Shocking post.
The last bolder bit is a bit odd. That shows Messi's brilliance even more rather than detract from it.
Lionel Messi - Performances
- Thread starter Rado_N
- Start date
The last bolder bit is a bit odd. That shows Messi's brilliance even more rather than detract from it.
How many more Champions League titles do people think he can win with them? Is it possible that by the time he retires he puts them in a position where Madrid's 10 is within touching distance?
They're the favourites next year for me. That frontline is just too good. They have the perfect system.
Back to Messi. The best I have ever seen, comfortably. By any measuring stick you use to judge him. Productivity, influence, consistency, stats. He comes out on top. He's the best goal scorer and playmaker in the game. Technically flawless. Yesterday was a 7/10 game for him but if anyone else played how he did they would have gotten the MOTM. He is judged on a different standard to other players.
Agreed, though re: the bolded bit, guess here's where we see how much his improved fitness will actually pay off for him, because he's amassed an insane amount of game time this season (5 000+ minutes, by comparison last season it amounted to about 3 700 mins), and now he has a week before he has to play three (perhaps two if they are already qualified at that point) games in 7 (!!) days, and three more games in the following 14 days if they reach the final. He already looked quite subdued in terms of intensity against Juventus, and I don't know whether that was by design or default... can't imagine what such a tight schedule will do to him (at times he looked shattered physically come the ko stages of the 2011 Copa and 2014 WC, in fact the 2010 WC was the last NT tourney where he looked consistently energetic throughout his team's entire run). Might be too soon and too anecdotal in terms of "evidence", but perhaps it could be suggested that the type of physical (and mental) strain that such tournaments bring with them just isn't really in his wheelhouse? On the other hand there are probably multiple factors involved that can help explain his sometimes "subdued" performances in int. tournaments (shift in his role/dynamics between club and country, underperforming team mates, chaotic management, pre-tournament fitness issues like last summer, etc.), given the very low sample size.
Just thinking aloud.
It's something we all know may happen, but he'll have a few days to re-cooperate now which yes isn't much but after the tournament he will have an extended period off before preseason. It'll certainly be interesting I think a player like Messi will flip the switch a few times a game and use energy up and the other bits he'll conserve it.
Yeah, but the fact is that this is a luxury he is afforded at Barça because they don't need him to be threatening for the full 90 minutes in the majority of their games... international tournaments have a completely different dynamic (well, unless you play for Brazil or Germany that is
) where it's far harder to consistently influence games effectively if you're "picking and choosing" your moments and when "resting on the pitch", which he can often do at club level, when you're supposed to be the key man, essential as he has been for them to their chance creation (hopefully Di María and/or Pastore/Banega can lighten the load). He's rarely been "shocking" for Argentina and at times just as outstanding as for Barça, but maybe a bit (too often?) invisible, or at least "not as clearly visible", on the biggest stages when compared with his club career.I'd love to see him in the Prem but I don't think it will ever happen.
Apologies, consider me warned.
You make a good point regarding the imbalance of La Liga. However, Ronaldo and Maradona played in the same league for a number of years and never approached the numbers Messi does per season even at their best. Add in the fact Messi has stayed at the top much longer than Ronaldo (and has at least 3 or 4 more years to go). The only thing the others have over Messi is the WC which is a fair point. I think his CL and La Liga titles make the WC sort of moot, though.
Did luis ronaldo or maradona win the Cl?
neither of them won it
Nope.
I actually think the reason Maradona is viewed by some as the best ever is the sheer swagger and Roy of the Rovers style impression he gave. He was almost mythical to Argentina and Napoli fans and just had that ability to win games on his own with relatively average teams. It's not really about talent per se but the way he came across. I myself cannot help but be in awe of Maradona but I also think it's ridiculous to put Messi second to anyone considering his numbers and the fact for me that talent wise, nobody has ever been better. It's an impossible argument and I guess it just comes down to priorities, let's just say Argentina has seriously underperformed on the world stage having had those two playing for them.
