'The Messiah' - Lionel Messi V.2

Well it happened to Huntelaar at Schalke, and I would think something needs to be done about all these misses. Coach Messi to put himself on a special penalty training regime?

Question to all.Is he in his best form right now?
I would say so.10-11 was probably his best season but imo he is playing even better right now.

No way it's his best form. He's certainly evolved as a player, but in the 10-11 season he was absolutely majestic. There were stretches of away games where he would routinely score a hattrick and we'd win 4-0 and 5-0, dribbling 20 times per game without putting a foot wrong. He's less ruthless now but his game intelligence has improved, so he can still have the same impact on a game while losing the ball lot more, dribbling less, and scoring less, for example.

His form is great right now and he almost always unlocks the defenses, even if he has a bad game by his standards. But he does make a lot of mistakes and gives away balls, fails dribbles, compared to 10-11.

You'll never see that form in history ever again. CL 2011 final is a good example.

I remember when we discussed after buying Suarez if putting Messi on the wing would be feasible because of his defensive workrate. Well ...

Recovered most balls for Barcelona against City: Pique 15 - Alves 9 - Messi 8 - Busquets 7 - Alba 7

Fußball wrote:I remember when we discussed after buying Suarez if putting Messi on the wing would be feasible because of his defensive workrate. Well ...

Recovered most balls for Barcelona against City: Pique 15 - Alves 9 - Messi 8 - Busquets 7 - Alba 7

And against Madrid we saw the downside.

Its 1-1 on those terms so I aint about to get ahead of myself. Messi's defensive contributions are impossible to guess, some days he does everything..other days, nothing.

Messi is currently playing better than ever, he's doing everything. Better than 11-12 which was easily his best season.

His dribbling is as good as ever, 40 players beaten by dribble in 4 big games this year against Atletico and City. That alone is insane.

His passing is more insane than ever, not the quality but the amount of the quality, which is also direct consequent of the better forwards.

His goal scoring is as good as it ever was, I think he's on the same pace than he was in 91 goals of 2012.

I also think he's now defending more, at least when you watch the big games this year.

Anyone who thinks Messi was the best in 10-11, doesn't really understand the difference of team play, and individual quality.

The best Messi is IMO the 09-10 one. He was impossible to stop after 1 yard.

For me his best season as a whole was 10/11. He was decisive in every big game bar the Copa final. In 11/12 for all his amazing stats, when it came down to the crunch games, he didn't deliver. in 10/11 he forced through some matches by sheer will. The team was playing better so his level was higher.

10/11 - The first Classico, he was the best player on the pitch, Semis vs Real Madrid he carried Barcelona with that GOAT dribble near the halfway line, CL final...not much to say, he raped us.

11/12 Couldn't do it against Chelsea despite playing well, missed a big penalty despite setting up Scrubegas and Asexis.

My point being that he forced through those big games and trophies is what makes a season fr me not stats. Ironically Barcelonas worst season under Pep, Messi had his best season statistically, same with CR under Mou, his best season was Mous worst. Messi is playing better than all those seasons atm as he is the only one creating and he is scoring as well, Iniesta can't beat lines of pressure with his pass and Rakitic can't do it either, leaving Messi with all the burden.

If a team manages to shackle him Barcelona are done, all their play goes through him. He's not a striker, not a conventional winger or a clear #10. more like a #10.5

jibers wrote:For me his best season as a whole was 10/11. He was decisive in every big game bar the Copa final. In 11/12 for all his amazing stats, when it came down to the crunch games, he didn't deliver. in 10/11 he forced through some matches by sheer will. The team was playing better so his level was higher.

10/11 - The first Classico, he was the best player on the pitch, Semis vs Real Madrid he carried Barcelona with that GOAT dribble near the halfway line, CL final...not much to say, he raped us.

11/12 Couldn't do it against Chelsea despite playing well, missed a big penalty despite setting up Scrubegas and Asexis.

