El Classico

[Maw Maw]

Look at Messi, doesn't dive. love that about him. greatest player in the world by miles.

 

[Carmona]

Fairly fuckin ordinary so far, Real with 10 or so behind the ball and Barça passing the shit out of it.

 

[storysham]

left it late

 

[afeencalleddan]

Look at Messi, doesn't dive. love that about him. greatest player in the world by miles.

Agreed. Most people base their opinions on Messi on things he did a year or two ago. Fact is he is strong as an ox and appreciates that his best work is done when opposing players are bouncing off him while other more pathetic types are gaining revenge for Michael Dawson challenges.

 

[Carmona]

I thought Messi lost the ball A LOT last night. Counted about 10 occasions when he tried to go past one too many and had the ball taken off him. Nice goal though.

 

[bugsy]

Probably Messi's poorest performance of the season overall but Ronaldo gave the ball away that many times in the 1st half against Sunderland last week (and didn't touch it that many times yesterday).
The constant kicking seemed to work unfortunately, at least he didnt flick out like a ponce after a fair challenge (again). Great to see him have the last laugh.

A bit of a reflection on the style of the game that Toure, Puyol and even Abidal were probably Barcas best players.

 

[mightyquark]

I thought Messi lost the ball A LOT last night. Counted about 10 occasions when he tried to go past one too many and had the ball taken off him. Nice goal though.

Fair point.
I have seen Messi do this before and it is usually when the opposition are kicking the shit out of him early doors.He usually just attacks players and invites the challenge often ending in bookings or sending offs.Maybe that was his modus operandum last night.Sometimes it works sometimes not .

 

[mightyquark]

Probably Messi's poorest performance of the season overall but Ronaldo gave the ball away that many times in the 1st half against Sunderland last week (and didn't touch it that many times yesterday).
The constant kicking seemed to work unfortunately, at least he didnt flick out like a ponce after a fair challenge (again). Great to see him have the last laugh.

A bit of a reflection on the style of the game that Toure, Puyol and even Abidal were probably Barcas best players.

Puyol was excellent.
I think you may be a bit harsh on Messi..he was been marked in more ways than one but he is smart enough to know that he is taking 2 Real players out of the game when he is on the ball or when he is making runs thus creating space for his team mates.Also his finish was excellent.Very good players do that even when they are not having their best day.

 

[bugsy]

Puyol was excellent.
I think you may be a bit harsh on Messi..he was been marked in more ways than one but he is smart enough to know that he is taking 2 Real players out of the game when he is on the ball or when he is making runs thus creating space for his team mates.Also his finish was excellent.Very good players do that even when they are not having their best day.

I'm his biggest fan, it was a comment based more on his outstanding form so far rather than being poor or anything last night. The early tackles seemed to slow him down and he looked laboured in his movement.

Actuall I think you will find the BEST players just bang in goals against the likes of Stoke and Hull at home and disappear on these big occassions, or any away games...that may have been sarcastic.

 

[Lapsy Pa]

Dani Alves probably man of the match whereas Xavi didn't do his claim for world player of the year any favours.

Real had too many ordinary players like Salgado and Drenthe, Cannavaro is finished i'd say. They didn't even bother trying to stop Messi fairly just resorted to kicking him from the first minute.

On another note Iker Cassilas/Gareth Barry separated at birth?????