Lionel "The Greatest of All Time" Messi

[Mitchell1978]

It's not only how little he ran without the ball yesterday but how passive and slow he was with it. It's like he declines in that regard with every game, and we've already been seeing the signs since 19/20. It is sad to watch, it really is. Messi is just old. I just hope he has enough left in the tank for a last attempt at the WC.

2018-19 was his last peak (or prime whatever your definition) season which is quite normal as he's going to his mid 30s.
Still he has been productive the last 2 seasons and can still be with the right set up.

I didn't think it was bad last night, biggest problem is seeing so little of the ball as City dominated.

 

[mc_lovin]

Shame that he isn't European.

A spa weekend every few weeks instead of the South American meat thresher (for his national team) would have done him a world of good.

 

[OGbarca]

he match-gazes too much, i.e, standing back, just kinda letting things happen. seems entirely uninterested tbh

 

[malvolio]

full match report here with all stats - https://fbref.com/en/matches/52e983...int-Germain-November-24-2021-Champions-League

 

[Horatio]

Too scared to read.

 

[Altomonte]

What is frequently overlooked is the fact that Messi is going to Argentina whenever there is an international break. A very long trip with a 6 hour time change, and a seasonal change as well - it's winter in Argentina when there is summer in Europe (and vice versa).
When he comes back he has to overcome jet lag. Messi relies on accuracy / precision and those areas are particularly affected by jet lag.
While Ronaldo travels to Portugal and Lewa goes to Poland, Messi goes to Argentina ...
Finally, there is no doubt that Messi prioritizes the ARG NT above anything else: He has won everything there is on club level and does not really think that his "exreaterrestrial" skills are needed to make PSG the champion of France. He will, however, turn it up during the CL knockout stage. Stay tuned!

 

[Mitchell1978]

I also think football is turning away from individually brilliant footballers whose teams allow them to shine to team consisting of a goalkeeper and 10 guys who run 11 km per game, forwards judged on how much they press and so on.

Liverpool has Salah and Mane, Bayern has Lewandowski and to a lesser extent talents like Gnabry, Sane and some other and they always score a lot but teams like City and Chelsea just play boring, sterile football most of the time... not a good evolution, its like the NBA of the 2000s with the Spurs and the Pistons

 

[JamDav1982]

Chelsea are good to watch in different ways.

Their full backs are unreal how much they do going forward for example.

 

[malvolio]

I also think football is turning away from individually brilliant footballers whose teams allow them to shine to team consisting of a goalkeeper and 10 guys who run 11 km per game, forwards judged on how much they press and so on.

Liverpool has Salah and Mane, Bayern has Lewandowski and to a lesser extent talents like Gnabry, Sane and some other and they always score a lot but teams like City and Chelsea just play boring, sterile football most of the time... not a good evolution, its like the NBA of the 2000s with the Spurs and the Pistons

And football became shit because of it. Lots of runners and athletes but way less footballers.

 

[SmilerBam]

Messi is the same since 2019. That was the last year that indeed he was close to his old self. Yeah, he declined, but i really think he isn't adapted to PSG and Ligue 1. Everyone and his dog knew this will happen, only Rassvet didnt. His best bet was City if he couldn't remain at Barca. PSG is the most unbalanced team from all the big guns in the CL.

 

[Rassvet]

Messi is the same since 2019. That was the year that indeed he was close to his old self. Yeah, he declined, but i really think he isn't adapted to PSG and Ligue 1. Everyone and his dog knew this will happen, only Rassvet didnt. His best bet was City if he couldn't remain at Barca. PSG is the most unbalanced team from all the big guns in the CL.

If he was playing like this at City with all the spotlight of being in the Premier League, it would be much worse.

 

[SmilerBam]

If he was playing like this at City with all the spotlight of being in the Premier League, it would be much worse.

He woudn't play like this at City. That's the reason i said City would have been his best option.

 

[Rassvet]

He woudn't play like this at City. That's the reason i said City would have been his best option.

He might do better there but he would still fall far short of the expectations people had for him going to England and the criticism over his workrate would be brutal.

 

[SmilerBam]

And football became shit because of it. Lots of runners and athletes but way less footballers.

Agree. There are no really fantasy player nowadays. The best of this generations of youths(Mbappe and Haaland) have no magic whatsoever. Brute force and speed. That's ok, but there is no variation anymore. Football is soon enough to become too robotic.

 

[DonAK]

It's the CL group stages. Think you should calm down a bit Rassvet.

Whatever happens in the group stages is irrelvant. People have short memories.