If the Argentinian FA wasn't corrupted and filled with garbage, Argentina could've easily win a couple world cups, or at least compete.
But what can you expect putting someone like Maradona in charge? The man knows about tactics less than me!
But what can you expect putting someone like Maradona in charge? The man knows about tactics less than me!
that was the silliest managerial appointment I've ever seen. Basically threw away their chances right there. Maradona shouldn't have even accepted it IMO.The Argie fans seemed to eat it up because of who he was. Maybe they're not as clued up as they think they are either
except Guardiola, Messi has never really worked under a trully great manager (not that he need one). the best coaches are pretty much always against him.
I can't believe not only his tactics but his bench selection, he had pretty much 5 strikers on his bench, no room for defenders, I believe he had a few games without a goalkeeper on the bench too
He selected one of his players because he had a dream he was in the squad and scored the World Cup winning goal
http://www.sport.es/es/noticias/bar...las-masip-han-ganado-champions-league-4256211
i'll translate it for you, my friend "according to UEFA Bravo, Vermaelen, douglas and masip didnt win the champions league
JUST SAYING
Jesus Christ, marcos, get a grip.
Shocking for Argentina? fecking hell, that's the most silly thing I have heard on here. Below his usual standards which are incredible, yes, but shocking? How can you even say something like this?
Pekerman is better than Guardiola
what does this even mean?
Because it sounds all dramatic I guess.
He selected one of his players because he had a dream he was in the squad and scored the World Cup winning goal
wtf
Its true. His name is Ariel Garce.
In Argentina its a tradition to bring some cookies or biscuits to your family/closest friends when you go somewhere on vacations. Here we have some sweet biscuits, which are different in each state.
"Garce, bring some biscuits"
that was hilarius despite writting over the flag.Not sure Better but very good too. We were just unlucky with him, and with Bielsa. And of course with Sabella.
But with Basile, Maradona and Batista we just missed a lot of time.
Messi has a proper twat side to him as well tbf, Just imagine if Ronaldo was seen doing this lol
why would anyone have to imagine? He's been caught at it multiple times, and far worse than that little strop for Villa not playing the ball earlier
Why doesn't his penalty rate match the other ridiculous levels in his game? Can't understand that.
Messi has an ego?!!
First time I've ever seen Messi angry.
Absolutely shocking.
Can't begin to understand that
Messi's actually been really good for Argentina for the best part of 2-3 years now, IMO.so that's how it works? out of the blue you take a dig at me, and if i reply, i have to get a grip?
ooookeeeyyyyy
that the best managers were always on the opposite side.
Yeah. Still amazes me how people can find him 'shocking', 'awful', 'terrible' for Argentina yet go on about how Ronaldo has excelled for his country when their performances at international level have been very similar. The myth of Messi's 'utterly terrible' 2014 World Cup is particularly tiresome, it's like he can do no right on the international stage unless he scores 8 goals a game and wins San Marino a World Cup.
ah, ok that makes more sense-
He made it to the Final which I think is more than enough in some ways, didn't win the cup which is sad for him but he won the player of the tournament and influenced his side even in the group stages.
I think the argument is tired yes, because his team around him wasn't great in an attacking sense, Higuain was wasteful, Palacio missed a golden chance, Aguero wasn't fit, Tevez wasn't selected, Di Maria again wasn't fit.
Maradona in 1986 had a good outfit around him, so did Pelé in his world cup wins (remember Pelé only won one player of the tournament, he was in a decent side mostly with players like Garrincha).
I think that Final if key players were fit they would have won, a final you always need a bit of luck (it went to extra time versus a very dominant germany side) which says a lot, he tore the team apart at times players like Hummels looked ordinary, and a final is won on fine margins.
The luck wasn't with them, the injuries weren't and I think Higuain and Palacio if that was Tevez or Aguero we would be looking back at 2014 in another way.
The european success's say enough
It's all hyperbole. We've got people saying he's the best ever by a million miles, and others saying he's been pish on the international stage, when it's clear to most sane people he's neither one or the other.