All Hail Lionel Messi.........

[theblether]

Gentleman I think it would be remiss not to hail and praise Lionel Messi for breaking the European scoring record set by Gerd Muller. Mr Muller was a superstar of his day, and his day it was maybe a little bit easier to get a goal. Along comes this young man and sets a record of 68 goals in a single season.

These are the kind of numbers we expect from boys football, not from players playing in one of the toughest leagues in the world, along with the Champions league. Gerd Muller, Pele, Maradona, Beckanbauer, Cruyff, Zidane, Best, Bobby Charlton and many others I salute you........but all hail the true King Of Football, the wonderful, amazing and quite frankly superbly grounded and rounded individual that is Lionel Messi.

I can't access Youtube at the moment to stick up some of his goals, how do you fancy posting your favourite moments from this genius.

ps I was going to say " How do you fancy posting your favourite Messi moments " but knowing you lot that would be an invitation too far

Edited May 3, 2012 by theblether

[smokie36]

[brit1984]

I would like to swap him for Carroll, Downing, Kuyt, Eccleston, Maxi, Henderson, Sterling, Adam, Spearing, Shelvey, Aurelio, Carragher, Coates, Robinson, Flanagan, Jones and Doni (plus fifty million)

[rixalex]

For all his undeniable class, his form in big matches is a bit hit and miss. And for Argentina, he seems a different player.

To put him right up there, what i think he needs is a World Cup or two in which he is player of the tournament, and scoring more of the crucial types of goals in crucial types of games, for Barcelona. Scoring a hatful against the lesser teams is great. We know he can do that at will. Being a true great takes a bit more. Not saying that he has never delivered in that regard, but not frequently enough.

[theblether]

I agree that he needs an International tournament victory to silence the critics once and for all, Maradona carried Argentina to Mexico '86, so maybe Messi has to step up to the plate and that level.

It doesn't take away from the fact though that his scoring record is outstanding. He recently said that he is still learning and expects to get better, That I want to see.

ps I think we should give Chelsea praise for subduing him, sometimes the art of defending has to be recognized too.

[rixalex]

I agree that he needs an International tournament victory to silence the critics once and for all, Maradona carried Argentina to Mexico '86, so maybe Messi has to step up to the plate and that level.

It doesn't take away from the fact though that his scoring record is outstanding. He recently said that he is still learning and expects to get better, That I want to see.

ps I think we should give Chelsea praise for subduing him, sometimes the art of defending has to be recognized too.

Agreed.

Regarding his supurb goal scoring record this season, not trying to take anything away from it, but would be interested to see a break down of what the games were.

[Devil]

I would like to swap him for Carroll, Downing, Kuyt, Eccleston, Maxi, Henderson, Sterling, Adam, Spearing, Shelvey, Aurelio, Carragher, Coates, Robinson, Flanagan, Jones and Doni (plus fifty million)

Better yet please go and support Barcelona.

(Face palm)

"Bastion of Invincibility" Liverpool Football Club.

[StevieH]

I agree that he needs an International tournament victory to silence the critics once and for all, Maradona carried Argentina to Mexico '86, so maybe Messi has to step up to the plate and that level.

it's a bit of a myth that, diego was the standout player but guys like burruchaga, valdano and brown all had fantastic tournaments too in 86. i also disagree that world cup performances detract from messi's achievements - the champions league is now a way higher standard of football than world cups. not to mention that argentina aren't as good as barcelona and they also use messi wrongly.

he's incredible. he's scored 9 hat-tricks this season. 9. that's nuts, from a guy who isn't even a centre forward. and he's not even peaked yet.

[rixalex]

I agree that he needs an International tournament victory to silence the critics once and for all, Maradona carried Argentina to Mexico '86, so maybe Messi has to step up to the plate and that level.

it's a bit of a myth that, diego was the standout player but guys like burruchaga, valdano and brown all had fantastic tournaments too in 86. i also disagree that world cup performances detract from messi's achievements - the champions league is now a way higher standard of football than world cups. not to mention that argentina aren't as good as barcelona and they also use messi wrongly.

he's incredible. he's scored 9 hat-tricks this season. 9. that's nuts, from a guy who isn't even a centre forward. and he's not even peaked yet.

World Cup thing isn't about it being a higher standard of football then Champions League, it's about it being the biggest stage there is - and that fact alone makes it important in elevating a player into a different strata. Besides which, if the standard is that low, surely no matter what team he is playing in, no matter how he is being utilised, he should be dazzling us and running rings round all those crap defences.

