Lionel Messi | PSG Watch

Zehner

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I wouldn't say this is wrong. For example, I wouldn't know if City would be a better team playing with target man/main goalscorer with Haaland in attack, rather than spreading their attack play with more fluidity without one. Would be interesting to find out more next season, on whether the whole is more than just the sum of its parts etc.
Exactly :) I find this a very interesting topic but it is hard to come to a conclusion because the clubs which afforded the enormous wages of Mbappe, Messi, Neymar and Cristiano in the past, say, 5 years aren't exactly those you associate with a cohesive playing style. It might be coincidence that the superstars are currently all playing for highly individualistic teams (even Juve and Barca were in the last seasons of Messi and Ronaldo there) but it might also be the case that the best coaches might be staying clear of them. Maybe it is also a combination of both: Maybe Klopp would've taken Neymar if this didn't mean he had to renounce signing multiple other players or extending Salah for these kind of wages.

One way or another, it is a shame that those four are on such ridiculous wages. I'd love to see them in more cohesive teams. Neymar at Chelsea could come great for example.
 

Andrade

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Hopefully he has a better season than the last.
He will, but you don't hope this at all, because it will completely invalidate the reams of ridiculous analogies you have been spouting for the past several months :lol:
 

Sayros

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He looked more explosive this game than he did almost all of last season. Great start.
 

Red the Bear

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If he gets back just some of his past form psg could some serious damage in Europe.
 

Sayros

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If he gets back just some of his past form psg could some serious damage in Europe.
Stop, those words are like crack and we're already living under a bridge (a golden one, mind you).
 

Red the Bear

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Stop, those words are like crack and we're already living under a bridge (a golden one, mind you).
I know what it's been like for you folk but I don't know, I watched today's game and everything seemed to just click, much better than the mess you had last season.

And the field kinda looks open to my eyes considering that the major candidates seem to be dealing with problems of their own:
Madrid being a year older
City and pool revamping their team with new strikers
And bayern's manager being a bit of dullard in my eyes.


Get some good form and chemistry going on there and it's quite possible.
 

AltiUn

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If he gets back just some of his past form psg could some serious damage in Europe.
I still think they have the best squad in Europe. That team could be filthy if managed correctly.
 

Red the Bear

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I still think they have the best squad in Europe. That team could be filthy if managed correctly.
I think their midfield needs a bit of work so I put city higher on principle (especially if they keep silva) but yeah, they're up there.

Bayern are no slouch either but they just lost the best (or second best) striker on the planet so they get downgraded.
 

AltiUn

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I think their midfield needs a bit of work so I put city higher on principle (especially if they keep silva) but yeah, they're up there.

Bayern are no slouch either but they just lost the best (or second best) striker on the planet so they get downgraded.
Unpopular opinion but individually not many of City's sides under Guardiola have blown me away, especially compared to other great teams. I think Liverpool player for player are better than them, for example. They're an incredibly well oiled machine, moreso than any other team on the planet, but I don't think I'd have their individuals are better than either Bayern, PSG or Liverpool.
 

Red the Bear

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Unpopular opinion but individually not many of City's sides under Guardiola have blown me away, especially compared to other great teams. I think Liverpool player for player are better than them, for example. They're an incredibly well oiled machine, moreso than any other team on the planet, but I don't think I'd have their individuals are better than either Bayern, PSG or Liverpool.
I don't necessarily agree, kdb for example is one of the top 5 players in the planet and many others like Bernardo silva are sheer quality, they've just gotten halland as well who's one the two big new names in football so their squad is definitely up there.

I see the merit in the point making not that I necessarily agree with it.
 

SportingCP96

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Based on pre season and this first match I think he’s been very good. Where as last season he looked very awkward and out of place he now seems to be more comfortable in this PSG side and playing more loose.

The coaching change seems a good one both for him and the squad and I think he could have a very good season. I would be shocked if he was as bad as last season.

Side note for Neymar as well who seems to have put the other stuff aside and is just enjoying football again. Let’s see how long it lasts.

If they are all clicking at the same time PSG should be favorited for the CL this season.
 

Sayros

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I know what it's been like for you folk but I don't know, I watched today's game and everything seemed to just click, much better than the mess you had last season.

And the field kinda looks open to my eyes considering that the major candidates seem to be dealing with problems of their own:
Madrid being a year older
City and pool revamping their team with new strikers
And bayern's manager being a bit of dullard in my eyes.


Get some good form and chemistry going on there and it's quite possible.
The problem is that PSG are still very far behind City or Liverpool as far as built team chemistry. So far, there's nothing to dislike about what Galtier has done, and the players seem to respond well, but they're essentially starting from scratch. While City might sputter here and there with integrating Haaland, it's honestly not as big of a fix as some are hoping it to be IMO, they have a well-oiled machine built up already, they just need to spot his runs a little better and they will be a monster. They are by far the favorites to me, so even if PSG excel, they have a huge amount of ground to make up, and their midfield isn't even fully set yet. We do have an absolute gem in the making though in Warren Zaire-Emery, that kid will be special very soon.
 

Oly Francis

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The problem is that PSG are still very far behind City or Liverpool as far as built team chemistry. So far, there's nothing to dislike about what Galtier has done, and the players seem to respond well, but they're essentially starting from scratch. While City might sputter here and there with integrating Haaland, it's honestly not as big of a fix as some are hoping it to be IMO, they have a well-oiled machine built up already, they just need to spot his runs a little better and they will be a monster. They are by far the favorites to me, so even if PSG excel, they have a huge amount of ground to make up, and their midfield isn't even fully set yet. We do have an absolute gem in the making though in Warren Zaire-Emery, that kid will be special very soon.
Yeah, I don't believe in the Verratti/Vitinha double pivot in big games, Neymar/Messi/MBappé will let them down defensively far too often and they lack the physicality to cover a lot of ground. We'll see if me get a world class defender but if we don't, I don't understand why we sacrificed a midfielder to play Ramos as a right center back.
 

Gehrman

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He looked more dynamic than last season but hardly vintage Messi which isn't surprising given his age.
 

FriedClams

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I have a sneaky suspicion this guy is winning the World Cup and CL this year. He looks in better shape than I can ever remember him being
 

Sayros

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Well that's one hell of a goal right there. Reminds me of Ronaldinho's one with Barcelona, can't remember against who.
 

Acrobat7

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I cannot root for him at PSG no matter how badly I want to. :(
 

SportingCP96

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He’s going to have a great season. I love all the moves PSG made this season. Excellent signings, good coach, great tactical set up.

Messi looks happy again.
 

Oly Francis

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He’s going to have a great season. I love all the moves PSG made this season. Excellent signings, good coach, great tactical set up.

Messi looks happy again.
Thank you portugese mate for Vitinha ^^ (pretty sure you're glad we took him from Porto).
 

harms

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Is this his first ever overhead goal? I can't remember him scoring one before. Lovely stuff.
 

jamesjimmybyrondean

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This season he looks faster than the last and he's dribbling better now and more aware. If he can regain his shooting form then he's officially back
 

Hoof the ball

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The man plays damn near Busquets position half the time and still racks up those goals and assists. :lol: He'll be a sweeper when he's 45 and still popping up with 10 a season.
 

Maluco

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If there was one thing his legacy was missing, it was a Ligue 1 goal at Clermont :drool: