Lionel Messi-Goated

[Mick Jones shoulder]

Could do with jonny Rep for us now oh and Neeskins, Hann, Ruud Krol how about a centre back who could play like him.

[Cjay]

Premier league probably more competive, la liga maybe 3 teams show up each season so I see where Messi bags all his goals. Modern day players I would take Messi any day absolutely fabulous be interested to see how he faired here although it will never happen.

Cruyff my favourite European player, always played with his head up could do everything. Bare in mind how physical the game was as well. My favourite team included him 74 Dutch side everyone a footballer, total football how they failed to win the world Cup beggars belief.

Always wondered that and critics say "yeah but he has never played anywhere else".

Since 2011/2012 season though.

Doubt it would make the slightest difference

He would score 40goals anywhere.

Maybe if we get promoted he will get to work under Bielsa? He said he wanted to

[Mick Jones shoulder]

Now that would be worth watching

[liggy]

I think I'm more qualified to give an opinion than most on here
Having led daisy hill from the north east woodpecker sunday league D to league C
Before getting banned for accidentally putting my hands around the throat of a linesman.
I would have Ronaldo ahead of messi any day of the week
Look at the goals he scores with his head man for a start,
He's also a proper fanny magnet you could end up with one of his cast offs so a win win

[Mick Jones shoulder]

He's also a proper fanny magnet you could end up with one of his cast offs so a win win
[/quote]

Upside even for that prick.
Another great player prefer Messi but opinions are what it's about bud.

[Cjay]

Messi doing Playstation tricks in real life.

[Cjay]

Time for Leo to achieve his dream.

5 years at LUFC playing under Bielsa.

He and MB leave in 2025 after our 4th Champions League win.

Both go back to Newells for 2 years where they win back to back titles and then retire back to Leeds where MB becomes lifetime President and Messi takes over the League Champions

[andrewjohnsmith]

I'm wondring about Messi. I always thought he was the best I've seen in my life time. The things he does, the way he tears defences apart is amazing. But yesterday, watching that Champions Leahue game made me think back to his failures with Argentina too.

Great players can take average teams and make them great. The Barcelona and Argentina teams Messi plays in are by no means average. Maradonna did more with a weaker Argentina team. So, when I was watching the game yesterday, it made me wonder - How many times do you see Messi come deep and try and influence a game that isn't going his way? If he was a true great, he'd have been dropping back to midfield to try and change the game. Instead, he was strolling around 3/4 of the way up the pitch just waiting for something to happen.

Talent, Messi is still undoubtedly the best I've seen. But I've seen several players do more in lesser teams than the current Barcelona or Argentina teams. I always rated Messi over Ronaldo. But Ronaldo has done more with a weaker Portugal team. Always thought Messi was the GOAT. Now I'm not so sure

[weasel]

Time for Leo to achieve his dream.

5 years at LUFC playing under Bielsa.

He and MB leave in 2025 after our 4th Champions League win.

Both go back to Newells for 2 years where they win back to back titles and then retire back to Leeds where MB becomes lifetime President and Messi takes over the League Champions

Slot him in at no.10 just behind Zlatan. Or either of them on the bench to bring on around the 60 minute mark to give Bamford a breather.

[Cjay]

I'm wondring about Messi. I always thought he was the best I've seen in my life time. The things he does, the way he tears defences apart is amazing. But yesterday, watching that Champions Leahue game made me think back to his failures with Argentina too.

Great players can take average teams and make them great. The Barcelona and Argentina teams Messi plays in are by no means average. Maradonna did more with a weaker Argentina team. So, when I was watching the game yesterday, it made me wonder - How many times do you see Messi come deep and try and influence a game that isn't going his way? If he was a true great, he'd have been dropping back to midfield to try and change the game. Instead, he was strolling around 3/4 of the way up the pitch just waiting for something to happen.

Talent, Messi is still undoubtedly the best I've seen. But I've seen several players do more in lesser teams than the current Barcelona or Argentina teams. I always rated Messi over Ronaldo. But Ronaldo has done more with a weaker Portugal team. Always thought Messi was the GOAT. Now I'm not so sure

Messi is imo the best player ever, while in decline at 33 years old he still puts goalscoring numbers and assist numbers other players can largely only dream about.

He is the most creative player in the world who is also one of the best goalscorers if not the best of all time.

Even last night it was him coming deep and playing a great pass that started Barcelona's goal.

The current Barca side is a total mess, bad recruitment going back years, badly mismanaged off the pitch, internal wars going on. Messi can create and score but he cant do literally everything which he would have had to do last night, the defence was awful.

Always thought it was unfair to suggest Maradona was better then Messi based on international achievements, Maradona cheated at the 86 world cup lets not forget and Messi has the most goal contributions in International Tournaments ever.

