Yeah he definitely doesn't have that amazing burst of pace anymore but it doesn't matter as his passing and decision making are definitely better than 4-5 years ago, will always be GOAT for me, this guy play deeper than most strikers and still scores the most goals, unbelievable
Lionel Messi - Performances
- Thread starter Rado_N
- Start date
He had a knee ligament injury in 2015(2015-2016 season)iirc and was out for like 2 months(when Neymar was on fire for Barca).
After he came back, I thought it was very noticeable he lost some pace.
What a player. Leaves you in absolute awe every time.
He tore a ligament in his knee a few years ago and was out for a month or two, not sure if you'd class that as a serious injury as it didn't kneed
major surgery and half a year recovery type thing. Personally I don't think he's lost that much pace, still got that burst of speed that can beat most players and his finishing is as good as ever.Is it true that Messi has got only one red card in his entire career?
Cheap shots is not Leo's game unlike you know whoIs it true that Messi has got only one red card in his entire career?
As well as he is playing it must concern Barca that he is their overwhelming source of goaks at the moment whether scoring or creating.
Chuck Messi in any team in the world and he will probably be the "overwhelming" source of goals and assist.
GOAT. He does more than just score goals. His influence on the game is incredible.
It's been a concern for nearly 15 years now
Yep, having their massive sticky plaster becoming available on a free in 3 months is a massive concern.
Barça simply cannot be successful if they continue to play with 1 goal threat. Messi doesn't have Villa / Henry / Etoo / Neymar and a fit and prime Suarez alongside him now.
Suarez is the key to their season. If he's regressing then they're in big trouble.
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Voldemort?
When you had villa in his prime, MSN, pedro. Xavier\Iniesta in their prime, they could be counted to chip in with a good amount of goals. Now it's Suarez and Rakitic. Dembele should start contributing but I don't see anything from anyone else.
Go on... I've been watching football avidly for 20 years and no one I've seen has been a consistently better passer.
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There was width with Pedro & Villa or Titi & Samu but they missed their fair share of goals as well + Leo was still scoring far more than them (Even combined). MSN is the only time where Leo took a backseat role in terms of goals and yet still was immensely influential + scoring goals. The point is that regardless of the formation, tactics or personnel Messi has always been the key to the team & the principal goalscorer
@VancouverUtdFan I would really like to see this list of handful players, just off the top of your head, who are clearly better than Messi at passing.
I've never seen anyone better than, or even as good as him, not when it comes to creative passing in the final third.
Least not when it comes to accuracy and regularity/consistency.
Pirlo, for instance, is probably one of the best DLP I've ever seen, and one of the best passes of the ball, but you can't really compare his passing to what Messi does, IMO. Ditto Scholes. Sort of different roles.
I've never seen anyone better than, or even as good as him, not when it comes to creative passing in the final third.
Least not when it comes to accuracy and regularity/consistency.
Pirlo, for instance, is probably one of the best DLP I've ever seen, and one of the best passes of the ball, but you can't really compare his passing to what Messi does, IMO. Ditto Scholes. Sort of different roles.
My point was not that he is of great importance my point is now he seems to be the only importance. Your best teams may have had him score and contribute a lot or even the most but not by this margin.
His record in the group stages must be incredible
Suarez
In 09-10, Leo had more goals than both Pedro & Ibrahimovic combined.
In 10-11, Leo had more goals than Pedro & Villa combined.
In 11-12, Leo had more goals than Cesc, Pedro, Alexis & Villa combined
In 12-13, Leo had more goals than Cesc, Pedro, Alexis & Villa combined
In 13-14, Leo had more goals than Alexis & Pedro combined
In 14-15, with MSN Leo had more goals than SN combined - treble season
In 15-16, only year where Leo wasn't the leading goalscorer as Suarez took those honors
Last season, Leo very nearly had more goals than SN combined again.
So basically in one season over the past decade, Leo has not been the dominant scoring option but he has always been the focal point
He is unique. In a good number of these situation there's no actual opening and practically everybody else would have played a safer pass. He just makes a perfect through ball delivery anyway.
You?
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Agree. As a creative passer he's the best I've ever seen. He plays numerous passes in one game that others would do well to pull off once in 5. When he was younger I used to think he'd be the kind of passer Ribery or Hazard is ie. good for an attacker. But Messi is genuinely a special passer.
The passing, vision, dribbling, finishing, technique, brilliance is what makes him the best forward ever for me. Its a shame that he hasnt been able to transfer his ability to trophies the recent years (which he actually shouldnt have to as football is a teamsport).
To be fair, national teams do not play elite teams on a consistent basis. Even the greats have goals against cannon fodder
I rate Messi pulls these passes off with such ease and regularity, that it's lost a bit of how special it really is and hence it's probably overlooked by a minority.
Why are you so desperate? why do you have to make a reference to one particular player every time? Some of your posts are decent and sensible, however some of your other posts (like this one) are really petty.
Yes. After the first ball he touched when he came on the pitch on his debut for Argentina. What a start, eh?Is it true that Messi has got only one red card in his entire career?
EDIT:can you gimme a like so I can post a friggin YouTube link?!
That's true, but he makes a fair point. Argentina tend only to meet weak, weak teams in friendlies; their qualifies game consists of no proper cannon-fodder opponents in the same vein as, say, San Marino or Andorra. The weakest Messi ever tends to face is Bolivia, Peru and Venezuela...teams who'd probably be somewhere in the middle of the pack in Europe.
I've edited the post and added in the correct youtube link. You didn't posted the correct link
Because you need 5 likes to post embedded media links :/I've edited the post and added in the correct youtube link. You didn't posted the correct link
His goal scoring record alone is incredible, but add it to the fact his passing is as good as any midfielder, and his dribbling and ball control is second to none, and you have the ultimate all around attacking player. It's like combining Ronaldinho (dribbling), Scholes (passing and vision) and Ronaldo (finishing) in to one player. For me that's what makes him the best there has ever been.
Ah, sorry forgot about that.
Still the best in the world for me.
This, and his general understanding of the game in almost every situation across the spaces he occupies, this sets him apart of Ronaldo9 for me.
"Shame, shame, shame.."
Imagine getting him next summer here at United. I think i would cry and buy a season ticket and fly every two weeks to Manchester watching him play. A genius, i hope someone is kissing his left foot every day.
I just hope and pray that he never joins City. It would be a very stressful experience, I'll probably stop following football till he retires or leaves City and then pretend it never happened.
That would be a massive massive blow, the equivalent of us hiring Moyes if not worse.
Ronaldo is my favourite player and the reason I became a football fan, but this guy is fecking wonderful