Messi

He is the best player I have ever seen and if he doesn't win the Ballon d'or tomorrow then it is a travesty.

Don’t know how legitimate it is but there were reports coming out of Spain that he’s won it, that was accompanied by the bookies suddenly making him the odds on favourite.
 
His goal tonight , you know what he's gonna do & where he's gonna put it , but you can't do anything to stop him.
That was absolute quality....
 
Is Semra Hunter on La Liga TV related to the baldy lady's front bottom Graham?
 
He complained about us parking the bus, the big bad Rangers never let me run riot .. I despise the little cùnt. %^*& him
 
Unlucky mate, napoli burst mine. Barca keeper was your enemy there, pulled off Shaggeresque saves
Pulled off some really good saves but the commentator (Premier Sports) was having a chug at each one. Banks and Pele was mentioned ffs. And the 1st save, off his inner thigh was not exactly genius but he had the sock out for that too.
 
He’s a victim of his own greatness. If anyone else had a year like he’s had their would be no question who’s winning balon d or but because he’s had 10 plus seasons as good he’s held to a different standard. Never thought I’d see anybody better than Maradona but this guy is far an away the GOAT
 
Unlucky mate, napoli burst mine. Barca keeper was your enemy there, pulled off Shaggeresque saves

unlucky although I would say I’d be staying well clear of Napoli with this fallout with the owner seems they aren’t as up for it ! Had a few close calls hopefully the sign of a winner coming soon
 
Who is the guy with the plummy Scots accent on these broadcasts.Never heard as much waffle in my life.Deciphers every minute detail as if it's a game of Chess."I think I would be asking Messi to work a bit harder there"as the wee man is caught between Two fuckin giants at a corner kick.BBC Sportsceene awaits.
 
Loves to.....

Loves to hump my leg. Boys obviously got an infatuation with me


Who is the guy with the plummy Scots accent on these broadcasts.Never heard as much waffle in my life.Deciphers every minute detail as if it's a game of Chess."I think I would be asking Messi to work a bit harder there"as the wee man is caught between Two fuckin giants at a corner kick.BBC Sportsceene awaits.

Graham Hunter. Really good sports writer, horrendous commentator. Sheep shagger too.
 
Popped over to watch the game. Unforgettable. If you’ve never seen him in person, you gotta go before he retires
 
He’s a victim of his own greatness. If anyone else had a year like he’s had their would be no question who’s winning balon d or but because he’s had 10 plus seasons as good he’s held to a different standard. Never thought I’d see anybody better than Maradona but this guy is far an away the GOAT

Same happened the season Salah had a blinder for Liverpool. He was so good, especially compared to any other season in his career, 47 goals, etc, that loads of folk expected him to win the Ballon D'or. By comparison, everyone was saying Messi had had a relatively poor season by his standard and was perhaps starting to show he's on the road down, etc.

When you looked at the comparison of all relevant stats for this "below average" Messi season v Salah "wonder season", Messi was ahead/just about equal in all key areas. And that's not intended as a criticism of Salah, just highlights how even world class players aren't judgeable by Messi and Ronaldo standards. Basically a "wonder season" for even a world class player is a very average season at best for Messi/Ronaldo, and something they've probably done 8 or 9 times at least in the last 10 years.
 
I liked this comment on Reddit:

"He stands still near the half way line, let's all the defenders run away from him, but that slows the counter down and doesn't stretch the defence out.

He gets the ball, does he go wide into the acres of space? No he cuts inside into his team mate and two defenders.

Then he plays a one two on the edge of the box and the rest is Messi all over. If you're coaching a kid in that situation you pretty much tell them to do the opposite of what he did in nearly every situation there."

That last sentence is common with a lot of GOATs in various sports; Federer often plays tennis shots that simply don't exist in any coaching repertoire, simply because they're too hard/risky to pull off. It would be "wrong" to attempt to teach someone to do it. Same for Michael Johnson/Usain Bolt in athletics - you would never, ever coach anyone to run in any of those two guys' styles
 
I see Messi has been bet out the park to win this tonight, and rightly so.

You will get the usual meltdowns tonight about how it is a fix and the experts giving it "what has Messi done this year".

