La Liga Discussion Thread 2014/15 Season.

Andersonisgod

K4t wrote: »

Just on this and to satisfy my own interest, what is the verdict on Rakitic? Surely there was no need for Kroos with his signing?

He's a very good player but he's been limited in the role he's being asked to play. He looks most effective when he goes forward and gets in the positions he was so impressive for Sevilla operating in. It was hoped he'd bring more directness and incision to the play. He's occasionally been asked to play as an odd kind of make-shift right winger. He's obviously not the same kind of players as Xavi and Enrique's indecision in how he wants the team to operate has had a detrimental effect on his season.

Even with Rakitic on board, Kroos should have been a no brainer. Different kinds of players, Kroos is perfectly suited orchestrating from deep, he's a magnificent player in the mould of great deep lying playmakers but idiocy has robbed Barcelona of his talents and Isco's. It's been famously claimed that when asked why don't Barcelona sign Isco, Zubizarreta responded that we don't need to, we have Sergi Roberto. This man has since been fired.

Turtwig

Isco was no brainer Barca fan all his life - still is. Too late now though.
Kroos was a very slim chance. Apparently he was set on Madrid with some time. Best Barca could have done was force Madrid to pay more.


The hilarious thing is they only ever needed centre backs and a goalie. They have two of the best defensive midfielders and they had both cesc and thiago. Letting them BOTH go must be the worse transfer management in the clubs history - and the club has some pretty shoddy transfer records.

Remember Sid, or Hunter, made the point that Rosell inherited Laporta's team. He wanted to make his own stamp. Hence, the coveting of Neymar for ages. Let's face it at the time Neymar wasn't necessary. A cb, most definitely was.


If Enrique goes, who is there? Klopp?

Andersonisgod

Turtwig wrote: »

Isco was no brainer Barca fan all his life - still is. Too late now though.
Kroos was a very slim chance. Apparently he was set on Madrid with some time. Best Barca could have done was force Madrid to pay more.


The hilarious thing is they only ever needed centre backs and a goalie. They have two of the best defensive midfielders and they had both cesc and thiago. Letting them BOTH go must be the worse transfer management in the clubs history - and the club has some pretty shoddy transfer records.

Remember Sid, or Hunter, made the point that Rosell inherited Laporta's team. He wanted to make his own stamp. Hence, the coveting of Neymar for ages. Let's face it at the time Neymar wasn't necessary. A cb, most definitely was.


If Enrique goes, who is there? Klopp?

A more perfect replacement for Iniesta we may never find but Zubizarreta passed because, well, he's Zubizarreta.

Rosell's rush to make his trademark signing, his version of the Ronaldinho signing, has cost the club dear. I will say though that Neymar is far from the worst signing and those areas did need an upgrade.

I think I threw out a few names that I saw mentioned on Twitter last night. Klopp is certainly one of those, perhaps De Boer or Favre. The trouble is trying to get a top class manager to join in the middle of the season. Surely there's a worthy interim out there. Someone, anyone with a clear idea of how to set up a Barcelona team and not alienate the best footballer the club has ever seen.

Turtwig

That's why I mentioned klopp Dortmund are in the sht. One would expect he'll be available.

Neymar is an outstanding player. A player any team deserves, just not the one Barca needed. So they'll shun him, because he can take it. Because he's not a centre back, he's an attacking menace. A constant threat, a football genius!

Moneymaker

Klopp or de Boer seem the logical choices to me.

Ulysses Gaze

miralize wrote: »

#CryuffIn

I'm deadly serious.

He had a major fall out with Rosell, and was stripped of his honorary Presidency a few years back.

Can't see it happening as Bartomeu is a Rosell man. Besides, he's been out of day-to-day club management for 18 years.

Would be better to try and get Rijkaard out of retirement until the end of the season tbh as he knows the club and most of the players. And that would not be my first choice either.

miralize

Ulysses Gaze wrote: »

He had a major fall out with Rosell, and was stripped of his honorary Presidency a few years back.

Can't see it happening as Bartomeu is a Rosell man. Besides, he's been out of day-to-day club management for 18 years.

