The natural successor: Has Neymar blown it?

This is the first time since Kaka won the Ballon d'Or in 2007 that I believe a player is currently better than Messi and Ronaldo. Neymar is simply magnificent.
 
And apparently he's not the best player at PSG according to some :lol:
 
His finishing is still a bit off.

Would be funny if it all came together vs Bayern.

He was in 2nd gear all match. Him and Mbappe vs that Bayern high line will be interesting.
 
Both Mbappé and Neymar seemed a bit off today. Neymar still had trouble finishing but he's such a constant threat. Hit the post twice, delicious assist for Di Maria, such a wonderful player.
 
Just doesn't feel like a proper CL this year. Shame for Neymar if psg buy, sorry win it.
 
Such a great player, beautiful to watch.

I like that he’s not so robotic and doesn’t care about losing the ball every now and again, he just wants to create, score and at times take the piss which he manages with ease.

he will be a huge threat to Bayern in the final.
 
He's going to tear Bayern apart. If Bayern keep the same high line it would be unbelievable arrogance on their part.
 
One thing I have thought from Neymar n champions league this year, has he finally grown up a bit? Doesnt seem to be as petulant or rolling around as years gone by?
 
One thing I have thought from Neymar n champions league this year, has he finally grown up a bit? Doesnt seem to be as petulant or rolling around as years gone by?

Tbf he use to dive but he had no other way to protect himself. He would get clattered constantly as defenders had no other way of stopping him
 
One thing I have thought from Neymar n champions league this year, has he finally grown up a bit? Doesnt seem to be as petulant or rolling around as years gone by?

No, that's how he generally is and has been in the past. He is rarely petulant and he generally didn't roll around with Barcelona, Brazil or Santos. There has been few moments where it happened and some judged him on that.
 
No, that's how he generally is and has been in the past. He is rarely petulant and he generally didn't roll around with Barcelona, Brazil or Santos. There has been few moments where it happened and some judged him on that.

Never understood why there was such an agenda against him whilst other superstars would go down in familiar fashion. Maybe because of his excessive showboating? Personally, I love it!
 
Neymar's overall game has been fantastic, but could Messi and Ronaldo get away with missing chances as he did in the past two games?
 
He's going to tear Bayern apart. If Bayern keep the same high line it would be unbelievable arrogance on their part.

I’m not so sure, the reason that Bayern high line works is because it suffocates the supply.
 
Neymar's overall game has been fantastic, but could Messi and Ronaldo get away with missing chances as he did in the past two games?

Nope, in some sense he was lucky not to be PSG's "Sterling" in the last two games thanks to the goals of his team m8s.
 
PSG can go over the top to the attackers from the start which is impossible to suffocate.

If you’re saying they should just sit deep and hoof it over the top to Neymar and Mbappe, it’s going to play into Bayern’s hands. Of course PSG will get opportunities but they will also have about 30% possession and face onslaught after onslaught.
 
One thing I have thought from Neymar n champions league this year, has he finally grown up a bit? Doesnt seem to be as petulant or rolling around as years gone by?

2018 - Real Madrid vs PSG: best PSG player on the pitch
2018 - PSG vs Real Madrid: injured
2019 - MUFC vs PSG: injured
2019 - PSG vs MUFC: injured
 
Neymar is one of those players like Ronaldinho or Zidane who should not be judged by stats. You need to watch him play to understand why he is so good.
 
Such a great player, beautiful to watch.

I like that he’s not so robotic and doesn’t care about losing the ball every now and again, he just wants to create, score and at times take the piss which he manages with ease.

he will be a huge threat to Bayern in the final.

This is why I love Neymar. He's a proper entertainer, and by far my favorite player in world football to watch.
 
If you’re saying they should just sit deep and hoof it over the top to Neymar and Mbappe, it’s going to play into Bayern’s hands. Of course PSG will get opportunities but they will also have about 30% possession and face onslaught after onslaught.
Liverpool use that tactic very well and it works out well for them. I suppose they are highly trained at it though and would be to much of a shake up to the way PSG play.
 
