₦airaland Forum

Who's gonna be the MOTM? Fati? That assist is dope. 1 goal, 1 assist

3-0
Messi - Fati - Coutinho - goal
Dembele soon to come in.

I would love Pedri and Puig

Who noticed that De Jong plays better with Pjanic than with Busquets. I mean, the freedom. It's different when with Busquets.

BTW, that his pass to Fati was genius.

biomustry:
Ansu Fati >>>> Hazard

Let's leave this table alone

Enjoy the boy. Fati is just too mature and confident for his age. But then again, Mbappe showed the world that teenagers can be trusted to deliver.

jpmoriarti:
I think Trincao has been lively on the right side, even though this is against a humble opponent.

As expected. He's always hungry to do well. And he is

SonOfAfonja:
Griezmann with Barcelona

I doubt the fool will start in UCL.

It's probably Fati, Coutinho, Trincao, Messi(not sure for this one. He might be rested ahead of clasico). Dembouz is a likely starter too. He will use our opponents to gain confidence

FirstbornWds:
The guy was just bullying everybody.

And the referee was just looking like mumu. At a point, I finally remembered VAR. Sadly those ones too, are useless. Nyom elbowed Messi right in front of the center referee. Nothing was done.

That guy should have been sent off since first half.

tesppidd:


No be una fault. Na that Gotv I blame.

No point replying.

It's football. Even when a player does 99 things excellently .
There's always room to troll the one thing that he did 'averagely'.

But honestly, this attack on Messi's has no sensible basis.

He creates chances the most. He assists the most. He scores the most. He dribbles the most. He shoots the most.

And then someone goes to dig out stats extending from last season(pre-corona and post-corona matches) to this season, about him not scoring from 'open play'.

But he scored two lovely strikes from outside the box in preseason, I'm sure you praised him.

I'm just not understanding the depth of the pettiness.

GrammarNazi1:
Many of these critics, who are more sentimental than they are logical, are not even Barça fans. Many of them are Real Madrid fans and we all know that Messi is their problem.

Tesppidd, these critics are cherry pickers!

So it's best to ignore, aye?

Godx:
*If Messi doesn't want to be here then he should have been sold. That's a potential 150M Barca could have gotten from Messi sale to improve the team.

* Messi position is a big problem for Barca set up and for any coach.

The question is where does one play Messi?

He can't play as a #9 as his movement is poor and has no aerial/physical presence, can't play as false 9, he doesn't have the pace nor workrate nor stamina to play at Right wing, he doesn't have the workrate, stamina or positional discipline to play in midfield.

Sell Messi? Well, we all saw how that went. Deep down I know he loves Barça. His attitude has improved unlike preseason when he hardly celebrated his goals but just frowned. Maybe it's the continuance of Bartomeu that angers him. But Messi is here to stay, for now. His comments about moving forward shows its still there somehow.

As for your claim about Messi not being able to play as a 9 or false 9 or a right winger, all I can say is.... Chill.
Messi still has ALL it takes to excel in all those positions and he can. It's a matter of Koeman expressing what he wants. Enrique pushed Messi to the right for Suarez. Messi misbehaved initially, but after, Xavi and Iniesta talked to him, the man excelled. Before that, he was the deadliest Striker!

But, the team is going through a lot!
Messi still not sure if this team has what it takes to win UCL.
Griezmann is trying to talk his way to dethroning Messi has the main man. And misfiring


Koeman still confused in what to do. I mean, Dembele is back, Fati is rising, Trincao is talented. Pedri just compounded the problem with his superb performance yesterday. And he still has to fulfill his promise to Coutinho of 'making him an integral part of his plan'.

Koeman is still trying to fix the midfield. Busquets is a captain(politics) . De Jong is his compatriot(sentiments) . Puig and Aleña are holding tight for playing time. And then he still has an achieved player like Pjanic waiting on the line.

Let not even talk about defense.

Dude, it's still early days to start over criticizing. Even Enrique's barca struggled but turned up at the second half of the season. Let's wait.

My only complaint is starting Griezmann.

Messi is declining? Yes!
In terms of goal scoring? Yea.

Should you be surprised? Nope. The world expected it. We expected a time when Messi will revert to a play making role. Why the hell is it such a big deal? His assists and chance created stats have risen recently, as we've anticipated years back.

