Author Topic: Lionel Messi (edit. Best Ever?)  (Read 19658 times)

Re: Lionel Messi (edit. Best Ever?)
« Reply #25 on: 27 November, 2014, 09:46:14 pm »
Some people seem to have the ball stuck to their feet.

Like this one, always a personal favorite of mine.
Damn good player too.
Garry Broad

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Re: Lionel Messi (edit. Best Ever?)
« Reply #26 on: 27 November, 2014, 11:01:18 pm »
I remember that goal by Eddie Gray. My thoughts at the time remain as they were: "Why did he only ever do that once in his career?"
Quote from: Dez
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LEE

  • "Shut Up Jens" - Legs.
Re: Lionel Messi (edit. Best Ever?)
« Reply #27 on: 28 November, 2014, 12:03:06 am »
I remember that goal by Eddie Gray. My thoughts at the time remain as they were: "Why did he only ever do that once in his career?"
My Step-dad is a Leeds fan.  I grew up in the '70s watching them at their peak and could probably still name the 1972 Cup winning side.

That piece of skill was a one-off, they were a fairly grim side to watch. 
Even thinking back to those days reminds me of "Whatever Happened to the likely Lads" and "From Norwich...it's the quiz of the week...Sale of the Century".

It was such a beige time.
Some people say I'm self-obsessed but that's enough about them.

Re: Lionel Messi (edit. Best Ever?)
« Reply #28 on: 28 November, 2014, 09:08:09 pm »
I remember that goal by Eddie Gray. My thoughts at the time remain as they were: "Why did he only ever do that once in his career?"
My Step-dad is a Leeds fan.  I grew up in the '70s watching them at their peak and could probably still name the 1972 Cup winning side.

That piece of skill was a one-off, they were a fairly grim side to watch. 
Even thinking back to those days reminds me of "Whatever Happened to the likely Lads" and "From Norwich...it's the quiz of the week...Sale of the Century".

It was such a beige time.

LOL! Sale of the Century! ....oh dear!

Ask your step-dad about this game. He'll remember for sure.

If Leeds were grim to watch this Saturday afternoon in 1972 god only knows how you can describe the Manchester United side here. Some more one-off bits of skill from Eddie Gray too  :)
Garry Broad

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Re: Lionel Messi (edit. Best Ever?)
« Reply #29 on: 28 November, 2014, 09:11:43 pm »
For Leeds fans, I say Bob Stokoe, Ian Porterfield and Jim Montgomery.
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Re: Lionel Messi (edit. Best Ever?)
« Reply #30 on: 28 November, 2014, 09:23:16 pm »
For Leeds fans, I say Bob Stokoe, Ian Porterfield and Jim Montgomery.
Thankfully I'm not, cause compared to those past glories it's been a pretty grim ride for fans up there at Elland Rd these days. Living the dream and then the dream imploded.
Garry Broad

LEE

  • "Shut Up Jens" - Legs.
Re: Lionel Messi (edit. Best Ever?)
« Reply #31 on: 12 January, 2015, 10:07:45 pm »
Cristiano Ronaldo wins the Ballon d'Or.

Hardly surprising I suppose, he has developed into an amazing athlete.

Here's the recent history of the trophy..

2014 - C. Ronaldo (runner up L. Messi)
2013 - C. Ronaldo (runner up L. Messi)
2012 - L.Messi (runner up C. Ronaldo)
2011 - L.Messi (runner up C. Ronaldo)
2010 - L. Messi (runner up A Iniesta)
2009 - L.Messi (runner up C. Ronaldo)
2008 - C. Ronaldo (runner up L. Messi)

Obviously an admin error in 2010 when Barcelona got 1st, 2nd & 3rd.

It's quite a purple patch for those 2 players, a real golden era.

Van Basten, Cruyff, Platini and (other) Ronaldo are the other stand-out players with 3 wins
Some people say I'm self-obsessed but that's enough about them.

LEE

  • "Shut Up Jens" - Legs.
Re: Lionel Messi (edit. Best Ever?)
« Reply #32 on: 07 May, 2015, 10:14:50 am »
Messi just staked a claim for the trophy during the Barca v Bayern game.

He reduced one of the world's best defenders to a prone spectator (Boateng is still trying to figure out where Messi went) whilst sublimely chipping over the world's best goalkeeper.

If this were any other player then they'd show this goal any time they mentioned his name (think of the Gazza goal against Scotland where he chipped Colin Hendry), but this was just one of about 50 such sublime goals.

He also scored another last night by battering the ball in from outside the box and assisted a third with a superb through-ball.

This was his 100th game in European competition (not bad for a 27 year old) and his 78th goal in those competitions. 

