The Ballon D'or is back on for Messi 
Lionel Messi
- Thread starter cesc's_mullet
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The Ballon D'or is back on for Messi
The Euros man THE EUROS!
Another 2 for him tonight. Level on 43 with Ronaldo. Incredible that one of them will score at least 43 goals but not be top goalscorer in the league this season.
43 in an overall season is an fantastic return but it's just the league ...
people happy with barcelona and madrid going out in the CL isemis, dont realize that we missed the historic chance to see two of the best players ever to play a final game against each other
something that might not happen ever
something that might not happen ever
That's all well and good, but Bayern and Chelsea deserved to go through didn't they ?
Every team going through deserves to go through.. But I won't call Chelsea and Bayern better teams than Barcelona and Real Madrid.. I would much rather watch a Barca-Madrid final, than a Chelsea-Bayern final.
I'd personally say it was more a case of Barcelona losing the tie than Chelsea winning it.
they hadnt reach this year level
bayern, yes, chelsea, not so much
Why not?
I assume it's because you think they played anti-football, in which case I guess you won't change your mind, but the reality is they played amazingly well at the Nou Camp; it was a collective performance better than either of those Barcelona were able to put together over the two legs.
They didn't even play.. They just prayed hard and their prayers were granted.
Nothing to do with anti-football, everything to do with their amazing defensive performance that mainly consisted of letting Barcelona miss about 5-6 clear cut chances and a penalty.
i dont mind antifootball, but i don't think they played better, they had three chances and scored the three of them, but barcelona had a lot more and failed
i really think it wasnt a good collective performance, had barcelona scored only one ot the four balls that hit on the post or the numerous sitters they missed, no one would be talking about chelsea playing good
chelsea 1) was extremely lucky, 2) they played the only way they could against barcelona and 3) they didn't play well at all
Fair enough. If Barca had played better over the two legs they surely would have scored more goals, especially if Chelsea weren't even defending that well as someone suggests, but then again you're entitled to your opinion. The point is, the fact that Ronaldo and Messi would have been playing each other surely can't have been that big a factor in anyone's thinking? They do it several times a season in La Liga! But I'm sure you've thought it through, marcos
You can play well and not score goals, as well as defend badly and not concede, the 2005 FA Cup Final being the most obvious example.
Sure, but over two legs you would expect them to sort it out
i thought it through, in fact, in one of my latests posts i wrote and delete something like "that was the only chance we had to watch them play against each other" till i realized we watch them do it at least four times a year
but i would have love to watch both teams in a neutral stadium fight fot the highest club football trophy
Meanwhile in the all-time La Liga top scorers table,
Messi: 162 goals in 211 apps
Eto'o: 162 goals in 280 apps
Villa: 161 goals in 288 apps
Messi: 162 goals in 211 apps
Eto'o: 162 goals in 280 apps
Villa: 161 goals in 288 apps
Bayern deserved to win the Champions League in 1999, no?
Man Utd got lucky in that game but luck is part and parcel of the game really.
While Barca's performance over both legs wasn't great they had more than enough chances in both games to beat Chelsea three times over. Sometimes you just have games when no matter what you do you can't put the ball in the back of the net.
While Chelsea gave it their all and credit to them for that they were imo extremely fortunate over both legs.
While Barca's performance over both legs wasn't great they had more than enough chances in both games to beat Chelsea three times over. Sometimes you just have games when no matter what you do you can't put the ball in the back of the net.
While Chelsea gave it their all and credit to them for that they were imo extremely fortunate over both legs.
Nope. United weren't comprehensively outplayed and, most importantly, we scored two hard-fought last minute goals that showed the mettle of champions. Chelsea, though, were totally obliterated - they were visibly in over their heads throughout the tie. Their so-called defensive tactics were a total flop and the only difference between them being criticized for it as opposed to being praised for it is the remarkable dose of luck they got in the form of Barca hitting the woodwork 4 times and missing several other sitters. And I call that luck because 99.99% of the time at least one of those would have gone in for Barca and the story would have been different. So, sorry, I don't see the equivalence you appear to be suggesting.
