Lionel Messi - Performances

MalcolmTucker

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Obviously he benefitted from having great dance partners but I challenge anyone to find a better player at short passing. Also highlights how good Dani Alves was/is.

I must watch a different Messi video on youtube every few days and he still surprises me.
 

Kinsella

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He's definitely the best player that I've seen. His ability is just at such a high level that it's hard to imagine how any other player could be superior.

I would distinguish between 'the best' and 'the greatest' however, and I'm not sure if Messi is the latter. In any case I don't believe there is one player who can be definitively described as the greatest as there are simply too many variables to take into account. I prefer to think of it in terms of tiers of membership -

Top tier: Pele, Maradona, Messi.
Next tier: Di Stefano, Cruyff, Ronaldo, C Ronaldo, Zidane etc.
 

Zlaatan

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Yes, but are you counting goals for his club only or for the NT as well? Club football isn't played between the seasons (except for friendlies which you obv don't count) and NT football is only played every other year. Which makes the difference between season goals and calendar year goals = 0 at least every other year/season depending on whether or not you count NT goals. Which year was the guy talking about?

Edit: 8k posts wooo I deserve a diploma
NT football is played every year, only the tournaments are every other year.
 

littleman

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Got shown by a mistake not reading calendar year vs. season. Attempt to split hairs. Get shown.

Just relax.
 

Cal?

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Not at all, it's on the money.

Messi is 1.7m, Cannavaro, Baresi & Cafu were 1.76, R. Carlos 1.68 and Lahm 1.7m - height alone isn't a requirement to be a great defender.

Since when did they become center backs?

Like Sir Alex once said, Gary Neville will be a great CB if he's 2 inches taller.
 

Pink Moon

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Yep.

Some make excuses on why they couldn't win.
Some just went ahead and did it.
Some did it thrice, with completely different set of generations 12 years apart.

I know who I'd go for.
Aye, I've always felt Luca Toni was greater than Johan Cruyff and I'm glad you've conjured up an argument which backs me up.
 

Synco

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I have watched some Laudrup footage now, absolutely brilliant. One compilation I found is an 83 minute passing highlight reel. :lol:

And yes, his ability to deliver a virtually impossible pass through a packed defense looks similar to Messi's. There's also a touch of Ronaldinho craziness to his technique & creativity. I have seen stuff before, but somehow hadn't memorized how much of a genius he was.
 

Ishdalar

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Four goals today.

After games like this I wonder what would've happened if we had spent Ney/Suarez money in replacing our midfield and wingers and let Messi play centrally as a striker, like it's kind of a waste making him play further from the goal creating chances for players that won't score half his tally up there
 

wr8_utd

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What is always so stunning about his finishing is just the sheer range. That second goal was just absolutely exquisite.
 

2mufc0

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Maybe selling Neymar benefits Messi as more play will run through him and has more responsibility to score goals.
 

wr8_utd

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Maybe selling Neymar benefits Messi as more play will run through him and has more responsibility to score goals.
It won't benefit Barca if Messi gets injured/tired though. They're overtly reliant on him right now even though everyone is doing their job.
 

Šjor Bepo

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Maybe selling Neymar benefits Messi as more play will run through him and has more responsibility to score goals.
what ever positive happens at Barca this season i dont think its going to be related to Neymar leaving. They changed the coach and formation so thats the biggest change and they pretty much replaced Neymar with lesser version in Dembele + they have the utter crap version in Deulofeu.
Messi was controlling the games as much as he wanted and played the same way he plays now when Neymar was in the team. They had great relationship both on and off the pitch.
 

serghei

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what ever positive happens at Barca this season i dont think its going to be related to Neymar leaving. They changed the coach and formation so thats the biggest change and they pretty much replaced Neymar with lesser version in Dembele + they have the utter crap version in Deulofeu.
Messi was controlling the games as much as he wanted and played the same way he plays now when Neymar was in the team. They had great relationship both on and off the pitch.
No. But Lucho leaving is a very very big positive sign for Barca. He played so much on Neymar's individual skill it hurt the team as a whole.

Neymar would've had a much better season than the last one, this season with Valverde. He is a better manager.
 

gibers

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Unreal player. Elite dribbler, elite ball control, elite final ball, elite finishing and very high football IQ. He has no back lift for his shots so keepers find it so difficult to anticipate.
 

Šjor Bepo

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No. But Lucho leaving is a very very big positive sign for Barca. He played so much on Neymar's individual skill it hurt the team as a whole.

