The Footie Thread

[Deleted member 16999]

Heard on the radio this morning on my way to work that Messi is the favourite for the Ballon D'or this evening...

What does Lewandowski have to do to win it? Serious question... Messi has not been the best player in the world this year - its just a stupid joke of an award now if he wins again. Pathetic.

Surely it depends on the voting period?
Messi’s form has certainly not been apparent at PSG, but up until then he broke records in Spain this year, won the Cup and the Copa America with Argentina.

As much as I admire Lewandowski he plays for a team that dominates their league and has done nothing with Poland.

I’m not saying Messi deserves it, but I’m also not sure Lewandowski does either.

We know from past history this award rarely goes to the “best” footballer of the year, Modric won it once and he certainly wasn’t the worlds best at the time.

 

[Swango1980]

Heard on the radio this morning on my way to work that Messi is the favourite for the Ballon D'or this evening...

What does Lewandowski have to do to win it? Serious question... Messi has not been the best player in the world this year - its just a stupid joke of an award now if he wins again. Pathetic.

Honestly, what has Messi done this year to win it? I hate to say it, but would you rather have Mo Salah on your team, or Messi? Sure, if it was between a 20 year old Messi or Salah, Messi every time. But, in the last year surely Mo Salah has been a better footballer?

I don't watch German football, and always suspect that the opposition is generally so poor relative to Bayern, that I reckon Phil Jones would score a hatful if he played up top for them. I've watched Lewandowski a few times and never been blown away. That being said, his scoring stats look fantastic, so I'd probably pick him ahead of Messi as well.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

The award has been Mickey Mouse for years. So many great players have been ignored by it.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

has done nothing with Poland.

72 goals in 124 appearances and country's top scorer so not a bad return

 

[BiMGuy]

Honestly, what has Messi done this year to win it? I hate to say it, but would you rather have Mo Salah on your team, or Messi? Sure, if it was between a 20 year old Messi or Salah, Messi every time. But, in the last year surely Mo Salah has been a better footballer?

I don't watch German football, and always suspect that the opposition is generally so poor relative to Bayern, that I reckon Phil Jones would score a hatful if he played up top for them. I've watched Lewandowski a few times and never been blown away. That being said, his scoring stats look fantastic, so I'd probably pick him ahead of Messi as well.

As above, the award is for the calendar year.

Messi was outrageously good prior to joining PSG in the summer. Salah wasn’t, however he has been on good form since the beginning of October.

 

[Swango1980]

Surely it depends on the voting period?
Messi’s form has certainly not been apparent at PSG, but up until then he broke records in Spain this year, won the Cup and the Copa America with Argentina.

As much as I admire Lewandowski he plays for a team that dominates their league and has done nothing with Poland.

I’m not saying Messi deserves it, but I’m also not sure Lewandowski does either.

We know from past history this award rarely goes to the “best” footballer of the year, Modric won it once and he certainly wasn’t the worlds best at the time.

I do generally agree with this, I also watched him live against NI in Euro 2016 and wasn't overly impressed with his contribution in that game (OK, it is only one game, so little to go on). However, Poland probably are not one of the best international sides, so I'd generally take international football with a pinch of salt when judging player ability (unless it is clear they've done fantastic things for that side, or not achieved when playing in a top international side). George Best achieved little for N Ireland, George Weah little for Liberia, but still world class players.

 

[Deleted member 16999]

72 goals in 124 appearances and country's top scorer so not a bad return

WITH Poland, not FOR Poland, clearly stated I rate him.

 

[Bdill93]

As above, the award is for the calendar year.

Messi was outrageously good prior to joining PSG in the summer. Salah wasn’t, however he has been on good form since the beginning of October.

Barca didnt win the league though? And honestly the goals scored in that absolute farmers league are a joke. Cant remember a UCL game when Messi carried barca either, what are we actually quanitfying "outragously good" as? The copa America?

 

[Deleted member 16999]

I do generally agree with this, I also watched him live against NI in Euro 2016 and wasn't overly impressed with his contribution in that game (OK, it is only one game, so little to go on). However, Poland probably are not one of the best international sides, so I'd generally take international football with a pinch of salt when judging player ability (unless it is clear they've done fantastic things for that side, or not achieved when playing in a top international side). George Best achieved little for N Ireland, George Weah little for Liberia, but still world class players.

So it comes back to voting criteria, ie, most succesful or best, if it’s purely best footballer then it is Messi or Ronaldo in this day and age, if it is on form, then it would Salah this year for me.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

The last 4/5 years have turned the award into a bit of joke

Multiple players have been far more crucial to their team and missed out - Salah , VVD and Lewondonski as well as in 2018 prob Greizmann

 

[Bdill93]

The last 4/5 years have turned the award into a bit of joke

Multiple players have been far more crucial to their team and missed out - Salah , VVD and Lewondonski as well as in 2018 prob Greizmann

Totally agree.

 

[clubchamp98]

The last 4/5 years have turned the award into a bit of joke

Multiple players have been far more crucial to their team and missed out - Salah , VVD and Lewondonski as well as in 2018 prob Greizmann

Yes VVD when we won the league.
But defenders rarely get a look in.
Sometimes I have watched defenders play the game of their season but an attacker will get MOM for scoring even if they do little else in the game.
Bit of a joke award now.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Yes VVD when we won the league.
But defenders rarely get a look in.
Sometimes I have watched defenders play the game of their season but an attacker will get MOM for scoring even if they do little else in the game.
Bit of a joke award now.

