ddippset:
everything you said here is exactly what i said. so what do you mean by prep talk when you are saying the same thing with me? smh. also i dont know why you had to quote me again. true he should share the free kicks with neymar and suarez but he was true to the course. if he was walking around you'd still criticise him. he was running, he was sweating, he was making attempts, he was putting in 110% and now you want to bash him for missing chances? wicked!

ddippset:
lol, i understand everyone is angry, but lets cut them some slack. this is the same messi we were all praising in the first 7 or 8 games of the seaon when he was getting assists left, right and center. about 9 assists in 9 games and we all said he was great having to drop back and for the sake of the team was giving assists to neymar, munir, sandro etc. the same messi we now accuse of being greedy and that the team is playing for him? this is the same barca we were all praising early on when we were 5 or 6 points clear at the top. now everyone is drawing their daggers? as long as the boys are committed , this team will excel. we shall see!

Javanian:

I thought i was the only one thinking in this line. Messi is literally sacrificing himself for the team by dropping so deep into the midfield because our midfielders lack the flair they used to have. He rarely has a 1-on-1 shot at goal this days because of this and we are here throwing stones at him and calling for his head, it's not fair.
I think we should cut Lucho and the team some slack, it's not as if they are not giving their all, they are trying, Lucho is still young and certainly not in Pep's pedigree, the team would improve. My problem with Barca this season is that they lack a keyman up front, it used to be Messi but since the start of this season it has been literally nobody so that's why as some of you pointed out they get the ball and almost sub consciously pass to messi even if he is in a wrong position to receive that pass. Messi is now playing more as a midfielder and there is no way he is in any position to lead our attack again. We have suarez, why not give him the duty, i think he is capable of doing just fine in that role. For crying out loud, you don't spend so much on a player as talented as him and play him on the wing to accomodate Messi, someone who is playing from the midfield and trailed by atleast two defenders at any point in the game.
Give Lucho some time, there is so much pressure on him. Things would improve.

Javanian:


I thought i was the only one thinking in this line. Messi is literally sacrificing himself for the team by dropping so deep into the midfield because our midfielders lack the flair they used to have. He rarely has a 1-on-1 shot at goal this days because of this and we are here throwing stones at him and calling for his head, it's not fair.

I think we should cut Lucho and the team some slack, it's not as if they are not giving their all, they are trying, Lucho is still young and certainly not in Pep's pedigree, the team would improve. My problem with Barca this season is that they lack a keyman up front, it used to be Messi but since the start of this season it has been literally nobody so that's why as some of you pointed out they get the ball and almost sub consciously pass to messi even if he is in a wrong position to receive that pass. Messi is now playing more as a midfielder and there is no way he is in any position to lead our attack again. We have suarez, why not give him the duty, i think he is capable of doing just fine in that role. For crying out loud, you don't spend so much on a player as talented as him and play him on the wing to accomodate Messi, someone who is playing from the midfield and trailed by atleast two defenders at any point in the game.

Give Lucho some time, there is so much pressure on him. Things would improve.

dmcdad:

Bros God go cool down bless you abeg. Suárez in particular on many occasions spoil that match just because him wan play to Messi. And Messi on his part, just dey blow chances away like garri

And for goodness sake, Neymar is excellent in taking freekicks (and even better than Messi) and with Suárez who is always a fine freekick taker, I wonder why it's being monopolised. If e dey left na Messi, if e dey right na Messi...

coded01:


AMEN OH! and you too...

Honestly, Neymar & Suarez are better than Messi with freekicks but Baba no dey give them chance @ all...

As for the high service to Messi, it has to stop or @ least minimized, Haba! Shoot!!! Na to still pass to Messi... --- especially Suarez he was irritating me throughout last night with the i cant shoot syndrome without passing to Messi!

