Topic: Lionel Messi

[Xabi Gerrard]

For one, couldn’t run a game to save his life. And yes, that’s the most important thing for a midfielder. Especially CM.

Tell you what, I’d take all of these above Lampard in their respective peaks:
Essien
Alonso
Fabregas
Scholes
Gerrard
Toure
Keane
Vieira
Modric
May have forgotten others

Even amongst central midfielders there are a variety of different roles and purposes. Alonso & Modric have a complete different role in the team to, say, Toure & Lampard. For the role that Lampard's managers wanted him to play (with much success), from your list only Gerrard and perhaps Toure for 3 seasons, could have played it better than him. Fat Frank was a fucking brilliant player.

[sinnermichael]

Signed a new contract until 2021 with a buyout clause of £626m.

[Enders]

Everton fans will be disappointed

[TheShanklyGates]

Everton fans will be disappointed

Why? They have £1.3b to spend, they can get Messi and still have over half of it left.

[Flaccido Dongingo]

Lampard a complete player, lol, thanks for the laugh fella.

[dalarr]

Does this mean he'll be loaned out to PSG then? Those pesky FFP-rules.

[puroresu_kid]

Signed a new contract until 2021 with a buyout clause of £626m.

Never in doubt.

Takes a brave person to allow Messi to leave.

[Hendollama]

Lampard a complete player, lol, thanks for the laugh fella.

As close as could be. Yes, he was fucking brilliant as xabi said.

[ElCapo]

Signed a new contract until 2021 with a buyout clause of £626m.

Heard it's 700mm Euros. 

[Phil M]

Signed a new contract until 2021 with a buyout clause of £626m.

He's good but he's no Mo Salah.

[Ravishing Rick Dude]

I will just leave this here.


"Andrés Iniesta is the only player in history to be Man of the match in a EURO, World Cup and Champions League final".

[_00_deathscar]

"Andrés Iniesta is the only player in history to be Man of the match in a EURO, World Cup and Champions League final".

Gerrard would have done it AND scored if England had managed to reach the finals of those

[Gerry Attrick]

Scored or assisted 20 of their 41 goals in La Liga and the CL. They'd be fucked without him.

[Phil M]

Enjoy...

https://streamable.com/ei0sv

[Xabi Gerrard]

Enjoy...

https://streamable.com/ei0sv

Fucking hell he's good. He's like a less prolific version of Mo Salah.

[Phil M]

Fucking hell he's good. He's like a less prolific version of Mo Salah.

I notice that he missed a few chances in some cases, but if he keeps practicing, Mo level is within his reach I feel.

[Xabi Gerrard]

I notice that he missed a few chance in some cases, but if he keeps practicing, Mo level is within his reach I feel.

Steady on....

[Vinay]

How many goals away is he from breaking the overall number of goals in a league now?

[Xabi Gerrard]

How many goals away is he from breaking the overall number of goals in a league now?

Not sure about number of goals specifically in a league but in terms of overall for a club, according to this it's Pele for Santos.

In terms of players in proper leagues it's Muller on 566. Messi's on 525 according to wiki.


Tough to call who'll reach that first - Messi or Salah.

[Clayton Bigsby]

Steady on....

 

[Vinay]

Where does this figure of 566 goals for Gerd Muller come from?
I don't think it is anywhere near that.

[Xabi Gerrard]

Where does this figure of 566 goals for Gerd Muller come from?
I don't think it is anywhere near that.

It's from the link in the post.

[RedSince86]

The void when he's no longer playing for them will be massive.

I bet they will retire the #10 shirt as anyone wearing that after him will be under so much pressure.

[conman]

The void when he's no longer playing for them will be massive.

I bet they will retire the #10 shirt as anyone wearing that after him will be under so much pressure.

will he be sitting on them?

[RedSince86]

will he be sitting on them?

[oojason]

How many goals away is he from breaking the overall number of goals in a league now?

According to this, Messi's last goal put him level with Gerd Muller on 525 goals:-



^ https://twitter.com/FCBarcelona/status/939970981522755584


Though I think there are other records (probably all in the wording) that Messi is closing in on of Muller's...

For example, the league goals record ('in a major European league for one team' or something?) is likely to be overtaken soon:-





and then there's stuff like this:-

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_men%27s_footballers_with_500_or_more_goals

That Bican lad looked like he knew where the net was...

[Vinay]

OK.

At this season's rate, Messi could reach 50 goals in La Liga again!