Neymar would've had a much better season than the last one, this season with Valverde. He is a better manager.
so to which part is no? We both agree that the change is because of the manager and not Neymar leaving.
 

kouroux

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I have watched some Laudrup footage now, absolutely brilliant. One compilation I found is an 83 minute passing highlight reel. :lol:

And yes, his ability to deliver a virtually impossible pass through a packed defense looks similar to Messi's. There's also a touch of Ronaldinho craziness to his technique & creativity. I have seen stuff before, but somehow hadn't memorized how much of a genius he was.
-------[/QUOTE]
Laudrup is a bit of an underrated genius :drool:
 

Adisa

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Can they announce his new contract ffs!
I want rest of mind he's not going to City.
 

serghei

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so to which part is no? We both agree that the change is because of the manager and not Neymar leaving.
No, as in I agree, it's not going to be related to Neymar leaving, but related to improved tactics form the manager. Neymar's new role was already visible in the preseason with Valverde, playing more inside.

This team would have played amazing with Messi false 9 and Neymar on the left under Valverde.
 

Cait Sith

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Improved tactics? Not seeing it. The major improvement comes from having a proper right flank again thanks to Semedo.

If Neymar was there today and Messi had scored 2 goals he would have started passing to Neymar instead of going for another 2 goals. That's the difference.
 

wr8_utd

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Improved tactics? Not seeing it. The major improvement comes from having a proper right flank again thanks to Semedo.

If Neymar was there today and Messi had scored 2 goals he would have started passing to Neymar instead of going for another 2 goals. That's the difference.
Don't know about better tactics but they're pressing a lot more and better than before imo and the form of a lot of players has massively improved. Raktic and Iniesta are playing very well, Semedo and Alba add a lot of pace down the flanks and own them and Messi is playing even better. Neymar is a big loss but everyone is playing better.
 

ShakeUnBake

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The absolute GOAT. He'll only get his full due when he retires. He stands alone, Maradona and Pele be damned.

Football is a game of space and time. In the modern game, there is a lot more pressure all around the field and a lot less space and time compared to past eras. He still does what he does, and no-one comes to being so multi-faceted. You could make the argument he's the best dribbler AND the best passer on the planet. Hell, chuck best finisher in there too, although that is more contentious.

Messi is awesome. No drama, sportscars, scandals. Just football.
 

Šjor Bepo

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Improved tactics? Not seeing it. The major improvement comes from having a proper right flank again thanks to Semedo.

If Neymar was there today and Messi had scored 2 goals he would have started passing to Neymar instead of going for another 2 goals. That's the difference.
think the biggest change/improvement for now is Messi as false nine, not the biggest change offensive wise because he will do his thing from any position but defensive wise its much easier for the team when your non defending player occupies striker position rather then winger one.
 

shaggy

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The absolute GOAT. He'll only get his full due when he retires. He stands alone, Maradona and Pele be damned.

Football is a game of space and time. In the modern game, there is a lot more pressure all around the field and a lot less space and time compared to past eras. He still does what he does, and no-one comes to being so multi-faceted. You could make the argument he's the best dribbler AND the best passer on the planet. Hell, chuck best finisher in there too, although that is more contentious.

Messi is awesome. No drama, sportscars, scandals. Just football.
I think all three are correct. And also best free kick taker as well.
 

gibers

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think the biggest change/improvement for now is Messi as false nine, not the biggest change offensive wise because he will do his thing from any position but defensive wise its much easier for the team when your non defending player occupies striker position rather then winger one.
Pretty much this. Messi playing as a 'winger' has been a big problem. Now the team can actually cover the centre and the Cms don't need to cover the Flanks.
 

Cait Sith

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think the biggest change/improvement for now is Messi as false nine, not the biggest change offensive wise because he will do his thing from any position but defensive wise its much easier for the team when your non defending player occupies striker position rather then winger one.
Yes, of course. Last season was horrible to watch. You had a right flank consisting of Sergi Roberto at RB and no one on the RW because Messi was in the center, being a right winger only on paper.

Don't know how Valverde would have solved that issue if Neymar had actually stayed. Neymar, Messi, Suarez doesn't leave many options position-wise, except Suarez on the right which is a huge waste. So maybe Barca are actually better off selling Neymar, letting the game go through Messi fully and having every position filled with the correct type of players.
 

matherto

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Messi is awesome. No drama, sportscars, scandals. Just football.
So the tax scandal and the reported fecking about behind the scenes so he gets his way at Barça are nothing right?

Messi is not a saint and I wish people would stop saying he is.
 

ShakeUnBake

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I don't mean he is a saint -- for all I know he's an asshole. I'm interested in him for his football, and he's focussed on that.