My point being that he forced through those big games and trophies is what makes a season fr me not stats. Ironically Barcelonas worst season under Pep, Messi had his best season statistically, same with CR under Mou, his best season was Mous worst. Messi is playing better than all those seasons atm as he is the only one creating and he is scoring as well, Iniesta can't beat lines of pressure with his pass and Rakitic can't do it either, leaving Messi with all the burden.

If a team manages to shackle him Barcelona are done, all their play goes through him. He's not a striker, not a conventional winger or a clear #10. more like a #10.5

Statistically Ronaldo's best season was 11/12, Mou's best. He was always decisive for us, but imo in 12/13 he was a one man team, and not because he was better than in other seasons, but because the others weren't playing to there usual level.

Regarding Messi, I've never feared him more when playing against us than in 09/10.

Valkyrja wrote:

jibers wrote:For me his best season as a whole was 10/11. He was decisive in every big game bar the Copa final. In 11/12 for all his amazing stats, when it came down to the crunch games, he didn't deliver. in 10/11 he forced through some matches by sheer will. The team was playing better so his level was higher.

10/11 - The first Classico, he was the best player on the pitch, Semis vs Real Madrid he carried Barcelona with that GOAT dribble near the halfway line, CL final...not much to say, he raped us.

11/12 Couldn't do it against Chelsea despite playing well, missed a big penalty despite setting up Scrubegas and Asexis.

My point being that he forced through those big games and trophies is what makes a season fr me not stats. Ironically Barcelonas worst season under Pep, Messi had his best season statistically, same with CR under Mou, his best season was Mous worst. Messi is playing better than all those seasons atm as he is the only one creating and he is scoring as well, Iniesta can't beat lines of pressure with his pass and Rakitic can't do it either, leaving Messi with all the burden.

If a team manages to shackle him Barcelona are done, all their play goes through him. He's not a striker, not a conventional winger or a clear #10. more like a #10.5

Statistically Ronaldo's best season was 11/12, Mou's best. He was always decisive for us, but imo in 12/13 he was a one man team, and not because he was better than in other seasons, but because the others weren't playing to there usual level.

Regarding Messi, I've never feared him more when playing against us than in 09/10.

Yea I keep mixing CRs stats in 11/12 and 12/13. The only season where Messi was 'crap' by his standards was 13/14 and he put 3 past Iker

jibers wrote:For me his best season as a whole was 10/11. He was decisive in every big game bar the Copa final. In 11/12 for all his amazing stats, when it came down to the crunch games, he didn't deliver. in 10/11 he forced through some matches by sheer will. The team was playing better so his level was higher.

10/11 - The first Classico, he was the best player on the pitch, Semis vs Real Madrid he carried Barcelona with that GOAT dribble near the halfway line, CL final...not much to say, he raped us.

11/12 Couldn't do it against Chelsea despite playing well, missed a big penalty despite setting up Scrubegas and Asexis.

My point being that he forced through those big games and trophies is what makes a season fr me not stats. Ironically Barcelonas worst season under Pep, Messi had his best season statistically, same with CR under Mou, his best season was Mous worst. Messi is playing better than all those seasons atm as he is the only one creating and he is scoring as well, Iniesta can't beat lines of pressure with his pass and Rakitic can't do it either, leaving Messi with all the burden.

If a team manages to shackle him Barcelona are done, all their play goes through him. He's not a striker, not a conventional winger or a clear #10. more like a #10.5

In 11-12 Messi was carrying Barcelona whole season to that point, the Chelsea match, not just the big games.

In 10-11 Messi was directly involved 29% of league points, 11-12 38%. Yet because of the Madrid referees, and Barcelona core becoming lethargic after such success, it wasn't enough.

In the Chelsea match there was many chances team mates to score, but the ball just wouldn't go in. That however has nothing to with Messi's individual quality.

Leo Messi surpasses Telmo Zarra's hattrick record of 31. Leo now has 32.