[mrbojangles]

Not a one of those goals is a patch on any single one of Rooney's

[rixalex]

If Messi scored the winning goal against one of Barca's biggest rivals with a deflection off his bum no doubt we'd be talking about his sublime technique in the way he clenched his cheeks. Rooney volleys a ball arrowed in with great pace, not a floated cross, and does so with a bicycle kick, and we are talking about how it was nothing but a fluke cos it came off his shin.

[StevieH]

I agree that he needs an International tournament victory to silence the critics once and for all, Maradona carried Argentina to Mexico '86, so maybe Messi has to step up to the plate and that level.

it's a bit of a myth that, diego was the standout player but guys like burruchaga, valdano and brown all had fantastic tournaments too in 86. i also disagree that world cup performances detract from messi's achievements - the champions league is now a way higher standard of football than world cups. not to mention that argentina aren't as good as barcelona and they also use messi wrongly.

he's incredible. he's scored 9 hat-tricks this season. 9. that's nuts, from a guy who isn't even a centre forward. and he's not even peaked yet.

World Cup thing isn't about it being a higher standard of football then Champions League, it's about it being the biggest stage there is - and that fact alone makes it important in elevating a player into a different strata. Besides which, if the standard is that low, surely no matter what team he is playing in, no matter how he is being utilised, he should be dazzling us and running rings round all those crap defences.

the CL is the biggest stage there is. more people around the world know messi for barca and what he does there than for argentina. the quality of football in the CL has been better than the world cup for years. it's superceded it. in lists of best players ever there's a few non-world cup winners.

[rixalex]

the CL is the biggest stage there is.

Not sure what you are basing that on. I would say that outside of Europe, CL pails considerably to the World Cup.

more people around the world know messi for barca and what he does there than for argentina. the quality of football in the CL has been better than the world cup for years. it's superceded it. in lists of best players ever there's a few non-world cup winners.

I wasn't saying that Messi particularly needed to be in the winning World Cup team, just that he needed to perform better. Messi is regarded so highly, and i understand and agree with why that is, but it does seem to make some admirers a touch defensive to any criticism. Rather than simply agree that he hasn't played well in the World Cup - and that were he too, he would help cement his place as a true great - first we get the "well Argentina isn't a good team, then we get "well he gets played in the wrong position", and then finally we get "well the World Cup is crap anyway". Perhaps that reasoning satisfies some.

[carmine]

I think its ridiculous that he's being called the best player ever. First he plays in the best club midfield in the world, containing Xavi and Iniesta. Yes he's been brilliant and his goal scoring phenominal.

However, when he's played at international level in a midfield he's not so familiar with he's been largely disappointing.

At this stage of his career he's not close to Pele, and Maradona is still the best i've ever seen although its painful to say that.

[salty]

4 more for the little genius tonight against Espanyol at the Nou Camp including 2 penalties. 50 league goals. Better than either Pele, Maradona, Cruyff in my opinion and I believe the greatest ever player. Of course the quality of teammates are of great assistance. At International level this quality is far inferior so his impact not as stunning as at club level.

My favourite Messi goal was in the CL semi 1st leg last year against Real Madrid. The slaloming run where he dodged several would be tacklers and finished with a glancing shot into the far corner. Magic.

[smokie36]

No salty. The great carmine has spoken. He is just better than average. Not even a cocaine addiction to help his cause.

[MrRed]

Niether him nor Ronaldo(i think he scored 28 at United one season) would score the same amount of goals they have in the Premier League.Just goes to show that La Liga is not as strong as a whole league than the Premier.

Good cup sides though.

[carmine]

No salty. The great carmine has spoken. He is just better than average. Not even a cocaine addiction to help his cause.

Is that how you translate my words saying he's not the best player ever? Isn't that taking the "misquoting someone" tactic to the extreme? Quite extraordinary smokie....

Mindyou, saying that, perhaps you could tell me when at international level he has actually been better than average. Don't worry, i'm not expecting a quick answer on that

He is by far the best player in the world but just to reiterate "what i did actually say", he really needs to do it at international, level in my book.

[carmine]

No salty. The great carmine has spoken. He is just better than average. Not even a cocaine addiction to help his cause.

I've just gone back to my original post and reread it.

