I have no doubt Messi has enough left to be fucking brilliant, himself, for some years to come.
Watching him v Napoli, he sometimes received the ball in positions where the oppo were huge favourites to win it, but he was away & causing chances. Against Bayern, he threw the towel in, but his team mates were beyond a joke.
Will he beat two men & play that little pass through to Aguero, like Silva did ? Yes - he creates space for others as defenders are drawn to him - the space he will create not just for Aguero but for Jesus, Foden, KDB etc would be very useful- he plays with more pressure again for Argentina and for a different manager...Agueor use to be more greedy - Pep sorted that out and Kun has leapt up another level
Well he doesn't, for Argentina, he beats a 3rd & shoots or loses the ball.
Barca is built around Messi but we are not. Ibrahimovic had to go, for Messi to thrive. Ibrahimovic is one of the most overrated and THE most arrogant twat to ever grace a football field. Its no secret that he and Pep hated each other and he is far too arrogant to work off the ball the way Pep demanded. The question whether Messi fits in is up to Pep and Txixi but I have no doubt personally that he would. As I have previously poste I thikn our team would actually benefit Messi as it has lots of players who will run through walls - he could play as a false 9 or part of a front 3
Will we drop him if he ruins the team structure, or start dropping everyone else ? As above - I dont think he would play every game anyway - he would be part of rotation - I think he would be glad of this at his age - again less pressure
Will we have our identity or just be 'Messi' ? - Thats something that the media will do but as supporters WE can affect - we carry on supporting THE CLUB and THE OTHER PLAYERS just as much as Messi - not even Kompany who was a huge personality and leader or Yaya were bigger than the club and the hierachy showed Yaya this (hence his most recent comments about the statue of David Silva being "a bit odd" - jealous much Yaya???????) They showed that to Tevez when he went AWOL. Messi wont be captain either remember (or I highly doubt it)
Will Pep build a team, if we give him Messi, or will he just cash in, if it works, then fuck off ? - Pep is building a team already - Torres, Ake are two young new additions of quality - Pep is going to leave one day regardless. We have the basis of a young squad (and if we get Aouar as well who I tink is only very early 20's thats another - we have a nice blend with then the likes of Messi, KDB and maybe Koulibaly - all teams transition every few years anyway
If Pep can't adapt to the tactics teams are now using v City & can't even build a defence out of Walker, Stones, Koulibaly, Aké, Laporte, Mendy, Fernandinho, thus proving he is finished at City, will he stay on because he's promised Messi, & go mental ? Will he leave & if so, what of Messi ? Will the next manager, try & fail, to build his team around Messi ? Can he ?
Pep has continullly shown that he can adapt - however like all managers he will get it wrong - he isnt and no one is inafalable.....Im not sure why you think Pep has got his tactics wrong - 7- trophies already say the opposite. With the defence no one can legislate for Stones not being mentally tough enough and Mendy being a perma-crock. Pep will do what he wants to do regardless of what Messi does and vice versa - Pep has always said that he would either get sacked or let the club know if he thought he could do no more - thats all you can expect of a manager. Im sure the club are already aware of who they want for the next manager - the succession will already have been planned and it will be at that point that maybe Messi will hang up his boots or play somewhere like the MLS for a year or two to finish off.
Etc.
It's not such a simple question as suggested
It is actually asimple question and you sort of answered it yourself in the first line - I have no doubt Messi has enough left to be fucking brilliant, himself, for some years to come.
The off the pitch stuff that you are worried about Txixi and Khaldoon will control and even if you doubt Pep the recent woman slapping of UEFA at the CAS case should leave you in no doubt that these guys do not mess around and they are too be trusted.