Lionel Messi - v7

Batistuta9 said:

I think people believe that he has more power than he really has. If you believe those reports then you should believe the one that came out the other day, that he's fed up with being blamed for everything and wants to leave.

As bad as Suarez is, at the moment he's still our best CF. Griezmann flopped when he played there and braithwaite is still bit of an unknown. Setien probably doesn't want to play him with the league on the line. That Suarez is our best CF, is on the board, not Messi.

Yes, he's pushing for neymar, but he's miles better than anyone we have at LW. He's pushing for lautaro as he knows he is a better CF than Suarez. Let's not kid ourselves, he wants a team that can win, not to play with his friends. You can see how much it hurts him when Barca lose. He has said numerous times this current team isn't good enough to win

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I believe the ESPN report, no doubt. All adds up.

There's no but for me. No he's disrespecting the manager, but..., he's pushing for his friends to be signed, but...., he doesn't respect tactics, but.... You can't build a new side like that. We are either all on the same page inside the team, or not.

To be a but it means you accept and think it's ok if a payer acts as if he is bigger than the club. It's not. In any circumstances.

Imagine a new player looking at the veterans as role models seeing Messi and Suarez treating the managers like garbage. What's he supposed to learn from this. That if you have enough power you can disrespect the manager?

The ramifications of these things are too serious and too dangerous for us as a club to accept this as normal. And the payoff would be too short term to consider.

Batistuta9 said:

I think people believe that he has more power than he really has. If you believe those reports then you should believe the one that came out the other day, that he's fed up with being blamed for everything and wants to leave.

As bad as Suarez is, at the moment he's still our best CF. Griezmann flopped when he played there and braithwaite is still bit of an unknown. Setien probably doesn't want to play him with the league on the line. That Suarez is our best CF, is on the board, not Messi.

Yes, he's pushing for neymar, but he's miles better than anyone we have at LW. He's pushing for lautaro as he knows he is a better CF than Suarez. Let's not kid ourselves, he wants a team that can win, not to play with his friends. You can see how much it hurts him when Barca lose. He has said numerous times this current team isn't good enough to win

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Griezmann finishing was shit when Suarez was injured but team looked better than it does now and so did Messi.

Suarez is absolutely atrocious at anything bar finishing or getting assists by forcing ball to Messi.

At least Griezmann tries to play for team as a unit, can move off ball, presses and his finishing we know he has.

Would have a player like Griezmann at CF in this team over a guy who can barely run and Barca have to wait for individual moments at expense of team.

serghei said:

I believe the ESPN report, no doubt. All adds up.

There's no but for me. No he's disrespecting the manager, but..., he's pushing for his friends to be signed, but...., he doesn't respect tactics, but.... You can't build a new side like that. We are either all on the same page inside the team, or not.

To be a but it means you accept and think it's ok if a payer acts as if he is bigger than the club. It's not. In any circumstances.

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If you believe everything that comes out on Messi, that he runs the club, chooses which players to buy, picks the team, does the tactics. Why have we hired more personnel when one man can do everything. Might as well sack bartomeu and setien as Messi is running the show

As for pushing for his friends neymar and lautaro, I don't care as they are an upgrade on what we have. If we had mane at LW and Lewandowski at CF and Messi was pushing for neymar and lautaro, I'd tell him to GTFO

JamDav1982 said:

Griezmann finishing was shit when Suarez was injured but team looked better than it does now and so did Messi.

Suarez is absolutely atrocious at anything bar finishing or getting assists by forcing ball to Messi.

At least Griezmann tries to play for team as a unit, can move off ball, presses and his finishing we know he has.

Would have a player like Griezmann at CF in this team over a guy who can barely run and Barca have to wait for individual moments at expense of team.

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That's a fair point. I agree that the team looked better when griezmann played CF, but we were impotent. He didn't look like scoring. This team badly needs goals, however bad Suarez's overall game is, he gets a goal or two.

Batistuta9 said:

That's a fair point. I agree that the team looked better when griezmann played CF, but we were impotent. He didn't look like scoring. This team badly needs goals, however bad Suarez's overall game is, he gets a goal or two.

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I would say he did look like scoring.... but his finishing was shit.

For me workrate and movement off the ball as part of unit should be non negotiable and Suarez can?t do it. He blatantly cannot run properly.

Griezmann at CF with pace of Fati on RW and Puig to move ball quicker from midfield would hopefully suit him better.

Not that Griezmann did much to earn in it when Suarez was out mind you it is based on a better team alternative to a Suarez that is killing team on and of ball unless getting chances in and around box.

JamDav1982 said:

I would say he did look like scoring.... but his finishing was shit.

For me workrate and movement off the ball as part of unit should be non negotiable and Suarez can?t do it. He blatantly cannot run properly.

