la liga thread

[Captain Obvious]

José Mourinho will declare himself the special one once more.

[ardal]

And yet he has still to beat Barca in la liga when they play their full team (cup was with pinto?)

[paco]

Didn't see the match but I read they had at least 2 good goals ruled out. It's a shame, can't see Madrid dropping many points against the weaker teams, but I'd be confident that Barca would beat them any time they play them, so in that sense it bodes well for the Champion's League. They'll more than likely face each other since they're so far ahead of the rest.

[Captain Obvious]

Real Madrid now 10 points ahead of Barcelona that's some lead in fairness.

[Minder]

Messi has just scored his 4th against Valencia.

[Archie Mitchell]

How anyone can say he's not the best player ever needs their head seen to. He's only 24 and going to get better and better. Close to the goal scoring record for Barca too.

[Gazzler]

How anyone can say he's not the best player ever needs their head seen to. He's only 24 and going to get better and better. Close to the goal scoring record for Barca too.

He's no Tom Cleverley

[David McKeown]

How anyone can say he's not the best player ever needs their head seen to. He's only 24 and going to get better and better. Close to the goal scoring record for Barca too.

I am undoubtedly in the minority but I don't even think hes the best player in his own team at the minute.  Don't get me wrong hes absolutely brilliant but I think Xavi is the best player of the last 20 years and is ever so slightly ahead of Messi (who for me is probably second best in the same period).  Xavi dominates games at international level, Messi doesn't do that to the same extent.

[Billys Boots]

They do very different things for the team David, and neither could probably do the others job.  Xavi is undoubtedly the brains of the team, but Messi puts the scores up and is probably always going to get the nod for that reason.

Saw some amazing stats on the number of short passes completed by Barcelona this season - frightening, compared to everyone else la liga (which is a short-apssing league) and probably any other team on the planet. 

[Main Street]

la liga (which is a short-apssing league)

I have it on good authority that the teams in La Liga can pass short but píss far.

[paco]

Xavi has had some continuity at international level, in terms of always playing with mostly the same group of players and under the same manager for a long time. Whereas Messi played under Maradona at the last world cup, a great footballer but not much of a manager! He still played very well, even under such conditions, he never scored but he set up almost every goal they scored. I think 2014 is made for Messi, similar age to Maradona in '86 and he'll be hitting his peak, it will be interesting to see if Germany and Spain will still be the main international footballing nations by then, but Argentina have some good young players coming through too.

[screenexile]

The 4th goal last night was just a thing of beauty for me he is the best around and will be looked on in the same vein as Pele/Maradonna/Zidane and maybe even better.

As for Xavi well he is 30 now and I think history will show when Messi is that age that he is indeed better. Still having both in your team will mean your a pretty handy side.

It'll be interesting to see how the Spanish Golden Boot works out with Ronaldo I think it could be a close contest!

[Minder]

Saw some stat that Messi has 26, with two from penalties, and Ronaldo has 28 with ten from penalties.

[Doogie Browser]

Saw some stat that Messi has 26, with two from penalties, and Ronaldo has 28 with ten from penalties.

He is also only a handful of goals away from being Barca's all time top scorer at 24 years old!

[Captain Obvious]

Xavi has had some continuity at international level, in terms of always playing with mostly the same group of players and under the same manager for a long time. Whereas Messi played under Maradona at the last world cup, a great footballer but not much of a manager! He still played very well, even under such conditions, he never scored but he set up almost every goal they scored. I think 2014 is made for Messi, similar age to Maradona in '86 and he'll be hitting his peak, it will be interesting to see if Germany and Spain will still be the main international footballing nations by then, but Argentina have some good young players coming through too.

As i said a few posts back a World cup medal is the only thing missing from Messi CV. At 25 Maradona carried Argentina to the World cup in 1986.

Saw some stat that Messi has 26, with two from penalties, and Ronaldo has 28 with ten from penalties.

He is also only a handful of goals away from being Barca's all time top scorer at 24 years old!

What's the Real Madrid all time top scorer record?