Leeching wireless(no comcast at new apartment till Wednesday), but I wanted to say that I hope we win the Copa del Rey this year because the league is as good as over. We just don't have the required consistency.
We need to take a leaf out of Real Madrid's book from last year, and hope they stumble a few times in the coming months. At least there is still the Copa and even the CL . The Copa is on no level anything compared to the league however (as far as recompense).
Real will have a 15+ point lead by then. They will be taking a long victory lap this year. No final weeks drama required this year. La Liga has been a real disappointment this year outside of Real. And who would have thought that going into the season. Our system can't work without a 100% Messi-Gaucho-Eto'o. I think that much is clear by now. The team better hope they win the Copa del Rey and show well in the Champions League. That's all they've got at this point.
For all my friends who doubt our chances, I made a thread just for you: https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=651169
Yup. "G" not so great all the time, but he sure did know how to do some clutch finishes. And there really never has been a consistent R-E-M...seems like it would get clicking & then injury, injury, injury or some other thing popping up.
How could anyone forget?? [youtube]lwXyO6uSSjU[/youtube] Edit: Damn...look at Ronaldinho....it's like watching a different person.
That was the magic that hooked me on Barcelona. And then this kid Messi kept coming in and doing these flukey seeming things...
It seems like this is it for the season. Frank Rijkardt will be fired at the end of the season, barring a miracle.
How could I forget Giuly R-E-M sounds cooler than R-E-G (whatever order) Anyway, Eto'o and Messi sure have been injury-ridden in the past few seasons .
However, Messi was incredible in the 1st leg of the Chelsea match (among others, but he really tormented the crap out of Jose and friends that night).
Sadly, Messi has missed significant time (several months in each of the previous 2 seasons, and more than 1 month so far this season) in each of his 3 full seasons with Barca's first team.
Hate to say it, but yes. Reminds me of Pablo Aimar (so far Messi's injuries have not been as often as Pablito's)...incredible talent, everyone loves watching and playing with, but small and susceptible to injury often. I know Messi's health issues have been discussed in great detail in other threads, but still rather disheartening.
You're right. Teams know that the only way to stop him or slow him down is to foul him early and often. He's not the biggest but he's not the weakest either and that's helped him a lot. Do you think it could have anything to do with the HGH?
FR says that because of Messis explosiveness, he sometimes gets these injuries. More to come in the future? That'd be a yes . . .
Hopefully he doesn't pull a Ronaldo (life changing injury). That would be another true football tragedy.
Much, much worse for Messi...because he seems like a good person. Ronaldo is an arrogant, self-centered pig...the way he treated Inter after his "re-birth" at WC 2002 was ridiculous (they stood by him during all of his injuries, then he demanded the move to Madrid to play with all of the other swine).
Even if you hate him, you have to admit that while he was a Barca (and some at Inter) he was an the fast track to becoming one of the greatest of all time. He didn't deserve what happened to him.
He still is one of the greatest. I really believe he's been the best striker of his era... he comes up big when he needs to and scores anywhere he goes. The fact that he played like crap his last seasons at Real was actually good for us but just look at this. He's been getting crap for being fat, injured, out of shape and his first game with Milan two weeks ago he scores two gols. The guy is an icon.
He doesn't deserve bad knees, but the other stuff was brought on himself. Had he stopped chasing money, supermodels and food years ago, he'd been much better off.
The best Ronaldo ever was the one in Barça (96/97): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bffUNX3qX3s http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVxT-cPFNJw&feature=related