He strikes me as a George Best/Paul Gascoigne figure but without the self-destructive personality disorders.  That means he can carry on at this level for another five seasons before possibly dropping back slightly, into an amazing attacking midfielder, for another few seasons.  Hard to imagine him not scoring 100 goals in Europe.

He's a player to tell your Grandkids about.
Some people say I'm self-obsessed but that's enough about them.

Wowbagger

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Re: Lionel Messi (edit. Best Ever?)
« Reply #33 on: 07 May, 2015, 03:30:56 pm »
I was in a pub when that match was on. I couldn't work out initially what the two abbreviations "BAR" and "BAY" meant, and had made my mind up that it was some obscure League 1 match. Then I saw Messi's goals and thought "Thats a bit good for League 1". Then the penny dropped.
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

LEE

  • "Shut Up Jens" - Legs.
Re: Lionel Messi (edit. Best Ever?)
« Reply #34 on: 19 June, 2015, 10:49:49 am »
You know, this short video would make a wonderful show-reel of a normal player's career.

10 top class goals from a 20 year career. 

The thing is that this is just from Messi last season

I don't know how he keeps on doing this stuff

Some people say I'm self-obsessed but that's enough about them.

Cudzoziemiec

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Re: Lionel Messi (edit. Best Ever?)
« Reply #35 on: 19 June, 2015, 11:09:16 am »
I don't know how he keeps on doing this stuff
"He takes the moon and all of the planets into consideration before scoring."
WTF?  ??? Even allowing for an overexcited Usanian commentator, I really hope I misheard that.
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Jaded

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Re: Lionel Messi (edit. Best Ever?)
« Reply #36 on: 19 June, 2015, 11:15:22 am »
You did, I think.

It was a Geordie.  ;D
It is simpler than it looks.

Re: Lionel Messi (edit. Best Ever?)
« Reply #37 on: 19 June, 2015, 11:20:51 am »
Its the way he scores that's so spellbinding. The precision he has with a curving shot is amazing especially given that often there is only a split second in which he can shoot. It reminds me of the way Beckham used to do amazing free kicks but without having all the time in the world to think about it like Beckham had.
I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that.

LEE

  • "Shut Up Jens" - Legs.
Re: Lionel Messi (edit. Best Ever?)
« Reply #38 on: 20 June, 2015, 07:48:29 pm »
Its the way he scores that's so spellbinding. The precision he has with a curving shot is amazing especially given that often there is only a split second in which he can shoot. It reminds me of the way Beckham used to do amazing free kicks but without having all the time in the world to think about it like Beckham had.

He is undoubtedly a total natural.  If he thought for a moment about what he was doing he'd probably fall over.

The goal he scored against Bayern, his 2nd, he cut back, then, in about a 1/10th of a second, continued in the direction he'd been going originally.  The defender (World class defender, Boeteng) simply fell over backwards. before Messi, confronted with the best goalkeeper on the planet, deftly chipped the ball over him. 

This wasn't a training-ground trick, it was the Champions League.

The clue to his artistry, and it really is art, is the number of top-class defenders left helplessly on the floor, untying knots in their legs, whilst Messi celebrates another goal.

Maybe the best thing of all though is that I've yet to see him dive, or pathetically roll around on the floor in unconvincing agony.  This is from a player who gets deliberately "hacked" more than most.

Thierry Henry, a former team-mate, says he's like a young kid on the park, always jumping to his feet shouting "give me the ball" (instead of waving imaginary red cards at referees).

"Best Ever" is always a difficult thing to judge (I never really saw Pele at his best) but I truly think I'm watching the best ever.  This is someone doing it against the very best players the world has to offer, every single season, in the most important games. 

He really needs a World Cup.
Some people say I'm self-obsessed but that's enough about them.

clarion

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Re: Lionel Messi (edit. Best Ever?)
« Reply #39 on: 23 June, 2015, 04:55:22 pm »
You know, this short video would make a wonderful show-reel of a normal player's career.

10 top class goals from a 20 year career. 

The thing is that this is just from Messi last season

I don't know how he keeps on doing this stuff



Sadly, I can't view that video, but this one shows him defeating many of the truly great players.  If you can stand the terrible music.

https://youtu.be/bVOTjO78BxE
Getting there...

Re: Lionel Messi (edit. Best Ever?)
« Reply #40 on: 23 June, 2015, 11:52:29 pm »
That video is poorly titled: the whole point for me about Messi is that he humiliates nobody, he just beats them (easily) and that is enough.  Ronaldo is a superb player who comes across as a pathetic attention-seeker. 