Would be better to try and get Rijkaard out of retirement until the end of the season tbh as he knows the club and most of the players. And that would not be my first choice either.

Bartomeu knows his time is up. And I'm.a romantic in the sense of imagining Cruyff coming back to win us something after 18 years out of the game.

CSF

Andersonisgod wrote: »

Just imagine how bad Enrique must be if he has driven Messi to open warfare. Enrique can't go on, he must go.

Bad form on the part of Messi. You can have your grievances, but you don't resort to those sort of measures to get a manager sacked. Whether you're Messi, whether you're Ronaldo, whether you're Emile Heskey.

It is disrespectful to your teammates above all to think you can choose if and when you train.

Again, I'm speaking in hypotheticals, because there has been nothing concrete to say he has actually done this.

Turtwig

Very few managers can stay at the top level for so long. The game passes them by. Cryuff would be one heck of a gamble. Does he even coach anywhere now?

Edit: Reports in some media outlets that Messi confronted the board with his dissatisfaction over Enrique. Maybe I'm naive, I just don't think a player should be given that much power and influence. Incredibly bad form and may even send the entire squad into disarray.
Assuming the reports are true of course!

JaMarcusHustle

Andersonisgod wrote: »

The talk this morning that Messi hasn't shown up for training

Andersonisgod wrote: »

Messi, a perfect professional.....

There were only 13 words separating these 2 sentences.

Andersonisgod

CSF wrote: »

Bad form on the part of Messi. You can have your grievances, but you don't resort to those sort of measures to get a manager sacked. Whether you're Messi, whether you're Ronaldo, whether you're Emile Heskey.

It is disrespectful to your teammates above all to think you can choose if and when you train.

Again, I'm speaking in hypotheticals, because there has been nothing concrete to say he has actually done this.

As I said in a previous post, only those uninformed or those who idolize MARCA and AS could possibly think this was bad form on Messi's part. You have to take the whole thing into context, it's been brewing for 3 years. Hate campaigns, manipulation of the home media, hanging Messi out to dry time and time again, hiring inept managers, trying to lessen Messi's role in the team. This isn't some schoolboy they are messing around with, its the best damn player in the club's history and a modicum of respect wouldn't go astray.

In reality every single dressing room has a pecking order. Messi must look to Madrid and see how Ronaldo is treated by his club and wonder about his own situation. Madrid who back Ronaldo to the hilt on everything, who have campaigned relentlessly for his Balon D'or claim. Infact there's an example this morning in MARCA. The Madrid based paper ran a story about how Benzema, Ronaldo and Ancelotti were so upset by Bale's decision making in the game at the Mestalla, they say he had a golden opportunity to square the ball to Benzema for a tap in but he didn't. He was promptly chewed up by the 3 I mentioned. Ancelotti even criticized him publicly. Nobody had a go at Ronaldo for missing an even easier chance, the in house paper didn't have a go at the star man, apparently a foreign concept in Barcelona at present. Ronaldo is protected, Messi is not.

Well we know he wasn't at the training session at the Mini Estadi because it was an open training session. Perhaps they will make an excuse for it, the reality is undeniable, a rogue, unelected board and their manager have gone too far. He's treated Pique and Montoya disgracefully, his decision making has been perplexing, he's lost the changing room and he's driven Messi to this. Messi may not be the club captain but this is the action of a captain, he's doing what must be done for the good of the squad, the fans and the club.

Andersonisgod

Turtwig wrote: »

Very few managers can stay at the top level for so long. The game passes them by. Cryuff would be one heck of a gamble. Does he even coach anywhere now?

Edit: Reports in some media outlets that Messi confronted the board with his dissatisfaction over Enrique. Maybe I'm naive, I just don't think a player should be given that much power and influence. Incredibly bad form and may even send the entire squad into disarray.
Assuming the reports are true of course!

The squad is already in disarray. It's been in disarray since he ostracized Montoya and dealt so poorly with Pique. Messi's actions don't cause the disarray within the squad, he speaks for the squad. As a captain, as an experienced player, as the most important asset currently at the club his opinion carries weight. The shy, unassuming boy from Rosario has grown into the man every cule hoped that he would one day become, it is now, under the most trying of circumstances, that Messi transforms from not only a great footballer but to a great leader, an icon who anyone and everyone with any kind of love for Barcelona can rally behind.

