10 - Lionel Messi - V6

[Arizona Scott]

Messi was directly was directly involved in all eight of Barcelona's shots tonight against Liverpool:

• 5 shots attempted
• 3 chances created

Sums it up. EV and most other players are to blame. Messi and Vidal I think were the only starters with good games and somewhat matching Liverpool.

Footy is still an 11 man sport. 1 man is not going to beat a more motivated and coherent team where 8-9 of your other guys get outmatched on the day. Shows how crazy last week was.

 

[Messigician]

You gonna tell us not to boo coutinho now ay? Thought we were bringing UCL back to the camp nou?

This coach needs to go and Messi Hasbro push him out PERIOD

 

[Centauri B]

Just rewatched that chance in the first half and he really did fuck that up. He’s clean through all he has to do is shoot with his right foot and for some reason he lets the defender come back by stopping and then tries to dribble him.

Then again we probably still would have found a way to lose 5-1, Valverde would have found a way.

Yes, that was a terrible miss. But we can not blame this guy for this humiliation.

 

[Ernesto GOATverde Tejedor]

Just rewatched that chance in the first half and he really did fuck that up. He’s clean through all he has to do is shoot with his right foot and for some reason he lets the defender come back by stopping and then tries to dribble him.

Then again we probably still would have found a way to lose 5-1, Valverde would have found a way.

Irrelevant as Alba was offside before he passed him the ball

 

[FCB1987]

Can't doubt his performances on the pitch, he was amazing over both legs.

Only thing he needs to show now is that winning is more important than his friendships at the club.

 

[El MeSSiaS]

No complaints for him tonight he is the only one that made this tie look a little balanced. This is a game of 11 players he cant do everything everytime.

 

[10Rivaldo]

Can't doubt his performances on the pitch, he was amazing over both legs.

Only thing he needs to show now is that winning is more important than his friendships at the club.

Lol. The whole argument that Suarez has a starting spot on lock because of his friendship with Messi is ridiculous, and appears to be based on some equally ridiculous myth that Messi is some sort of silent dictator. Fabregas was casted out without much fanfare, and Alves was also denied an extension despite their friendships with Messi. Both were somewhat controversial decisions at the time too, not like they were as obvious as getting rid of Pinto (who is also Messi's close friend)

 

[FCB1987]

Lol. The whole argument that Suarez has a starting spot on lock because of his friendship with Messi is ridiculous, and appears to be based on some equally ridiculous myth that Messi is some sort of silent dictator. Fabregas was casted out without much fanfare, and Alves was also denied an extension despite their friendships with Messi. Both were somewhat controversial decisions at the time too, not like they were as obvious as getting rid of Pinto (who is also Messi's close friend)

Valverde was given his extension based on the support from senior players. It's also clear how the senior players treat someone like Coutinho or Roberto compared to Dembele and Semedo

 

[10Rivaldo]

Valverde was given his extension based on the support from senior players. It's also clear how the senior players treat someone like Coutinho or Roberto compared to Dembele and Semedo

Sorry, I don't understand your point. I'm glad the board takes the players' input when deciding whether to continue with the coach. If Valverde was butt buddies with Messi outside of work and got an extension despite awful results due to his friendship with Messi that would be an issue, but Valverde (up until now) delivered results. How does this in any way prove Messi has any unreasonable power in deciding who the coach and players are?

 

[FCB1987]

Sorry, I don't understand your point. I'm glad the board takes the players' input when deciding whether to continue with the coach. If Valverde was butt buddies with Messi outside of work and got an extension despite awful results due to his friendship with Messi that would be an issue, but Valverde (up until now) delivered results. How does this in any way prove Messi has any unreasonable power in deciding who the coach and players are?

The point is that he needs to kick up a fuss this summer and demand we make some changes even if it means losing some of the friendships and coziness that he and the others currently enjoy.

 

[10Rivaldo]

The point is that he needs to kick up a fuss this summer and demand we make some changes even if it means losing some of the friendships and coziness that he and the others currently enjoy.

Nah, he should let the board do their job without interfering. What if, like your hypothetical scenario, Messi tries to get some of the players off the team but they stay because we're unable to find replacements? Now we've got shit players AND tension in the locker room. No thank you. There's a reason why teams with too much player power continue to run into problems.

