Messi in Miami

[heraklion]

They played pretty well in the 1st half. Awful 2nd half.

Maybe the effects of that pre-season in Asia? Suarez looked very leggy despite his assist. And Busquets misplaced more passes that game than I've ever seen him.

No, their defense is terrible, not much different from a high school team especially when it comes to ball distribution from the defense struggling to get past their own half tons of times. It has always been very easy to force them into errors with high pressing.

In the first half, I think Salt Lake overestimated them mostly parking the bus, so Inter Miami defense did not have much to do. The second half, Salt Lake changed their game plan, Inter Miami defense was exposed big time, and that's bad news going forward as everyone can now see once again how vulnerable they are at the back.

 

[JB7]

No, their defense is terrible, not much different from a high school team especially when it comes to ball distribution from the defense. It has always been very easy to force them into errors with high pressing.

In the first half, I think Salt Lake overestimated them mostly parking the bus, so Inter Miami defense did not have much to do. The second half, Salt Lake changed their game plan, Inter Miami defense was exposed big time, and that's bad news going forward as everyone can now see once again how vulnerable they are at the back.

In fairness that much has been apparent for a long time, sitting deep against them is the wrong thing to do as it allows their better players the ball high up the pitch, if you push them back then you're attacking spaces as they have so many poor players in defence. There's no real downside to pushing high against them as they just don't have the pace in behind to hurt teams. RSL were poor in the game and even then they should have come away with a draw.

 

[Gehrman]

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[Fobal]

It was painful to watch, this team needs to see if Redondo Jr it's up to the task asap. He ain't a pacey player, but at least he is young and seems very accurate and not silly with the ball like almost everyone out there.

 

[Gehrman]

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And the really crap goal

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[Scandi Red]

Ronaldo would never!!!

 

[Gehrman]

Ronaldo would never!!!

He did that on purpose.

 

[Fobal]

It was painful to watch, this team needs to see if Redondo Jr it's up to the task asap. He ain't a pacey player, but at least he is young and seems very accurate and not silly with the ball like almost everyone out there.

Well if they play like the last match, things look A LOT BETTER, they adjusted almost everything they did worng in prior matches...."this is the way"

PD: this kind of perfomances to would also help Messi to be fit and less tired for the NT that to be sincere is the only thing I care

 

[heraklion]

Well if they play like the last match, things look A LOT BETTER, they adjusted almost everything they did worng in prior matches...."this is the way"

PD: this kind of perfomances to would also help Messi to be fit and less tired for the NT that to be sincere is the only thing I care

Orlando didn't high press Miami defense and left plenty of space for Miami to take advantage of, which was a suicide. It was the complete opposite of what the LA Galaxy did last week to shut down Miami.

I'll wait a couple more games to provide a verdict on this team, hope Redondo also can make a big difference.

 

[Fobal]

I've meant a lot better regarding Inter's players fitness and confidence.
The players looked fitter, more precise, leaving the rival aside. In prior matches they even loose the ball without being pressure in a ridiculous manner and they walked too much.
I want to see Redondo jr., odd transfer for him, clearly he wanted to play with Lionel while in the meantime if they connect he has a shorter path to the Senior NT in the future. Still odd, but might end being a good move if he doesn't stay in MLS too much (like Thiago is wrongly doing)

 

[heraklion]

I've meant a lot better regarding Inter's players fitness and confidence.
The players looked fitter, more precise, leaving the rival aside. In prior matches they even loose the ball without being pressure in a ridiculous manner and they walked too much.
I want to see Redondo jr., odd transfer for him, clearly he wanted to play with Lionel while in the meantime if they connect he has a shorter path to the Senior NT in the future. Still odd, but might end being a good move if he doesn't stay in MLS too much (like Thiago is wrongly doing)

It was a perfect game for Miami, no doubt.

It's just that the performance difference between this game and previous ones were like day & night. That's why I said I need to wait for a couple of more games to see if this is the beginning of their upward trend. We'll learn more in the next couple of weeks.

