saint_bert Posted 7 April, 2010 Share Posted 7 April, 2010 After another 1 man demolition job last night I was thinking, is he this generations iconic player? When he's all rested up in Argentina with a pipe will he be remembered as one of the all time greats? Or does he need to have a spell binding World Cup? Thoughts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry the Badger Posted 7 April, 2010 Share Posted 7 April, 2010 (edited) He will need to do it over a whole career to be considered up there with the greats, IMO. Awesome at the moment though. Edited 7 April, 2010 by Barry the Badger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marsdinho Posted 7 April, 2010 Share Posted 7 April, 2010 Messi rudeboy innit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thesaint sfc Posted 7 April, 2010 Share Posted 7 April, 2010 edit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatch Posted 7 April, 2010 Share Posted 7 April, 2010 He needs to add the Delap Long throw to his skills if he wants to be considered a true great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevegrant Posted 7 April, 2010 Share Posted 7 April, 2010 Rather interesting that very little has been made of the growth hormones Barcelona bought for him when he was 12 years old - if the "English system" had been essentially doping players from a young age, all hell would break loose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Appy Posted 7 April, 2010 Share Posted 7 April, 2010 Rather interesting that very little has been made of the growth hormones Barcelona bought for him when he was 12 years old - if the "English system" had been essentially doping players from a young age, all hell would break loose. Christ how small was he before he was given those? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stockportsaint Posted 7 April, 2010 Share Posted 7 April, 2010 Whilst he was awesome last night, I've yet to see anyone do a man-marking job on him. I do think that if you put someone on him all game, he would be a lot less effective. Arsenal don't really have anyone who springs to mind as a man-marker. Perhaps we should lend them Paul Wotton next time they play Barca? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisobee Posted 7 April, 2010 Share Posted 7 April, 2010 Perhaps we should lend them Paul Wotton next time they play Barca? Blimey, you must really hate Arsenal !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevegrant Posted 7 April, 2010 Share Posted 7 April, 2010 Whilst he was awesome last night, I've yet to see anyone do a man-marking job on him. I do think that if you put someone on him all game, he would be a lot less effective. Arsenal don't really have anyone who springs to mind as a man-marker. Perhaps we should lend them Paul Wotton next time they play Barca? Alex Song did a decent job keeping him quiet in the game at the Emirates, to be fair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saint_stevo Posted 7 April, 2010 Share Posted 7 April, 2010 Maradona is the 'old messi' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheaf Saint Posted 7 April, 2010 Share Posted 7 April, 2010 He was outstanding last night but why does he need to cheat so much? Every time an Arsenal player so much as came near him he would roll about holding his ankle. Such a shame that officials seem to turn a blind eye to this stuff in Spain, and even fall for it and book opposition players, instead of clamping down on it. Watching Sergio fall over holding his face after an Arsenal player touched him on the shoulder was cringeworthy and though I'm no lover of Arsenal it actually made me quite angry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy_Porter Posted 7 April, 2010 Share Posted 7 April, 2010 Whilst he was awesome last night, I've yet to see anyone do a man-marking job on him. I do think that if you put someone on him all game, he would be a lot less effective. Arsenal don't really have anyone who springs to mind as a man-marker. Perhaps we should lend them Paul Wotton next time they play Barca? The best performance I've seen from a team defending Messi was Chelsea last season, although saying that he still got the assist to the tie winning goal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smirking_Saint Posted 7 April, 2010 Share Posted 7 April, 2010 Whilst he was awesome last night, I've yet to see anyone do a man-marking job on him. I do think that if you put someone on him all game, he would be a lot less effective. Arsenal don't really have anyone who springs to mind as a man-marker. Perhaps we should lend them Paul Wotton next time they play Barca? Unfortunately you actually have to move to be a man marker so Wooden is not the man to do it. I was sat watching it last night and was thinking the same thing, but then it would need to be someone very mobile and he really would have the sole job watching Messi, this takes someone else out of the game and they have so many other attacking options to hurt you. Barca are, arguably the best team in the land ATM and have arguably the best young manager (maybe next Manure manager ??). I would say the best way to beat them would be to attack them at pace and hope you are not caught. They are far too good to sit back on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stockportsaint Posted 7 April, 2010 Share Posted 7 April, 2010 The best performance I've seen from a team defending Messi was Chelsea last season, although saying that he still got the assist to the tie winning goal. Who did they have marking him? Essien, Obi Mikel? or noone in particular. If Man U get them in the final again, they could do worse than put Darren Fletcher on him, as Fletcher's only good for one thing - running around and kicking people. Paul Wotton - poor man's Darren Fletcher, or should that be the other way round? Alex Song did a decent job keeping him quiet in the game at the Emirates, to be fair. unfortunately I didn't get to see last week's game as I was staying with my non-football-loving sister. Guess that was why it was a big deal that Song was injured for the 2nd leg. