Lionel "The Greatest of All Time" Messi

[Messigician]

PSG is just perfect club of amigos for Messi. The only outsider is Mbappe and he?s leaving. PSG is about learn a lesson.

Tru

 

[sickstar]

Lionel Messi's least goals achievement since 2008-09

- single season: 31 (2019-20)
- average two-consecutive seasons: 34.5 (2019-21)
- average three-consecutive seasons: 40 (2018-21)
- average four-consecutive seasons: 41.25 (2017-21)

And it's still only about goal
It's a good opening for Braithwaite but still a long long way to go

 

[SmilerBam]

Improve your sarcasm detection mate. It's all in good fun

Haha, good then

 

[SmilerBam]

Without Mbappe PSG's attack is not that fearsome, at least on the CL level. Congest Messi and Neymar and you've won the match. Big names all over the pitch, but most of them are over the hill and past their their physical peak. Basically 16/17 Barca with even older players.

Mbappe offers that direct, pacey, spark to the team. Would be a massive blow if they lost him this summer.

You overrate the french Walcott pretty much here. Yes, he is speedy,but not by any means as good as Messi and Neymar, even at his age. I agree his pace is an outlet. but the rest of his game is pretty mediocre considering the hype.

 

[FinBarcelonafan]

Without Mbappe PSG's attack is not that fearsome, at least on the CL level. Congest Messi and Neymar and you've won the match. Big names all over the pitch, but most of them are over the hill and past their their physical peak. Basically 16/17 Barca with even older players.

Mbappe offers that direct, pacey, spark to the team. Would be a massive blow if they lost him this summer.

Very true. They would have similar faith to Barca. Teams would run over them basically.

 

[FinBarcelonafan]

You overrate the french Walcott pretty much here. Yes, he is speedy,but not by any means as good as Messi and Neymar, even at his age. I agree his pace is an outlet. but the rest of his game is pretty mediocre considering the hype.

Mbappe is probably the most dangerous player in the world in counter because his speed/quickness. Very important in CL.

You saw how he destroyed Barca's high line and Bayern too

 

[Morten]

You overrate the french Walcott pretty much here. Yes, he is speedy,but not by any means as good as Messi and Neymar, even at his age. I agree his pace is an outlet. but the rest of his game is pretty mediocre considering the hype.

You are looking at this from the entirely wrong angle.

You can't just have the same player type all over the pitch, not everyone is, or should be a playmaker, its crucial at the highest level to have someone who threatens space.

 

[FinBarcelonafan]

You are looking at this from the entirely wrong angle.

You can't just have the same player type all over the pitch, not everyone is, or should be a playmaker, its crucial at the highest level to have someone who threatens space.

Otherwise you end up Bayern Vs Barca. Bayern pressuring Barca to death. Barca had no speed. They could pressure us 90min. Easy win for them.

 

[BBZ8800]

You are looking at this from the entirely wrong angle.

You can't just have the same player type all over the pitch, not everyone is, or should be a playmaker, its crucial at the highest level to have someone who threatens space.

Our fans are blinded due to Pep.
Remember how he usually plays with 6 clones in midfield and attack.
Where he literally plays with 6 attacking midfielders at each of 6 midfield, wing and attacking positions.

In that world (Pep's world), not having playmaking/movement/linkup skills is a death sentence because you'll suck in his system.
On the other hand, a true no9 without playmaking skills or a pacey winger with mediocre allround skills is also a no-go for Pep.

For the rest of the footballing world, on the other hand, the football and evaluation of skills works way differently.

Pep would probably prefer De Bruyne as a false 9 to Haaland.
Or Phoden to Mbappe.
Because they are better in keeping possession and linkup.

 

[SmilerBam]

You are looking at this from the entirely wrong angle.

You can't just have the same player type all over the pitch, not everyone is, or should be a playmaker, its crucial at the highest level to have someone who threatens space.

And i did said his pace is an outlet and with playmaking skills that Messi and Neymar have, that speed will be well utilized. I am just saying that the hype of Mbappe doesn't reflect his general ability, not until now.

 

[SmilerBam]

Mbappe is probably the most dangerous player in the world in counter because his speed/quickness. Very important in CL.

You saw how he destroyed Barca's high line and Bayern too

I never questioned that.

 

[SmilerBam]

Our fans are blinded due to Pep.
Remember how he usually plays with 6 clones in midfield and attack.
Where he literally plays with 6 attacking midfielders at each of 6 midfield, wing and attacking positions.

In that world (Pep's world), not having playmaking/movement/linkup skills is a death sentence because you'll suck in his system.
On the other hand, a true no9 without playmaking skills or a pacey winger with mediocre allround skills is also a no-go for Pep.

For the rest of the footballing world, on the other hand, the football and evaluation of skills works way differently.

Pep would probably prefer De Bruyne as a false 9 to Haaland.
Or Phoden to Mbappe.
Because they are better in keeping possession and linkup.

No, we had speedy players during Pep years. Pedro was very quick, Messi was very speedy too in that time. Eto'o in his first year. Alexis Sanchez later on.

 

[BBZ8800]

No, we had speedy players during Pep years. Pedro was very quick, Messi was very speedy too in that time. Eto'o in his first year. Alexis Sanchez later on.

Ok, let's once and for all make a distinction between Pep at Barca and Pep later on.