Finding it hard to reconcile these two statements, if I'm honest.
First leg chelsea got a bit lucky but in the second they actually reduced Barcelona to being a shadow of the team they usually are. They were actually, as ridiculous as it sounds, looking comfortable in the second half of that leg. Barca will always have some chances but another thing they ensured was that most of the really good ones fell to players other than messi. And in the second leg Messi was a bit rubbish barring the one shot on goal. The fact that they reduced him to attempting bizarre aimless passes is testiment to how well they did.
Absolutely. With 10 men! Credit where it's due.
I actually forgot about that! Great achievement, all factors considered.
Now all they need to do is mess up at the final. Sadly I feel they've gotten the sort of belief and drive that you need to be champions.
It's weird that they might have Drogba AND Torres going into the match with valid claims to play. Those two haven't been playing well at the same time since Torres has been at the club. I wonder if Di Matteo will be forced into changing the shape of the team to accomodate them both.
But they do seem to have that Liverpool 2005 aura building up. To think this Chelsea team could end up with the FA cup and the Champions League is just bizarre. If Terry wasn't suspended for the final I'd be taking it much worse.
But they do seem to have that Liverpool 2005 aura building up. To think this Chelsea team could end up with the FA cup and the Champions League is just bizarre. If Terry wasn't suspended for the final I'd be taking it much worse.
Wouldn't worry too much, Bayern are a formidable team at any time, and they will pose a more varied threat than Barca did, by attacking Chelsea both down the wings and through the middle.
At their own stadium i think Bayern will prove a bit too much for Chelsea, who have already rode more luck than they are entitled too. I think their luck will run out in the final, especially without Big man. Bosingwa up against Robben or Ribery should be more than enough to give any Bayern or neutral fan hope!
Messi against Rayo Vallecano summed up nicely why he is the best in the world without question for me. Scored two goals (only two away from Muller's record now), but the highlight of the game was him going past three players and then playing a through ball that all but required x-ray vision in for Keita to score.
Brilliance like that don't show up when you compare goals scored to that other guy, but it sets him apart. No one else plays through balls like that. He's marvelous.
Brilliance like that don't show up when you compare goals scored to that other guy, but it sets him apart. No one else plays through balls like that. He's marvelous.
Correct
wrong! amol post seems to forget that chelsea was 2-0 down at one point
where were the great tactics? it was only a very lucky goal that put them back on the game
and about messi being rubish barring the one shot on goal, seems to forget the assist to iniesta's goal
but, hey, it's not the first time someone acomodates facts to their preconceived idea of what happened, despite the facts telling otherwise
I've just seen this now...brilliant piece of play.
After which their tactics started to work very well.
There was nothing lucky about Ramires' goal mate. After half time Chelsea had Barca figured out tactically. Even with a man less.
I think its all too easy for us to overlook giving them credit and saying Barca bottled it. For me Cheslea's second half performance was almost akin to what United did in Turin for 2-0 down. The simply refused to give in till they had taken the the final place themselves.
Messi tbf was rubbish compared to the Messi we know. I suspect that is what he meant
Only scores penalties and tap-ins.
45 goals this season in La Liga alone. Insanity I say. Insanity.
Edit: And number 46...
45 goals this season in La Liga alone. Insanity I say. Insanity.
Edit: And number 46...
67 goals for the season now, beating Pelé's best ever tally. What's the all-time record for goals in a season?
EDIT: Make that 68. Hat-trick.
EDIT: Make that 68. Hat-trick.
Can't believe anyone would call that goal 'lucky'...
Brilliant execution under pressure, and having just been booked to miss the final.
Shambolic defending from Barca as well.
Congratulations Leo, another record broken.
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