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Today’s Football - 2024/25 Season



He's great. I think he should also be a bot more team orientated at times though.

Lamine Yamal has:

MOST dribbles completed in Europe (6th in history)
MOST big chances created (28 from open play 6th in history of La Liga)
16 Goals
24 Assists, Liga leader

Hes got some of the best numbers in world football, the best chance creator, the best at dribbling, most assists and still doing this in europe in some of the biggest & most talked about matches. And then there’s simply the subjective eye test - I have no idea where he ends up in his career but its irrefutable he stands alone in football like Leo has…at 17

I think there are many concerns (will he go off the rails, get injuries or succumb to what the majority of flash in the pan stars have) but selfishness is nowhere near one of them - he’s like most kids coming through La Masia, too unselfish at times but I think it actually helps in the overall team dynamic

I also believe he will eventually have to assume an even greater role than he already has, which is undeniably unprecedented already - Van Basten said he would have to move into the #10 role and be more central to get him more touches (he has a lower percentage of touches than either Messi or Neymar at their peak) which I concur would be a footballing imperative for the player, fans, club, titles and the neutral - despite loving him on that RW. He’s a natural, a comet - just give him the ball and enjoy
 
Lamine Yamal has:

MOST dribbles completed in Europe (6th in history)
MOST big chances created (28 from open play 6th in history of La Liga)
16 Goals
24 Assists, Liga leader

Hes got some of the best numbers in world football, the best chance creator, the best at dribbling, most assists and still doing this in europe in some of the biggest & most talked about matches. And then there’s simply the subjective eye test - I have no idea where he ends up in his career but its irrefutable he stands alone in football like Leo has…at 17

I think there are many concerns (will he go off the rails, get injuries or succumb to what the majority of flash in the pan stars have) but selfishness is nowhere near one of them - he’s like most kids coming through La Masia, too unselfish at times but I think it actually helps in the overall team dynamic

I also believe he will eventually have to assume an even greater role than he already has, which is undeniably unprecedented already - Van Basten said he would have to move into the #10 role and be more central to get him more touches (he has a lower percentage of touches than either Messi or Neymar at their peak) which I concur would be a footballing imperative for the player, fans, club, titles and the neutral - despite loving him on that RW. He’s a natural, a comet - just give him the ball and enjoy
You mentioned the 'eye test'.

Well on every occasion Ive seen him, especially in big games, he's taken too much on himself to get a goal when others were open and a better option. Going for goals when angles are way too acute seems to be a thing for him.

I dont think there's any doubt he hogs the ball way more than he should.

I get that it's a temptation because he's so good on the ball. From a neutrals perspective - one who doesn't care if his team wins, loses or draws - I dont care any way. I can applaud his attempts to do outrageous things. But if I were a supporter I'd be wondering if we'd be in that CL final at the end of the month in Munich if he'd done certain things a different way...especially going for a 4th with 90 seconds to go.

That's where the comparison with Messi really comes in. He'd have drawn fouls and killed that game at such a point.

Lamal is the greatest talent (at present) in world football, but he can be criticised.
 
Except Leo wasn’t doing this at 17, was he? Leo was, unfortunately, hampered by chronic hamstring issues due to his pitbull approach to break for goal everytime he received it…it took time to play the team game more

Lamine at 17, is already leagues ahead of where Messi was at 17 from a team perspective & influencing the outcome - imagine that, that’s unreal because Messi is unreal…they both can be true

Let that sink in, we’re at the infancy of his trajectory and it is already on its own the greatest show on earth in terms of footballing spectacle. I am not suggesting he is immune to criticism, absolutely there are things he can and will likely improve on (fitness, whining, even more of a protagonist) but selfishness or decision making is hardly an objective remark or
 
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You mentioned the 'eye test'.

Well on every occasion Ive seen him, especially in big games, he's taken too much on himself to get a goal when others were open and a better option. Going for goals when angles are way too acute seems to be a thing for him.

I dont think there's any doubt he hogs the ball way more than he should.

I get that it's a temptation because he's so good on the ball. From a neutrals perspective - one who doesn't care if his team wins, loses or draws - I dont care any way. I can applaud his attempts to do outrageous things. But if I were a supporter I'd be wondering if we'd be in that CL final at the end of the month in Munich if he'd done certain things a different way...especially going for a 4th with 90 seconds to go.

That's where the comparison with Messi really comes in. He'd have drawn fouls and killed that game at such a point.

Lamal is the greatest talent (at present) in world football, but he can be criticised.
He's better than Messi at the same age.

I never thought I'd write such a sentence.

Mind you, Rooney was too...
 
You mentioned the 'eye test'.

Well on every occasion Ive seen him, especially in big games, he's taken too much on himself to get a goal when others were open and a better option. Going for goals when angles are way too acute seems to be a thing for him.

I dont think there's any doubt he hogs the ball way more than he should.

I get that it's a temptation because he's so good on the ball. From a neutrals perspective - one who doesn't care if his team wins, loses or draws - I dont care any way. I can applaud his attempts to do outrageous things. But if I were a supporter I'd be wondering if we'd be in that CL final at the end of the month in Munich if he'd done certain things a different way...especially going for a 4th with 90 seconds to go.

That's where the comparison with Messi really comes in. He'd have drawn fouls and killed that game at such a point.

Lamal is the greatest talent (at present) in world football, but he can be criticised.
He’s 17, Dave.
 

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