If you’re saying they should just sit deep and hoof it over the top to Neymar and Mbappe, it’s going to play into Bayern’s hands. Of course PSG will get opportunities but they will also have about 30% possession and face onslaught after onslaught.
Issue is alfonso davis plays on the other side from mbappe and neymar who occupy more the left and centre and i dont see another bayern player keeping up on the counter. Could easily see a red for a last man challenge in the game.
 
Liverpool use that tactic very well and it works out well for them. I suppose they are highly trained at it though and would be to much of a shake up to the way PSG play.
Its not the only thing they can do. In neymar and mbappe they have 2 players that could very easily beat a man and the high line going on a run by themselves. And theyd be through on neuer with half a pitch to go.
 
Nope, in some sense he was lucky not to be PSG's "Sterling" in the last two games thanks to the goals of his team m8s.

It would matter if we had lost. Now it doesn't, because we know that Neymar usually is a great finisher. He brought so much more to the game that it's forgivable.

Also, he actually defends and run for the full 90mn, which is a bit more exhausting that just focusing on attacking (he was still pressing at the 85th mn yesterday.

And that, my friends, is what i call an assist :

 
Whether you like it or not, the only champions league he was able to play for them, they reached the final which is historic for them. Cant deny that
 
It would matter if we had lost. Now it doesn't, because we know that Neymar usually is a great finisher. He brought so much more to the game that it's forgivable.

Also, he actually defends and run for the full 90mn, which is a bit more exhausting that just focusing on attacking (he was still pressing at the 85th mn yesterday.

And that, my friends, is what i call an assist :



I mean I didn't want to say that he wasn't performing well but we all know how these things go if you lose then it's the guys missing the big chances who will get blamed (no matter the name).
 
I mean I didn't want to say that he wasn't performing well but we all know how these things go if you lose then it's the guys missing the big chances who will get blamed (no matter the name).

Yeah, let's face it, had we lost against Atalanta, we would have said that he had a good game but failed to carry the team. The thing is, he's the one who erased his own failures with his key pass for Mbappé. Basically he didn't score in the last 2 games but he gave 2 passes that are almost as good as a goal.
 
Nope, in some sense he was lucky not to be PSG's "Sterling" in the last two games thanks to the goals of his team m8s.
They have "gotten away" with poor finishing performances plenty of time when their teams won. They got away with poor performances outright in fact
PSG can go over the top to the attackers from the start which is impossible to suffocate.
Hard to do that well consistently against bayern's press. And if they go long from kick off bayern will just drop back

Bayern's gamble is they can win the ball in dangeroues areas and create easy chances more often than the opponents can beat their press and create chances of their own
2018 - Real Madrid vs PSG: best PSG player on the pitch
2018 - PSG vs Real Madrid: injured
2019 - MUFC vs PSG: injured
2019 - PSG vs MUFC: injured
PSG-Real Madrid was over the moment he got injured. First leg was a massive screwjob from the ref for you guys too :D
Liverpool use that tactic very well and it works out well for them. I suppose they are highly trained at it though and would be to much of a shake up to the way PSG play.
They haven't tried it against a side as good as bayern though. Closer they got was City, and going long over the top didn't work for them. Going over the top against sides that press that well isn't easy at all

PSG have the quality to beat bayern's press, the question is whether they can do it often enough to beat them. Or if they can keep bayern's avalanche-attack at bay
 
Neymar is one of those players like Ronaldinho or Zidane who should not be judged by stats. You need to watch him play to understand why he is so good.
But the mental thing is he passes the stat test as well as the aesthetics one. He’s one of the few players who truly does both.

35 goals and 24 assists in 59 CL appearances.
61 goals and 41 assists in 101 appearances for the Brazilian NT.

70 goals and 41 assists in 84 appearances for PSG.
105 goals and 77 assists in 186 appearances for Barcelona.

