Well essentially the almost the entire creative burden has been on him since Xavi retired and Iniesta declined and retired. And he does it very well despite being past his prime. For me this is the difference between Messi and everyone else atm. He's expected to dictate the game and be the main chance creator as well as score most of the goals. And I believe he has still has the most completed dribbles in Europe this season so far.
Lionel Messi
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Well essentially the almost the entire creative burden has been on him since Xavi retired and Iniesta declined and retired. And he does it very well despite being past his prime. For me this is the difference between Messi and everyone else atm. He's expected to dictate the game and be the main chance creator as well as score most of the goals. And I believe he has still has the most completed dribbles in Europe this season so far.
2016/2018, if you asked most people they would tell you Messi had a bad couple of years. In reality those two seasons were one of his bests ever, just as good as some of his balon d or seasons.
Since you made this post, I’ve actually argued in other threads that I wouldn’t swap Bruno for Messi atm. Messi is streets ahead of Bruno and anyone else in the world talent-wise, but I feel like paying close to £1m a week for Messi would be so financially irresponsible, especially in times of Covid that it would absolutely ruin our stability and wage structure. We wouldn’t be able to strengthen in other positions, like a long term CB, DM, RW and striker.
But obviously, I must repeat, whoever thinks Bruno is better than Messi is living in cuckoo land. Bruno is fantastic, but Pele gets nowhere near Messi imo. He and Ronaldo are the greatest players of all time. I won’t say who is the out and out best because it’ll cause a debate in the wrong thread. Plain and simply though, Messi is the most majestic player I’ve ever watched, and his stats are even better.
Fair enough, I think, though, that Messi will get a major paycut, he is no fool and he knows that nobody will pay half of what he gets at Barcelona, I believe that he is going for a sport challenge more than for the money.
Yeah, but that would only definitely be the case if he joined someone like us. I think if PSG or City went for him, he’d try his luck by asking for Barca wages, and they’d simply say yes. Those two clubs’ owners probably haven’t even felt the effects of Covid on whatever economy they operate in.
I saw something on twitter which said Messi could not score for the next 75 matches in a row and he’d still have the highest goals per games ratio
Ronaldo - 668 goals, 227 assists in 72,000 minutes.
Messi - 661 goals, 290 assists in 62,000 minutes.
Messi has played the equivalent of 111 FULL 90 minute games less than our Cristiano has, and has assisted 60 odd more and only scored 7 less.
Both records are phenomenal, unmatched, but you have put your hands up and say............This is an absurd statistic on Messi's part.
That’s quite remarkable, not just that Messi goal contributions per minute beat Cristiano’s by so much, but that CR7 has played 10000 minutes more than Messi. That’s genuinely unbelievable. Aren’t they 2 years apart?
Yeah, they are a couple of years apart in age. Much will depend on when each player retires. Can't see either player retiring anytime soon.
2.5 years really. Not sure that makes much of difference. Personally I can see Ronaldo retiring later than Messi because of his obsession with records.
It will depend in their performance in the Champions League. If they fail I can see them spending tons of cash.
Insane stats
Declining at an alarming rate
Shame that this record will probably end in the next game. Barca really struggle away at Sociedad.
Insane, this guy is just real. Don't think we will see one more player like him again, at least in our lifetime. Best scorer, best creator, best dribbler all rolled into one, he was so bored that he became arguably the best free kick taker and at shooting from distance.
Messi has seemingly recovered his pre-lockdown form.
He was pretty good vs PSG bar the penalty miss.
He was pretty good vs PSG bar the penalty miss.
The thing with paying Messi 1M per week, is that you can still easily make profit from having him on the club. Imagine the kind of sponsorship deals that having Messi waearing a red shirt at Old Trafford would bring.
United with Messi would create the kind of hype that hasnt been seen on football ever, IMO. Not even CR7 to Madrid or Maradona to Napoli would draw that much attention and followers.
So it doesnt really make sense from any angle not wanting to do an hypothetical swap of players
Ain't like we're doing anything better with the money, bring him in.
I would love Messi in Manchester United for the sole reason of the bragging rights of being the only club to have had both Messi and Ronaldo.
You don´t even have to swap them, just pay him what he's worth and have a competitive team.
If an English club managed to sign Messi, it would be an immense spectacle. Every game. The attention on every game would unprecedented. Hope it happens.
Well lets admit. Messi would be an upgrade on James.
James? He'd be an upgrade upfront. I doubt though he will leave Barca for any team in Europe that cant win now
Of course he can play piano. I mean, of course.
Not the same though, is it?