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy_Porter Posted 7 April, 2010 Share Posted 7 April, 2010 It's his work rate that does it for me, easily the best player in the world at the moment and if he can carry on this sort of form into the world cup he will probably over take Ronaldo and Zidane as the best two players I've seen play. With the form Messi, Higuain and Di Maria are in it's going to be hard for any country to keep them out at the world cup. Since he's moved into a more central position over Barca's last few games he's been unbelieveable... Can't wait for El Clasico on Saturday Higuain and Messi are two of the form players in Europe at the moment, should be brilliant. In the first leg where Messi was playing just behind Ibrahimovic he completed more passes than any Arsenal player which is just scary. As good as Messi was, Vermalaen is just an embarrassment of a defender, now way near good enough for that level. Two of the Barca goals where tanks to him running too high up the pitch tracking a forward who had dropped deep leaving a massive gap - he done the same against United and in both legs of the tie. He's fine on the ball but he's just not a good enough defender when he hasn't got Gallas next to him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy_Porter Posted 7 April, 2010 Share Posted 7 April, 2010 Who did they have marking him? Essien, Obi Mikel? or noone in particular. If Man U get them in the final again, they could do worse than put Darren Fletcher on him, as Fletcher's only good for one thing - running around and kicking people. Paul Wotton - poor man's Darren Fletcher, or should that be the other way round? Well when they played Chelsea they played a more rigid 4-3-3 shape and Messi was wide all the time compared to now they play a slightly different shape. Messi behind the main striker, Pedro on the right and Keita or Iniesta in an attacking central role covering the left in front of Abidal. Makes it a whole lot harder to mark Messi when he pops up all over the place rather than a more traditional wide forward. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S-Clarke Posted 7 April, 2010 Share Posted 7 April, 2010 He's a fantastic little player, no denying that at all - but i don't think he'd be as influential or involved without someone like Xavi anchoring the midfield. the man is by far the best CM in world football IMO, doesn't get many mentions but he is as important to barca as messi. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy_Porter Posted 7 April, 2010 Share Posted 7 April, 2010 Barca are, arguably the best team in the land ATM and have arguably the best young manager (maybe next Manure manager ??). I would say the best way to beat them would be to attack them at pace and hope you are not caught. They are far too good to sit back on. They had massive gaps in front of Abidal all game, just need to get some decent players on the right and try to double up on their left back. Keep doubling up on the left back and man mark Xavi is probably the best bet, stop Messi from getting the ball by stopping the supply and hit them down their left. I wouldn't be suprised at all in Sneijder plays wide right for Inter in both legs if Barca continue with their current shape. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thedelldays Posted 7 April, 2010 Share Posted 7 April, 2010 every generation a truely sensational player pops up.. zidane was the last one..now it SHOULD be messi to be the BEST for the next 8-10 years he has the potential to be the best ever Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy_Porter Posted 11 April, 2010 Share Posted 11 April, 2010 Showed his class again yesterday, not many other players in football who could create so much space in the box with his first touch. At one point apart from Keita, Alves and Marquez where the only non Barca youth products in their team ... Would have thought more teams would be following there youth setup and trying to copy them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smirking_Saint Posted 11 April, 2010 Share Posted 11 April, 2010 Who did they have marking him? Essien, Obi Mikel? or noone in particular. If Man U get them in the final again, they could do worse than put Darren Fletcher on him, as Fletcher's only good for one thing - running around and kicking people. Paul Wotton - poor man's Darren Fletcher, or should that be the other way round? That deserves a bit of a lol Fletcher is a great player, and is actually pretty technically gifted to go along with his defensive qualities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now