CSF

Andersonisgod wrote: »

As I said in a previous post, only those uninformed or those who idolize MARCA and AS could possibly think this was bad form on Messi's part. You have to take the whole thing into context, it's been brewing for 3 years. Hate campaigns, manipulation of the home media, hanging Messi out to dry time and time again, hiring inept managers, trying to lessen Messi's role in the team. This isn't some schoolboy they are messing around with, its the best damn player in the club's history and a modicum of respect wouldn't go astray.

In reality every single dressing room has a pecking order. Messi must look to Madrid and see how Ronaldo is treated by his club and wonder about his own situation. Madrid who back Ronaldo to the hilt on everything, who have campaigned relentlessly for his Balon D'or claim. Infact there's an example this morning in MARCA. The Madrid based paper ran a story about how Benzema, Ronaldo and Ancelotti were so upset by Bale's decision making in the game at the Mestalla, they say he had a golden opportunity to square the ball to Benzema for a tap in but he didn't. He was promptly chewed up by the 3 I mentioned. Ancelotti even criticized him publicly. Nobody had a go at Ronaldo for missing an even easier chance, the in house paper didn't have a go at the star man, apparently a foreign concept in Barcelona at present. Ronaldo is protected, Messi is not.

Well we know he wasn't at the training session at the Mini Estadi because it was an open training session. Perhaps they will make an excuse for it, the reality is undeniable, a rogue, unelected board and their manager have gone too far. He's treated Pique and Montoya disgracefully, his decision making has been perplexing, he's lost the changing room and he's driven Messi to this. Messi may not be the club captain but this is the action of a captain, he's doing what must be done for the good of the squad, the fans and the club.

I don't read Marca or AS, to be honest you are full-on blind to Messi at this stage, because whether Enrique is in the wrong or not, he is way out of line here.

CSF

Andersonisgod wrote: »

The squad is already in disarray. It's been in disarray since he ostracized Montoya and dealt so poorly with Pique. Messi's actions don't cause the disarray within the squad, he speaks for the squad. As a captain, as an experienced player, as the most important asset currently at the club his opinion carries weight. The shy, unassuming boy from Rosario has grown into the man every cule hoped that he would one day become, it is now, under the most trying of circumstances, that Messi transforms from not only a great footballer but to a great leader, an icon who anyone and everyone with any kind of love for Barcelona can rally behind.

Absolute rubbish.

Moneymaker

Andersonisgod wrote: »

As I said in a previous post, only those uninformed or those who idolize MARCA and AS could possibly think this was bad form on Messi's part. You have to take the whole thing into context, it's been brewing for 3 years. Hate campaigns, manipulation of the home media, hanging Messi out to dry time and time again, hiring inept managers, trying to lessen Messi's role in the team. This isn't some schoolboy they are messing around with, its the best damn player in the club's history and a modicum of respect wouldn't go astray.

In reality every single dressing room has a pecking order. Messi must look to Madrid and see how Ronaldo is treated by his club and wonder about his own situation. Madrid who back Ronaldo to the hilt on everything, who have campaigned relentlessly for his Balon D'or claim. Infact there's an example this morning in MARCA. The Madrid based paper ran a story about how Benzema, Ronaldo and Ancelotti were so upset by Bale's decision making in the game at the Mestalla, they say he had a golden opportunity to square the ball to Benzema for a tap in but he didn't. He was promptly chewed up by the 3 I mentioned. Ancelotti even criticized him publicly. Nobody had a go at Ronaldo for missing an even easier chance, the in house paper didn't have a go at the star man, apparently a foreign concept in Barcelona at present. Ronaldo is protected, Messi is not.

Well we know he wasn't at the training session at the Mini Estadi because it was an open training session. Perhaps they will make an excuse for it, the reality is undeniable, a rogue, unelected board and their manager have gone too far. He's treated Pique and Montoya disgracefully, his decision making has been perplexing, he's lost the changing room and he's driven Messi to this. Messi may not be the club captain but this is the action of a captain, he's doing what must be done for the good of the squad, the fans and the club.