That annoys the heck out of me. The award isn't moment of the match, it's man of the match. It is a cop out when they do that.

 

[clubchamp98]

Watched MOTD last night.
Has shirt pulling been forgotten about now.
The pull on Rondon should have been seen surley.?
What is VAR doing there and the ref.
Plus the offside in the Utd game that really needs sorting.

 

[Deleted member 1740]

Watched MOTD last night.
Has shirt pulling been forgotten about now.
The pull on Rondon should have been seen surley.?
What is VAR doing there and the ref.
Plus the offside in the Utd game that really needs sorting.

This is the result of playing on when the refs know its offside. I think the liners are programmed to just play on.

I understand the really tight ones but that was pathetic yesterday. I genuinely believe the liner tboight he was onside. It's a mistake.

I would've liked to have seen yernited score from the corner just to see how the PL/FA/PGMOL would've reacted.

 

[Swango1980]

Watched MOTD last night.
Has shirt pulling been forgotten about now.
The pull on Rondon should have been seen surley.?
What is VAR doing there and the ref.
Plus the offside in the Utd game that really needs sorting.

Short of sacking the linesman for making a mistake (for a linesman who never makes mistakes), how would they sort it? Extend the use of VAR to checking when a corner is won? What about a throw in deep in the opponents half? Maybe we sack all the officials, and ask VAR to ref the entire game?

I agree with the shirt pull rule, no idea what is and what is not allowed. Another thing that really bugs me is when there is a little heated exchange between players, which happened in Newcastle game. Rondon simply was closest to sceen, and effectively broke it up by getting in the way. He did it in the most calm manner, and effectively stopped the angry opponent from getting close to the one he was having a go at. Yet, the referees feel the need that a yellow card for each team is the automatic penalty, and so he blindly gave Rondon a yellow simply because he was closet to the scene. Had he had a second yellow card, that would really be an injustice.

 

[Orikoru]

WITH Poland, not FOR Poland, clearly stated I rate him.

I take the point, but should he be held back from winning an individual accolade just because of where he was born? Poland are never winning anything let's face it, they're a one man team. Shevchenko won it once, I don't think Ukraine did anything that year.

I don't know if there's some unwritten rule that the Ballon D'Or winner must play in Spain or England, but I don't think the German league is much different to Spain in overall quality, aside from the fact one team dominates instead of one of three. Lewandowski has been nothing short of insane in 2021. By my count (source is Soccerbase) he's on 54 games, 64 goals - that's all competitions and including games for Poland. We used to call that "Messi & Ronaldo numbers"...

 

[Bdill93]

Short of sacking the linesman for making a mistake (for a linesman who never makes mistakes), how would they sort it? Extend the use of VAR to checking when a corner is won? What about a throw in deep in the opponents half? Maybe we sack all the officials, and ask VAR to ref the entire game?

I agree with the shirt pull rule, no idea what is and what is not allowed. Another thing that really bugs me is when there is a little heated exchange between players, which happened in Newcastle game. Rondon simply was closest to sceen, and effectively broke it up by getting in the way. He did it in the most calm manner, and effectively stopped the angry opponent from getting close to the one he was having a go at. Yet, the referees feel the need that a yellow card for each team is the automatic penalty, and so he blindly gave Rondon a yellow simply because he was closet to the scene. Had he had a second yellow card, that would really be an injustice.

I see no reason as to why this isnt possible to some extent to be honest.

Theres been a few corners for and against villa this season where its quite evident it was the wrong call - and as of yet, no goals have been scored on these occasions - but if one was, and it wasnt actually a corner, id be fuming if my team conceded.

Its a 2 second job for VAR to check who has the last contact on the ball. It isnt down to opinion or fine margins either.

 

[Bdill93]

I take the point, but should he be held back from winning an individual accolade just because of where he was born? Poland are never winning anything let's face it, they're a one man team. Shevchenko won it once, I don't think Ukraine did anything that year.

I don't know if there's some unwritten rule that the Ballon D'Or winner must play in Spain or England, but I don't think the German league is much different to Spain in overall quality, aside from the fact one team dominates instead of one of three. Lewandowski has been nothing short of insane in 2021. By my count (source is Soccerbase) he's on 54 games, 64 goals - that's all competitions and including games for Poland. We used to call that "Messi & Ronaldo numbers"...

If he doesnt win tonight I think its a joke of an award.

 

[Deleted member 16999]

I take the point, but should he be held back from winning an individual accolade just because of where he was born? Poland are never winning anything let's face it, they're a one man team. Shevchenko won it once, I don't think Ukraine did anything that year.

I don't know if there's some unwritten rule that the Ballon D'Or winner must play in Spain or England, but I don't think the German league is much different to Spain in overall quality, aside from the fact one team dominates instead of one of three. Lewandowski has been nothing short of insane in 2021. By my count (source is Soccerbase) he's on 54 games, 64 goals - that's all competitions and including games for Poland. We used to call that "Messi & Ronaldo numbers"...

Mate, without sounding rude, you are taking it out of context, my reply was a response to this year between him and Messi, I never said he should never win it or disagreed with any of the reasons you put.

Lewandowski is a superb player that I very much admire, but as I’ve also said I believe Salah should win it this year and I don’t think Egypt will ever win anything either.