Lovitz near him at one point then he goes real wide and nobody picks him up again - there was a bit a few years ago by Pep talking about just this - he just walks around looking at space being aware of opportunities.
Its a privilege to watch him so close in our league now.
Yeah there's a sort of narrative built up recently that Messi has adjusted his game and now spends 90% of the game at walking pace and it's a sign of ageOriginally Posted by OgtheDim
While I'm sure he presses less than he used too, Messi has always been like this to a large extent. I remember going to see him in 2011, as the best player in the world on the best team ever assembled, and a non football hardcore friend of mine who went commenting on how shocked they were that he was just standing around for most of the game. And it was true. Pep, who managed him a decade ago, said "He's walking... That's what I like the most. He is not out of the game, he's involved. He's moving his head: right, left, left, right. He knows exactly what is going to happen. But his head is always like this [Guardiola turns his head left and right]. He's always moving. "He's not running, but he's always watching what's happening. He smells where are the weak points in the back four. After five, ten minutes, he has the map in his eyes, in his brain to know exactly where is the space and what is the panorama. It's like being in the jungle and I have to survive. And he knows if I move here, here, I will have more space to attack."
He's someone who is ruthless with knowing when to move and when you'd just be moving for the sake of not being accused of being lazy. He pressed like a terrier dog when the time was right, but knew when it wasn't. It's a fascinating part of his game that should be studied, but it's not particularly new - maybe slightly more extreme than before
I was talking to some Barca fans online yesterday. He ran the pitch most of the time prior to 2013, when he had an injury. Since then, he has deliberately limited his off-the-ball movement to preserve his strength, basically.
I don't know if you saw the video of him walking around before his goal against Nashville. IT's instructive. He walks constantly, but since he isn't relied on to play defence, he can hang around the midfield and by the time the transitional play switches to the offensive end of the pitch, he's hustled into the right position.
Can't imagine how lethal he was when he was mobile, can't really remember it now.
I can't offer a substantial disagreement beyond saying 'that's not how I remember it', if they lived in Barcelona and were regulars at the Camp Nou though I'd trust them over me 100%, I've only seen him live a few times and memory is a funny thing.
But, I certainly always remember being fascinated by how much walking and how little running he did under Peps Barcelona. As I said, when he had to press, he pressed like a demented animal as did that entire team. But he was always selective about it, and it was always in bursts. It's possible this got more extreme over time, but to me it's always been in his game and as I said a conversation I remember having after watching him live in 2011 with someone shocked that we could rate this guy who just stood around the whole game. She genuinely thought he must be crap. As I said he probably got far more extreme, maybe directly after the injury, but it's always been there in some way shape or form
I view his walking as a strength and something to be studied, not a weakness. Basically when the GOAT does something different to anyone else and produces output higher than anyone else, chances are it's him seeing something they don't. His movement is an incredibly hard thing to track, and fascinating to watch in action as it defies everything you were ever told as a kid learning the game. If I walked like that in my u12 team I'd have been subbed by minute 20 so it's always been something really interesting to me
Last edited by JoesphNdo; 08-22-2023 at 10:58 AM.
Like the lion prowling the plains of the Serengeti among the poor gazelles.
What struck me wasn't that he walked for three straight minutes. It's that he's doing it to very precise, specific field locations to watch what's going on. He moves between the points where it's mostly likely he'll need to be when he starts running.
A few times in the video, he looks up and checks the line of where he's walking and his target, even though he's clearly not facing the play. In other words, he's figured out the exact positions he needs to be in at any point to read the play and where the space will be.
There's more prescribed movement and "pattern of play" in his strolling than there was in any of our buildup last week.
Now we're going to get every youth player copying that and be like "well the goat does it", "work smarter than harder!". Lol.
In all seriousness that must be so annoying for defenders or anyone asked to mark him, you feel like your just sucked into false sense of security, or questioning your contribution by marking a guy going for a stroll.
I've seen a few quotes from former players lately about it. It's just so easy to lose track of him because he's so nonchalant in it. They let him get behind them because they figure a) the play is on their other side, so they have to look away and b) he's just walking anyway, so easy to track if he begins a run.
But Messi is like any great forward. He watches the defenders, waits to see when their attention is drawn away. He has as much eye on them as the ball.
Seba did this brilliantly as well. Of our current squad, Coello is exceptional at it; his head is always on a swivel. He's not the most adroit, limber midfielder but he rarely coughs up the ball and his long passing completion rate is excellent.
Incidentally, for anyone with a VEE Pee En, Miami's Open cup game is on CBS Golazo tonight, a free streaming service in the U.S.
EDIT: Never mind, they've moved it to Paramount+, the subscription streamer.
Last edited by jloome; 08-23-2023 at 01:20 PM.
That's a pretty perfect metaphor.
Last edited by jloome; 08-23-2023 at 01:22 PM.
FYI/FWIW, the US Open Cup, Inter Miami vs. Cincinnati, match is 'live-ish?' on YouTube!
Last edited by Mr. Inbetween; 08-23-2023 at 07:28 PM.
miami look gassed and have 8 games in the next 5 weeks.
highly doubt they put together a run to get into playoffs.
Messi provides the service, Campana buries it. Inter Miami back in it? MIA-1/CIN-2.
OMG, WTF just happened! Final minute of extra-time... Messi to Campana AGAIN!!!
'Messi doesn't pull rabbits... he pulls Kangaroos!'
Last edited by Mr. Inbetween; 08-23-2023 at 08:04 PM.
Tata has huevos. Subs out Campana/2 goals for Cremaschi.
Unbelievable! Martinez!
Goaaal Cincinatti- Kubo! 3-3!
Penalties!
Penalties... Save by Miami!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What just happened!!!!! Inter Miami!!!!!
Of course Cremaschi.
Yeah... fuck those guys.
I mean, good for the league and all, but I'm not getting excited that they keep pulling it out. I mean... they're in our conference, dude. I don't really want them to be good.
Yeh, the drama is all fun but its getting a bit like watching a cross between Man City & a couple of hobbits heading with a ring towards a certain fire.
Its either steamroller or they will somehow win anyways.
Soon as I saw Hagglund step up I knew he’d miss. Can’t believe they picked him to go fifth.
During the break, seemed like someone in the Cincinnati huddle raised their arm and volunteered to take the pen; it may have been him.
For the most part, I believe you have literally just described the leading clubs, and their season play, in each of football's Top 5 Leagues of the world. Welcome to the big leagues; time to wear big boy pants?
Nah...part of the fun of MLS is "the most $ doesn't always win" (see us). Uncertainty is also part of the charm. Even in 2017, we had to fight for points sometimes and sometimes didn't get those.
They've dropped off a ton since first couple games.
They've won some shoot outs but they've also tied 3 of last 5 games in normal time (huge choke jobs by dallas and cinci).
They now have 8 games in 5 weeks.
Huge test now, really.
TFC will get their chance on 20SEP23... Lionel, Sergio, Jordi vs. VV, Lollo, Fede?
I'm fairly certain that game would be the most expensive game in MLS history salary wise.
DAZN had the game in Canada.
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