It's rare I agree with you, but all the same there are 2 sides to every story.

Has Messi been mistreated? Definitely.

Should he have acted unprofessionally? That includes his interactions with another club on social media. No.

I'm on his side but his conduct isn't as squeaky clean as you say. There are ways to go about things and Messi has acted poorly.

Barcelona reached such a peak for a few years, it was always going to be hard to sustain it. Many players are past their prime or gone out of form totally. Some horrendous blunders at the top, managers not on the level of Pep, and you have the mess you have today. Real and Atleti have improved dramatically too.

Andersonisgod

CSF wrote: »

I don't read Marca or AS, to be honest you are full-on blind to Messi at this stage, because whether Enrique is in the wrong or not, he is way out of line here.

Again I've explained why, far from out of line, Messi has gone from victim to symbol. If you look at it in the most isolated way, that being, "Messi doesn't show up for training" then yes he is wrong. However anyone whose been following this and puts it into context knows just how right Messi is in all of this. The Madrid papers will have you believe otherwise, the in house Barcelona papers will have you believe otherwise, but in the passing of time, Messi's actions will be hailed as a brave move from a man who cares only for the club, far more than what can be said of Bartomeu and his gang.

Andersonisgod

CSF wrote: »

Absolute rubbish.

If you don't actually back up your arguments with anything but just reply "total rubbish" then I'm not even sure you have an argument. Indeed it seems you are purely disagreeing for the sake of it. In any case I don't particularly care as it's rather clear that aside from reading a couple of MARCA influenced headlines you seem at a loss as to what is going on.

Andersonisgod

Moneymaker wrote: »

It's rare I agree with you, but all the same there are 2 sides to every story.

Has Messi been mistreated? Definitely.

Should he have acted unprofessionally? That includes his interactions with another club on social media. No.

I'm on his side but his conduct isn't as squeaky clean as you say. There are ways to go about things and Messi has acted poorly.

Barcelona reached such a peak for a few years, it was always going to be hard to sustain it. Many players are past their prime or gone out of form totally. Some horrendous blunders at the top, managers not on the level of Pep, and you have the mess you have today. Real and Atleti have improved dramatically too.

He had to do something. This is what he has come up with. Short of wearing a shirt with Junta Dimision printed across the front of it I'm not sure how many options he really had. If the story of him meeting with the board to discuss his dissatisfaction is true then even better.

When you deal with a group as underhanded as this board, there is no honor.

CSF

Andersonisgod wrote: »

If you don't actually back up your arguments with anything but just reply "total rubbish" then I'm not even sure you have an argument. Indeed it seems you are purely disagreeing for the sake of it. In any case I don't particularly care as it's rather clear that aside from reading a couple of MARCA influenced headlines you seem at a loss as to what is going on.

I don't read Marca.

Mushy

Andersonisgod wrote: »

Again I've explained why, far from out of line, Messi has gone from victim to symbol. If you look at it in the most isolated way, that being, "Messi doesn't show up for training" then yes he is wrong. However anyone whose been following this and puts it into context knows just how right Messi is in all of this. The Madrid papers will have you believe otherwise, the in house Barcelona papers will have you believe otherwise, but in the passing of time, Messi's actions will be hailed as a brave move from a man who cares only for the club, far more than what can be said of Bartomeu and his gang.

They'll still have to fine him for just not showing up though. There are better ways around showing your discontent than just skipping a session.

Andersonisgod

Just a bit more news I'm reading now.

Jordi Bastè, a well known and reliable journalist for RAC1 says that Messi has been in contact with Chelsea and apparently "dreams" of playing for them. As Rafael Hernandez says, this us surely a coordinated leak by the Messi camp to pile pressure on the Barcelona board.

Also reporting that Messi today visited the training center on an off day, no sessions on.

If this board somehow managed to lose Messi to Mourinho and Chelsea of all teams then we may as well start writing the obituaries now. This board have created a volcanic mess that will take years to clean up, lose Messi and it could be more than a decade. How sad would it be that an unelected board destroy Barcelona from within and end the Barcelona career of the great Lionel Messi.