At Barca he inherited prime GOAT Messi, prime Xavi and Iniesta.
I have never said that Pep's Barca didn't have speed.
Also, I haven't said that Pep's Barca were 6 clones in midfield and attack.
Pep's Barca had a mix of:
1. Pep's robotic possession ideas
2. paired with 3 geniuses Messi, Xavi and Iniesta who gave a magician touch and unpredictability to his robotic (and predictable football)
3. on top of everything, one more time = he had prime young Messi who was able to save his ass whenever his somewhat too-possession based and sterile football struggled in Champions league KO matches

Now, let's move forward to Pep at Bayern and City.
His football lost points 2 and 3 from this post since he lost Messi, Xavi and Iniesta.
And when you remove those three, what is left?
= only a point no1 = Pep's current predictable, robotic football which is good enough for league tournaments where you play mostly against midtable teams.
But once he plays against big boys in Europe, his football is quite predictable, easy to neutralize and beyond boring in general except for our hard core fans who still have a Pep-boner.

Deep down in his DNA, Pep is too mathematical and he is a robot.
The same as how Arthur is a sterile, possession merchant who plays a forward pass here and there.
Or how Neymar deep down is a showboating clown, who only here and there plays a good, effective, direct football.
The same is with Pep.
In his DNA, he is a possession merchant, who only here and there (with Messi, Xavi and Iniesta) managed to create a winning combination of robotic football, maths and a magical spark of our 3 geniuses.

My point, when you talk about Pep, forget about Barca.
A huge part of his success are Messi, Xavi and Iniesta.

If you want to see "the real Pep", you should concentrate on his majestic failures in 3 years at a former CL winners Bayern and 5 years at cheating City with an unlimilted money and a squad filled with 25 (cloned) superstars.

So, a real Pep:
1. is a possession merchant
2. hates footballers who are not clones of Iniesa/David Silva
3. never had a plan B
4. his team never had leaders because strong personalities would lose nerves with him, with his neurosis and with his robotic type of football
5. and for the end, his choirboys players who are following him will probably eternally fail and struggle under Champions league KO matches pressure

In spite of all of this, Pep will probably never change.
Even in 2040, after 30 years of not winning a CL, his team will probably play exactly the same as today.
They will still have 70:30 possession, 8:4 shots and 0:2 defeats against braver, more combative, more direct and more versatile European teams.

Very sad story.

 

[SmilerBam]

Ok, let's once and for all make a distinction between Pep at Barca and Pep later on.

At Barca he inherited prime GOAT Messi, prime Xavi and Iniesta.
I have never said that Pep's Barca didn't have speed.
Also, I haven't said that Pep's Barca were 6 clones in midfield and attack.
Pep's Barca had a mix of:
1. Pep's robotic possession ideas
2. paired with 3 geniuses Messi, Xavi and Iniesta who gave a magician touch and unpredictability to his robotic (and predictable football)
3. on top of everything, one more time = he had prime young Messi who was able to save his ass whenever his somewhat too-possession based and sterile football struggled in Champions league KO matches

Now, let's move forward to Pep at Bayern and City.
His football lost points 2 and 3 from this post since he lost Messi, Xavi and Iniesta.
And when you remove those three, what is left?
= only a point no1 = Pep's current predictable, robotic football which is good enough for league tournaments where you play mostly against midtable teams.
But once he plays against big boys in Europe, his football is quite predictable, easy to neutralize and beyond boring in general except for our hard core fans who still have a Pep-boner.

Deep down in his DNA, Pep is too mathematical and he is a robot.
The same as how Arthur is a sterile, possession merchant who plays a forward pass here and there.
Or how Neymar deep down is a showboating clown, who only here and there plays a good, effective, direct football.
The same is with Pep.
In his DNA, he is a possession merchant, who only here and there (with Messi, Xavi and Iniesta) managed to create a winning combination of robotic football, maths and a magical spark of our 3 geniuses.

My point, when you talk about Pep, forget about Barca.
A huge part of his success are Messi, Xavi and Iniesta.

If you want to see "the real Pep", you should concentrate on his majestic failures in 3 years at a former CL winners Bayern and 5 years at cheating City with an unlimilted money and a squad filled with 25 (cloned) superstars.

So, a real Pep:
1. is a possession merchant
2. hates footballers who are not clones of Iniesa/David Silva
3. never had a plan B
4. his team never had leaders because strong personalities would lose nerves with him, with his neurosis and with his robotic type of football
5. and for the end, his choirboys players who are following him will probably eternally fail and struggle under Champions league KO matches pressure

In spite of all of this, Pep will probably never change.
Even in 2040, after 30 years of not winning a CL, his team will probably play exactly the same as today.
They will still hve 70:30 possession, 8:4 shots and 0:2 defeats against braver, more combative, more direct and more versatile European teams.

Very sad story.

Well, i wouldn't say you re not right. His record in the CL in the last years says everything.

 

[Fati_Future_BallonDor]

Manchester City last three matches

Champions League Final 0 goals
Community Shield 0 goals
Opening PL Match 0 goals

Smart move by Leo to snub that small oil club and join Paris

Also last season in cl city mostly scored 0-2 goals. In his first two seasons they were machines in offense, destroying teams 4/5/6-0. Its time to come home Pep.