Griezmann at CF with pace of Fati on RW and Puig to move ball quicker from midfield would hopefully suit him better.

Not that Griezmann did much to earn in it when Suarez was out mind you it is based on a better team alternative to a Suarez that is killing team on and of ball unless getting chances in and around box.

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Yeah, I get what you're saying. I would start griezmann if we had a goalscoring LW like neymar or mane and griezmann could do a role similar to firmino at Liverpool, but unfortunately we don't. It's unfair on fati to expect him to score on a regular basis playing LW, when griezmann can't playing CF.

They both have pros and cons. Messi has also been struggling to score lately, so scoring goals as a team is a massive issue for us at present

Yes Suarez is finished but he could still work on some teams as a total poacher(Ronaldo lite), BUT that would mean everyone else run for him and press. Barca is currently the slowest top team. Suarez, Messi provide no pressure or defensive work, then we have midfield which is completely useless defending a lead or counter attack. Vidal/Busi and Raki is asking for trouble. Combine that midfield with Messi and Suarez and we have the current shitshow.

We can integrate Messi to best eleven because he is a God damn genius, BUT all the other players have to cover for his lack of movement, right now we can't even do that and then you add Suarez. The team balance is total crap. Griezmann upfront would make us a better team versus better teams because we are stronger defensively, with Suarez and Messi upfront we are god awful defensively.

In the end, if your defense sucks, good team will punish you quickly(team balance much more important). I think Griezmann would make us better team overall. It's not like Suarez is scoring against good teams, so saying he scores more is bollocks.(Vs good teams)

Play Suarez Vs LaLiga minions and Griez Vs better teams. I'd say we have bigger chance to win or at least draw.

I am back from my vacation and I see everyone in meltdown, nothing to see here folks.

Each time Messi has threatened to leave he has ended up renewing with a hefty wage rise.

Messigician said:

I am back from my vacation and I see everyone in meltdown, nothing to see here folks.

Each time Messi has threatened to leave he has ended up renewing with a hefty wage rise.

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There's a big difference this time. Messi is 33 now. The board knows he's coming to the end of his career, so they might end up selling him or letting him go; they'll save a lot from his wages.

Personally, I feel Messi should leave. He owes us nothing and has gave us completely everything. He's not going to win anymore Champions League trophies with this club, so he might as well go to a club who can offer him that.

serghei said:

Imagine a new player looking at the veterans as role models seeing Messi and Suarez treating the managers like garbage. What's he supposed to learn from this. That if you have enough power you can disrespect the manager?

The ramifications of these things are too serious and too dangerous for us as a club to accept this as normal. And the payoff would be too short term to consider.

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A lot of parallels to 2008. Players like Ronaldinho and Deco became lazy and unprofessional and had lost their hunger and past their prime. Ironically one of the reasons for moving these players on was to benefit the likes of Messi to develop in a professional atmosphere with proper standards in a hard working team.

One thing 2008 had was a strong board prepared to back a coach to make the tough calls.

Batistuta9 said:

If you believe everything that comes out on Messi, that he runs the club, chooses which players to buy, picks the team, does the tactics. Why have we hired more personnel when one man can do everything. Might as well sack bartomeu and setien as Messi is running the show

As for pushing for his friends neymar and lautaro, I don't care as they are an upgrade on what we have. If we had mane at LW and Lewandowski at CF and Messi was pushing for neymar and lautaro, I'd tell him to GTFO

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Messi is running the show in the team, not the club. Inside the team, Messi is not 1 in terms of how the team plays. Not the manager as it is normal. I don't believe everything that is being said about Messi, but that ESPN article is spot on in my opinion.

As for not caring that a player pushes on which transfers are done, that means you are stepping on some footbal principles which are universally valid. Players play the game inside the field, and managers decide things outside of the field.

Managers don't tell Messi what dribbling to attempt in a situation, or how he should shoot, or what passes to make in a given scenario. Messi doesn't have any business deciding what tactics should be used, or what players should be signed. If he wants to decide such things, then by all means retire, become a manager and have a go at this profession. Then you will be judged accordingly.

Ritchie said:

A lot of parallels to 2008. Players like Ronaldinho and Deco became lazy and unprofessional and had lost their hunger and past their prime. Ironically one of the reasons for moving these players on was to benefit the likes of Messi to develop in a professional atmosphere with proper standards in a hard working team.

One thing 2008 had was a strong board prepared to back a coach to make the tough calls.

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A 2008 type of moment is indeed approaching fast. It's unlikely we'll have the same path as we did in 2008 with Pep and the dreamteam that followed, but it has to happen regardless.

Our GOAT

Messi is clear that he won't continue if Bartomeu doesn't resign before the end of his mandate. The Argentine calls for elections. [cuatro]

Great news

Would he really say that though.

I mean its Messigician.