Can't be found yet. But we still have hope (hehe) that Messi will be located. This WORRIES me a lot. The World Cup is just around the corner and I can't have Messi playing like this. Because I won't let up, and won't back down. I will be VERY aggressive in my appraisal of the "stars" at the cup. So I just need to know what happened to Messi in this MAJOR final? And the only chance that Barcelona may have of getting a trophy.
Madrid were the better team, and they took the game to Barcelona. So it was already tough for Messi, as Madrid were tactically prepared. However, I did say in my pre-match analysis that it was important for Messi to stay UP, and be retreating back in midfield. Why I saw him playing little passes of no consequence deep in the midfield just baffled me. It reminded me of the Germany match in 2006 where Argentina just couldn't find a way through, and Messi pretty much became a midfielder like he did in last night's match. It's a worrying sign, because that just won't fly if they face Spain, Brazil, Germany and so forth.
There was a lack of passion that I saw from Messi which alarmed me. He was devoid of any real thrust or commitment. I had to even send out a tweet to ask if he was still even playing in the game. While Bale was having the time of his life and showing the world his electric talent, Messi was subdued and then it dawned on me...something that makes me even MORE fearful of what may happen this summer.
Messi, like Lebron James, IS TACTICALLY DEPENDENT. Unlike Bale, who said "fuck it" and just scored because he wanted to....Messi was looking for that pass, looking for that structure and those spaces to run into. When those spaces were denied as Madrid, somehow, defended VERY well mostly, Lionel Ritchie just went off the radar. The game passed him by and when Barcelona most needed the short guy to bail them out, he couldn't.
Makes one wonder....was that night the emergence of a new star and the demise of another????
Hmmmm....
HH