 

[Fobal]

Yes of course, BTW my response to my original doom post, was a tongue in cheek one.

 

[Gehrman]

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[Fobal]

Some of the goals missed there...jeez

 

[Zehner]

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This is so crazy when you think about it. There are a bunch of really exciting young players around right now but none look anywhere near. He was like a glitch in the matrix

 

[kouroux]

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This is why I am not mad he won the ballon d'or in 2011. He was way above anyone else individually

 

[Gehrman]

This is why I am not mad he won the ballon d'or in 2011. He was way above anyone else individually

This was his 2012 season. His peak goalscoring year, but stil doing this. And this is just his through balls.

 

[kouroux]

This was his 2012 season. His peak goalscoring year, but stil doing this. And this is just his through balls.

Got the years mistaken but still think the same.

 

[Gehrman]

Some of the goals missed there...jeez

What he did at 35 seconds not resulting in a goal is criminal.

 

[Fobal]

What he did at 35 seconds not resulting in a goal is criminal.

The prior 0:17 might be worse, he cut through 4 or 5 players (the ball sticked to the grass) and the miscontrol of such a great pass was criminal, it almost looked like a defensive action

 

[Querulous Megapode]

The prior 0:17 might be worse, he cut through 4 or 5 players (the ball sticked to the grass) and the miscontrol of such a great pass was criminal, it almost looked like a defensive action

Tello was correctly called offside there either way.

 

[Gehrman]

This is so crazy when you think about it. There are a bunch of really exciting young players around right now but none look anywhere near. He was like a glitch in the matrix

I wonder did he ever really become a better pass as he older hot at 28+ where his reputation as a playmaker grew or has it always been the same and we just notice it more because he dribbles and scores less due to his age related decline?

 

[Fobal]

Tello was correctly called offside there either way.

It was Tello? I've found that kid so annoying when he appeared, not my cup of tea, a ball hogger and very reckless...there he just had to shoot it (offside or not) or to the very least a good control to try that dribble on the keeper

I wonder did he ever really become a better pass as he older at 28+ where is reputation as playmaker grew or has it always been the same and we just notice it more because he dribbles and scores less due to his age related decline?

He always had the passing ability (in short) and the final ball. In fact in his Gamper Iniesta's goal is the type of through ball he did always since a kid. Mainly because he started as an enganche.
Yet when Barca started to use him, to acomodate him in the first team, his focus changed to dribbling and scoring and the always present final ball/assist. Later when older and Barca need him as mid and second forward he started to utilize a wider range of passing more frequently, nowadays he is in full mode enganche, but from a forward position/role.

 

[heraklion]

Jürgen Klopp : “I would tell everybody, as long as you are not Lionel Messi, you have to defend”
www.twitter.com/QueJugador1O/status/1764934202976616877

The original question to Klopp was below:
"“How did you convince Salah, Mané and Firmino to come back to defend?”

 

[Galactic]

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Half of those goals would probably have been called offside by VAR after 5 mins delay each.

 

[Alpha 1]

I wonder did he ever really become a better pass as he older at 28+ where is reputation as playmaker grew or has it always been the same and we just notice it more because he dribbles and scores less due to his age related decline?

His final pass was always there from a very young age. He just increased the number of long passes.

The best I've seen. I've seen threads comparing him to other players but honesty his peak was at another level. The closest as a forward was R9, the closest as a playmaker was Ronaldinho, the closest as a dribbler was Neymar yet in his prime, he was better than all 3. He even used to defend at the time.

 

[Nicoteiro]

Argentina had only 2 competitive managers with Messi at his peak: Sabella and Scaloni. With both managers they reached WC final.

it’s such a disgrace he had Maradona who didn’t have any idea of managing a squad, and Sampaoli who also made a mess and called some horrible players.
Could’ve been there easily with a couple more finals.

 

[cafecillos]

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It's bonkers how good he was at that. Many of those passes would be the best pass in the career of many great passers.

