Lionel Messi | Joins Inter Miami (pg4111)

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You would hope that Pep/Khaldoon/Sheikh Mansour wouldn't be messed around by any one player even the best ever but Messi would still have more clout than the rest of the dressing room put together. Messi doesn't like Griezmann much so he's benched, Messi is good buddies with Suarez so he plays regardless of being past his best. Aguero is another of Messi's chums so he'll likely want to play alongside him. Messi + Aguero is not your forward line if you want to be a high pressing side. Before this I could see Aguero being used more sparingly next season before being allowed to move on. If this happens he'll probably start when fit and sign extension. At 32 the explosiveness that made Aguero scary left him a while ago and he was playing like an old man prior to his latest injury, not sure how long he has left as a top striker.

And speaking of which there's the cliche on football forums that players with touch and finesse who don't rely on pace can maintain the same level until they're 40. Silva and Iniesta for a couple of easy examples were on a steep decline by the time they were 33. The one saving grace with Messi shuffling ~5km a game for last number of years which may have extended his shelf life.

Since the decline of Silva halfway through 18/19 season we haven't had enough going through the middle, somebody dictating the final third, drifting into tiny spaces that appear and drawing defenders to him before having composure and awareness to release someone else. This has cost us against 3 at the back sides who pack midfield, they have much easier time keeping us wide or passing around halfway line. Bernardo or Foden could grow into this role if the manager wasn't so reluctant to play them centrally when they manage to get on the pitch. Messi could do this with ease and I expect that's where he'd mostly play. Have seen some who think he'd replace Mahrez but I'm not sure you can have 33 year old Messi manning the flanks, Bernardo works his socks off there but Guardiola realised he's too slow to defend the wing against teams that can transition quickly forward.

____________________Aguero/Jesus

_Sterling/Torres___Messi____De Bruyne/Bernardo___Mahrez/Foden

____________________Rodri/Gundogan

___________________Back 4/GK

For me the big loser if it happens would be Bernardo. Messi undroppable and De Bruyne is the one player we have already largely immune to Guardiola's rotations and he just walked straight back into his position after Bernardo was arguably the best player in the league there 18/19 season. I keep thinking back to the Leicester home game when Bernardo was played as the left centre mid, was one of the best performances but I don't think he was tried there again. He didn't do anything spectacular but supported the play wherever it went and positioned himself brilliantly to stop counters. He is the best all-rounder we have who can play centrally with lots of energy which is what we need. If it's Messi and De Bruyne together it'll be incredible in creative sense but better hope Rodri has adapted much better to being a one man midfield band as he'll be getting even less help defensively.

Lot of places claiming Messi wants this move as we're in a better position currently than Barcelona and maybe we are. But we have some of the same problems. Barca have had a stagnant midfield that has suffered with intensity in the champions league and with lack of workrate from their forwards. We have selection of Rodri, Gundogan, De Bruyne which is about as plodding as it gets. Barca defence not that solid - we don't know our best left back, who'll be partnering Laporte, will the back line receive more badly needed support from midfield than last season. As Messi gets older he's becoming more of a creator who needs pace and runners around him, only really Sterling fits the profile. Even Barcelona had Alba and Semedo/Roberto who would bomb on and give him an option to sling the ball out to, our fullbacks run forward a handful of times a season. What we do have plenty of are players who want to do a similar job to Messi in Bernardo,Foden,Mahrez. You now probably need a team built around & for Messi, ours doesn't seem perfect for that but this is our one opportunity to sign him which makes things difficult.

I was hoping this season we'd try to get back to something like the 100 point team, left footed players on the left to use the pitch in its entirety, pace in more than a couple positions and fast football to get the ultra defensive sides moving and creaking which is where Guardiola football is at its best. If Messi comes I can see our 3-0 wins vs Burnley turn to 8 or 9, he'll help against the 3 at the back bus parkers Man Utd/Wolves/Newcastle, we'll still be trampled at Anfield and he won't make much difference in the champions league where we lack the intensity and physicality needed. All that said, if he helped us win the league every season he's with us it'll be well worth it.
 
Oleole123 said:
According to Marca we are not negotiating with Barcelona because City has seen Messi contract and City lawyers are convinced that Messi is a free Agent and will win in a court Battle.
Click to expand...
Getting buried by the memes but actually significant news, if City review it I’d be inclined to trust our judgement on the matter. We are lawyered up to fuck, and quite frankly operate on a different plane to imbeciles like Tebas and Bartomeu who would probably struggle to understand the plot of The Hungry Caterpillar.
 
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