Again, you are arguing against an extreme fictional version of my argument. I'm not saying Messi needs to be more tactically disciplined because I enjoy watching hard working individuals, I want tactical discipline from each player in the starting lineup because I believe (and I think other users too) it leads to better individual and overall team performances.
Have you seen Messi plays differently than Messi this season? Even in his 2010-2015 peak years ?
The answer is no. Yes the quality may be 'a bit' declining, his strength and pace that is, but I could argue he has some achievements in other ways, namely passing, through ball, freekick.
With 10 players defending, we can be UCL champion in 2011, 2015. Do you view that time of era as not modern time football? with lower class of enemies?
Difference with 2010-2015, of course we have different coach, different tactic, but it's not his play but the team's quality that has been declining. We don't have a group defending that is as good as the old days. Key players such as pique, busi are getting old, and we need need players as good as them to back our back line. Of course, overall Messi is also not as good as his peak years, but there's not much decline, go back to one year ago. If not because of those injuries, he would've been haunting enemies such as last year.
And that's it. He just become world best again last year ffs, deservingly so, with being the best at almost every attacking statistics. How can people forget something like this so easily, over and over again, it isn't possible to be a different man in every other match. Messi is Messi. I still remember his oftenly spoken word, with playing more he become better. With his age, there's a limit to the 'more' part but this past month, after the new year, he rarely touch the field so you could see the impact.
Like in today's match, i lost count how many quick accurate passes he could make. Only at mid match that his passing started to get intercepted, not met the target etc. First goal as pre assist, nice cutting pass, then assist for Lenglet's goal and two okay goals. Not bad at all for an old man. Not many dribbles though.
. Hattrick incoming