If he dey Center, na Messi, if he dey back, na Messi!

dmcdad:

That thing vex me die! Make we dey see next match sha... But seriously, it has to stop or be drastically reduced. Haba!

ddippset:
i know that suarez has scored 3 out of his last 14 free kicks, i dont know for neymar. i also know that neymar scored one or two nice free kicks lately and that has beclouded the judgement of people who have forgotten the spectacular free kicks messi has scored and can score. below is a little link of the best free kick takers in the world as at july 2014. it might not be accurate but i will look for more links; just for people who are just looking for scape goats and must find one by all means.

http://www.therichest.com/sports/soccer-sports/10-of-the-best-active-free-kick-takers-in-football/?view=all

coded01:
This is funny! --- what's up with the scapegoat thing?
This is football & we shouldn't take anything out of context here...
How many goals have Messi scored via freekicks in his entire career?

coded01:

It seems someone is taking this messi thing personal!

coded01:



It seems someone is taking this messi thing personal!

dmcdad:

Bro... That listing is not it. Ronaldinho 5th? That guy scores freekicks almost in every match with such opportunity. Even in his new club in Mexico, he scored some freekicks already.

Besides, did they give any stat as regards the ratio of conversion? Nope! So that sorta renders it invalid if you ask me.

How do you expect that Neymar plays 10 freekicks for Brazil and scores let's say 3 through the year. And Messi/Ronaldo plays 30 for Barca and Real respectively in the same period and score around 5 or 6. Would you still say they are better? That would be judging wrongly if you ask me. And frankly speaking, that is the case here.

If they have scored more, it's because they have taken far more than him. I believe the best way to look at it should be their conversion rate from how many they take. With that, there will be a fair rating. Besides, Ronaldinho is still a far better freekick taker than the duo of Messi and Ronaldo anyday.

dmcdad:

Exactly! I love Mesi pass that person oooooo. I love am die! But I still have to be sincere with my views towards him. Else, I would be bias in judging in favour of him on whatever ground.

ddippset:
the more free kicks you take the more your accuracy drops. if you take only 10 free kicks in a year then your sample space just isnt big enough and you shouldnt be in contention. by your logis someone that scores 2 free kicks in 4 attempts is better than someone that scores 30 free kicks in 100 attempts. not necessarily so! what iam saying YOU GUYS SHOULD LEAVE THIS FREE KICK THING ALONE. OUR PROBLEM IS BIGGER THAN FREE KICKS.

coded01:



I do too but deceiving myself is something I detest...

dmcdad:

Bro calm it down... We ain't attributing our problems to freekicks. Just highlighting what we have noticed overtime. And for the freekicks, your logic is so wrong. Seriously! The more freekicks Ronaldinho takes, the better. Pirlo? Don't even go there. So don't give me the sermon of accuracy depreciating as you play more. Bale is a better freekick taker than Ronaldo anyday. Take it or leave it.

dmcdad:

Lucho is the one placing himself under duress. He makes silly decisions and is poor tactically.

As for Messi, truth be told here, I love him more than anything. Seriously! It pains me to my bone marrow that he has not scored more than he had. And let's face it and tell ourselves the truth, although he had been dropping deep for much of the time these days, he has gotten a lot of 1-on-1 situations and clear cut chances that he has blown away just like that. I am very sure of this. I have the match highlights for all our matches thus far except for the ones we lost with high goal margin. lol. If you doubt me, go and watch some of the highlights or even the full matches of past games and come back to testify how he had been annoyingly wasteful. If he had converted most of his chances, Ronaldo shouldn't be ahead in the goal scoring chart or maybe just with a goal or two.