 

[SeloBarca]

Could see his frustration today.
He tried moving to midfield to start things > noone else moved so he had to dribble 10 players himself.
He waited to get passes from midfield > Rakitic, Vidal and Busquetes did fuck all except making disastrous passes that led to goals.

I dont blame him for playing poor this time when noone else even gives a fuck to try and help him.

 

[Science Kid]

The problem has never been his quality or his performances. He's unparalleled as a player. But there's another dimension to being a leader, a captain apart from technical qualities, and that's being able to make your teammates believe in themselves, being able to pick them up when they are down, motivate them, inspire them. Messi has rarely done that. Even in that miraculous win against PSG, it was Neymar who was the spark that fueled that comeback. All the GOATS in other sports were just as capable as leaders as they were as players. Even when the Falcons were up 28-3, their own players knew it wasn't over because the other team had Brady. Same thing with Jordan. They had/have auras that made their teams always believe they were in the game, win or lose. Barca has collapsed too many times in the last decade to simply blame it on Valverde.

In 7 of the last 8 seasons, Barca didn't score a single away goal when they went out:

2012: 1:0 vs Chelsea
2013: 4:0 vs Bayern
2014: 1:0 vs Atletico
2016: 2:0 vs Atletico
2017: 3:0 vs Juventus
2018: 3:0 vs Roma
2019: 4:0 vs Liverpool

Yes, it's absolutely unfair to blame it on Messi. But we're talking about a GOAT candidate not a regular player or even a superstar. Different coaches, different players and yet Barca and Messi have been non-existent playing away. When the going gets tough, when Barca falls into a hole, Messi goes back to his shell, becomes lethargic and never displays leadership skills that vastly inferior players have displayed. Someone like a Puyol or Gattuso would have started kicking their teammates around once we went down 3:0. Messi is not that type and he never was. It's just who he is. It's a legitimate criticism especially coupled with the notion that his decade long rival, Ronaldo, while an inferior player, has won a lot more than he should have because he never heard the referee waive the fight off.

 

[MessiTBE]

600 th post dedicated to the 600 man.

Most La Liga goals.
Most CL goals.
European golden boot.
Most La Liga assists.
La Liga winner.
Copa del Rey winner.

What a season.

 

[Ernesto GOATverde Tejedor]

The problem has never been his quality or his performances. He's unparalleled as a player. But there's another dimension to being a leader, a captain apart from technical qualities, and that's being able to make your teammates believe in themselves, being able to pick them up when they are down, motivate them, inspire them. Messi has rarely done that. Even in that miraculous win against PSG, it was Neymar who was the spark that fueled that comeback. All the GOATS in other sports were just as capable as leaders as they were as players. Even when the Falcons were up 28-3, their own players knew it wasn't over because the other team had Brady. Same thing with Jordan. They had/have auras that made their teams always believe they were in the game, win or lose. Barca has collapsed too many times in the last decade to simply blame it on Valverde.

In 7 of the last 8 seasons, Barca didn't score a single away goal when they went out:

2012: 1:0 vs Chelsea
2013: 4:0 vs Bayern
2014: 1:0 vs Atletico
2016: 2:0 vs Atletico
2017: 3:0 vs Juventus
2018: 3:0 vs Roma
2019: 4:0 vs Liverpool

Yes, it's absolutely unfair to blame it on Messi. But we're talking about a GOAT candidate not a regular player or even a superstar. Different coaches, different players and yet Barca and Messi have been non-existent playing away. When the going gets tough, when Barca falls into a hole, Messi goes back to his shell, becomes lethargic and never displays leadership skills that vastly inferior players have displayed. Someone like a Puyol or Gattuso would have started kicking their teammates around once we went down 3:0. Messi is not that type and he never was. It's just who he is. It's a legitimate criticism especially coupled with the notion that his decade long rival, Ronaldo, while an inferior player, has won a lot more than he should have because he never heard the referee waive the fight off.

Nonsense - since when have the GOATS of football been leaders? R9, Pele, Ronaldinho, Romario, Zico, Batistuta, Van Basten, Puskas, are all better footballers than Ronaldo imo and none of them are remotely close to being leaders. That is more often than not the role of the big, strong centre back.