Sanchez's single finger one-note-at-a-time rendition versus a Messi's actually good full chord and note progression of a notoriously more difficult composition?
Not the same though, is it?
Sanchez's single finger one-note-at-a-time rendition versus a Messi's actually good full chord and note progression of a notoriously more difficult composition?
Well case could be made in this line of thought, that Messi just might have little chance of doing it in a cold night in Stoke.
That's more like it. Although, Stoke is a little passé. Burnley is the standard bearer now for cold (and sometimes windy) nights.
Updated list:
734 goals
309 assists
34 trophies
55 freekicks
54 hattricks
50 league goals in a season
73 goals all competitions in a season
91 goals in a calendar year
7 Pichichi
6 Golden Boot
6 Ballon d'Or
6 FIFA Best Player
2 UEFA Best Player
734 goals
309 assists
34 trophies
55 freekicks
54 hattricks
50 league goals in a season
73 goals all competitions in a season
91 goals in a calendar year
7 Pichichi
6 Golden Boot
6 Ballon d'Or
6 FIFA Best Player
2 UEFA Best Player
Barcelona's sixth goal today made me so nostalgic about Guardiola's Barcelona...
People were (rightfully) skeptical about Koeman, but he is beginning to make that team gel and play very nice football.
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In 2021, Messi has registered a goal or assist in every 61 minutes.
He has the most MOTM awards in the top 5 leagues with 19 this season. Lewandowski is 2nd with 12. Haaland and Mbappe have 10 and 8 respectively.
He has the most MOTM awards in the top 5 leagues with 19 this season. Lewandowski is 2nd with 12. Haaland and Mbappe have 10 and 8 respectively.
Watching him in this form is a delight.
I wholeheartedly agree. I often watch random Barca matches just to see him play.
I watch every game Barca play that involves Messi. I just think you have to recognise the moment you live in, because once Messi's retired there's no more "Oh I'll catch the highlights to see what Messi did."
Messi is giving us a standard of which we have no right to expect from a 33 year old and within a few years or so, that's it. Enjoy him whilst he's around because once him and Ronaldo are gone, it's Mbappe and Haaland, and for as good as they are to watch, it's not the same.
Messi is giving us a standard of which we have no right to expect from a 33 year old and within a few years or so, that's it. Enjoy him whilst he's around because once him and Ronaldo are gone, it's Mbappe and Haaland, and for as good as they are to watch, it's not the same.
This. Over the last 4-6 years, I've made it a habit to try and watch every Barcelona game possible when Messi is starting. He's the Maradona of our times and it would be a shame to have not watched him play when we still can. Also, quite easily the best player in the world for the last few months. Incredible yet again today.
Feels good to read something like this. I'm a die hard fan of Ronnie and once looked to Messi with respect but as a rival, but I told myself I oughta start watching more of Messi's games as it was obvious what an abnormal player he was as well.
I have my preferences and my beliefs but I'm glad I now tune in to 2/3rds of the games where he play. I can't commit time to all of his matches, but boy when I do it's almost always worth it. Barely has a bad, bad game whenever I tune in.
I specially fell in love watching him play with Argentina. I remember the World Cup 2018 Qualy where Argentine were out of the WC with 1/3 to go, and by the time I tuned in all I saw was him just playing one level above every other team-mate. Yes he played wonderfully, played average games, and played bad games until they finally qualified, but he was Argentina's best player in each of those games by a huuuge margin. The narrative was he struggled and the team did too, to qualify, and I'm not gonna debate that, but regardless of his overall quality, he was the heart and soul of that national team. Everything decent they did had Messi's footprint. That really game me a new found admiration for him. He's Barcelona's best player by far, a level above every other player there too.
Reminds me of the way Djokovic and Federer were classified in my head. Federer even annoyed me early on since he always went 3 straights sets on everyone, and I preferred Djokovic, but at one point I just had to give it in to the other man as well, and was fortunate enough to watch him spill magic on court a lot of times and fully enjoy it.
That first goal he scored was smooth. He's the all-time appearance holder now for Barcalona.
This year (2021) he has been ridiculously productive, 1.42 goal contributions (goal+assist) this year.
Same. I have to admit kick off times are also usually much better than for United, so it's easy to catch Barcelona games most of the time. Their standard of play has increased so much since the start of the season that I almost find it incredible, especially with the injuries they've suffered. On top of that, Messi looks like a 25-yo out there. Stunning form, stunning productivity and creativity. Hope they do the double this season, I'd probably class it as one of Messi's greatest achievements, looking at the league table back in autumn and the lead Atleti had built.
same here.