Re: The Illusionist : Don Andrés Iniesta

by harhar11 Mon Feb 11, 2013 12:56 pm

Harmonica wrote:
harhar11 wrote:
Harmonica wrote:Iniesta has definitely improved and has been more efficient after November, had couple of great games, few MoM performances. But better than Messi? Definitely not, Messi has still been clearly the best player.

I know you love Messi and all, but Messi being better this season is not definitely, it is debatable..
I know you don't like Messi, but it really isn't debatable. Iniesta has been finally creating goals, which he should be doing, and that's why he's better than before, because he influences the games more. But no, he's not still in Messi's class.

Quick glance to OPTA-index confirms pretty much all of these. I think your original opinion was after the Levante game?

Iniesta before Levante game 11 games, averaging 7.19 and 2 MoM,. After Levante 10 games, averaging 8.13 and 2 MoM. Which is clear improvement, but still not in Messi's class.

Messi before Levante game 17 games, averaging 8.77 and 11 MoM, after 12 games, averaging 8.92 and 7 MoM.

Every fan poll etc. will also pretty much collectively confirm this.

Wai.. what? I dont like Messi? Then how come I have defended Messi time and time again against all the Messi haters? Or why the first jersey I bought was Messi's? Or why I said that last season we were Messi and Busquets + 9 and said that Messi deserves ballon d'or ahead of C.Ronaldo and Iniesta?

I love Messi, he is my 2nd favorite player, I just don't worshipped him like some..

Once again, I just don't care that much about stat because I know that they will ALWAYS favour goalscorer..

free_cat wrote:Harhar doesn't like Messi? Who doesn't like Messi?

Only person who comes to my mind is vapotrini, who for some reason was all the time foreseeing Messi decline and saying Maradona was so much better. :p

exactly!

Me saying that Iniesta has been better than Messi since november or Xavi and Iniesta being more creative than Messi is not hating on the guy, ffs! :facepalm:

Messi might have been better but its not definitely, seeing as I have heard alot of people think the same way as I do..

--

Me, being a Barca fan, feel absolutely disgusted after being accused of being a Messi hater after everything the guy has done for the club Mad

by Harmonica Mon Feb 11, 2013 1:13 pm

I didn't actually mean that, it was just to retort your tossing the Messi lover stuff, which also is uncalled for, when my opinion is actually well valid, so I apologize about that.

Opta-index actually takes along over 200 statistics in football, goals are most important, as in real life, but they are not everything. That's why Iniesta is actually ranked third behind Messi and Cronaldo this year in La Liga, with just 2 goals. I've actually found the index to be highly accurate, at least on my subjective opinion, and it correlates well with the collective opinion as well. And it cannot be effected too much with the nice touches, or dribbles which lead to absolute nothing.

Messi is also performing this way, without rest, without the spaces Iniesta enjoys in every match, every team is trained against him individually and he gets hacked down at least thrice in every game. Last game showed multiple times, how before Messi receives pass, the closest person to him is adviced to close him down before and give a nudge etc

by harhar11 Mon Feb 11, 2013 2:07 pm

I apologize if you got offended, but you always seems to think that Messi is best at everything..

by arjun.123 Tue Mar 19, 2013 5:44 pm

Both Iniesta and Messi excel in their respective positions. Iniesta is expected to play through balls/killer passes to his teammates, which he does, while Messi is expected to finish things off, which he absolutely does.

Messi IMO can't be considered a centre-forward. Nor a striker. He just wanders about the pitch wherever he wants. Sometimes in the midfield exchanging quick short passes with his teammates. Sometimes in the attacking-third waiting for a pass. Basically, in Barcelona the play REVOLVES around Messi. This "can go anywhere you want" freedom benefits him a lot, giving him the opportunity to play those through balls in addition to scoring goals.

Iniesta lately has been playing on the left wing, which isn't his usual midfield position. I ain't saying he doesn't play well at the wing; he is just better in the midfield.

Things Messi has over Iniesta:
Free-kicks

Things Iniesta has over Messi:
Loses less possession.

Overall, Messi is better.
Lately, Iniesta.
After the Milan game, Messi (lol)

by CBarca Sun Jun 30, 2013 12:29 am

Mirror wrote:

Andres Iniesta has come to the rescue of his hometown club Albacete by handing them a loan of over £200,000.

The Barcelona midfielder, used to showing his class on the field, has shown it off the field this time by dipping into his own pocket for the club where he was a youth team player.

Iniesta is a shareholder at the club, and the money he has put in will pay off the outstanding wages the club owes to its players.

Even more importantly, it has prevented the club from administrative relegation to Spain's fourth tier.

The deadline for the payment was Thursday night, and Iniesta's money has saved the club.

It's not the first time the 29-year-old has dug deep into his pocket, as in 2011 he injected over £300,000 into the club.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/barcelona-news-andres-iniesta-come-2007110

by The Sanchez Sun Jun 30, 2013 8:03 am

Class.

by alexjanosik Mon Sep 02, 2013 3:44 pm

Am I overreacting when I say that he is arguably the most effortless dribbler of all time?
I can name better dribblers than him but I cant name anyone who makes it look so effortless.Iniesta doesnt seem to dribble.he just seems to glide leaving players in his wake.
An argument could be made for Zidane but I dont think he was as good a dribbler or as effortless.

He has 2 moves which I just love.The first one is when he is receiving the ball and a player is coming towards him.He takes a half a step back,sucks the player in,controls the ball and then just glides away.It looks so easy and effortless and he does it a few times every match.
The other move is when he is near the touchline and faced by a couple of players.No way he can get through.But he somehow manages to find a way and glides through the space between touchline and player.

