George_Costanza
Active member
Good game from Messi. Probably Maradona's ghost visited him at night and told him to get his act together.
Lionel Messi - v7
- Thread starter Barcaman
- Start date
raskolnikov
Well-known member
Like expected. Goat getting back at it again!
serghei
Senior Member
I think he ran a bit more, he made more runs in the box (a sign he was fresher), he tried fewer dribbles in crowded areas resulting in much fewer turnovers, he kept position more which helped us keep a better ball circulation. He did everything better from A to Z compared with his previous games.
I think the difference today was the wide players making the runs, and he typically found them with brilliant passes. Glad he got that goal as I'm sure that while he was pleased the team was winning, he was probably still wondering what he actually had to do to get a goal. Almost all the attacks (and goals) were as a result of his passes in to feet/space, typically pre-assists. Did anybody creata singe chance for him, once where he could hit first time or take a touch and shoot? I don't recall one.
te amo barca
Blaugrana al vent
He had plenty of such chances in the previous games and failed to put them away. His goals always look "complicated" because he starts and ends his own attacks and rarely just taps it in due to the fashion in which he attacks the box. He almost never makes first time runs inside it, instead arriving into the 16m area in a second wave for a cutback.
serghei
Senior Member
Well, to get goals he had to shoot well. Which he did once today. In the other games his shooting was pretty bad. Vs Alaves he was also unlucky.
And he doesn't score easy goals from teammates passes, because he still doesn't move well enough to get into these positions regularly. Coutinho somehow had 4-5 chances, should have had about 3 goals. Griezmann the same, had chances to score 1-2 more. That's because the movement of Griezmann and Coutinho is a level above Messi's.
Messi's movement was improved today, but only when compared with his own movement from the other games. Compared with Griezmann (who, leaving aside his other flaws, is one of the best movers in the game) it was still pretty average. That's why Griezmann shoots more compared with Messi. Because he moves much better and works harder.
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I agree with the bolded bit, otherwise I thought he was generally himself, although he probably didn't walk as much.
It's because messi is opening the game up for them. They don't create fuck all so they better at the very least score. I'm sure Messi would appreciate some reciprocation.
te amo barca
Blaugrana al vent
They create enough for each other, just not for Messi due to his tendency to drop deep and low workrate. The one who was opening the game up for all the attackers was Braithwaite.
serghei
Senior Member
They do create. But you have to make runs in space to receive the ball. Otherwise you won't receive it. If Messi would up his movement and work-rate, he'd easily be the best scorer in the league with the team we have and his quality on the ball.
They're not skilled enough to find him, and he's not going to be making runs into the box from 40 yards out.
I don't see how you don't see this.Absolute delusion. We've lacked midfield creativity for five years, that's been the main issue with this team.
I'm out, waste of time.
te amo barca
Blaugrana al vent
They're not skilled enough to find him, and he's not going to be making runs into the box from 40 yards out.
You have to be incredibly naive to think that players like Griezmann, Coutinho, Dembele, Ansu or Pedri are not skilled enough to find him when they all create chances for each other and often for Messi too.
serghei
Senior Member
They're not skilled enough to find him, and he's not going to be making runs into the box from 40 yards out.
Nobody is skilled enough to find static players that hide behind markers. If Messi wants to receive more passes in good positions, which would allow him to score more and up his numbers in this area (because his technique is still great), he simply needs to make more runs and be more active in the last 3rd. But it's easier said than done when you are 33-34 years old.
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