To be frank, it's a matter of concern. And the sentiment there is, if it were some other player, we would have been complaining outrightly. Why not now that it is Messi? Because he is arguably the best player of all time? Infact, that is the more reason why we should be more critical in assessing him more than anyone. I know how we complained of Ney last season because he failed to convert clear cut chances. Now? He is better and always raring to go. I am worried about Messi because I don't joke with him, and I always want him to excel no matter what. But we still have to be realistic and assess him the same we would with any other player. Not fair enough? I rest my case.

ddippset:

it's the other way round. lemme address you directly. stop making messi a scape goat! all of a sudden barca's problems is now free kicks!!!!! prove that suarez and neymar are better free kick takers than messi.

dmcdad:

Exactly! We have to call a spade by its name. And not call it something else. Or is it a bad thing for someone to be honest with its views? And to say things the way they are? If it's bad, then I case my rest.

coded01:


It has always been this way, the old men mostly oppress this new ones & it's not different with Messi...

I guess you would be shocked to realise my Barca fans would rate both Suarez & Neymar better freekick taker than Messi, why? Messi has scored an average of 1 free kick per season for barcelona since 2004...

Why not talk about giving others 1 or 2 chances too?

ddippset:
messi has more than that average. maybe 3 or 4 a season. even the best free kick takers that ever existed cant do more than 5 or 6 per season. free kick no be lottery.

coded01:


Are you saying Messi has scored a total of 30 - 40 goals via free kick in the last 10 years? --- I can see where you are coming from! Too much of Video games...


I don't know about the lottery you are talking about but Juninho scored an average of 8 goals a season via free kicks for Lyon in 8 years...

sebod:

You are on point bro! I doubt if there exists anyone that loves Messi more than I do, his humility, passion, work rate and commitment is secod to none. I love him with passion. But the truth is that, the Messi of thoses days would have scored double oh his goal tally with the few chances he has this season. We are all aware of what is at stake, take it or leave, the rivalry between him and CR7 continues till they hang their boots. Hence, the need to be more clinical infront of goal when the chance arises.

ddippset:
even then name one player today who scores over 4 free kicks in a season. do you think free kick is penalty? you are just making this free kick thing an issue. for me, the three, infact 5 should be involved; messi, neymar, suarez, xavi and alvez. this could be likened to 2 seasons ago when madrid played dortmund; ronaldo blew up to 8 free kicks that night. they had another free kick in the 94 the minute. ronaldo went for it, and ozil stopped him and took it himself. the ball was at the back of the net in 2 secs. did that stop ronaldo from being their free kick specialist? no, football doesnt work that way! messi is our free kick specialist, he has missed but he's still good, infact still our best, neymar second, xavi third, suarez 4th. i rest my case.

philfearon:
ddipset = The Messi Defender ………
My fellow Cule,every Barca fan loves Messi to the Spine just like you..Infact he is the symbol for us..
But,The truth can't be hidden..He,just like every other player must be criticised if they are ailing in one way or another!!

philfearon:
ddipset = The Messi Defender ………
My fellow Cule,every Barca fan loves Messi to the Spine just like you..Infact he is the symbol for us..
But,The truth can't be hidden..He,just like every other player must be criticised if they are ailing in one way or another!!

philfearon:
ddipset = The Messi Defender ………
My fellow Cule,every Barca fan loves Messi to the Spine just like you..Infact he is the symbol for us..
But,The truth can't be hidden..He,just like every other player must be criticised if they are ailing in one way or another!!

homesteady:
how I wish I can get into this argument, but I'm late, well from my glancing through, here are some points I'll like to chip in -
1 - Messi has almost lost his scoring boot, but not his magical boot, because he still performs magic in other parts of the field! like seriously, Messi should have not less than 15 goals with all the chances he has missed! to break the all time la liga goal record is now wahala! I know he drops deeper than usual now, but that is not an excuse for missing clear-cut chances!

2) someone said something about a focal point of attack! thats true, Messi is no longer that guy, his new deep position makes him not that guy again!

3) I thought lucho was good with youths? WTH is he not using our Youth defenders? hasn't he had enough of that idioticc Alves? for Christ sake, we have 2 more guys for only that spot, there is supposed to be competition!
4) If I can remember clearly, Rakitić can make all those Modric-esque passes, why not make him use that skill more? thats where the direct play comes in! direct play rules the world now! We have players that can execute it well!