Messi himself said that he is less-obsessed with goals. Still the man takes shots in matches to get goals for team, like we saw yesterday.

So what's the basis for the criticism? He should be benched? Okay. Name the most creative player in the team. Nobody! Except Messi!

As for his seemingly lackadaisical attitude. Not surprising. Dude has seen all that can be seen. I've said that he seems changed. Maybe competition somewhere else will bring out that fire. But for now all we can do is enjoy what's left of the genius and hope barca can come with a strong team.

He is not our problem. The team(some players) , the management are.

And maybe no fans to make his head swell

obonujoker:

What is going on here

TalabiAudu:
Just saw highlights and I still maintain my word that Griezmann is a more useless player than Hazard is

The loss doesn't come as a surprise. Koeman is still yet to pick the best starting 11. Players like Roberto, Busquets have no business starting. Even De Jong should be dropped to get himself back. I don't the reason for his dip in form.

But the major change has to be Griezmann. Just bench him. Honestly I'll pick Braithwaite over Griezmann right now.

Moura7:
Honestly, Dembouz should have continued the game, today wasn't just Fati's day. Pedri dey ball abeg and can give sharp passes too. FDJ, I don't know for him again, mediocre after mediocre performances lately. Dear na sharp boy. Alba should pls come back let's bench Sergi. Trincao is still yet to impress and Messi should just man the AMF cus regrettably he hasn't been that great on the right and cf role. Maybe he can sub for others in second half. Anyway, not to worry it's just the fourth game of 38 and we've still got two games outstanding.

See, De Jong can't perform with a slow partner like Busquets. And lately he has been poor. And Koeman won't let Puig or Aleña play. As for Messi, I've said it before, the man is waiting to zoom out. There's this change about him.

Let's just wait and see. We've begged Koeman to bench Griezmann, he said No. I don't know why it's so hard. I even felt Braithwaite than him.

Let's see what the subs can do

Xanslyte:
Which mumu normal? Didn't you hear his comments after the international break? Nigga should have known koeman starting him on the right was practically a test and any mistake makes koeman justified the more. Let him continue his normal football until others show more worth or depay is bought in January.

I meant his mediocre performance and losing chances

Xanslyte:
Pedri + Fati. The future's looking safe. .

Dest, Trincao, FDJ, Dembouz

The future is safer

homesteady:
Aside the first 10 - 15 minutes, Pedri has been very good. We have a gem in our hands guys.

He has always been superb. His games with Las Palmas showed how mature and experienced he was.

Xanslyte:
Iffa hear pim again from griezmann. I will borrow money to come to Catalonia to flog the hell outta him. Chai see what Bartomeu caused.

Never mind. Koeman will still start him. Ion know you guys are complaining. It's normal.

So I guess Pedri is playing the No 10 position.

And the attacking 4 can also switch positions.

Koeman just had to ruin it with Griezmann inclusion.

A Fati or Trincao would not be bad. Speed and dribbles go plenty.

But then again, Champions League calls.

andrewbaba44:
Dembele starts ooo
Let’s see what he can do

A lot. I trust my boy.

Xanslyte:
Hala Vardrid. Cadiz taught them how to play football today.

Baba calm down. Focus on your team.

tesppidd:
Having returned from far away South America, how about resting Messi till the 70th minute?

There's UCL on Wednesday and EL Classico on Saturday.?

Lol! We all know that whether Messi is just coming back from South America or Africa, the man is always ready and fit. It's not like he trekked down from there to spain or something.

BTW, I'll prefer resting Messi in the Champions League tie and have him come in later against Ferencváros , than against Getafe. Just saying

Wouldn't it be fun to see Griezmann fume on the bench if Koeman bench him for Dembele and makes subs like Trincao, Pedri, Pjanic, and Firpo and still leaves him(Griezmann) on the bench

Goalkeepers:

13. Neto, 26. Iñaki Peña, 36. Arnau Tenas

Defenders:

2. Sergiño Dest, 3. Gerard Piqué, 4. Ronald Araujo, 15. Clément Lenglet, 20. Sergi Roberto, 24. Junior Firpo, 28. Óscar Mingueza

Midfielders:

5. Sergio Busquets, 6. Carles Aleñá, 8. Miralem Pjanic, 12. Riqui Puig, 14. Philippe Coutinho, 16. Pedri, 21. Frenkie De Jong

Forwards:

7. Antoine Griezmann, 9. Martin Braithwaite, 10. Lionel Messi, 11. Ousmane Dembélé, 17. Francisco Trincão, 22. Ansu Fati


Predicted starting XI (4-2-3-1):

Neto; Roberto, Piqué, Lenglet, Dest; Busquets, De Jong; Griezmann, Coutinho, Ansu Fati; Messi

swiz123:
I honestly don't understand Koeman and I sure as hell don't understand Barça fans. Setien deployed Messi to the right, Griezmann to the left and Suarez centrally.

