Ligue 1 20/21

Highlight of the game was Marseille fans joining defending Messi counter and players being protected by riot shields when taking corners. Worst run league in the world.



Quality of Lique isn't any harder than Liga. Once Messi is tactically used correctly he will tore frenchies a new one. Now he's hugging sidelines most of the game doing nothing as PSG tries to play through Fatmar.

Ref conspiracy theories, Throwing Messi teammates under the bus...Harmonica has truly landed in Ligue 1 Uber Eats

L'Equipe is running an article saying that Messi is no longer what he was and he can't play the same role:

https://www.lequipe.fr/Football/Article/Om-psg-messi-est-il-encore-un-soliste/1294583

The big big big thing that everyone is circling around but won't come out and say...  the incredible lack of work rate.  He's "disconnected" from his teammates because he waits for the ball to come to him as opposed to demanding it.  That's why he's looked, dare-I-say, very average.

There's only one play that has worked for him.  Literally one.  Mbappe makes a diagonal run, Messi passes him the ball and makes an opposite diagonal run behind Mbappe and Mbappe flicks him the ball.  That's the only thing that's worked and looked good.  The problem with that is...  opposing teams have already figured it out.  They overplay the flick on by Mbappe.  

Sure Messi will adapt.  But for now, he's been slow, immobile, and incredibly predictable.

The other play that Messi likes is the diagonal pass to the LB and then he makes the run into the box.  The issue with that is...  no Jordi Alba and they don't call small contact for interference in Ligue 1.  So defenders chip him when he makes that run, Mendes is still very young and figuring it out + there are no finesse defenders in this league.  They're mountains.

Not saying Ligue 1 is better at all.  Just very different than La Liga.  It's much closer to EPL for comparison.  Speed of play is very high and it's physical.

PSG also aren't looking for 65% possession and a methodical build-up. They just want to get the ball and go. Very direct. Can't be any other way with the midfielders on the team and the fact that the front 3 don't work to recover balls. The big key to playing that kind of possession style is pressure defense, especially from the front 3, to recover balls very quickly in dangerous positions. That's just not going to happen.

Dude just stop. Mbappe was hilariously bad last game, couldn't control the ball, and was in William freaking Salibas pocket all game.

The ref stuff is obviously the usual BS but Jiops got a point regarding Mbappe. He was trash in front of goal, Messi passes are very good but Turtle needs to learn to get at the end of them correct.

Mbappe, Hakimi, Gueye and Navas are the only reasons PSG is top of the table and winning games.  Neymar and Messi are literally either not playing or missing in action.  

All the attack is coming from Mbappe and Hakimi.  The midfield is being held together by Gueye.  Navas erases errors from the defense.

Neymar is being his useless self.  Messi... I'll give him a pass for now.  But that expires in January.  He better pick it up.

re finishing... so Suarez, Griezmann, Villa and now Mbappe are the cause for Messi not getting 200 goals and 200 assists a year.  There's always been an excuse every year.  Even Neymar was singled out as I remember.

Get a grip.  The best finishers EVER only convert about 20% of their shots and about 1 goal between 100-120 mins (you're looking at a 0.6 ratio or better).  Mbappe destroys that and so do all the others above.

@Myesyats What's the point exactly? is every Messi pass supposed to end in a goal? Why are Messi's subpar performances (by his standard, he wasn't bad yesterday) always chalked up to his teammates failing him?

I can already see the excuses when PSG inevitably crashes out of the CL. Neymar and Mbappé will be dragged by his fanboys while Messi gets away scot-free after walking a combined 2 km over two legs.

Myesyats wrote:The ref stuff is obviously the usual BS but Jiops got a point regarding Mbappe. He was trash in front of goal, Messi passes are very good but Turtle needs to learn to get at the end of them correct.

Almost as if neither of you actually read his comment.

Messi is still a top player but his decline from a physical standpoint is pretty blatant. That being said, it’s not an ability issue in my opinion. I think messi himself sees it and will go the CR route of losing weight to increase his stamina. We’ll see

Well, even as a fellow cule, I gotta say we should just not take it literally with Harmonica's post regarding MEssi n everything related We all know why...

Anyway, regarding Mbappe, I mean just cos hes so good, doesnt mean hes perfect, the fact that hes made those runs n got to the ball in the first place shows his abilities already, cant expect him to convert or even just to control n shoot on target every time, cant just ignore everything else thats happening on the pitch in that space of time obviously. 99% of other fowwards wouldnt have even been able to do what Mbappe did.

As for Messi, he will be there, no doubt. This game he showed his work rate has improved already. The other thing is its true n inevitable his game is gonna continue to drop physically as he ages, n he will focus more n more of doing things that dont require as much physical exertion. We fans basically shouldnt expect him to do that much physically anymore?