LEE

  • "Shut Up Jens" - Legs.
Re: Lionel Messi (edit. Best Ever?)
« Reply #41 on: 09 July, 2015, 09:57:01 am »
more ridiculousness.

Athletico put 3 defenders on him in this year's cup final so the only thing he could do was beat them all, plus make the last, 4th, defender chase his shadow before "doing" the keeper at his near post.

Nobody shoots for the near post, which is why Messi scores so many times doing it I think.

ANY other player would be happy to get 3 such goals in their end-of-career montage (Think of Gazza for example.  Pele gets 2 missed attempts in his montage) but Messi will have about 100.
Some people say I'm self-obsessed but that's enough about them.

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Lionel Messi (edit. Best Ever?)
« Reply #42 on: 09 July, 2015, 10:09:53 am »
Messi is a Time Lord. How else does he do it? When he beats that fourth defender, he is physically in two places at once. No other explanation.
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

caerau

  • SR x 3 - PBP fail but 1090 km - hey - not too bad
Re: Lionel Messi (edit. Best Ever?)
« Reply #43 on: 09 July, 2015, 10:19:00 am »
Shame he devotes less time to his tax affairs, they all get tarnished in the end.


Except for Gary Lineker of course ;)


I find it impossible to compare the players mentioned above - all from totally different eras.  One player I'd have loved to have seen but was just before my time was Johan Cruyff, alleged to have invented rather a lot of the skills demonstrated by those who came after.


And only played in one world cup since he was a naughty boy in that one and his wife wouldn't let him go the next time  ;D
It's a reverse Elvis thing.

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Re: Lionel Messi (edit. Best Ever?)
« Reply #44 on: 09 July, 2015, 11:13:09 am »
I believe Cruyff was subject to pressure from a rather more sinister source.

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2008/apr/17/newsstory.sport
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

caerau

  • SR x 3 - PBP fail but 1090 km - hey - not too bad
Re: Lionel Messi (edit. Best Ever?)
« Reply #45 on: 09 July, 2015, 11:17:51 am »
Interesting, thanks for that  :thumbsup:
It's a reverse Elvis thing.

LEE

  • "Shut Up Jens" - Legs.
Re: Lionel Messi (edit. Best Ever?)
« Reply #46 on: 11 January, 2016, 07:39:22 pm »
Cristiano Ronaldo wins the Ballon d'Or.

Hardly surprising I suppose, he has developed into an amazing athlete.

Here's the recent history of the trophy..

2014 - C. Ronaldo (runner up L. Messi)
2013 - C. Ronaldo (runner up L. Messi)
2012 - L.Messi (runner up C. Ronaldo)
2011 - L.Messi (runner up C. Ronaldo)
2010 - L. Messi (runner up A Iniesta)
2009 - L.Messi (runner up C. Ronaldo)
2008 - C. Ronaldo (runner up L. Messi)

Obviously an admin error in 2010 when Barcelona got 1st, 2nd & 3rd.

It's quite a purple patch for those 2 players, a real golden era.

Van Basten, Cruyff, Platini and (other) Ronaldo are the other stand-out players with 3 wins

2015 - L.Messi (runner up C. Ronaldo)

Neymar, Messi's strike partner at Barcelona, came 3rd and it's difficult to see past those 3 for next year.

... and these are just the goals from the >>> 2014/15 Season <<<  If you only have a few seconds then skip to Goal #57 because it makes you wonder how he can keep doing this.
Some people say I'm self-obsessed but that's enough about them.

cygnet

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Re: Lionel Messi (edit. Best Ever?)
« Reply #47 on: 12 January, 2016, 11:40:10 pm »
Quote from: Goal 8
Oohh my worrd. Unbeliveable Uncontionable Witchcraft - from the..
_Wizard

Superb; and the commentary too  ;D
I Said, I've Got A Big Stick

Re: Lionel Messi (edit. Best Ever?)
« Reply #48 on: 13 January, 2016, 01:42:21 am »
Half of it's witchcraft - the way the ball just seems to go through defenders or lazily drift in inches from a post - while the other half appears to be about being in the right place at the right time.

'Course, being so consistently right about place and time might be seen as witchcraft too ...

(And realistically, it looks like 'somewhere in the box' *is* the right place as far as he's concerned ...)

LEE

  • "Shut Up Jens" - Legs.
Re: Lionel Messi (edit. Best Ever?)
« Reply #49 on: 13 January, 2016, 02:03:03 pm »
He clearly doesn't view the world like most people. 
It's as if he sees everyone around him moving in slow-motion, which gives him time to think about the best thing to do next.

For example, I could probably do some of that stuff on a football pitch if everyone else promised to walk slowly and not run.
Some people say I'm self-obsessed but that's enough about them.