Why can't Koeman keep Messi to the right and Griezmann as the striker? I don't need a soothsayer to tell me that Koeman has no business coaching anyone let alone a team. Cos a manager Job -only job- is to bring out the best in his players.

I would play Griezmann has a striker too. But it would depend on the teams we face.


Because Griezmann has underperformed in every attacking position he has played in. That's why barca want Depay.

BTW, Messi and Griezmann switch positions in matches a lot. Still Griezmann screws up centrally. Misses clear-cut chances. Honestly, Koeman and other previous managers a just so patient to keep playing him.

A mourinho, Conte or Guardiola would have benched him after 2 matches.

Moura7:
Baba Suarez was injured for a better part of last season and who do you think manned the CF position those times?...Yes Grizz and did he perform that well??....No. Just flashes of brilliance on some occasions

Against smaller, porous team

Godx:
I am not making any claims, I am speaking facts you are just blinded by sentiments not to se it but it's ok bro. We had Messi but have been disgraced the last couple seasons in the champions league. Your theory of just give him Messi is already down in dust.

Oh dear! So you're saying a Messi-included man city/Bayern team wouldn't achieve anything. Damn!

I think I know the problem. You're just another 'i-am-not-a-messi-asslicker' fan. Trying to prove nonsense.

Godx:
Bro you are clouded by sentiments and it shows. Messi was the best player at Barca during Pep era no one is debating that with you but he was not the X factor. The X factor for Barca dominating teams was our Midfield trio spearheaded by Xavi. Without Messi, the trio also dominated Europe and the World. The base of our legendary team was the Xavi, Iniesta and Busi. If Guardiola had the prime trio at Bayern and City he would have dominated more than he did.Check Messi performance for Argentina and Barca during Pep era and see the difference.

It's your opinion. But This claim of yours has expired.

But again, it's your opinion. Take out Messi from that team and imagine what will be left.

See the thrash you're spewing. "If Guardiola had the prime trio at Bayern and City he would have dominated more than he did" . Just wow.

Just give him Messi. That's all.

tesppidd:
What do you mean by "the midfield"?

Or are you guys telling us that a team of 11 players played football but only Xavi and Iniesta won the world cup?

You mean Xavi and Iniesta won the world cup and the euros?

Not David Villa?
Not Fernando Torres?
Not Carlos Puyol?
Not Gerald Pique?
Not Sergio Ramos?
Not the GOAT goalkeeper at the time Iker Casillas?

Wao!

The dude has no point! Even if he was working decimals all day, he'd still have no point.

As in, this thing is just so annoying.
The thrash I have been reading his baffling. Dude based his argument on the abandoned claim that Messi's success is based on his reliance on Xavi and Iniesta.

The whole world have abandoned such thinking because he's proven everyone wrong by single handedly picking barca and Argentina to levels they would have never been. All by himself.

Godx:
Bro you still haven't said anything we don't know before. Pep Barca was built on Midfield domination. That trio was the essence of Barca domination under Pep especially Xavi which even Spain benefitted from. Messi was just the cherry on top,the finishing touch. Like I said before Messi performance for Argentina and Barca during Pep era proves it.

I'll totally understand you trying to downplay Messi's influence in barca's success.
You said Messi's performances with argentina proved his over reliance on the midfield trio during Pep's era. How about his performances after that?

See bro, the midfield was important, but Messi was the man. He wasn't just the cherry on top of the cake, he was the X factor. He practically made the job of the midfield and attackers look easier.

The midfield trio thrived with Spain not because they were superhunans , but because Spain was bursting with talents. The Spanish midfield had xabi alonso and others who made things happen with or without them. Simply put, the Spanish team was complete from attack to defense.