How the <deleted> do you come up with me trying to say Messi is just average? Would that by any chance be by me referring to him as brilliant and his goalscoring record as phenominal?

Do please tell me, do you really, really believe that someone who has played without distinction at international level is to be called the greatest player ever? Just because he's a very nice bloke that plays in one of the greatestclub teams ever doesn't make him the greatest either.

Might i remind you of the state of Napoli and their league position when Maradona joined them and their success until the day he left? can i remind you of him single handedly winning the '86 world cup. But no, lets cast all that aside because he was flawed and not a very nice guy!Can i remind you of Pele's 1000 goals, and of his worlld cup displays and successes spread over many years?

I'm certainly not the "great carmine" but i do live in the real world.

Do you now relise how ridiculous this is at this stage of Messi's career?

Edited May 6, 2012 by carmine

[salty]

Now Now "Gentlemen"

[carmine]

Now Now "Gentlemen"

No ones getting uptight mate. Just trying to restore some semblance of sense to this thread.

[rixalex]

No salty. The great carmine has spoken. He is just better than average. Not even a cocaine addiction to help his cause.

I've just gone back to my original post and reread it.

How the <deleted> do you come up with me trying to say Messi is just average? Would that by any chance be by me referring to him as brilliant and his goalscoring record as phenominal?

Do you really believe then that someone who has played without distinction at international level is to be called the greatest player ever.

I'm certainly not the "great carmine" but i do live in the real world.

As i mentioned carmine, and as i knew before i even contributed my two penneth on this thread, Messi seems to walk on such hallowed ground in the eyes of some, it makes them defensive. The only words they seem willing to accept are gushing superlatives. You would think people were questioning his status as best player in the world right now. I don't believe anyone is. All people are saying is that his career has areas in which can be improved... areas that need to be improved to really cement his place as an all time great. That's all.

[carmine]

No salty. The great carmine has spoken. He is just better than average. Not even a cocaine addiction to help his cause.

I've just gone back to my original post and reread it.

How the <deleted> do you come up with me trying to say Messi is just average? Would that by any chance be by me referring to him as brilliant and his goalscoring record as phenominal?

Do you really believe then that someone who has played without distinction at international level is to be called the greatest player ever.

I'm certainly not the "great carmine" but i do live in the real world.

As i mentioned carmine, and as i knew before i even contributed my two penneth on this thread, Messi seems to walk on such hallowed ground in the eyes of some, it makes them defensive. The only words they seem willing to accept are gushing superlatives. You would think people were questioning his status as best player in the world right now. I don't believe anyone is. All people are saying is that his career has areas in which can be improved... areas that need to be improved to really cement his place as an all time great. That's all.

Yes thats the sum of it.

[smokie36]

I think you could say the same for the entire Argentina side. It should be an interesting World Cup next time around.

Oh by the way carmine...you are right...I reread your post.

[YoungBrit]

Not taking anything away from him, an amazing achievement but how many of those goals do you think he would swap to have scored the penalty against Chelsea???

[salty]

Some of you may have noted "the real special one" scored twice against Real Betis last night to surpass Gerd Muller's record of most goals in a calender year 86/85

Thanks to wall to wall TV coverage you can get to see him playing in nearly every game, and in my totally biased opinion he has to be the greatest player of all time. I believe in 40/50 years time some of you much younger guys will not have seen a better player. One thing is for sure I won't be around to disagree with anyone on the subject.

[StevieH]

he's staggering. and just an absolute joy to watch.

[mjj]

I agree. I love watching him against Chelsea. 8 games, 0 goals.

[LaoPo]

Some of you may have noted "the real special one" scored twice against Real Betis last night to surpass Gerd Muller's record of most goals in a calender year 86/85

Thanks to wall to wall TV coverage you can get to see him playing in nearly every game, and in my totally biased opinion he has to be the greatest player of all time. I believe in 40/50 years time some of you much younger guys will not have seen a better player. One thing is for sure I won't be around to disagree with anyone on the subject.

I not only fully agree with you but Lionel Messi is also the most pleasant, kindest and non-aggressive of all players with no attitude like Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo who thinks of himself he's G_d

That chap is a 100% narcist whilst Messi shares his successes with all fellow players.

He's of another planet.

Viva Messi !

[Chicog]

I love the fact that he never goes down unless he's clumped. And Muller had the benefit of scoring in a terrific W Germany team which created loads of chances - Messi is playing in a relatively dire Argie side which makes his achievement even better in my opinion.