The problem is that because La Liga is no longer on Sky, people tend to forget just how devastating he is.

Last night was his 30th goal v Atletico Madrid in 35 games. Unbelievable.
 
I see Messi has been bet out the park to win this tonight, and rightly so.

You will get the usual meltdowns tonight about how it is a fix and the experts giving it "what has Messi done this year".

The problem is that because La Liga is no longer on Sky, people tend to forget just how devastating he is.

Last night was his 30th goal v Atletico Madrid in 35 games. Unbelievable.

Jesus H Christ
 
These stats are for league only, unreal:

CZP0KLS.png
 
Messi is the greatest player ever. 50 goals a season for about 10 years, or longer actually.
He isn't the physical specimen Ronaldo is, but it doesn't matter. He has the magic. He can dribble, he can pass, he can shoot.
Yes, so can lots of players, but his vision is just something else. The vision to see and execute through balls, or to see a run he can make, or to see a space he can attack with or without the ball. He is just pure class, and a danger every single time he gets the ball.

My old man had the fortune of seeing him last midweek with my nephew. He said the game was great and loads of quality on show, but that Messi just absolutely dominated it.
Set up a disallowed goal, set up the first, scored the second, set up the third with an exquisite through ball for Griezmann, was brought down for a penalty(but booked for diving) and then hit the bar with a free kick.
He's literally head and shoulders above everyone else.

There are a group of players, Ronaldo, Mbappe, Neymar, Salah and a few others. They really are the best players in the world, but Messi just has another level in him. He is sublime, and I just wish everyone would appreciate what they are seeing with him.
 
This is his top 4 record agonst Spanish teams he has scored against:

Sevilla: 37
Atletico: 30
Valencia: 28
Real: 26

Ridiculous considering all 4 of them are some of the best teams in La liga. Normally you'd expect some cannon fodder team like Hamilton-esque to be up there, not teams like Real Madrid ffs.
 
That's my point. It is often levied at him (and Ronaldo) that their goals records are so high because they batter goals in against the cannon fodder in La Liga.
Is there a reason for that? Does he play those teams more(due to cups etc) than he does the cannon fodder teams or something?

There has to be something 'padding' those stats, not that it really downplays the goals against those teams because %^*& me, but surely there's some team over the years they've consistently battered 5 and 6-0

That'd be like one of our strikers having the best scoring record against Celtic compared to anyone else in the league. Doesn't make a whole lot of sense if we're being honest.
 
Is there a reason for that? Does he play those teams more(due to cups etc) than he does the cannon fodder teams or something?

There has to be something 'padding' those stats, not that it really downplays the goals against those teams because %^*& me, but surely there's some team over the years they've consistently battered 5 and 6-0

That'd be like one of our strikers having the best scoring record against Celtic compared to anyone else in the league. Doesn't make a whole lot of sense if we're being honest.

From memory they played Real Madrid in the CL Semi final when Messi scored two absolute belters in the Bernabau.

Think they have played Atletico once in the CL as well.

Obviously Copa Del Rey games will increase it.
 
Cracking player but grown men greeting over who wins the balon d'or has to be the most embarrassing thing in modern football.
 
Is there a reason for that? Does he play those teams more(due to cups etc) than he does the cannon fodder teams or something?

There has to be something 'padding' those stats, not that it really downplays the goals against those teams because %^*& me, but surely there's some team over the years they've consistently battered 5 and 6-0

That'd be like one of our strikers having the best scoring record against Celtic compared to anyone else in the league. Doesn't make a whole lot of sense if we're being honest.

His goals v Spanish teams, sorted by goals per game, with those 4 teams highlighted:

S7vaQ3t.png


Same idea, but sorted by minutes per goal:

JkrVSTW.png
 
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You won't be saying that when we win the league :p

Ha, I get your point, but I've seen far too much tragedy in my life and been in too many dark, dark places to get too emotional over a sport. I will, however, allow myself a "fucking get in there" and get pished :))
 
He’s won the balon d’or by all accounts. More than deserved. The wee man is a freak. Been a joy to watch him the last year
 
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