It's Poche fault imo.  He's trying to limit Messi to the right and Neymar to the left.  As a result, both are pretty much stuck and uncomfortable.

I'd OF COURSE leave Messi free and put Neymar more as a forward next to Mbappe.  Let Verratti and Messi handle the creating part.  Neymar doesn't move the ball fast enough anyhow.  In the final 1/3, Neymar's current style would work better imo.

Just trying to appease too much.  Poche needs to get his stuff together.

Tuchel had the same problem too btw.  I think the club is forcing these coaches to bend over for Neymar.  That has to stop.

Messi has been sh*t so far. he earns what 50 million a year? lmao.

PSG always defends with 10 men. It seems Messi does not care at all. as a professional you have to sweat for your team ffs.

Just to remind Harmonica that Messi has zero goals and zero assists in Ligue 1. A league in which Jonathan David, Ludovic Blas, Bayo, Ben fking Yedder and Payet have more goals and some dude from Strasbourg has more assists.

Fortunately, Mbappe is in such great form that Lionel would get a lil goal here and there just by proxy.

Also, the actual highlight of the game from the ONLY non-bias Ligue 1 viewer here:



That's what a 6.5 on whoscored looks like. Getting murked by a guy with an antennae.

Wait a min, Messi still has zero goals and zero assists in League UberEats?! Man, that's sad

I just checked the PSG squad against OM, Ramos is yet to play for them it seems.

He'll definitely make up for the little midget's goal drought once he comes back. Lost count how many times he bailed us out when our attack was misfiring.

Lmao keep you pants up. Messi has played 280 minutes or 2 full games in Lique 1, it took 320 minutes or 4 games for Cronaldo to score in Serie Zzz. And this in between WCQ trifecta in nine days in other side of the world, and dominating CL group by spanking ManC. PSG leads Ligue by 7 points, the importance lies elsewhere currently.

Harmonica how does it feel that Cristiano is way outperforming Missi and in a tougher league and in the Champions League?

Oh that Serie Zzz analogy hit? I knew it would drag more trolls in here.

Ronaldo is scoreless in the last 4 PL games and just had the worst home defeat of his career. I don’t think he’s the right comparison to make right now

Actually Ramos is made for Ligue 1. He can beat anyone up to his heart's content as long as he doesn't use his studs.

I'm actually looking forward to it. He's going to have a blast methinks.

I agree with you sports. I think he'll score a decent amount of goals For PSG.

I will definitely tune in for his debut.

Harmonica wrote:Lmao keep you pants up. Messi has played 280 minutes or 2 full games in Lique 1, it took 320 minutes or 4 games for Cronaldo to score in Serie Zzz. And this in between WCQ trifecta in nine days in other side of the world, and dominating CL group by spanking ManC. PSG leads Ligue by 7 points, the importance lies elsewhere currently.

???  What - now games in Ligue 1 are 140 minutes?

futbol_bill wrote:

Harmonica wrote:Lmao keep you pants up. Messi has played 280 minutes or 2 full games in Lique 1, it took 320 minutes or 4 games for Cronaldo to score in Serie Zzz. And this in between WCQ trifecta in nine days in other side of the world, and dominating CL group by spanking ManC. PSG leads Ligue by 7 points, the importance lies elsewhere currently.

???  What - now games in Ligue 1 are 140 minutes?

Shit this league is really demanding for real

He's played 4 games. Per game:
24 mins Reims sub
76 mins Lyon starter
90 mins Rennes starter
90 mins Marseille starter

It's early days. We'll know a lot more at the 10 game mark.

futbol_bill wrote:

Harmonica wrote:Lmao keep you pants up. Messi has played 280 minutes or 2 full games in Lique 1, it took 320 minutes or 4 games for Cronaldo to score in Serie Zzz. And this in between WCQ trifecta in nine days in other side of the world, and dominating CL group by spanking ManC. PSG leads Ligue by 7 points, the importance lies elsewhere currently.

???  What - now games in Ligue 1 are 140 minutes?

No.

Harmonica wrote:

futbol_bill wrote:

Harmonica wrote:Lmao keep you pants up. Messi has played 280 minutes or 2 full games in Lique 1, it took 320 minutes or 4 games for Cronaldo to score in Serie Zzz. And this in between WCQ trifecta in nine days in other side of the world, and dominating CL group by spanking ManC. PSG leads Ligue by 7 points, the importance lies elsewhere currently.

???  What - now games in Ligue 1 are 140 minutes?

No.

Is arithmetic that difficult for you or is this part of your continued exaggerations?