Lionel Messi

[Barcon]

Cape Coast Mysterious Dwarves is a close 2nd

He said dumbest, not greatest

 

[Keeper!]

I was just saying this to mates yesterday in our football group chat.

If you watch all of his goals, nearly all come from very suspect defending, keeping, or both. The fact that Robert Taylor has all of a sudden become Bernardo Silva (only no defender seems interested in getting near him) to set up Messi numerous times is quite interesting in of itself.

And they have all been in the inaugural campaign of the Leagues Cup (combined MLS and Liga MX Cup competition), in which both leagues have a vested interest in maximising viewership to establish the comp as viable and noteworthy.

Messi is still good, and the level of MLS is certainly below Ligue 1, but some of the opposition play for his goals and assists defy logic. At times he is left completely unmarked for no apparent reason, even though he is by far the most dangerous player on the pitch in every single match.

And his former Barca mates coming to play in their twilight hasn’t miraculously turned all of the other Inter Miami players in to world class tacticians, nor opposition players in to U12 upstarts.

Some of the goals are decent, but several genuinely look choreographed, and few more just seem too easy, even for the level of play.

Reminds me of what my coach used to instruct several us to do in training matches when our star striker went on a barren patch: don’t try too hard to get the ball off him or block his shots; we need to give him back a bit of confidence.

Some of it will no doubt be players being in awe of playing with Messi and being afraid of injuring him, of course. But I don’t think that explains all of it.

Even if you don’t believe he is being helped to turn around matches toward the end, I think it is perfectly reasonable to assume he will be heavily protected when the league starts back up proper in September.

His first "goal" from the free kick in injury time was a total joke, the keeper could have thrown his cap on the ball it was going that slowly.

And the worse part of all this is Beckham reappearing with his ugly wife in the newspapers, FFS what a pair of botoxed top hats.

 

[Javi Garcia's Hairstylist]

Whenever the local news shows New England Revolution highlights, the ever-curious Mrs Javi always asks me what is being done "wrong." Even to the point of bringing everything down to slow motion.

Invariably I am always criticizing the defending. Look at this guy - he needs to be here but is way over there. Look at the keeper - leaving half the goal open to be shot at.

No one is telling these players opposing "Inter Miami" to be terrible defenders so the odious little gnome can score more easily. They have that covered already.

 

[Pell]

Cape Coast Mysterious Dwarves is a close 2nd

That's a brilliant name.

 

[TinFoilHat]

Is the MLS sports or entertainment?

If it's going down the way of manipulation of results to make sure Messi and Team Beckham win the title it's not exactly taking the game seriously. Along with it all being about the $$$ it wouldn't surprise me and I'm sure the preening nanny shagger would love the publicity.

 

[Summerbuzz]

Whenever the local news shows New England Revolution highlights, the ever-curious Mrs Javi always asks me what is being done "wrong." Even to the point of bringing everything down to slow motion.

Invariably I am always criticizing the defending. Look at this guy - he needs to be here but is way over there. Look at the keeper - leaving half the goal open to be shot at.

No one is telling these players opposing "Inter Miami" to be terrible defenders so the odious little gnome can score more easily. They have that covered already.

That's my impression from the highlights. There's weaknesses individually and also maybe a bit of coaching nous lacking, seems to be stuff there to be exploited. Running as a group to the ball when it gets into the box and leaving the latecomers masses of spaces. That fits with what I've seen of MLS. It's not really at a European level in some regards.

W/R/T the freekicks, it's, uhh.. City ruthlessly targetted and exploited Pickford's weaknesses at free kicks - twice - to wrap up the league. Was he paid off? Doubt it.

 

[xMatMcC]

Honestly if Messi joined us it'd be a spectacle to see, even at his current age he is probably the best player in the world.

Him working off Haaland would be so so so fucking fun. Too bad City football group couldn't lure him in with a NYCFC deal that loaned him to City for this season.

 

[Betterdeedthan red]

Honestly if Messi joined us it'd be a spectacle to see, even at his current age he is probably the best player in the world.

Him working off Haaland would be so so so fucking fun. Too bad City football group couldn't lure him in with a NYCFC deal that loaned him to City for this season.

I think the Premier league is slightly different to that tin top waste of time he's playing in now

 

[SebastianBlue]

That's my impression from the highlights. There's weaknesses individually and also maybe a bit of coaching nous lacking, seems to be stuff there to be exploited. Running as a group to the ball when it gets into the box and leaving the latecomers masses of spaces. That fits with what I've seen of MLS. It's not really at a European level in some regards.

W/R/T the freekicks, it's, uhh.. City ruthlessly targetted and exploited Pickford's weaknesses at free kicks - twice - to wrap up the league. Was he paid off? Doubt it.

These are different keepers, so unless they all have the same weakness and seemingly all chose to not watch video of Messi’s approach to freekicks (for… reasons), I am not sure deficiencies is a good explanation.

I still maintain his freekicks could have been saved by pretty average keepers positioned correctly. And the goalkeeper position is one of the few real strengths of the American football system, consistently producing some of the most promising keepers in the world.

I agree that MLS is a lower standard, but some of the defending on show is comically bad, and more so than I have seen watching many MLS matches (both in person when I could still go to matches and via tele). In many instances they are inexplicably leaving the most dangerous player on the pitch (in any match, full stop) completely unmarked. In some cases, not even looking in his direction.

That’s not to mention the—how should I say it—generous treatment he has gotten in the Leagues Cup from referees.

It’s important to remember he hasn’t actually played in the league yet. They are playing in the inaugural iteration of a combined MLS and Liga MX Cup tournament which interrupts each leagues regular season as a contained comp.

The financial reward of winning the comp is minor, but the financial incentive for massive viewership is high for both leagues (and their teams), so creating a Cinderella, GOAT Saves Club narrative is highly lucrative and more easily achieved in an already heavily manipulated tournament.

 

[xMatMcC]

I think the Premier league is slightly different to that tin top waste of time he's playing in now

He was the best player in Ligue 1 last season, and the best at the World Cup. Not sure Messi is only good because he's in the MLS mate.