He helped them get to the World Cup Quarters in 2006, wasnt selected for that and Germany won on pens.

He helped them get to the Copa America final in 2007, Argentina lost but he was named Player Of The Tournament.

Won the Olympics in 2008 and with Riquelme he was said by Fifa as the best player.

2010 World Cup Maradona was criticised for playing him out of position in qualifiers which caused Maradona to ask Messi for advice and when given it worked but Argentina got knocked out in the Quarters, Messi was still picked out by Fifa as one of the 10 best players of the tournament.

He scored 10 of Argentina's 14 goals in qualifying for the 2014 world cup. He was MOTM for Argentina's first 4 games of the World Cup. He played a large part in the goal that won the Quarter final, he scored in the Penalty shootout in the Semis.
They lost to Germany but Messi was named player of the tournament.

He helped Argentina to another Copa America final, creating 3 goals in the semi final. Argentina lost on pens with Chile being very aggressive with Messi including kicking him in the chest but he was still the only Argentinian player to score his pen.

He was unfit going in to the Copa America Centenario in 2017 but went anyway. He came off the bench in the 2nd group game and scored a 19 minute hatrick to help them get to the Quarters. He scored a goal and made ttwo in the Quarter finals. He scored a goal and made two in the Semis (becoming Argentina's record goalscorer in the process). Argentina lost again to Chile on pens but Messi was 2nd highest goalscorer and top goal provider.

He reitred soon after but reversed his decision. Lucky he did because going in to the final group game Argentina were in real danger of not qualifying. Messi scored 3 vs Ecuador to help them qualify.

The 2018 Argentina World Cup squad was awful, The squad is the worst in their history. Even having the best player in the world was not capable of creating a competitive team. All the decline of recent times was hidden by this unrivalled genius [Messi]"

– Former Argentine player Osvaldo Ardiles on the decline in quality of Argentina being masked by Messi.[372]

During the World Cup the Argentina manager said after a 3-0 loss to Crotaia
 "the reality of the Argentina squad clouds his [Messi's] brilliance" During that match Messi had almost 50 touches, only 2 in the box, he was basically trying to do everything. Modric said after the match "Messi is an incredible player but he cant do everything alone".


Messi scored in the final group game helping Argentina go through as group runners up.

He then created 2 in the knockout defeat to France becoming the first player to provide an assist in 4 consecutive World Cups. He is also the only player to provide goals and assists at World Cups in his teens, 20s and 30s.

So its hard to see what more he could have done, Maradona helped Argentina to one final (and cheated).

Messi helped Argentina to multiple finals, broke multiple international records and so did inspire Argentina on a scale greater than Maradona for longer while providing more goal contributions in international tournaments then any footballer ever.

I apologise for the length of this post but love Messi

[Cjay]

Slot him in at no.10 just behind Zlatan. Or either of them on the bench to bring on around the 60 minute mark to give Bamford a breather.

With Ronaldo in a treble substitution to give Harrison a rest?

[John in Louisiana]

Never thought I'd ever say anyone was better than Pele, but Messi has made a believer of me.

I say bring him in.

[weasel]

With Ronaldo in a treble substitution to give Harrison a rest?

I think you would find Bielsa would convert Ronaldo to provide back up for Dallas or Ayling.

[The Subhuman]

Is Alphonso Davis heading toward world best next couple of years ?

[Mick Jones shoulder]

Maradona arguably better due to doing his stuff in a league where you were going to end up booted in the air more often than not.
Not to take anything away from Messi he has been incredible along with Ronaldo.

[onemoreslogan]

Great post cjay. We've been fortunate to witness his career.

[Cjay]

Lionel Messi on Bielsa

"I admire Bielsa a lot. I would have loved to have had him as a coach."

After Pep left in 2012 it was reported Messi was keen for Bielsa to take over at Barcelona and was the initial favourite with the bookies but Bielsa was commited to Bilbao.

Was reported again more recently that Messi favoured Bielsa. Messi is from Rosario, he came through the Newell's academy as a young man and is a lifetime Newell's fan who has spoken in the past of wanting to return to Newell's.

Bielsa is a legend at Newell's so its only logical Messi would be a fan.

So you know what to do Leo

Experience BielsaBall in the Prem first then in a few years you and MB can retire for a swansong back home

Incidentally just to prove this isnt the ramblings of a loon

ITS DESTINY

[dezzy]

Imagine if we signed Messi

[1964white]

Imagine if we signed Messi

Oh my God!

Pinch me, the thought of it it was only four years ago since we were signing Eunan O'Kane!

[onemoreslogan]

Oh my God!

Pinch me, the thought of it it was only four years ago since we were signing Eunan O'Kane!

Pinch me indeed. The fact that I can contemplate it as even a very, very distant possibility is mind boggling.