As the board are showing, it's easy to twist things to make Messi look like the bad guy, the reality is that this is the worst case of high profile mismanagement in football history.

I'll just add this too: you have to remember the player we are talking about. All Messi wants to do is play football, it's all he's ever wanted. The celebrity, the complex politics, these aren't things that Messi seeks. He's someone who arrived from Rosario at 13 years of age, leaving behind his family and friends, he's grown up at Barcelona. He's made lifelong friends at Barcelona. He has sat back and watched Rosell destroy his friends. Guardiola, who is a massive figure in Messi's career, desperately wanted out in the end, tired of Rosell's scheming. Then Rosell's disgusting insults towards Pep, claiming he hadn't visited Tito. Messi's longtime friend Fabregas, messed about by the club, unceremoniously removed from the squad, now succeeding at Chelsea. Gerard Pique, another longtime friend from the youth team, he's been messed about so much by this board and manager. He's gone from boy to man, he I'd one of the most experienced players in the squad, he is a captain and he takes that responsibility seriously. He's had enough. This board has driven Messi from the football pitch to the political floor, if they drive him away from Barcelona they kill the club they represent.

Sgt Pepper 64

Chelsea will sign him and loan him out to Vitesse

Ulysses Gaze

Andersonisgod wrote: »

Just a bit more news I'm reading now.

Jordi Bastè, a well known and reliable journalist for RAC1 says that Messi has been in contact with Chelsea and apparently "dreams" of playing for them. As Rafael Hernandez says, this us surely a coordinated leak by the Messi camp to pile pressure on the Barcelona board.

Also reporting that Messi today visited the training center on an off day, no sessions on.

If this board somehow managed to lose Messi to Mourinho and Chelsea of all teams then we may as well start writing the obituaries now. This board have created a volcanic mess that will take years to clean up, lose Messi and it could be more than a decade. How sad would it be that an unelected board destroy Barcelona from within and end the Barcelona career of the great Lionel Messi.

As the board are showing, it's easy to twist things to make Messi look like the bad guy, the reality is that this is the worst case of high profile mismanagement in football history.

It's reminding me more and more of the end of Maradona's time at Napoli.

At the end, he had gone to war with the board and they were on the verge of selling him. In 1990 and 1991, he'd consistently missed training and then a match in Russia in the European Cup.

ThunbergsAreGo

I think about 99.9% of the worlds clubs wish they were going through a "crises" or were in "disarray" like Barcelona

speedboatchase

Andersonisgod wrote: »

All Messi wants to do is play football, it's all he's ever wanted. The celebrity, the complex politics, these aren't things that Messi seeks. He's someone who arrived from Rosario at 13 years of age, leaving behind his family and friends, he's grown up at Barcelona. He's made lifelong friends at Barcelona. He has sat back and watched Rosell destroy his friends. Guardiola, who is a massive figure in Messi's career, desperately wanted out in the end, tired of Rosell's scheming. Then Rosell's disgusting insults towards Pep, claiming he hadn't visited Tito. Messi's longtime friend Fabregas, messed about by the club, unceremoniously removed from the squad, now succeeding at Chelsea. Gerard Pique, another longtime friend from the youth team, he's been messed about so much by this board and manager. He's gone from boy to man, he I'd one of the most experienced players in the squad, he is a captain and he takes that responsibility seriously. He's had enough. This board has driven Messi from the football pitch to the political floor, if they drive him away from Barcelona they kill the club they represent.

He's not a god and he's not blameless. Not showing up to yesterday's open-doors training for child fans was pretty poor form, as was refusing to be substituted earlier this season. He may not like Enrique, or the board, but he has a duty to his fans and his teammates to be professional.

MisterAnarchy

Andersonisgod wrote: »

Just a bit more news I'm reading now.

Jordi Bastè, a well known and reliable journalist for RAC1 says that Messi has been in contact with Chelsea and apparently "dreams" of playing for them.

Chelsea of all clubs to pick ,managed by the enemy of Barcelona ,the translator.
I dont believe Messi would ever like to play under Mourinho and his destructive style of football .

