Lionel Messi: GOAT 🐐

[Trilly]

His CL debut was against Shakhtar, he didn't play Chelsea that season.

Had me second guessing myself how you'd remember a match in 05 as a juice box drinking year 7 when you didn't even remember when we broke our trophy drought.

I could swear the pundit said it was his debut? Maybe debut CL season?

Either way it was very early in his career and I think it was the first time English fans were exposed to him.

I remember the trophy drought game ffs, I just made a mistake Kmt

 

[jones]

I could swear the pundit said it was his debut? Maybe debut CL season?

Either way it was very early in his career and I think it was the first time English fans were exposed to him.

I remember the trophy drought game ffs, I just made a mistake Kmt

The Messi game is ok to misremember but not letting you off for mixing up Hull with Villa, one was a 4-0 kick in the park the other was the first trophy in almost a decade and took as many years off any Arsenal fan's lifespan.

 

[pigge]

They just love the game too much and know their limitations. All the GOATs seem to have a good understanding of when they’re done done.

I think Messi could still do another season or two in a top five league if he goes to a team that can do the running for him. If football wasn’t so athleticism and pressing based these days you could play him as a number 10 for another five years imo.

Anyone who thinks a guy that gets 19 goals and 19 assists in 27 games doesn't have a few more seasons in him is a god damn idiot. He's still easily one of the best players in the world. Don't get why people think he should retire when he's probably on of if not the best in the game still

 

[Macho]

Anyone who thinks a guy that gets 19 goals and 19 assists in 27 games doesn't have a few more seasons in him is a god damn ****. He's still easily one of the best players in the world. Don't get why people think he should retire when he's probably on of if not the best in the game still

I'd personally get very annoyed if he got criticised for not tracking back or defending which many people started to do actually. I think that's a fear for many of us that one day it will be accepted as common knowledge he is unfit for "the modern game" and want him to retire on a high.

Increasingly in football there are plenty of people who get irritated by big characters and individualism which is coming increasingly common.

Look at the pelters Messi, Ronaldo, even Mbappe caught this tournament and just in general.

 

[Macho]

Could you imagine him joining Arsenal and getting ousted by Arteta for his defensive contributions lacking

I honestly can, could also imagine absolute b*ms like @UpTheGunnerz saying "Messi dusted not fit to play for the Assna una" etc.

Honestly God forbid, let the man just retire on a high or go to a team/league that appreciates him.

 

[albakos]

I honestly can, could also imagine absolute b*ms like @UpTheGunnerz saying "Messi dusted not fit to play for the Assna una" etc.

 

[Ash10]

The fact that one player got to be the best goal scorer, best dribbler & the best passer in the world in his career is just mind boggling

It's just been a privilege that we got to witness such greatness

 

[Trilly]

the other was the first trophy in almost a decade and took as many years off any Arsenal fan's lifespan.

I literally remember where I was during that game, watching it with two United fans at uni. Was horrible man, horrible.

 

[UpTheGunnerz]

Could you imagine him joining Arsenal and getting ousted by Arteta for his defensive contributions lacking

I honestly can, could also imagine absolute b*ms like @UpTheGunnerz saying "Messi dusted not fit to play for the Assna una" etc.

Honestly God forbid, let the man just retire on a high or go to a team/league that appreciates him.

Wtf is this claim
Messi has always been my goat

 

[Trilly]

Anyone who thinks a guy that gets 19 goals and 19 assists in 27 games doesn't have a few more seasons in him is a god damn ****. He's still easily one of the best players in the world. Don't get why people think he should retire when he's probably on of if not the best in the game still

Last season he was adapting to a new (much more physical if easier) league, the second team he’s ever played for and in a new country.

Everyone saying he’s finished and past it and he still gets 26 goals/assists in 34 games. He’s already matched that total this season by the way.

Guy is a freak man.

 

[Macho]

Wtf is this claim
Messi has always been my goat

My bad.

 

[UpTheGunnerz]

My bad.

Dusted acquisition una

 

[Rasmi]

Last season he was adapting to a new (much more physical if easier) league, the second team he’s ever played for and in a new country.

Everyone saying he’s finished and past it and he still gets 26 goals/assists in 34 games. He’s already matched that total this season by the way.

Guy is a freak man.

Never understood how the French league is easier. It’s much more defensive than the PL and physical. Bundesliga is the easiest for attackers then the PL

 

[UpTheGunnerz]

Wtf is this claim
Messi has always been my goat

That being said, never been thrilled having an ultra super duper star at our club de institution

 

[Macho]

That being said, never been thrilled having an ultra super duper star at our club de institution

 

[Riou]

 

[UpTheGunnerz]

Something about the media discourse would revolve under that is a bit off putting
But it’s just a pranthesis
I’d do unspeakable things to get messi at the carpet

 

[Trilly]

Dusted acquisition una

Accusation btw


Una

 

[db10_therza]

Accusation btw


Una

I was really really confused for a while there…

 

[El Duderino]

I don’t know if we’ll ever have someone who was a better goalscorer than the elite goalscorers and a better playmaker than the elite playmakers again, even for just a season or two let alone a decade.

CR7, Mbappe and Henry have had 30+ goal and 20 assist type seasons but they’ve never been ‘playmakers’.

The closest we have to Messi is Neymar in that regard. When those two are done it will be sad, I don’t even see anyone currently on the scene that could grow into that type of player let alone hit that level.

*puts his old man yells at cloud hat*

fbref generation don't know how good we had it. Unlike tiki-taka before it though, stats based football is here to stay, I'm afraid.

Going to need something big to pry the football meta away from "you have x% better chance to open a pass up if you have a left footed LCB" and with good reason. That stuff actually works at club level.

It is what it is though, and at least in tournaments like the World Cup, that matters very little. Specially if we managed to keep it being held only every four years.