Category: Players

Barcelona star Lionel Messi manages to stay hidden despite his fame

Barcelona star Lionel Messi manages to stay hidden despite his fame

Excellent piece here on Lionel Messi. That bit about the photo shoot was interesting.

I don’t mind that he’s silent and simply wants to play football, though the author brings up a good point about the difference between him and some of his contemporaries. Does he have to be like Pele’s or Muhammad Ali’s? I don’t think so. Is it weird that all that will be left of Messi when he retires is his highlights? No. As the author states, Messi engages in philanthropy along with many of his peers and I don’t think he should be expected to do more because of his status.

Antoine Griezmann Paul Pogba or Toni Kroos who would you build a team around – ESPN FC

Antoine Griezmann Paul Pogba or Toni Kroos who would you build a team around – ESPN FC

Interesting question.

Of the names actually mentioned in the article I’d agree with the Pogba decision the most but even then I’m iffy. My only thing is that he is yet to fully convince me in any big game I’ve seen him in. Hopefully that changes soon.  As Gab Marcotti said he has all the tools you want in a player and he plays in the engine room. At 23, he’s younger than Kroos and Griezmann and will likely always be ahead of Weigl and Alli in terms of quality and experience.

That being said, Neymar was the first name that came to my mind. He’s just one year older than Pogba and has already won so much. He’s probably not captain material but he can be a leader and provide that winning mentality from the front. He still has maturing to do, they both do, but he’s already proven himself in terms of big games. True, he’s had Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Andres Iniesta to help him out but Pogba hasn’t had any slouches around him.

Javier Chicharito Hernandez from baby faced boy next door to superstar deserving of respect – ESPN FC

Javier Chicharito Hernandez from baby faced boy next door to superstar deserving of respect – ESPN FC

Agreed.

There should be one name that comes to mind when thinking about CONCACAF’s superstar, or the closest thing to it. Hernandez has played for two of the biggest clubs in  football in Manchester United and Real Madrid. That trend in Germany with Bayer Leverkusen. The same club Landon Donovan left to go back to the MLS. Hernandez was a regular until the last season at United until the last season while being pretty productive and did a decent job on loan at Madrid as mostly a sub. And now he’s killing it at Bayer. Yes, he may still have some work to do on his all around game but he does arguably the two most important things for a modern forward really well, press and score goals.

Other than the Dos Santos’ no one else in CONCACAF in recent times has played for such big clubs and neither of them were really regulars. You could throw in Dempsey at Tottenham too. Christian Pulisic is certainly on the way up but has a way to go still.

So, despite lacking the glamour of many, Chicharito is CONCACAF’s best player/superstar.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan future key to Borussia Dortmund’s transfer summer – ESPN FC

Henrikh Mkhitaryan future key to Borussia Dortmund’s transfer summer – ESPN FC

For the third time this summer? Why leave Dortmund? I just don’t get it. I think Mkhitaryan will end up staying, especially with Gundogan gone, but I guess I wouldn’t be surprised if one more big star leaves. Maybe Monchi should go to Dortmund.

Is Marcus Rashford England’s Brightest Young Prospect Since Wayne Rooney? | Bleacher Report

Is Marcus Rashford England’s Brightest Young Prospect Since Wayne Rooney? | Bleacher Report

I feel like all the Marcus Rashford loving is making me like Rashford even less. We all know he’s impressed since bursting unto the scene. Will all this extra attention help? I get everyone says he has the composure, and that does look true, but why not just let the boy play? Only time will tell if anything comes of it. I want to see a full season at United before anything else.

What Denis Suarez Brings to Barcelona and Why They Should Keep Him, Not Sell on | Bleacher Report

What Denis Suarez Brings to Barcelona and Why They Should Keep Him, Not Sell on | Bleacher Report

Keeping him would definitely be the easiest and most sensible option but who knows what the decision-makers at Barcelona will do. Sucks for Villarreal though.

Mexico striker Chicharito’ has a complicated history with his national team – ESPN FC

Mexico striker Chicharito’ has a complicated history with his national team – ESPN FC

Ah, the fickleness of football fans. I’ve been a Chicharito fan since he burst unto the scene. Glad he’s done well at Leverkusen. I’m thinking he should stay as it’s not like they are a mid-table club. He can regularly play in Europe and play in one of the top leagues in the world. We shall see.

Exclusive: Shinji Kagawa on Dortmund’s 2015/16, battling Bayern and what he’d do again at Man United | FourFourTwo

Exclusive: Shinji Kagawa on Dortmund’s 2015/16, battling Bayern and what he’d do again at Man United | FourFourTwo

Interviews are usually a nice read, especially when they are setup like this with the specific question and answer instead of one long article. At least , that’s what I think. Good to see Shinji Kagawa playing better and I’m still disappointed/surprised he didn’t get much of chance at Manchester United.

Why Selling Aubameyang at Any Price Would Stifle Borussia Dortmund in 2016/17 | Bleacher Report

Why Selling Aubameyang at Any Price Would Stifle Borussia Dortmund in 2016/17 | Bleacher Report

Seems pretty obvious. There aren’t many top-notch strikers around. Aubameyang has proved himself in the last two seasons. If Dortmund were to lose him, along with Hummels and whoever else they may lose, it would be an incredibly bad summer for them.