[dalarr]

50 goals in 37 league games. Every time I see that stat I just can't believe it. It's an extraordinary feat, on top of everything else he has done.
As another poster mentioned, they should retire his jersey and number

[ElCapo]

I thought this was good:

Wenger on Messi and Maradona

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76UthuWqwWA

[Popcorn]

I thought this was good:

Wenger on Messi and Maradona

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76UthuWqwWA

It would be an incredible moment if he leads them to victory in Russia next summer.

[ElCapo]

I don't think the Argentina NT is in a good place right now though.  I had high hopes for Sampaoli but he has not been able to help them improve their game significantly.  For me they're a much longer shot than Brazil, Spain, Germany, and possibly even France.

[Xabi Gerrard]

Wenger might not cut it as an elite level manager any more but I absolutely love listening to him talking about football. I hope he gets a regular punditry slot when he retires from management, his insights and the way he communicates are several levels up from even Carra and G Neville, let alone the likes of Lawro, Murphy and P Neville.

[Thats So Dimitar]

Wenger might not cut it as an elite level manager any more but I absolutely love listening to him talking about football. I hope he gets a regular punditry slot when he retires from management, his insights and the way he communicates are several levels up from even Carra and G Neville, let alone the likes of Lawro, Murphy and P Neville.

I was thinking the same thing watching that. Removed from Arsenal and the rivalry we have with them there are few people I enjoy listening to talk football more than him.

I do wonder if it would be the same if he were a regular pundit though. I've never really enjoyed listening to pundits except for the odd time, but always find those one on one type interviews fascinating. Henry is another one who does a lot of those that I really enjoyed, one with Guardiola after his first season here and one with Harry Kane that were great.

[RyanBabel19]

It would be an incredible moment if he leads them to victory in Russia next summer.

I really hope he does. All the but he hasn't done it for Argentina talk wouldn't be missed

[Hazell]

I thought this was good:

Wenger on Messi and Maradona

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76UthuWqwWA

Cheers for that, Wenger's great to listen to when he's talking about the game.

[oojason]

After today's goal away vs Real Madrid (Barca won 3-0)...

Messi (15) is the player with the most goals scored in El Clasico in Santiago Bernabeu, ahead of Di Stefano (13) and Raul (12) - https://twitter.com/2010misterchip/status/944563249432932357

Messi (54) surpass Cristiano (53) Lewandowski (53) and Cavani (53) and ends 2017 as world’s top goalscorer. -
 https://twitter.com/2010MisterChip/status/944558830943424512

Lionel Messi: Has now surpassed Gerd Muller's record as the all-time goalscorer in Europe's top five leagues (526) - https://twitter.com/WhoScored/status/944558697023524865

Messi has just equalized Telmo Zarra as the player with the most goals scored against Real Madrid in La Liga in history. (17 goals each) -
https://twitter.com/2010misterchip/status/944561361002160131

Players with the most El Clasico wins: 21 Gento; 17 Di Stefano, Xavi, and Messi Players with the Most El Clasico Defeats: 17 Sergio Ramos; 16 Segarra, Sanchis, and Raul - https://twitter.com/2010misterchip/status/944566967083716608


@RayHudson with the line of the night as Messi helps seal the Clasico in style: “Centipedes fantasize about having one left leg like his.”

[Gerry Attrick]

@RayHudson with the line of the night as Messi helps seal the Clasico in style: “Centipedes fantasize about having one left leg like his.”

 

[Xabi Gerrard]

Messi (54) surpass Cristiano (53) Lewandowski (53) and Cavani (53) and ends 2017 as world’s top goalscorer. -
 https://twitter.com/2010MisterChip/status/944558830943424512

Not quite over yet - I think Kane's on 50 with 3 games to play?

[oojason]

I liked the 'more twists and turns than a cheap garden hose' & 'He could build a sandcastle with that left foot' too

and 'This is KALEIDOSCOPIC breakfast. INGENIOUS coffee with the delicate, poised balance of milk and a SUPERLATIVE little layoff from sugar. An ASTRONOMICAL portion of an eggs. You can't beat a team like that!'


I wonder what the drab and dull pratts/'analysts'/commentators on MOTD and Sky would do if Ray ever got on to give his views...

Other fans are having their version of 'Ray-isms' now - 'Messi leaving Marcelo sprawling and lost like a man looking inexplicably for a vanished sock in the dryer...' - not bad, not bad at all

Not quite over yet - I think Kane's on 50 with 3 games to play?

Good point that mate - doable for Kane, that.

[_00_deathscar]

Not quite over yet - I think Kane's on 50 with 3 games to play?

Makes me laugh that Kane scored 50ish last season but some idiots think a peak (or when Noah Messi and Ronaldo wouldn’t be able to do it in the English league.