[Football] Messi

[Coldeanseagull]

I'm a bit, meh.
One trick pony in a nothing league. At least that portugeezer has done it across europe.
I think he'd be well out of his depth in a fast, physical league like ours

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Too short

 

[wellquickwoody]

If City get their man, he will spend 90 minutes in Ben White’s back pocket, according to Leeds fans.

 

[Gazwag]

The scramble for Amex tickets would be off the scale. If he signs for City you can see our membership scheme and season ticket list rocketing just to guarantee a seat at that one game, not just with Brits and ex-pat Spaniards, but with people from all over. Even the ‘too big for City’ Etihad might be full every match.

Or the ballot could give a 1 in 2 chance by then

 

[Swansman]

I'm a bit, meh.
One trick pony in a nothing league. At least that portugeezer has done it across europe.
I think he'd be well out of his depth in a fast, physical league like ours

You're wrong and probably know it.

 

[LlcoolJ]

It's an interesting one. La Liga have agreed that Barca's release fee stands but Messi hasn't turned up for testing (and therefore can't train even if he wanted to). So what do they do?

Usually the club would just say screw you, you're under contract so just train on your own if you want to be a dick. But they're paying him A GAZILLION pounds a week, so surely they are better off getting rid.

Can see some sort of agreement to cancel his contract / reduce the release fee or it's lose lose for everyone apart from Messi's bank account.

Any club (City) wanting to sign him will surely sit back and see how it plays out instead of saying "Oh yes Barcelona, here's £700m for a player who's costing you £1m a week to do nothing"?

 

[Coldeanseagull]

You're wrong and probably know it.

It's all about personal opinions. I don't particularly like him so I see no good in him

 

[Swansman]

It's an interesting one. La Liga have agreed that Barca's release fee stands but Messi hasn't turned up for testing (and therefore can't train even if he wanted to). So what do they do?

Usually the club would just say screw you, you're under contract so just train on your own if you want to be a dick. But they're paying him A GAZILLION pounds a week, so surely they are better off getting rid.

Can see some sort of agreement to cancel his contract / reduce the release fee or it's lose lose for everyone apart from Messi's bank account.

Any club (City) wanting to sign him will surely sit back and see how it plays out instead of saying "Oh yes Barcelona, here's £700m for a player who's costing you £1m a week to do nothing"?

When he signed his last contract, it said he could leave for free after the previous season. The covid shit makes it a bit more complicated, which is what the fuzz is all about. Right now its Messis army of lawyer against Barcas.

It's all about personal opinions. I don't particularly like him so I see no good in him

My personal opinion is that he scored 26 goals in 34 games against the English top 4 and that it pretty much proves he wouldnt be "well out of his depth".

 

[Justice]

Spotted at the Grand with DK.

 

[Si Gull]

Can't play LB, league one at best.

 

[Icy Gull]

Oh well, if Barca want 700 million they won’t be selling and it sounds like he won’t be playing. Can they also stop paying him or will he be allowed to go for free if they do?

 

[Coldeanseagull]

Can't play LB, league one at best.

That is a tad harsh


Lower end championship

 

[Official Old Man]

In Spain many smaller clubs have ST holders who only turn up for 2 or 3 games a season. These obviously are the games against the big teams which are always a sell out. Can see all Man City games being sell outs with touts being the biggest winners after the Messi bank manager. Another thing is the way wages are paid. In Spain you get the full amount as per contract ie £1 million is £1 million in your pocket not £1 million less tax & NI as it is here. Shirt sales will need to be 10 million which will never happen, not even world wide.
But all that said, would love to see him play.

 

[Meade's Ball]

An amazing player, but an awful captain and a bad example. Standing still until someone gives you the ball to do your magic doesn't make for inspirational viewing. He's been turned into a god, and i suppose this is the unavoidable repercussion of that, as there had to be a time when some bog standard players came along that couldn't match Iniesta, Xavi and Neymar, complimenting him with their talent and toil. A season without him now and walking away for free in 10 months cost Barca £150m, as what they could ask for and his wages would probably amount to that. And having little to spend now, asking for the identity of the team to be reformed with would they have, would likely make for an unsparkling year.
I think he'll come, but he can't be as he has been when he does. And i feel sorry for Foden if he does.