Unbelievable player:bow:

by The Franchise Mon Sep 02, 2013 9:04 pm

I share your admiration.

I feel like nobody uses their body better than him. He keeps hold of the ball so often, even if against physically superior players, because he has mastered the basic yet undervalued fundemental skill of keeping yourself between the ball and your defender. Its just impossible to take it from him if he can see you...and with his amazing awareness, he nearly always does see you coming.

by alexjanosik Tue Sep 03, 2013 4:45 pm

Indeed.All our midfielders seem to have mastered the art of shielding the ball with their body.But Iniesta with his dribbling takes it to another level.

Can someone please post gifs of those Iniesta moves I wrote about.

by Winter is Coming Mon Sep 23, 2013 4:10 pm

Anyone know whats going on with Iniesta contract? I know he rejected one already.

by BarrileteCosmico Mon Sep 23, 2013 4:14 pm

As far as I understand it is just normal negotiations, no one ever accepts a first offer. The transfer rumors are just English media papertalk so far. I wouldn't worry about it, Iniesta won't move unless Rosell tries to scam him.

by Winter is Coming Mon Sep 23, 2013 4:37 pm

With Rosell anything is possible.

Jose Iniesta (father): "Andres could change his mind about wanting to retire at Barça? Anyone who knows him won't doubt his word." [lx]

by neuro11 Mon Sep 23, 2013 5:44 pm

BarrileteCosmico wrote:As far as I understand it is just normal negotiations, no one ever accepts a first offer. The transfer rumors are just English media papertalk so far. I wouldn't worry about it, Iniesta won't move unless Rosell tries to scam him.

you just said it Laughing

the possibility

by neuro11 Mon Sep 23, 2013 5:44 pm

Winter is Coming wrote:With Rosell anything is possible.

Jose Iniesta (father): "Andres could change his mind about wanting to retire at Barça? Anyone who knows him won't doubt his word." [lx]

that sounds like a song to me.,...glad to hear that

by BarrileteCosmico Fri Oct 18, 2013 3:33 am

by BarrileteCosmico Thu Dec 19, 2013 4:32 pm

Renewed until 2018. Details to follow on Monday.

by Khaled Thu Dec 19, 2013 5:38 pm

FINALLY!!!! Also, could be extended until 2020 depending on games played in previous seasons...

by DuringTheWar Sat Dec 21, 2013 4:01 am

alexjanosik wrote:Am I overreacting when I say that he is arguably the most effortless dribbler of all time?
I can name better dribblers than him but I cant name anyone who makes it look so effortless.Iniesta doesnt seem to dribble.he just seems to glide leaving players in his wake.
An argument could be made for Zidane but I dont think he was as good a dribbler or as effortless.

by CBarca Sat Dec 21, 2013 4:59 am

Glad to hear about that, I hope he retires at Barca.

by Winter is Coming Sun Dec 29, 2013 3:34 am

The Spain international claims his former coach was his idol as a youngster and described the 42-year-old's stint in charge of Barcelona as a dream

Andres Iniesta has hailed his time under Pep Guardiola at Barcelona as an "incomparable" experience.

Guardiola lead the Blaugrana between 2008 and 2011 and delivered three Liga crowns and a pair of Champions League titles amongst a total haul of 14 trophies.

And as a Barcelona academy graduate, Iniesta appreciated the chance to work with a club legend, crediting the coach for making the biggest impact on him as a player after watching him play as a youngster.

"I watched his [Guardiola] games on TV and dreamed I could play like him. What surprised me most was his clarity in constructing play," the 29-year-old told Mesto Vstrechy.

"He and [Michael] Laudrup were the most important players in my childhood, so when Guardiola became my coach, it was an incomparable feeling.

"He got me to the level I'm at now."

Iniesta - who has lifted the World Cup and two European Championships with Spain - went on to suggest fellow Camp Nou star Victor Valdes was ready to take Iker Casillas' place between the posts, given the Real Madrid icon's lack of playing time this season.

"He [Casillas] is our symbol, the best goalkeeper in the world, but in the national team there are players who are totally prepared to take his place, like Victor Valdes and Pepe Reina," the midfielder continued.

"I think Victor's moment has arrived, but it's a decision the coach has to make."

by Winter is Coming Sun Dec 29, 2013 4:20 am

The Barcelona star admits the goalkeeper's exit will be emotional and attempted to play down the recent controversy surrounding Lionel Messi

Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta has admitted he will be in tears when Victor Valdes finally leaves the club next summer.

The goalkeeper, who has been a member of the first-team squad at Camp Nou for 12 seasons, announced in May that he will not be extending his contract when it expires in 2014.

Iniesta says his team-mate's departure will come as a blow to a squad he feels is progressing well under new coach Gerardo Martino.

“There is no doubt I will cry when Valdes leaves,” the 29-year-old told reporters.

“We just have to hope we can win trophies this season so that he enjoys a good departure.

“The squad’s connection with Tata has been great from the start. He is a good person and a real football man - he knows exactly how players feel."

The Spain international, who has recently signed a new contract to keep him at Barcelona until 2018, has said he is now expecting to see out the remainder of his playing career with the club.

Iniesta also attempted to play down recent critical remarks made by Lionel Messi about vice-president Javier Faus and backed the Argentine to win the Ballon d’Or in January.

He said to La Sexta: “Messi is a fundamental player for both me and the club. Sometimes things are said without thinking or without meaning to cause hurt.

“I would love for him to win the Ballon d’Or. Everyone in the squad would feel like part of the success.

“I went to my contract signing with my parents and my daughter. I thought about a lot and I was the proudest person in the world. My dream is to end my career at Barca.”

Barcelona return to match action against Elche on January 5 before they meet Getafe in the first leg of their Copa del Rey tie three days later.