5 Mar 2011 13:15:00<\/h4>\n<\/p>\n\n\nRelated Links<\/h4>\nTeams<\/h4>\nPlayers<\/h4>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/p>\nThere are very, very few superlatives left to describe Lionel Messi<\/a>. The Barcelona<\/a> wizard has set the bar so ludicrously high so early in his career that every microscopic flaw or mistake that he makes is put under the spotlight and accentuated tenfold.<\/p>\nMore and more frequently this season we have heard the words \u2018he is human after all\u2019 when Messi would only ripple the side netting, or cradle the ball onto the roof of the net, rather than in the back of it. Is there a slither of weakness that is beginning to show in the Argentine\u2019s game?<\/p>\n
\u2018El Mesias\u2019 scored two of his best goals last season \u2013 among many \u2013 against \u00a0Valencia<\/a> and Zaragoza<\/a> in back-to-back league games, ironically two teams that Barca meet in succession again this week.<\/p>\nThings, however, have been very different this campaign. As opposition defenders kick it up a notch, Messi has found it increasingly difficult to score the outrageous, sublime individual goals. Not only that, he has also been guilty of missing some gilt-edge chances. But unlike other strikers, he doesn\u2019t spurn them by blazing the ball wildly into the stands, or miscuing his shot onto the corner flag. He misses them by being too grandiose.<\/p>\n
The slender midweek win over Valencia was a prime example. Messi had more chances in that game than in most other encounters, and the most glaring miss of all was when he attempted a cheeky chip over Guaita in a one-on-one when he could so easily have slotted the ball past him. And this came after three shots in rapid-fire succession were denied by the goalkeeper and defender Ricardo Costa.<\/p>\n
\n\n\nMESSI’S CONVERSION RATE IN HIS LAST FIVE GAMES<\/span><\/strong><\/span>
<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\nThose missed opportunities left Barca slogging away for a victory before Messi eventually dispatched Adriano\u2019s pull-back 13 minutes from time with the kind of simple, clinical finish that he should be applying every time he has a clear sight on goal.<\/p>\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\nVersus<\/strong><\/td>\nShots<\/strong><\/td>\nOn Target<\/strong><\/td>\nGoal (s)<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\nVALENCIA<\/strong><\/td>\n8<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n5<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n1<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\nMALLORCA<\/strong><\/td>\n2<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n1<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n1
<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\nATHLETIC BILBAO<\/strong>
<\/strong><\/td>\n7<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n3<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n1
<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\nARSENAL<\/strong><\/td>\n5<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n1
<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n0
<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\nSPORTING GIJON<\/strong><\/td>\n4<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n1<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\nYou could argue that he can afford to be a bit lackadaisical when you consider the amount of chances Barcelona will create every game. But it doesn\u2019t always pan out that way, especially against the big teams in the important games.<\/p>\n
Against Arsenal in the first leg of the Champions League two weeks ago, Barca only had five attempts on target, two of which were chances that Messi spurned when he dinked a shot past Wojciech Szczesny which trickled just wide, and another which he smacked into the side of the net.<\/p>\n
Those aren\u2019t the first and only examples either of \u2018Little Lionel\u2019 being just a tad too casual. He missed a lazy penalty against Panathinaikos in the Champions League earlier in the season after he had already netted twice, and he also skied a spotkick John Terry-style in the Copa del Rey against Real Betis after Barca had won the first leg 5-0.<\/p>\n
Is this Messi\u2019s weakness? Falling for the temptation to carve his name into another chapter of football\u2019s history books by attempting to score the greatest goal ever to be scored?<\/p>\n
If it is, you can\u2019t blame him. Messi has never bothered with records, personal praise or individual accolades. But now that he\u2019s won almost everything, now that he\u2019s been raised onto the pedestal in every corner of the world and placed himself in the debate to become the greatest footballer of all time, you\u2019d forgive him if he\u2019s growing just a little bored of scoring 40-plus mundane goals in a season.\u00a0<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/a6a6b7fb121978_hp.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
But is that the right thing to do? Taunting your opponents by attempting to walk the ball into the net?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Related Links<\/h4>\nTeams<\/h4>\nPlayers<\/h4>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
