Lionel Messi

Homeomorphic

Why? If I understood you correctly, you suggested that if Drenthe accused someone of racism at that time, the Spanish media would have "ripped him to shreds" for coming out with it. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Snake Plissken

Well I'm not.

Just saying people are more likely to believe Saurez tried to bait the player because hes got previous for acting like a twat.

Not saying thats how I view it.

amolbhatia100

People are different though. And circumstances are too. Maybe he thought it was pointless. Maybe he's not as strong minded as evra who is a very bullish character. Maybe unlike evra he didn't have faith in the system. Maybe it didn't truly bother him enough. God knows. But too many are brushing his accusation away just because its come now. The timing isn't televant imo.

Dumbstar

The squirming in this thread is delicious.

: popcorn:

NoLogo

I think it's a real problem that especially black players have to deal with racial insults all of the time in football.

According to our former player Diouf it's something that is quite common on the field apparently.

When being asked by Bild about racist remarks by other players he said:

It's really a sad thing that players still have to deal with this stuff apparently on a fairly regular basis.

Nucks

Again, where on earth is the term "negro" considered racist.

I honestly want to know. In the overly PCized United States, "black" is not considered offensive, neither is "negro".

kouroux

What do we do then since it's all the conjectures ? What do we think of it ? Me there is nothing I think or feel about this, Drenthe might right and Messi might have said nasty words to him but so far he's the only one who's spoken.

Snake Plissken

An extraordinary video if you've got 11 minutes

FCBarca

Astounding really, add to that 17 times he hit the woodwork this season, as well

B20

yes!

kouroux

It never gets boring to watch him.One a kind player, we're all lucky to see him in his prime.There won't be a guy as good as this for a very long time

Cold_Boy

If he played for Liverpool, he would have 17 goals and would have hit the woodwork 73 times instead.

KingEric7

Crazy. I bet there are all-time greats that don't have compilations showing the best moments of their whole career as impressive as that video.

He's pretty much got the movement of Hernandez, the finishing of Van Nistelrooy, the dribbling of Maradona and the vision of Iniesta. The ultimate attacking player...

Pogue Mahone

Gah. Watching all those penalties is just winding me up thinking about how the fuck he missed the one against Chelsea.

RyanGoggs

Will watch the video later but he has had an amazing season. If the likes of Rooney or Van Perdue scored that many in 2 season you would consider that to be incredible. I just don't know where he can go from here. He is obviously young enough to get better but....how? The expectations on him next season will be immense.

FCBarca

KingEric7

Di Matteo must have a sack of four leaf clovers or something.

peterstorey

Snake Plissken

There were enough clear cut chances to win two games in the first leg alone. Fabregas and Sanchez should hang their heads in shame for not bagging an away goal!

peterstorey

Forget that they should have conceded twice early doors at SB v Napoli to put them 5-1 down in the tie. Cavani with a horrendous miss and Lavezzi (I think).

KingEric7

I don't get it... Hernandez's movement is exceptional, and Messi's is of a similar standard. Hernandez probably would not be a footballer at all if he wasn't so good in this aspect.

I don't mean they are carbon copies of each other in terms of their movement, just that Messi's predatory instincts and movement in the box are of a similarly high standard.

peterstorey

Aside from the fact that Mr H often appears to have been born offside do you not see the sheer ludicrousness of comparing any facet of his very limited game to Messi's? I mean Walcott is faster...

Snake Plissken

Forgot all about that.

Makes me wish AVB had hang around a week longer!

KingEric7

Hernandez's movement is amazing - it's no sleight on Messi to say his movement is of a similar standard. Like I say, Hernandez would be serving fajitas in Guadalajara if he wasn't capable of twisting defenders brains out with his movement. *Stop being a pedantic old arsehole.

Not necessarily true, but you know what I mean.

Baxter

It is quite frankly remarkable that a man who scored 73 goals, missed so many chances against Chelsea. That, and the 100 other chances that Barca had, and missed, is ridiculous. How did Chelsea get through?

Homeomorphic

According to Fergie he's not in his prime yet.

http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news...cle884946.html

His all around game will get better. His passing. His decision making. His temper. It doesn't need to reflect in goal statistics. He might score 50 instead of 73 goals and become a better player nevertheless. The older he gets, the deeper he will play. His optimal position would actually be that of a true #10 with a centreforward infront of him. He's as much of a creator as he is a finisher. He's already effectively playing as a midfielder most of the time. Once Xavi steps back in a few seasons, he'll take even more responsibilities in dictating the game. And Argentina will also profit from that development.

I expect the upcoming season to be his best ever. For the first time Messi will get a long rest. No Olympics, no World Cup, no Copa America. Just a long summer break for him. Plus the hunger to regain the La Liga and CL titles.

Raven Blade

I don't think i've seen a player as clinical and ruthless as this. Messi seems to be a flat track bully against everyone.

peterstorey

Two words 'wood', 'trees'.

Homeomorphic

The German Bundesliga players have chosen Messi as the world's best player this season #fcblive Messi 73.4%, Ronaldo 17.8, Ozil 2.9 [kicker]

Trionz

2.9percent of Bundesliga players are idiots.

KingEric7

Are you absolutely retarded or something? You need watch Hernandez only a few times to see that is movement is absolutely top class; you seem unable to get your head round the fact that someone with such limited ability on the ball could be so good off it as a forward. We would've come nowhere near winning the league the season before last without him.

Again, stop being pedantic. If it makes you any happier I'll say he has the movement of Ronaldo and the positioning and willingness to receive the ball of Scholes. Basically, he's fucking amazing at football.

Orton

Or it's just half of Ozil's ex team mates

NoLogo

Or maybe just friends of Özil.

Homeomorphic

You haven't seen Casillas' votings for the Ballon d'Or 2011 then.

1. C. Ronaldo
2. Özil
3. Messi

kouroux

Messi misses => Chelsea win the CL => Hazard signs for them
Fuck you Messi

Randall Flagg

I have always blamed Tim Howard for basically everything ever.

Howard Fecks Up => Porto wins CL => Chelsea hire Jose etc...

FCBarca

Excerpts of Frederic Kanouté's interview with FIFA Magazine

Bape

That's interesting about him potentially playing as a #10, I've always thought that the false 9 position Messi plays will remain. He's absolutely unstoppable in that position, I don't think it restricts him either because he drops deep so often.

MrMarcello

Hmm. I wonder how many said that about Pele and along comes Cruyff. Then along comes Maradona. Then along comes Van Basten. Then along comes Maldini. Then along comes Ronaldo. Then along comes Zidane. Then along comes CRonaldo. Then along comes Messi.

For all we know, Neymar is the next great thing. Or some 12 year old in Africa. It's the great thing about sport. Records are there to be broken. Superstars are there to be debated worldwide.

MrMarcello

Is it more like Ole or Ruud?