All these stories are coming out to try and destabilize the board and get them out which is inevitable at this stage

If Messi didnt turn up for training I think he is getting a bit too big for his boots and adding weight to the rumours of him being a bit of a diva ,hinted at before by his attitude to Villa and others.

Messi's demands that he be the fulcrum of almost all their attacks in the last few years has been a primary problem in Barcelonas current ineffective style of play.

Messi is far too static ,mostly in too deep a role and he no longer seems to want to run or make runs near the penalty box.
His distance stats over the last 18 months have been very low,perhaps he has been carrying an injury but one must also question his commitment.

Gerard Pique, another longtime friend from the youth team, he's been messed about so much by this board and manager. He's gone from boy to man, he I'd one of the most experienced players in the squad, he is a captain and he takes that responsibility seriously. He's had enough.

Ah now,Pique has gone from man to boy ,not boy to man.
He is a shadow of the player he was before he hooked up with Shakira.

His head wasnt right even when Pep was there,he had him spied on to make sure he wasn't out late in nightclubs .
He needs a good boot in the backside to be honest.

Andersonisgod

speedboatchase wrote: »

He's not a god and he's not blameless. Not showing up to yesterday's open-doors training for child fans was pretty poor form, as was refusing to be substituted earlier this season. He may not like Enrique, or the board, but he has a duty to his fans and his teammates to be professional.

Genuinely he is though. Also Messi showed up today and worked on his own, a gesture typical of the man. Those kids who didn't get to see him can one day thank him. It's one thing being the most important player on the pitch but Messi has picked up the mantle here, if this leads to the demise of the most damaging board since the height of Franco's regime then those kids will be forever thankful for what Messi has done for the club. This isn't some kind of situation where a player has gone rogue, Messi represents the squad, a squad entirely disillusioned with the manager.

Andersonisgod

MisterAnarchy wrote: »

Chelsea of all clubs to pick ,managed by the enemy of Barcelona ,the translator.
I dont believe Messi would ever like to play under Mourinho and his destructive style of football .

All these stories are coming out to try and destabilize the board and get them out which is inevitable at this stage

If Messi didnt turn up for training I think he is getting a bit too big for his boots and adding weight to the rumours of him being a bit of a diva ,hinted at before by his attitude to Villa and others.

Messi's demands that he be the fulcrum of almost all their attacks in the last few years has been a primary problem in Barcelonas current ineffective style of play.

Messi is far too static ,mostly in too deep a role and he no longer seems to want to run or make runs near the penalty box.
His distance stats over the last 18 months have been very low,perhaps he has been carrying an injury but one must also question his commitment.



Ah now,Pique has gone from man to boy ,not boy to man.
He is a shadow of the player he was before he hooked up with Shakira.

His head wasnt right even when Pep was there,he had him spied on to make sure he wasn't out late in nightclubs .
He needs a good boot in the backside to be honest.

I don't know what I can say here other than clearly The boards attempts to manipulate opinion have been effective. It's been a slow process, it's been subtle but it's been constant. As said in the Daily Mail article, the key has been that it appears to the world as though Messi is engineering a move away from Barcelona, it's been a quite devious and brilliant campaign by the board to convince fans that is the case when the reality is that this board, since the Rosell days, have wanted rid of Messi.

As I've said, it's one of the few responses he could have given. In isolation it looks bad, on context it's downright reasonable. That's a myth. One argument on the pitch, since Villa left he has described Messi as being one of the best teammates he's ever had. Ibrahinovic has done the same and called Messi the best ever. These stories of domineering Messi is a myth. When he's selfish he's accused of being a dictator, when he's selfless he's accused of being too meek, he can't win against a manipulating media.

I could not disagree more. I can't imagine how bad the last few seasons could have been without Messi. He's grown to become the team's primary playmaker and he remains the primary source for of goals, this season he has played out of his skin in a side without direction, in chaos.

So much responsibility and a fear for injury means he must be more conservative with how he exerts energy. Also he rarely misses games. That being said, anyone whose seen him play this season could not possibly complain about his contributions, he has been other-worldly. He's gone above and beyond to save this team.