 

[Ludensian Gull]

Some of those defenders were literally falling over themselves to help him score, terrible defending.

 

[boik]

Probably the best dribbler ever (maybe along with Best), but not the best all round footballer.

 

[Perfidious Albion]

If he did join an English club, I would love to see what Dunk & Webster would make of him

 

[Swansman]

An amazing player, but an awful captain and a bad example. Standing still until someone gives you the ball to do your magic doesn't make for inspirational viewing. He's been turned into a god, and i suppose this is the unavoidable repercussion of that, as there had to be a time when some bog standard players came along that couldn't match Iniesta, Xavi and Neymar, complimenting him with their talent and toil. A season without him now and walking away for free in 10 months cost Barca £150m, as what they could ask for and his wages would probably amount to that. And having little to spend now, asking for the identity of the team to be reformed with would they have, would likely make for an unsparkling year.
I think he'll come, but he can't be as he has been when he does. And i feel sorry for Foden if he does.

I read a 30 page article about Messi written by the obscenely good UK writer (seems very underrated over there though) Simon Kuper that highlighted a few of the things you mention and could be used as arguments both for and against what you are saying.

One example was from a game in January or February where the new Barca coach, Setien, played with a young left back. By half time, Messi told his manager "we've got one of the best left backs in the world on the bench and we are Barcelona, not a U23-side". That shit is of course unacceptable, lousy captaining and despite their good relation, Pep would never accept it.

However it also explained in detail what may have turned Messi into this passive-aggressive monster: the Barcelona board, with president Bartomeu up front, over and over and over again leaked rumours to the Spanish media that "Messi was deciding this, Messi was deciding that", despite clear evidence it was board decisions. Messi was used as a symbol by morning and a scapegoat by night, all in order to protect Bartomeus power at the club.

Bartomeu used to be the right-hand of Sandro Rossell, the president elected in 2010 who had similar traits. Ten years of toxic relations with the presidents might have played a huge role in turning him into a less friendly version of himself. At City he will reunite with Txiki & Pep - and its very likely he will be more harmonic again.

Messi got plenty of questions over the last year why he isnt running / pressuring as much as before. He had a pretty short answer: "I'm 32.". However, he is not really as lazy as it might seem. According to Guardiola, Messi spends the first five minutes of the game basically scanning the midfield and defense of the opposition. He doesnt have to make a lot of massive runs into spaces, he just knows where they are. I think this will be even more obvious in the PL which is a tactically more organised league than La Liga.

La Liga is quicker and the players are superior technically, but the PL is more physical and more organised, and tbf at this point I think it will suit him well. He wont bag 50 league goals like during the peak years but I think he will easily get to 30.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

I'm a bit, meh.
One trick pony in a nothing league. At least that portugeezer has done it across europe.
I think he'd be well out of his depth in a fast, physical league like ours

He's past it, now. That or taking the piss with some of his recent performances.

How many players can anyone name who went a bit m'eh because they wanted to leave a club, then bounced back as a word beater after the transfer? I can instantly name many who feigned disinterest (or worse, in one case) then went on to be . . . mediocre:


Anelka
Bogarde
Sturridge
Balotelli
Ozil (case not yet proven but does anyone expect him to pull up trees anywhere?)


The only one I can think of who (allegedly) downed tools and did better after the transfer is.....Shane Duffy!

Could Messi be the new Shane Duffy?

 

[Bevendean Hillbilly]

He's past it, now. That or taking the piss with some of his recent performances.

How many players can anyone name who went a bit m'eh because they wanted to leave a club, then bounced back as a word beater after the transfer? I can instantly name many who feigned disinterest (or worse, in one case) then went on to be . . . mediocre:


Anelka
Bogarde
Sturridge
Balotelli
Ozil (case not yet proven but does anyone expect him to pull up trees anywhere?)


The only one I can think of who (allegedly) downed tools and did better after the transfer is.....Shane Duffy!

Could Messi be the new Shane Duffy?

Perhaps. Especially if he invests in a step ladder and a face for blocking 90mph screamers at 5 yards...

Oh...and balls of solid steel.