[xxxxxx]

Anyone would struggle with no service, no creativity no width, nothing just all players man marking him.

Actual insanity how bad our build up play and creativity is. This is the worst football Barca has ever played

It's always the way. They attack their best player and start blaming him for losses. They forget all the trophies and carrying he did for us.

Messi deserves better.

 

[Luftstalag14]

If we cannot win a football game with him not playing a great game then we have some major issues with a bubble that is going to burst and get further exposed once he leaves.

Absolutely. This season could be our last chance to get a major trophy in a long time.

 

[DonAK]

No. That would be true if he had a regular role. But he doesn't. Our game is built around him, so if he is gone our game would be structured differently. So the conditions wouldn't really be the same.

Is that why we've struggled to win games when he's been out or injured? You're so blinded by your narrative you're just going to refuse to see something from a different perspective.

 

[Tackle]

It's always the way. They attack their best player and start blaming him for losses. They forget all the trophies and carrying he did for us.

Messi deserves better.

He does, but he should also be better. He is earning 50m per year to be the best player in the world and needs to show his class in matches like this. No need to coddle him. We all know what he's done for us in the past and even earlier this season, but when he puts on displays like this it is fair to be harsh on him.

 

[Luftstalag14]

No. That would be true if he had a regular role. But he doesn't. Our game is built around him, so if he is gone our game would be structured differently. So the conditions wouldn't really be the same.

You think when Messi leaves we will all of sudden play good and competitive football in a blink of an eye? Our players will automatically go to the Messi-less mode and know how to create chances, take shots etc. without any adjustment of not looking for Messi anymore?

 

[serghei]

You think when Messi leaves we will all of sudden play good and competitive football in a blink of an eye? Our players will automatically go to the Messi-less mode and know how to create chances, take shots etc. without any adjustment of not looking for Messi anymore?

No, it will take some time, but a new cycle could surely do that if it's built well and we make good transfers and hire a top manager. It's not like a joker player is the only way to win big titles.