His form has been up and down. However that hasn't warranted public criticism.

Moneymaker

Andersonisgod wrote: »

I don't know what I can say here other than clearly The boards attempts to manipulate opinion have been effective. It's been a slow process, it's been subtle but it's been constant. As said in the Daily Mail article, the key has been that it appears to the world as though Messi is engineering a move away from Barcelona, it's been a quite devious and brilliant campaign by the board to convince fans that is the case when the reality is that this board, since the Rosell days, have wanted rid of Messi.

As I've said, it's one of the few responses he could have given. In isolation it looks bad, on context it's downright reasonable. That's a myth. One argument on the pitch, since Villa left he has described Messi as being one of the best teammates he's ever had. Ibrahinovic has done the same and called Messi the best ever. These stories of domineering Messi is a myth. When he's selfish he's accused of being a dictator, when he's selfless he's accused of being too meek, he can't win against a manipulating media.

I could not disagree more. I can't imagine how bad the last few seasons could have been without Messi. He's grown to become the team's primary playmaker and he remains the primary source for of goals, this season he has played out of his skin in a side without direction, in chaos.

So much responsibility and a fear for injury means he must be more conservative with how he exerts energy. Also he rarely misses games. That being said, anyone whose seen him play this season could not possibly complain about his contributions, he has been other-worldly. He's gone above and beyond to save this team.

His form has been up and down. However that hasn't warranted public criticism.

Why try and force your greatest ever player to leave though? It makes no sense. Especially when you'd have no means to replace him in 2015.

That being said, very little that board has done for years has made any sense.

Turtwig

Pep wanted pique gone it's belIeved to be a huge factor in him resigning. Rosell simply would not agree to being offed.

Also I should point out Rosell and board are being scapegoated too.NOT everything is their fault. Fully agree with moneymaker that messi is hampering the team identity. When he was out injured under Tata last year Barca looked very impressive and coherent. Neymar was more than capable of false nine with cesc playing pivot.

Andersonisgod

Moneymaker wrote: »

Why try and force your greatest ever player to leave though? It makes no sense. Especially when you'd have no means to replace him in 2015.

That being said, very little that board has done for years has made any sense.

It's not just this year, it's been in the works for years since Rosell took over. The belief is that Messi's sales provides a big boost to the coffers so to speak. Messi is also associated with Laporta's Barcelona, not the new Barcelona that Rosell wished to build.

Andersonisgod

Turtwig wrote: »

Pep wanted pique gone it's belIeved to be a huge factor in him resigning. Rosell simply would not agree to being offed.

Also I should point out Rosell and board are being scapegoated too.NOT everything is their fault. Fully agree with moneymaker that messi is hampering the team identity. When he was out injured under Tata last year Barca looked very impressive and coherent. Neymar was more than capable of false nine with cesc playing pivot.

Far more than that removed Pep. Rosell wanted his own manager, he felt uneasy with the power that Pep had and wanted rid of that. A small example of how the board made Pep's position untenable was the legal action they took against Laporta (Pep's president) and the behavior against Pep's idol Johan Cruyff.

Neymar is a wonderful talent who Enrique has also fallen out with. However the idea that the side is better without Messi is genuinely laughable.

Turtwig

Enrique has fallen out with Neymar?

Andersonisgod

Turtwig wrote: »

Enrique has fallen out with Neymar?

He's fallen out with a number of players it would seem, Neymar included.

Here's an excellent article from Graham Hunter, summarising the situation, he gets it spot on.

http://www.espnfc.com/spanish-primera-division/15/blog/post/2230356/barcelonas-problems-continue-as-lionel-messis-frustration-grows-by-graham-hunter

Blatter

More reports in Spain that Luis Enrique has tried to discipline Messi for his behaviour.

This seems to be getting very messy.

gimmick

Blatter wrote: »

More reports in Spain that Luis Enrique has tried to discipline Messi for his behaviour.

This seems to be getting very messy.

Very messi even

Andersonisgod

Blatter wrote: »

More reports in Spain that Luis Enrique has tried to discipline Messi for his behaviour.

This seems to be getting very messy.

