10 - Lionel Messi - V6

[Daniele]

I would hire Antonio Conte. Ps: find really inappropriate to criticise Messi!

 

[FCB1987]

please no more Messi on the wing

#freemessi

 

[FCB1987]

This is probably our best team imo. Maybe Coutinho at LCM and Malcom on the wing if he plays well

MATS

Semedo
.....
Umtiti
Alba

Vidal
Rakitic
Arthur/Roberto

Dembele
Messi
Coutinho

 

[BBZ8800]

What about Milner who is 32 and runs 15 kms per match?

Players aged 30, 31, 32 and older usually can't run AS much as guys in early 20s.
There are always some extreme examples like Zanetti, Giggs and similar, but in general, a player aged 30 is past his physical prime.

yes they can which was clear under Enrique in his first year when they were in fantastic physical condition.

Lucho's first season was 4 years ago.
Messi had 27, not 31.
Suarez had 27, not 31.
Busquets and Rakitic had 26, not 30.

Can you remember the intensity of pressing La Masia players were abble to play under Pep? Look at Suarez, Pique or Arthur do they look physically 100% fit to you? It’s all about manager, physical preparation is also responsability of Valverde’s coach team. Do you think that City or Lpool play wonderful football only because those players are great, strong and fast? No they are in perfect physical condition while majority of our players look dead tired after 50 or 60 minutes.

Imo, under Pep:
1. we had the best generation ever in terms of technical skills (Messi, Xavi, Iniesta, Busi, Alves)
2. all those players were young, except Xavi.
Messi 21
Iniesta 24
Busi 20
Alves 25
3. all those players were able to run a lot and press, due to their age
4. those players were young and fully motivated, because they won 0 or 1 CLs and Spain just started to dominate at NT Level (0 World cups)
5. for the end, all players whom Pep had/bought were a perfect fit for his style: TikiTaka

Now, look at our current team:
1. we DON'T have a best generation ever anymore
2. our players are aged:
Messi 31
Suarez 31
Busquets 30
Rakitic 30
3. these players CAN'T run as much and press as much anymore due to: their age and a lack of motivation
4. these players are NOT fully motivated anymore due to too many trophies won in their careers
5. our players are not perfect for our style.
Busquets is a TikiTaka type of a player.
Arthur also.
Rafinha TikiTaka player.
Dembele is a type for counterattacking teams.
Rakitic is more suitable for more direct football with long balls (Croatian NT football).
Coutinho, while good, isn't exactly a TikiTaka guy.
Vidal is NOT a TikiTaka type of a player.
Alena, what is his position at all?
Denis Suarez, what is his position in our 433?
Do we have a RB at all?

So, imo, Pep's era was different on SO MANY levels.
Yes, EV is not that good, but I really doubt that even Pep would make something out of these players.
He could, but only if he would sell 5-10 players, buy some new players perfect for HIS style, add some youngsters (fresh blood) and that's it.

But in short: I don't believe that even Pep today would be able to play too beautiful, pressing football with Messi-Suarez-Dembele, Coutinho-Rakitic-Busquets.

 

[ini4ever]

But in short: I don't believe that even Pep today would be able to play too beautiful, pressing football with Messi-Suarez-Dembele, Coutinho-Rakitic-Busquets.

He would, because he aint playing Busi and Raki at the same time.

 

[eaman]

Messi was our best player with coutinho second. Both of them had good first halves

 

[soul24rage]

Messi was our best player with coutinho second. Both of them had good first halves

I agree that both of them had good halves. Messi made a good run for that assist, hit the edge of the post and should have shot better for that coutinho lay off. Then the whole team sucked in the 2nd half

 

[Maxim4]

a cup manager (to me atleast) is an Ancelotti/Jupp type, older, respected and not here for the long term, focus is on getting the most out of our oldies for the CL. currently we have a midtable manager, lucky in the league and out of his depth in the CL

our managers have been shit since Pep because our board seem to have this idea that because they got lucky and struck gold with Pep, every ex-Barca barca-dna bullshit manager could potentially turn gold again, don't be suprised if Unzue is up next. its a failed and flawed way forward, we need a proven world class manager. were not evolving and even worse were buying players (Dembele) that don't fit our style.. change the fucking style or get left behind

🤣

 

[Maxim4]

Messi was our best player with coutinho second. Both of them had good first halves

😭

 

[Hazard]

Serious club would've just signed Hazard last summer & moved Leo centrally. Asking him to play like he's still 25 again is utterly ridiculous.

If he doesn't carry us, we have no hope of winning as usual.

 

[Much2soon]

The sooner Messi realizes he’s not a midfielder the better. He needs to stop clogging up the midfield and move up the pitch.

The only decent thing he did in the 2nd half of the match was make that run in the box which almost resulted in a chance. You’ve got to more of that from him instead.

 

[Andrew M]

He needs to be around the box as a goal threat. We don't need him deep

 

[FCB1987]

He needs to stay out of the midfield and off the wing. His best position is probably like a 9.5 or something between a striker and #10.

 

[Pedro]

He needs to stay out of the midfield and off the wing. His best position is probably like a 9.5 or something between a striker and #10.

He played well on the wing under Lucho, not anymore, he needs to stay central.

 

[FCB1987]

He played well on the wing under Lucho, not anymore, he needs to stay central.

he pretty much stopped playing on the wing or being as effective there after the knee injury in September 2015. He played much more inside over Lucho's last 18 months