2014/2015 European Football Thread

On the second goal, that's football and that's sports. The best players get lucky at times and the best players sometimes make a selfish decision instead of the best decision. It doesn't negate their greatness because 9/10 times they make the right play or they get lucky if they don't.

Re. Messi not showing you what you might have expected at the WC Final or the UCL final- Not all great players play great in every, single, finals appearance. Messi has had excellent finals appearances in the past and average ones. So have plenty of other great players that have appeared in multiple finals matches or games in Soccer and other sports.

Stop with the hateration and get to Ibiza, Majorca or wherever and enjoy your summer vacation.

(P.S. I was rooting for Juve(sorry rox1) and wanted Messi and Barca to lose but I can't hate on a great team and the great players on that team).

 

Jontro must be crying into his Liverpool Luis Suarez shirt.

Liverpool being kinda cheap(even though they'll still have to pay compensation for Ings).
If they wanted a striker that is relatively young, recently got relegated but has shown he can cut it in the Prem, they should've ponied up for Charlie Austin. Liverpool stay Liverpooling.

 

Believe me, I'm far from that. I have far stronger aversions against Ronaldo and Real in general.

I do know a little more about football than being that superficial.

You mentioned a lot of big games, but not a single one when he played for his national team. Three world cups, didn't show up in one of them (and please don't say he did great or good last year). On the Bayern games: They were massively handicaped in both one's you mentioned (anyone remembers world class players Lell and Ottl?). On the Champions League finals: 2009 Manchester was kinda there but kinda not. 2011, that goal is clearly on van der Sar - but anyways. Once again: I'm not saying he is overrated, I'm not saying he's hasn't been one of the world's best players for almost a decade - I just expect more from a guy that is constantly compared to the names I mentioned, especially on the national squad when you don't have Xavi, Iniesta or Busquets on your side, making life easy. I just see no base for that creepy worshipping, especially after last year's World Cup and this year's final in which other guys got it done.

And in all respect to your opinion, please don't mention the Club World Cup if you want to be taken seriously. That's a joke of a competition.

Can you name one on the biggest stages in which he was indeed excellent and really made a difference? I thought about it but really couldn't. Maybe you can help me out. Or maybe not, since I guess we simply disagree here.

 

So here's the problem. You mention Finals then you mention overall tournaments. What's your problem with Messi's play- is it in the final match of a competition or is it in in the overall competition because he actually did have a very good World Cup. He was Argentina's offense in the group stage and early knockout stage. As the tournament progressed into the final, he didn't have the massive influence you appear to expect(perhaps due to how opponents played him or perhaps something to do with him) but him being on the pitch even half fit still usually ends up with him being one of the more dangerous players in any match.

I know your question was mainly for rox1 but permit me,
you say he hasn't been one of the world's best players, for almost a decade? But you're not hating on him?



I'm a CRonaldo fan for life and I've stubbornly refused to accept Messi as being a better player and I've done my fair share of Messi hating in the past but man, what you're doing is kinda taking it to another level. Hasn't been "one of the world's best players for almost a decade"?

The 2011 Champions League Final against the side I support, Man. United.

You easily dismiss his goal in it as "being clearly on Van Der Sar" and ignore Messi's performance during the match. Plus, I'm not sure the goal was "clearly on VDS" considering Messi had the shot curling away from the keeper albeit a low strike.
He had an excellent match. Not sure if the other United fan on here that I know of(Sir Geving) remembers and can attest to what he saw as a United fan but I'm sure other United fans (and the United backline) would attest to Messi's excellence during that match.

Also, you dismiss the 2009 final as "Manchester was kinda there, kinda not". WTH?
Were United on the pitch? Was Messi on the pitch? Was he dangerous? Did he have a good match? Did he give United's backline trouble? Did he score?
Ok then.

 

Messi is arguably there with the all-time greats.

But...



This guy has one more world cup winning goal than Messi has...and likely ever will have.

Also...Messi has 97 national team matches and 45 goals...which is a pretty good ratio (similar to that of Karl-Heinz Rummenigge).

Gerd Mueller scored 68 times in 62 national team matches...(and scored one world-cup winning goal as well). Now THAT is pretty amazing.

 

Quit hatin' brehs. We've been through a rough rebuilding phase since Hicks and Gillett raped the club of its identity. Ings will most likely max out as a Henderson type of talent for his position.

I have faith that one day an Arab prince will purchase LFC and release the club from the shackles of moneez balls.

 

Lol it's all love breh, all love.:grin:

 

You said it all with that sentence. Up there with the greats but there are still some areas for improvement-with the National team, before one can even say he is unarguably the greatest Argentinian. (I think he is but there are solid arguments that can be made for Maradona being the greatest).

So, main thing is there's definitely room for improvement in Messi's international career before he should be called the greatest player, etc. but he is a great player and already one of the all-time greats and it's silly for fans to deny that.

P.S. I bet you have a framed picture of Gotze's goal in every room in your house. I wouldn't judge you if you admitted it .

 

Haha no, but I will admit I have watched that ESPN video of the world cup more than once... :grin:

 

Just got the internship to do marketing for the local football Club (FCCZ Jena) for the next months, the first step to becoming the next Bayern president.

 

Major congrats breh.
(Work your tail off for them and enjoy the experience)

 

Thanks breh, btw I'll answer your mail this evening.

 

But Hakeem's championships were much more satisfying because his team were underdogs from the get go.

Breh. There are no secrets between us ClutchBrehs. Nonna dat email stuff. email is for office work.

 

Dani is coming back. 2 year deal!