Even 70 goals and 35 assists in 135 games for Santos FC.

No matter where he goes, no matter the competition, he gets goals and assists. And it’s never at the cost of overall performance in a way some players lessen certain parts of their overall play to streamline their G/A’s.
 
But the mental thing is he passes the stat test as well as the aesthetics one. He’s one of the few players who truly does both.

35 goals and 24 assists in 59 CL appearances.
61 goals and 41 assists in 101 appearances for the Brazilian NT.

70 goals and 41 assists in 84 appearances for PSG.
105 goals and 77 assists in 186 appearances for Barcelona.

Even 70 goals and 35 assists in 135 games for Santos FC.

No matter where he goes, no matter the competition, he gets goals and assists. And it’s never at the cost of overall performance in a way some players lessen certain parts of their overall play to streamline their G/A’s.
Bingo.

but because he was known as a bit of a diver when he was young people can’t acknowledge he’s a great footballer :lol:

I think these are the same fools that can’t see passed pogbas haircuts.
 
Bingo.

but because he was known as a bit of a diver when he was young people can’t acknowledge he’s a great footballer :lol:

I think these are the same fools that can’t see passed pogbas haircuts.

He stopped his diving no sense after the world cup but some people can't get over that. I admit it was ridiculous but the guy was just recovering from a long injury, i'd guess he was just scared to get injured again.
 
Bingo.

but because he was known as a bit of a diver when he was young people can’t acknowledge he’s a great footballer :lol:

I think these are the same fools that can’t see passed pogbas haircuts.
Does anyone really say that he's not a great footballer? I hear plenty of people say that they don't like him - neither do I - but that's not the same thing at all.
 
He stopped his diving no sense after the world cup but some people can't get over that. I admit it was ridiculous but the guy was just recovering from a long injury, i'd guess he was just scared to get injured again.

That's exactly what it is to me. His style is very provocative and draws a lot of hard tackles. He's such a frail guy, so he basically dives to protect himself more so than just being a cnut trying to get people sent off, and I can't see how he changes that unless he drastically changed his physique at 27, as well as his style of play, which neither are going to happen so there you go.
 
That's exactly what it is to me. His style is very provocative and draws a lot of hard tackles. He's such a frail guy, so he basically dives to protect himself more so than just being a cnut trying to get people sent off, and I can't see how he changes that unless he drastically changed his physique at 27, as well as his style of play, which neither are going to happen so there you go.

As long as he's not rolling anymore, i'm perfectly fine with him falling when he takes a hit. He gets foul so much, he'd end up with broken legs if he was constantly trying to stay on his feet.
 
One of the games few last remaining entertainers. Up there with Ronaldinho,for me.
 
As long as he's not rolling anymore, i'm perfectly fine with him falling when he takes a hit. He gets foul so much, he'd end up with broken legs if he was constantly trying to stay on his feet.

Yes, it's the rolling that's the most enraging and he's been rightfully mocked across the world for it since the world cup. It seems he has cut it out a bit, but Neymar is tremendously misrepresented out there, he's a good guy and has shown great leadership this season. He's a good teammate to have, I don't know anybody that's ever complained about his character that's actually played with him. But leave it to the personality experts we have here to tell you all about him as a human being because of what they see on the field for 90m in a competitive sport.
 
Does anyone really say that he's not a great footballer? I hear plenty of people say that they don't like him - neither do I - but that's not the same thing at all.
Yes, many people say he's over rated which always brings me to laugh.
 
PSG can go over the top to the attackers from the start which is impossible to suffocate.
MBappe vs Davies footrace incoming....
All this talk about Neymar and MBappe but Di Maria in my opinion is the one who will hurt Bayern the most if they keep that high line. I hate the snakey bastard but he's deceptively fast, scores bangers and generally makes the right attacking decisions and is harder to mark as he'll usually start a lot deeper than the other two. Really looking forward to this final.