Ye I've heard that. The arrogance of the man, it's this arrogance and all knowing attitude that is apparently a big reason why the squad have fallen out with him. It seems Xavi, Iniesta and Busquets had to meet with Enrique to convince him not to discipline Messi. The board have already lost one shield in Zubizarreta, their other shield, Enrique, occupies an untenable position at present. Enrique dimisión.

gimmick

Surely he had to try and discipline Messi?

Whatever Messis issues are, not showing up for training is unprofessional. He could have showed up and just stood around, rather than saying he had a tummy bug.

Had Enrique not tried to discipline him, then his authority, or whatever is left of it, is completely undermined.

CSF

gimmick wrote: »

Surely he had to try and discipline Messi?

Whatever Messis issues are, not showing up for training is unprofessional. He could have showed up and just stood around, rather than saying he had a tummy bug.

Had Enrique not tried to discipline him, then his authority, or whatever is left of it, is completely undermined.

You have no hope of convincing andersonisgod that this isn't ok, because it is Messi.

speedboatchase

Andersonisgod wrote: »

Ye I've heard that. The arrogance of the man, it's this arrogance and all knowing attitude that is apparently a big reason why the squad have fallen out with him. It seems Xavi, Iniesta and Busquets had to meet with Enrique to convince him not to discipline Messi. The board have already lost one shield in Zubizarreta, their other shield, Enrique, occupies an untenable position at present. Enrique dimisión.

What about the arrogance of not showing up for training because you weren't in the starting XI?

JPA

Andersonisgod wrote: »

Ye I've heard that. The arrogance of the man, it's this arrogance and all knowing attitude that is apparently a big reason why the squad have fallen out with him. It seems Xavi, Iniesta and Busquets had to meet with Enrique to convince him not to discipline Messi. The board have already lost one shield in Zubizarreta, their other shield, Enrique, occupies an untenable position at present. Enrique dimisión.

Is this parody of yourself?

Too Tough To Die

I'd like to see Messi flex a little more, tbh. Get rid of them all. He has the powah.

Ulysses Gaze

Andersonisgod wrote: »

Ye I've heard that. The arrogance of the man, it's this arrogance and all knowing attitude that is apparently a big reason why the squad have fallen out with him. It seems Xavi, Iniesta and Busquets had to meet with Enrique to convince him not to discipline Messi. The board have already lost one shield in Zubizarreta, their other shield, Enrique, occupies an untenable position at present. Enrique dimisión.

Ah now here. You've officially Jumped the Shark.

The club are well within their rights to fine him for ditching training.

RasTa

Going to be in Barca on Thursday but flying out before the match on Sunday so got a cup game to attend if I want.

Loads of tickets left on the site, €13 for the cheapest, would I be better trying to buy a better one outside the ground?

Too Tough To Die

Ulysses Gaze wrote: »

Ah now here. You've officially Jumped the Shark.

The club are well within their rights to fine him for ditching training.

Not if he has a sick note.

MisterAnarchy

RasTa wrote: »

Going to be in Barca on Thursday but flying out before the match on Sunday so got a cup game to attend if I want.

Loads of tickets left on the site, €13 for the cheapest, would I be better trying to buy a better one outside the ground?

I'd say there is no rush getting a ticket ,no chance of it selling out even with today being a public holiday.
Make sure you bring your white hankie

Professional Griefer

Messi dimisión.

Backstreet Moyes

Andersonisgod wrote: »

Ye I've heard that. The arrogance of the man, it's this arrogance and all knowing attitude that is apparently a big reason why the squad have fallen out with him. It seems Xavi, Iniesta and Busquets had to meet with Enrique to convince him not to discipline Messi. The board have already lost one shield in Zubizarreta, their other shield, Enrique, occupies an untenable position at present. Enrique dimisión.

I actually find it hard to believe that you even believe what you just wrote. He works under the manager and if he refuses to turn up for training he should get fined, the same as any other player should. Just because he is Messi doesn't mean their should be one rule for him and another for everybody else.

castletownman

I hear Ronaldo never misses training, is the first one there and last one to leave

miralize

Cruyff is aparently in Barcelona!