Pressi

http://giant.gfycat.com/TerrificSafeDwarfmongoose.gif

I dont understand this man sometimes

He is pressing a goalie deep in the second half, 3 nil up.

But he wont press a CB 10 minutes into the game at 0-0

And Messi, whose top form in the past two months has helped Barca to do a clean sweep of rivals in all competitions, has ironically compared his talents with a ball at his feet to that of a high-stakes poker player.

"There are people who suggest that my way of playing football is innate," the four-time Ballon d'Or winner told Four Four Two . "I do not know if this is the case, but it is true that I have a gambler's instinct.

"On the pitch I'm always looking to make the best move or the best decision, while trying not to do what the opponent expects me to do.

"When I feel the grass under my feet, I feel safe. I use the huge pressure to be better because pressure helps me to develop my skills."

didnt even realise messi has a sleeve tattoo now

Sextuple – ‏@BarcaStat

Balls won back
This season: Messi 132, Neymar 117 (9 to 12 games left!!!)
Last season: Messi 62, Neymar 82

I cant help but feel sorry for Martino on a personal level, when I see stats like this.
Just imagine how little effort he was giving last season with less than half the amount of balls won...and not once did Martino say anything negative, even to this day.

Is Neymar not just generally playing more minutes and with less injuries? Therefore he has more minutes to win more balls?

I imagine Messi himself played more this season also.

Yeah Messi and Neymar were both injured for over a month last season. But I also think that Martino just didn't ask for as much high pressing as Lucho does.

why feel bad for tata..

he self admittedly said that he had zero control in the team, and was more of a by-stander.
he went from a small team to one of the biggest in the world, it was dumb of us to have that expectation of him that he'd be good enough.

I feel bad for him because his best player was even lazier than he is this season, I am quite sure if he could have he would wanted a Messi who works a bit harder.

As a coach in his position (a relatively small and unknown one) there is only so much you can say and everyone knows it. Until you earn your respect.

http://spielverlagerung.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2015/04/BERSEPSG1.png

interesting picture showing some average positions.
the amount of people messi sucks in.. christ

I very much doubt that chart.I could have sworn he played a lot more central and stayed central.

From that same website, you got the picture from. Found this to be pretty interesting:

Messi’s reaction to PSG’s defensive strategy against him was to move completely into the center and make Suarez move out to the right flank – though they still switched positions at times. This was especially intelligent as this meant he was directly connected to Barcelona’s advantageous zone – the combinations on the left flank. The first goal came when Iniesta played the ball from the left halfspace into Messi (who was in the center), Messi then dribbled forward and played Neymar through the defense to score.

Lucho has mentioned that Messi decides where he will move on the field and tells others what to do – like when Messi made the switch to the right-winger role and told Suarez to stay in the center. This was yet another move during a high-level game where it’s beginning to feel like Messi has a high level of tactical intelligence – even if on an intuitive level (if Lucho is telling the truth!

I've noticed since the Madrid game he's been moving centrally more often. Against Madrid in the 2nd half, Sevilla in the 2nd half, and vs PSG.

Its why average positions cant be trusted. Or more accurately, you always have to understand the limitations.

You need more than average positions because they dont show you movement, what is the starting position relative to the ball and when is the next position to take up once the ball is shifted.

Also, average position charts would be alot better if they were separated by possession, two charts which show the average position when your team has the ball vs when they dont. Still has big limitations but indeed it would be better still.

His link-up on the right with Rakitic and Alves has not been as fresh as it was Jan-Feb, and it's showing as he gets isolated more and more. This frustration with not getting the ball always drives him to the middle, and I can't help but think that it sort of ruins the flow in Barca's game.

While overloading the midfield is a good idea when the team is losing control of the match, if you don't put the requisite defensive work when you do that, the entire defensive shape of the side changes. Luckily, against the better teams he is very clearly working a lot harder than usual and hopefully the same happens against Bayern.

In other news, he really needs a rest.