Saint Messi de Rosario
Have you seen Messi playing lately?
From ESPN Soccernet:
Something highly significant occurred at the Camp Nou this week.
Barcelona, normally so reliant on Ronaldinho, put in one of their best performances for quite some time, without the former world footballer of the year. That Zaragoza were comprehensively destroyed in a 4-1 mauling, says much about the team's evolution, not to mention the rise and rise of Lionel Messi.
Don't get the wrong end of the stick. I'm not here to tell you Ronnie is finished, or for that matter, viewing plush property and tasting the nightlife near the Kings Road, as others might have you believe.
Ronaldinho remains one of the finest footballing talents of them all and we have been privileged to watch him sparkle during most of his career with the blaugrana. Frank Rijkaard will still get good value from the Brazilian on the park this season.
The fact is though, Messi is the man of the moment, and probably the future, at the Camp Nou. His performance on Wednesday night had everything and a bit more. At his best Messi gives us Cruyff's vision, Gascoigne's gallus genius and Zidane's touch all rolled into one. Of course, he can also finish like Van Basten and entertain in the manner of a modern-day Maradona.
The little 20-year old Argentinian, while reminding us of these all-time greats, still succeeds in offering us football lovers something that's uniquely his own.
The wonderful thing is the Lionel Messi era has only just begun. A few weeks ago, Kaka looked set to run away with the Golden Ball and FIFA World Player of the Year awards. Who's to say Messi can't close the gap in the next few weeks and even pip the AC Milan star at the post?
Barcelona pride themselves on being 'mes que un club' (more than a club.) Maybe in Messi's case it should read 'mes que un jugador' (more than a player).
Messi is far more than just an illusion of Diego. Stop calling him Messidona, show him the respect a player of his statue deserved!
9 comments:
Absolutely right, Rio. The best player in the world right now doesn't need to borrow someone else's shadow.
Lord, he's good.
Man I sometimes forget he is only 20 years old, and it feels like i have been watching him forever.
,JACK
Yeah he's such a young guy and with so much talent - I only hope Barcelona have the brains to look after him and nurture this formidable young man.
Before this season, he had only gotten in 50 or so matches after 3 years in Barcelona. That's pitiful pitch time for someone of Messi's quality.
Ah, but Rio, how many 16/7 year olds play even a single game for Barca? 2 or 3 throughout the club's entire history, perhaps. He's going to reach 100 games for the club before he turns 21, which is bloody amazing.
The other factor is that he keeps getting long term injuries every season. People need to stop trying to kill him with tackles.
Barza plays ~70 matches a year, and Messi only had ~50 apps (not starting) in the past 3 years. Injuries aside, it's pretty obvious that FR didn't look at him as a first string player.
Fabregas played over 100 matches for Arsenal in the past 3 years, and look what he had become. IMO Messi was far more talented, yet a clear line can not be drawn between the 2 today.
Aguero should also hit 100 caps by the end of his 3rd year with Atletico. He has already played 30+ matches and he was competing against Torres for spot.
Messi showed improvements after each and every international tournament he participated. Pitch time against tough teams is vital to his development at this stage. He had long been physically ready, what he needed was experience.
What would Messi had become if FR had started him week in and week out through out the three seasons? What would Barcelona had become?
There's another issue people often overlook. Messi's growth was accelerated by medical treatments. His body also deteriorates faster for the same reason, and predictably, he will hit his peak sooner than a normal person...
another point regarding messi is the way barca plays.....applying pressure on the opponenet .....all through the season 2 games a week...rijkard is requiring more from his offence ...even ronaldinho doesn't defend!!!
no player in the world can play on a continious good level for long time......put in mind that the qualifiers are coming and it will require long travelling...hope that rijkaard start to rest him....
since the long injury that he got before wc 06 he broke his foot.....every player right now is getting this injury....don't tell me rooney is fragile he looks like a bull to me!!!!
however rijkaard needs to start his rotation process. toure, marquez, zambrotta are suffering from muscle injuries.........barca physical preperations sucks!
bionic messi
Like you said in the last paragraph, FR doesn't have all his defenders. Barza playing offensive football had relieved alot of pressure from the backline, this is particularly necessary since yaya toure isn't all fit. The DM in 4-3-3 is extremely important, and toure really seemed to be the last piece of the Barcelona puzzle. Hopefully he can take care the screening position soon.
Tactically, I've not been all that impressed by FR this season, especially up front. Messi is the only reason they're getting points. All his other forwards are shite...
I have a dream. I dream of Tevez and Messi playing for the same club. Players like Rooney and Ronaldinho are all shite because they prevent my dream from realizing.
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