 

[Gehrman]

It's bonkers how good he was at that. Many of those passes would be the best pass in the career of many great passers.

Its bonkers this is just his through balls from 1 season that was largely iconic for his record breaking prolific goalscoring. I don't think i will see a player of a similar caliber in my life time.

 

[heraklion]

Argentina had only 2 competitive managers with Messi at his peak: Sabella and Scaloni. With both managers they reached WC final.

it’s such a disgrace he had Maradona who didn’t have any idea of managing a squad, and Sampaoli who also made a mess and called some horrible players.
Could’ve been there easily with a couple more finals.

Messi never worked under a true world-class manager at Barca bar Guardiola as well.

I have no idea why Barca management always goes for mediocre, unproven managers. Imagine Messi under Klopp, Ancelotti etc.
In contrast, the worst Real brought was Benitez, Pellegrini who all did great things in the UCL, Premier League etc. and who are still better than most Barca coaches.

 

[Gehrman]

Messi never worked under a true world-class manager at Barca bar Guardiola as well.

I have no idea why Barca management always goes for mediocre, unproven managers. Imagine Messi under Klopp, Ancelotti etc.
In contrast, the worst Real brought was Benitez, Pellegrini who all did great things in the UCL, Premier League etc. and who are still better than most Barca coaches.

I think the obsession with the "Barca way" was their undoing post pep. Granted they still won a lot, but more proven and pragmatic managers could have won them more ucl's. When you see how Klopp has transformed Liverpool you wonder what he could do with Barcelona and prime Messi.

 

[heraklion]

I think the obsession with the "Barca way" was their undoing post pep. Granted they still won a lot, but more proven and pragmatic managers could have won them more ucl's. When you see how Klopp has transformed Liverpool you wonder what he could do with Barcelona and prime Messi.

100% agreed.

As you said, the worst is to think what Barca and Messi could achieve under Klopp, it was my dream for a long time that they work together. They could easily get any top manager they wanted including Klopp especially considering his huge admiration for Messi.

Every single top team knows the importance of having a world class manager, every single one of them, yet Barca wasted so much potential under average managers. That Messi era was of course amazing, but could be even better especially in the UCL under a top manager.

 

[Gehrman]

100% agreed.

As you said, the worst is to think what Barca and Messi could achieve under Klopp, it was my dream for a long time that they work together. They could easily get any top manager they wanted including Klopp especially considering his huge admiration for Messi.

Every single top team knows the importance of having a world class manager, every single one of them, yet Barca wasted so much potential under average managers. That Messi era was of course amazing, but could be even better especially in the UCL under a top manager.

I honestly wanted Klopp at United first and foremost. As a Messi fan though it would have been interesting to see what he could achieve at Barcelona

 

[amolbhatia50k]

This is so crazy when you think about it. There are a bunch of really exciting young players around right now but none look anywhere near. He was like a glitch in the matrix

None of them have anywhere near the same quality. His genius comes once in a long while

 

[AndySmith1990]

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A better playmaker than De Bruyne with the dribbling of Maradona who also scores 73 goals in a season. The most complete attacking player there has ever been. No one comes close

 

[Gehrman]

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[MiceOnMeth]

Should have came to the premier league for at least a season. Wasted in Miami he's still absolutely class

 

[Gehrman]

Should have came to the premier league for at least a season. Wasted in Miami he's still absolutely class

Dunno its the MLS. You would kind of expect 36 year old Messi to do well there even for a shit team. His performances for Argentina mean more imo. And he's doing well there too though.

 

[Rooney in Paris]

Should have came to the premier league for at least a season. Wasted in Miami he's still absolutely class

He knew he wouldn't be able to hack it. Fraud.

 

[Nicoteiro]

He knew he wouldn't be able to hack it. Fraud.

Yeah there’s no way he would have done it in England. He’s just among the top 10 scorers against big 6 and he’s nowhere near the level of Spain-to-England legends like Silva, Aguero or Fabregas.