La Liga: Sporting Gijon vs FC Barcelona

After first half:

Pretty good showing from the team so far.

Need to score one more quickly though because 2-0 is risky.

Neymar barca

Got what we wanted. Some rotation and a good result

Torres looking like a fine signing. Loving Roberto who is really shining on the right wing, can he really replace Alves I really hope so now.

No Mascherno - clean sheet

Anyway not forgetting this was Gijon though...

Alcacer was so unlucky not to get his debut goal!

Everyone played well. Need to keep it up and traslate this form into CL.

Neymar MotM vs Sporting: Rating 9.94, Shots (OT) 5 (2), Goals 2, Dribbles 7, Fouls won 4 #fcblive [whoscored] - (just like against celtic)

5 games, 4 goals, 4assists. Beautiful

Sad to say that but he looks a lot better without Messi around. He needs a team built around him to perform at his best...

I hope he sticks around until Messi steps down and then takes over as main star. It's written in the stars.

Btw godberto

Myesyats wrote:Sad to say that but he looks a lot better without Messi around. He needs a team built around him to perform at his best...

I hope he sticks around until Messi steps down and then takes over as main star. It's written in the stars.

More to do that there's one ball and 3 very talented forwards to command it. It worked well in Suarez first season because he was finishing to a ridiculous standard, when that dropped off the flaws became more noticable.

None of them other than Messi are completely like they are even Suarez when they are the clear #1 guy sacrifices have to be made for it to work as they can't all hog the ball lol.

@GLS nice point but I don't really understand your last paragraph tbh. Meanwhile I agree whole heartedly with myestats tho.

Neymar's issue now is that his potential isn't being met even at 70% imo because of his position on the pitch.

The Problem number 1. He plays on the left wing meaning that he isn't going to be barcas main goal scorer (The same situation messi was in during ibra's time here where he needed to go to the middle to beast)

2. He isn't the primary creator/main man (like he's always being while messi's away and all his life) because of messi's presence, so his impact is limited as a result of his position on the field.

So when Messi is absent, everything flows through him (just like brazil/santos) hence we're able to see him at his blistering best since he is not a poacher but a creator by nature, hence he needs the ball to function. Something he'll never have with messi at barcelona.

Like cruyff said, the best players have to play through the middle (suarez no 9/messi false 9) or have a free role (messi)

Good game after the Atletico game. Defense did well. I really want to see more of Denis Suarez. I think he could become a really good CM. Just needs time and a coach who can develop him well.

SPORT suggests Lucho might consider using ter Stegen as DM in a critical situation. Are they losing the plot?? Ridiculous journalism...

Anyhow it would be great banter to witness that, no doubt!!

@Myesyats your avatar is

Btw stergen as DM?

Neymar's performance has nothing to do with Messi. He did same performance against Celtic with Messi on the pitch. If messi played probably same thing would happen. and score would be 7-0

The thing is Neymar always plays great in the start of the season. And messi is always injured in that period. So it looks like he plays good without messi.
I have no doubt Neymar would make same performance even if messi played. Against scrubs it makes no difference, everyone plays better than their standards. In big games again Messi opens space for Neymar, so having a player like messi around is advantage for Neymar in big games. and vice verse.

One thing i see that Messi feeds Suarez more than Neymar. So when Messi plays Suarez looks on Neymar level, even better. But without Messi, Suarez looks like second fiddle to Neymar, and completely out shined by Neymar

@kebab great post. Lol, U however seem to have comfortably forgotten that Neymar went on an absolute tear during the second half of 2014/15 season. Meanwhile he was injured for around 6 weeks (on messi's return match) in the 2nd half of his debut season just after going beast mode after messi injury

2. Big teams? Lol You also seem to forget that barca completely annihilated "big team" real madrid at the boonaboo last season with Neymar beasting without messi. Infact had messi not come on, the score would probably have been a manita. Neymar was also the best player (MoM) against "big team" sevilla away last season without messi. Ney also scored the equalizing free kick against "big team" atletico madrid with messi on the bench at the calderon last season.

So while I agree with every other thing you've said, I only want to clearly say that Neymar undoubtedly plays at another level in messi's absence. Infact all Ney's best games in his barca career have ALL come without messi being on the pitch.

Now, I'm not saying the team should be built around neymar now, as messi's still clearly better but that Neymar will only fulfill his potential when he's the main man of any team. Plus the fact that Neymar has the capacity to be the go-to/main man at barca with relative ease.

Kebab wrote:Neymar's performance has nothing to do with Messi. He did same performance against Celtic with Messi on the pitch. If messi played probably same thing would happen. and score would be 7-0

The thing is Neymar always plays great in the start of the season. And messi is always injured in that period. So it looks like he plays good without messi.
I have no doubt Neymar would make same performance even if messi played. Against scrubs it makes no difference, everyone plays better than their standards. In big games again Messi opens space for Neymar, so having a player like messi around is advantage for Neymar in big games. and vice verse.

One thing i see that Messi feeds Suarez more than Neymar. So when Messi plays Suarez looks on Neymar level, even better. But without Messi, Suarez looks like second fiddle to Neymar, and completely out shined by Neymar

Neymars performance has a lot to do with Messi. He's a completely different player when Leo is absent- he becomes the leader which is a role that suits him the most.

He has more freedom without Messi and isn't just glued to the sideline which makes him far more dangerous and unpredictable. Always cutting from the left to the center becomes too obvious for defenders and this way it's easier for them to isolate him.

It's so obvious that Neymar plays differently without Messi on the pitch (for the NT aswell). I don't understand how can you deny such obvious things.