Players<\/h4>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/p>\n There are very, very few superlatives left to describe Lionel Messi<\/a>. The Barcelona<\/a> wizard has set the bar so ludicrously high so early in his career that every microscopic flaw or mistake that he makes is put under the spotlight and accentuated tenfold.<\/p>\n More and more frequently this season we have heard the words \u2018he is human after all\u2019 when Messi would only ripple the side netting, or cradle the ball onto the roof of the net, rather than in the back of it. Is there a slither of weakness that is beginning to show in the Argentine\u2019s game?<\/p>\n \u2018El Mesias\u2019 scored two of his best goals last season \u2013 among many \u2013 against \u00a0Valencia<\/a> and Zaragoza<\/a> in back-to-back league games, ironically two teams that Barca meet in succession again this week.<\/p>\n Things, however, have been very different this campaign. As opposition defenders kick it up a notch, Messi has found it increasingly difficult to score the outrageous, sublime individual goals. Not only that, he has also been guilty of missing some gilt-edge chances. But unlike other strikers, he doesn\u2019t spurn them by blazing the ball wildly into the stands, or miscuing his shot onto the corner flag. He misses them by being too grandiose.<\/p>\n The slender midweek win over Valencia was a prime example. Messi had more chances in that game than in most other encounters, and the most glaring miss of all was when he attempted a cheeky chip over Guaita in a one-on-one when he could so easily have slotted the ball past him. And this came after three shots in rapid-fire succession were denied by the goalkeeper and defender Ricardo Costa.<\/p>\n Those missed opportunities left Barca slogging away for a victory before Messi eventually dispatched Adriano\u2019s pull-back 13 minutes from time with the kind of simple, clinical finish that he should be applying every time he has a clear sight on goal.<\/p>\n You could argue that he can afford to be a bit lackadaisical when you consider the amount of chances Barcelona will create every game. But it doesn\u2019t always pan out that way, especially against the big teams in the important games.<\/p>\n Against Arsenal in the first leg of the Champions League two weeks ago, Barca only had five attempts on target, two of which were chances that Messi spurned when he dinked a shot past Wojciech Szczesny which trickled just wide, and another which he smacked into the side of the net.<\/p>\n Those aren\u2019t the first and only examples either of \u2018Little Lionel\u2019 being just a tad too casual. He missed a lazy penalty against Panathinaikos in the Champions League earlier in the season after he had already netted twice, and he also skied a spotkick John Terry-style in the Copa del Rey against Real Betis after Barca had won the first leg 5-0.<\/p>\n Is this Messi\u2019s weakness? Falling for the temptation to carve his name into another chapter of football\u2019s history books by attempting to score the greatest goal ever to be scored?<\/p>\n If it is, you can\u2019t blame him. Messi has never bothered with records, personal praise or individual accolades. But now that he\u2019s won almost everything, now that he\u2019s been raised onto the pedestal in every corner of the world and placed himself in the debate to become the greatest footballer of all time, you\u2019d forgive him if he\u2019s growing just a little bored of scoring 40-plus mundane goals in a season.\u00a0<\/p>\n But is that the right thing to do? Taunting your opponents by attempting to walk the ball into the net?\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n
\n MESSI’S CONVERSION RATE IN HIS LAST FIVE GAMES<\/span><\/strong><\/span>
<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n
\n \n \n\n
\n Versus<\/strong><\/td>\n Shots<\/strong><\/td>\n On Target<\/strong><\/td>\n Goal (s)<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n VALENCIA<\/strong><\/td>\n 8<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n 5<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n 1<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n MALLORCA<\/strong><\/td>\n 2<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n 1<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n 1
<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n ATHLETIC BILBAO<\/strong>
<\/strong><\/td>\n7<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n 3<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n 1
<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n ARSENAL<\/strong><\/td>\n 5<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n 1
<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n0
<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n SPORTING GIJON<\/strong><\/td>\n 4<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n 1<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n <\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n <\/p>\n
![](\"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/a6a6b7fb121978_hp-150x150.jpg\")
<\/p>\n