La Liga 2011-12

[Darkon]

The keepers are actually better in LaLiga IMO.

The overall defense is ****tier IMO, but that's largely due to more or less all teams emphasize the attacking strategy which in turn leaves more gaps.

[Robbie-9-Fowler]

Messi is fantastic and getting all the credit he deserves. Just a point though, how many assists does Dani Alves have? 2 more last night, he's virtually a playmaker.

[Muddled]

And Messi has yet to hit his prime!

Two, maybe three more years of bagging 54 hat-tricks, then a couple of years of *real* magic.

[Alex]

On top of his 54 goals this season, he also has 21 assists. I don't know that ill ever see a better player.

[Robbie-9-Fowler]

And Messi has yet to hit his prime!

Two, maybe three more years of bagging 54 hat-tricks, then a couple of years of *real* magic.

I don't think you can look at him that way, enjoy what we witness and try finding when he peak was after he's done. From his early growth problems and injuries worries I think theres every chance he could peak at 25 instead of 28.

[Muddled]

I think we're lucky to see such a player in our lifetime; I'm just of the opinion that the best of him is yet to come - we're running out of superlatives as it is.

[Darkon]

Another perspective on how good Messi is at the moment, he is closing in on Deak 66 year old (unofficial) record for scoring most goals in a season in European football. The list goes:

66 Ferenc Deák, Szentlörinc (Ungarn 1945/46)
63 Dixie Dean, Everton (England 1927/28)
62 Jimmy McGrory, Celtic (Skotland 1927/28)
59 Jimmy McGrory, Celtic (Skotland 1926/27)
59 Ferenc Deák, Ferencvaros (Ungarn 1948/49)
59 Refik Resmja, Partizan Tirana (Albanien 1950/51)
57 Jim Forrest, RAngers FC (Skotland 1964/65)
56 Gyula Zsengellér, Ujpest FC (Ungarn 1938/39)
56 Aleksandrs Cekulajevs, Narva Trans (Letland, kalenderåret 2011)
55 Mário Jardel, Sporting (Portugal 2001/02)
54 Lionel Messi, FC Barcelona (Spanien 2011/12)

Messi still have 10 La Liga games to go and at least 2 more CL matches and a Spanish cup final. So somewhere between 13 and 16 games left depending on CL to score 13 goals. Almost impossible to imagine him not doing that at his current rate!

Deak scored his 66 goals in 34 games, so that will still stand as the best - but still !

[Angryred]

I reckon Messi must have scored at least 70 goals in 2011 alone looking at the video from Shaggy...you can actually see that his finishing got better year by year!

Awesome!...Now Messi must transfer that to the international stage & do the same for Argentina as on paper the Argies are a little stronger than Barca in line up but don't play like Barca though...With their quality all over the pitch, no reason what they can't play to their strengths! They just need a great conductor to handle their over talented orchestra.

[Gingawaria]

Awesome!...Now Messi must transfer that to the international stage & do the same for Argentina as on paper the Argies are a little stronger than Barca in line up but don't play like Barca though...With their quality all over the pitch, no reason what they can't play to their strengths! They just need a great conductor to handle their over talented orchestra.

Why does he have to do this?

The same argument comes again and again re: Messi and for me it's completely irrelevant, he's scored 54 goals this season already!

[dww]

Was agreeing with destinydude, think the keepers are better in La Liga.

I'm not sure. I think different aspects of the game are tested differently in the two leagues. Not convinced an easy comparison can be made.

That said I agree that keeper quality is not the reason for Messi's success. Look at how many Ronaldo was scoring before he left the PL. In fact this year in general in the PL other teams have been scoring ridiculous numbers of goals. I'd say defences overall are certainly stronger in Spain than here at the minute.

[little dave hedgehog]

I don't think you can look at him that way, enjoy what we witness and try finding when he peak was after he's done. From his early growth problems and injuries worries I think theres every chance he could peak at 25 instead of 28.

this. i was told over and over to just wait until one rob fowler got to his late 20s, as these are the peak years for a striker. was told similar about owen. i just don't think it's true. there's other examples. real ronaldo, ronaldinho...

[Lee]

I think we're lucky to see such a player in our lifetime; I'm just of the opinion that the best of him is yet to come - we're running out of superlatives as it is.

Almost posted the exact same thing last night. The guy is unreal.

[Chrono]

I'm not sure. I think different aspects of the game are tested differently in the two leagues. Not convinced an easy comparison can be made.

That said I agree that keeper quality is not the reason for Messi's success. Look at how many Ronaldo was scoring before he left the PL. In fact this year in general in the PL other teams have been scoring ridiculous numbers of goals. I'd say defences overall are certainly stronger in Spain than here at the minute.

I'm pretty sure that the keepers in England are certainly better at dealing with the more physical aspects of the game although this isn't something likely to play a large part in Messi's success anyway.

I do really think at some stage he should try another league, once he has broken every record and won every trophy then for me it makes sense for him to go and dominate another league (or two) especially given his age.

I also find the international stuff completely irrelevant as a guage to how good he is. He's the best ever for me quite easily especially given his age.

[Angryred]

Why does he have to do this?

The same argument comes again and again re: Messi and for me it's completely irrelevant, he's scored 54 goals this season already!

For me, international football is the highest level to play at...the greatest players in the past have proved their worth at international level so why shouldn't Messi do the same?

Is he gonna be happy to be renowned as the greatest club level footballer?????

Time is on Messi's side & I sincerely hope that he does take that step & become the greatest at the level as he has it in him whether he does it like Maradona (1986) or with his teammates like that Argentinian team in 1978...

He will get his critics if he doesn't succeed in international level & that Argentinian squad is so powerful, the potential is there to dominate world football as mentioned earlier which would elevate Messi to the status of his precedessors, Maradona, Zidane, Pele etc.

[Shaggy]

I'm not sure. I think different aspects of the game are tested differently in the two leagues. Not convinced an easy comparison can be made.

That said I agree that keeper quality is not the reason for Messi's success. Look at how many Ronaldo was scoring before he left the PL. In fact this year in general in the PL other teams have been scoring ridiculous numbers of goals. I'd say defences overall are certainly stronger in Spain than here at the minute.

Definitely IMO, the defending in the Prem is as bad as I've ever seen it. Really poor.