Yes, he doesn't track back and usually the lowest outfield player in distance covered each game, that's why managers don't rest him alot. But the thing is almost every game opponents are targeting his legs with the tackles intentionally, in Atletico game Tomas parety didn't even target the ball in the tackle which led to the freekick goal.
Lionel Messi - Performances
- Thread starter Rado_N
- Start date
Yes, he doesn't track back and usually the lowest outfield player in distance covered each game, that's why managers don't rest him alot. But the thing is almost every game opponents are targeting his legs with the tackles intentionally, in Atletico game Tomas parety didn't even target the ball in the tackle which led to the freekick goal.
You're right but that's the risk with Messi if you wanna force to sub him. He needs to be gradually understood that this could benefit him, like Zidane has shown at times with Ronaldo. There needs a strong manager for that to happen.
No player can compare to him, He's on a different level to any player I have ever seen
Without starting a debate, these kind of stats are what make me chuckle when I see the Ronaldo thread posts that go on about Ronaldos 'hunger'. Must be Messis body language or something that makes people think he doesnt work hard at his craft.
Was invisible last match. Age must be catching up with him. Didn't do anything against bottom of the barrel Malaga.
so he has a hattrick of boys.
And they all know who their mother is!
Hahaha of course you can. But i'm saving mine for a special occasion.Dunno how to do white text, can't I be an prick just for once?
The god of football among men
He's really decent this guy.
Now even scores against Chelsea.
Now even scores against Chelsea.
Messi has just been toying with Chelsea, utterly dominant.
Cristiano is an amazing goalscorer, but his performances over the course of 90 minutess & impact on a match isn't 1% of Messi's.
Cristiano is an amazing goalscorer, but his performances over the course of 90 minutess & impact on a match isn't 1% of Messi's.
Still showing hunger and ambition, hope some of our players are watching him.
From 0 to 2 goals scored against Chelsea.
He is remarkable, not only the best footballer in the world, but the best walking footballer as well.
A goal, a great goal, and a great assist. So thankful to have been alive at the right age to see him play
I think he could make it as a professional footballer.
He's on another level to any player to have ever played football. Genuinely.
Well at least Chelsea fans can stop that "0 goals against us" shit now.Now he's scored more against Chelsea than against us
Really looking forward to watch him live in April, it's been too long.
I did watch messi play live in a stadium. Thats something ill tell my grandkids
Not another level to any player, but better than most in the same bracket.
Pele, Maradona, Cruyff, C.Ron, Di Stefano, Puskas, Muller, Beckenbauer, Best, Charlton.
Probably a couple others on the same/similar level.
"Is grandad banging on about Messi again?" "Yeah, just smile and nod".
It's amazing how Messi always plays well against Chelsea. I remember him doing everything in the 2008-09 and in the 2011-12 games against them. The February game and today was just more of the same, the difference being this time Chelsea couldn't get away with their overly defensive tactics.
Looks in a great shape physically wise.
He's the best player ever. He typically plays well against everyone. He'd never scored against us before this year.
As for overly defensive, you can certainly say that about many Chelsea games recently but not the ones against Barca.
Maradona and Pele probably the same bracket, but neither as good as Messi. But he's a different level to Ronaldo and everyone else. Ronaldo has done fantastically well, and has gotten every last drop out of himself that he was capable of. Messi has (to use the phrase) a gift from the gods essentially. You can train as much as you want, devote every minute of your life towards it, but nobody can get to the ability that Messi has. He's as perfect as you can get when talking about a playmaker or a scorer or a dribbler. Just the best pure footballer of all time, and I don't think there's anyone who can come close when you combine his peak level with his longevity.
That was very similar to the 2015 Bayern semifinal. Brilliant tonight, he was due a great performance in the knockouts and this was the perfect time to do it.
Needs to keep this up now and keep himself fresh physically because the next few months are the biggest months of his career.
Needs to keep this up now and keep himself fresh physically because the next few months are the biggest months of his career.
I have run out of superlatives for him. Each year he adds more strings to his already loaded bow.
He sits on the table with the 5 kings of football.
He sits on the table with the 5 kings of football.
Didn't get to see the game, but glad to see the King has done his thing again, and put all this Chelsea stuff to bed.
Messi was also MOTM against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge as a 18-year-old lad.
That burst of pace reminded me of his younger days.
"Is it Messi banging us again?" the question you'd get from your grandkids
Messi may be better than most of the greats I named, that doesn’t mean he is way better and a level above.
Pele is the only player to win 3 World Cups, Charlton the main reason England won in 66, Maradona the main reason Argentina won the World Cup. Di Stefano the main reason Real won the first 5 European Cups. To say Messi is a level above these players is debatable. Better maybe, another level arguably not.
Also you say players can train all they want and would never be as good as Messi. Yet no one is born to be able to play football or any sport for that matter. Natural talent is a myth. Messi has had to train and practice just as much as any professional, some people are just more intelligent and faster learners than others in some areas.
The only level that matters is “professional footballer” and Messi for me is the best to ever do it.
I wasn’t disputing whether he is the best ever, I was saying that he isn’t a level above every other player ever. He may be better but just because a player is better doesn’t mean they are a level above.
In comparing the best ever, you have to look at how good they were compared to every other player in the same era. Pele was probably better than everyone else in his era just as Messi is now. Same with Best, Maradona, Cruyff, Beckenbauer etc.
Messi is head and shoulders above every player of present, but he is not a great distance ahead of C.Ronaldo. Better imo yes, a lot better no. That is one player in the same era that he is marginally better than. Then take all the greats of other era’s and the likelihood that he is more than marginally better than them is very slim, especially as there is already another player in his era of close ability never mind other era’s.
Sell him to Espanyol, he is finished