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Worth thinking about without going into hysterics. This is not "let's get rid of Messi with another 5 seasons of prime ahead." That would be unthinkable.
Letting him go now would be painful, and there are arguments for keeping him. And arguments for selling. https://twitter.com/LaMasiaNostra/status/1294542546190741510
Letting him go now would be painful, and there are arguments for keeping him. And arguments for selling. https://twitter.com/LaMasiaNostra/status/1294542546190741510
Sell (1):
He is 33 y.o. and he might have 2 yrs of elite left.
It's hard for fans to be honest about this. They point at his goals and assists, his decision making, the chances he creates. All true. But he's getting older. No matter how many times you call him God, he's human.
He is 33 y.o. and he might have 2 yrs of elite left.
It's hard for fans to be honest about this. They point at his goals and assists, his decision making, the chances he creates. All true. But he's getting older. No matter how many times you call him God, he's human.
Recovery time between matches increases. He will lose that first step (already losing it bit by bit). When he further loses his ability to get past defenders, those defenders will be able to defend the rest of his game better as well.
If we are honest, in many big games we see a degree of decline already. Gone are the days we play M*drid and KNOW he will light them up. Gone are the days when Leo receives a hard foul that the referee ignores and he turns into *Angry Messi* and goes into *Destroy Mode*
Messi has played 43 clasicos during which he scored 26 goals and made 14 assists (40 goal contributions in 43 matches).
His last 6 seasons? 14 clasicos, 4 goals & 2 assists (6 goal contributions)
In comparison, his first 29 clasicos: 22 goals and 12 assists.
His last 6 seasons? 14 clasicos, 4 goals & 2 assists (6 goal contributions)
In comparison, his first 29 clasicos: 22 goals and 12 assists.
Not that these defeats are on his shoulders, but his performances in decisive matches vs Juve, Rome, Anfield (2nd half), BM... He did not step up and make a difference.
It is rare he does not make a difference but the last 4 seasons this has happened on the biggest occasions.
It is rare he does not make a difference but the last 4 seasons this has happened on the biggest occasions.
The problem with Messi is that if he does not make a difference on offense, we still play with one player less on defense. Good teams work to shut him down on offense and take advantage when we do not have the ball.
We get humiliated.
We get humiliated.
Sell (2):
This is the last summer we can get ~100m Next summer he is free. If he then stays, the summer after the'll be 35 y.o.
Clubs will pay 100m now bc they have a team that can work for him (City) and he is frickin Messi, the goat of the fucking jungle.
This is the last summer we can get ~100m Next summer he is free. If he then stays, the summer after the'll be 35 y.o.
Clubs will pay 100m now bc they have a team that can work for him (City) and he is frickin Messi, the goat of the fucking jungle.
Selling him now, along with banishing some of his colleauges, will go a long way to fixing our salary structure as well.
Sell (3):
We have proven completely inept at building around Messi. The board should not resign, they should step up and put their neck in a guillotine, and if Messi wants to be the one to pull the rope, who would deny him that pleasure.
We have proven completely inept at building around Messi. The board should not resign, they should step up and put their neck in a guillotine, and if Messi wants to be the one to pull the rope, who would deny him that pleasure.
This team needs a CF, LB & RB. Probably a CB too.
The chances of solving these problems while keeping Messi are zero to none. We will have to live with the frustration of Messi's Barça until he retires.
Personally I think Messi deserves better than Rome, Anfield and Lisbon.
The chances of solving these problems while keeping Messi are zero to none. We will have to live with the frustration of Messi's Barça until he retires.
Personally I think Messi deserves better than Rome, Anfield and Lisbon.
While we have many positions on which we NEED players, we are loaded at RW (AG, Trincao, Ous) with guys who don't play well with Messi.
Ous is not worth any money bc of his injuries. Trincao won't be sold. Griez won't go - he just got here, is talented and works his ass off.
Ous is not worth any money bc of his injuries. Trincao won't be sold. Griez won't go - he just got here, is talented and works his ass off.
If we sell Messi, we could be looking at a frontline made up of 3 of Griez/Ous/Ansu/Trincao and a proper CF. That is a lot of talent.
And we'd have money for that frontline to have a proper team behind them.
And we'd have money for that frontline to have a proper team behind them.
Keep (1)
Messi is the goat and he has been with us since he was 13 years old. He stayed here despite an incompetent board. He deserves to leave the club whenever the FUCK he decides.
Messi is the goat and he has been with us since he was 13 years old. He stayed here despite an incompetent board. He deserves to leave the club whenever the FUCK he decides.
Keep (2)
Messi's current ability arguably still makes him the best player in the world right now.
Messi's current ability arguably still makes him the best player in the world right now.
Keep (3)
Messi's decline might be slower and/or less drastic than what i predict.
Messi's decline might be slower and/or less drastic than what i predict.
Keep (4)
Between Dembélé, Coutinho, Griezmann, Vidal, Rakitic, Umtiti, Sergi Roberto, Semedo, Firpo Junior, Todibo, Rafinha, Busquets, Piqué, Jordi Alba and Jordi Alba's mama, we might be able to sell well enough to build around Messi.
Between Dembélé, Coutinho, Griezmann, Vidal, Rakitic, Umtiti, Sergi Roberto, Semedo, Firpo Junior, Todibo, Rafinha, Busquets, Piqué, Jordi Alba and Jordi Alba's mama, we might be able to sell well enough to build around Messi.
Keep (5)
I don't want to ever see Messi lose 8-2 again. But I don't want 8-2 to be his last match for Barça either.
I don't want to ever see Messi lose 8-2 again. But I don't want 8-2 to be his last match for Barça either.
Keep (6)
This board will prove just as inept at building without Messi as they were building around Messi.
This board will prove just as inept at building without Messi as they were building around Messi.
Conclusion (none and only)
We have Messi, but clubs that spend their money wisely have much better teams than us. Then again, we have Messi.
The case can be made for and against keeping him. I don't think either opinion should be ridiculed, as long as they make a solid case.
We have Messi, but clubs that spend their money wisely have much better teams than us. Then again, we have Messi.
The case can be made for and against keeping him. I don't think either opinion should be ridiculed, as long as they make a solid case.
