Homepage Update: Being the Best

[AndyC]

AndyC submitted a new blog post

Being the Best

This past weekend, for me and I suspect plenty of others, saw two games of totally contrasting fortunes namely the rather tame and boring West Ham versus Everton encounter and the El Classico - Real Madrid versus Barcelona.

Let's look at the scenarios... West Ham struggling, out of form and finding life in their new home rather difficult to come to terms with against an Everton side, still with a remote, but tangible chance of finishing in the top four. Outcome, a listless, boring, tedious, drab 0-0 draw with barely a decent effort on goal from either side and just one, repeat one from the side with surely the greater incentive - Everton.

Meanwhile in Spain, Real Madrid top of the table and fresh from progressing to the semi-finals of the Champions League against Barcelona, who'd been eliminated from the same competition by virtue of a masterclass in how to defend afforded them by Juventus. Outcome, a superb exhibition of hard work, desire, a willingness to overcome adversity and a thrilling finale - indeed, a classic.

Now you don't need to be a rocket scientist to know and accept that both Real and Barca are by some margin, a cut above the vast majority of the footballing world, but the point of this missive is to highlight the work rate, desire and sheer will to succeed... and in particular of one man - Lionel Messi.

Go back to Wednesday's game against Juventus and Messi worked his socks off to try and haul Barcelona back from a three-goal first leg deficit, but the quite outstanding Juve defence was having none of it, even Messi couldn't break them down.

Bear in mind too, that during first half, Messi had taken a heavy fall that saw him land on his face and incur bruising around his left eye.

Yet barely 96 hours later he was up and ready to take on Real in the Bernabeu. He hadn't scored in a Madrid El Classico for six games and Barca were behind in the chase for the La Liga title.

Real took the lead through a dubiously offside goal before a key incident. Messi and Marcelo leapt for a header and the Madrid defender, deliberately or otherwise caught the Argentinian with his elbow and Messi went down clutching his face.

Was he fawning injury, was he fairy cakes. As he picked himself up blood and lots of it oozed from a facial injury and he needed treatment. For many players, this might have been the end of their game.

Messi though, didn't whinge or whine, he took his treatment and a wad of tissues and got back on with the game. Probably incensed at the incident, he chose to take out his anger and vengeance on Real Madrid. A smashing move saw his dance into the Real area after an exchange of passes and his unerring left foot drive levelled the score.

The second half was a Messi masterclass. He worked his socks off, linking with his team mates endlessly and tirelessly, harrassing the Madrid midfield to distraction and probing the defence constantly, looking for the weaknesses to pounce upon.

Barca duly took a second half lead and Madrid began to fray at the edges, the unravelling caused largely by the sheer work rate and determination of the man clutching his tissues and wiping his wound. Messi was in full-on best player in the world mode.

Sergio Ramos saw red and Barca appeared home and dry, but this was El Classico and the home side fought back and with less than five minutes to play James Rodriguez, the often forgotten man of Los Galacticos beat Ter Stegen to rescue a point... hang on, don't forget Messi.

Into added on time and Barca win the ball deep in their own half. A break of lightning speed, power and precision passing sees the Catalan side race the length of the pitch with Messi arriving at the perfect time in the perfect place to plant a perfect left-footed curling shot into the net.

Even Messi knew that he'd been just a bit special as he removed his shirt and displayed his name to the crowd. He got booked. He should have been chaired off the pitch. He'd been quite simply the best of the best in a game that featured so many great players.

Contrast the work rate, desire, and will to win of Messi against some of the Everton side that took to the pitch against West Ham - there can be utterly no comparison.

Players far too often talk the talk and either can't or have no real idea of how to walk the walk.

Players - and let's be brutally honest now - like Romelu Lukaku, talk about wanting to play in the Champions League; some feel they have almost a divine right to do so on the back of some fine form.

Well, they don't have any such divine right. They have and need to earn it. You can have all the skill and physical attributes in the world, but if you lack the work rate and desire to get to the top, you won't.

The Everton motto is Nil Satis Nisi Optimum - nothing but the best. If over the past 48 hours you can find anyone better than Lionel Messi to fit that billing, I'd be delighted to learn who it is.

I offer you one instance from Saturday when, second half, Mason Holgate put in arguably the best cross of the afternoon, right into the danger area where Rom was waiting... and we waited, we wait still... for a leap and a challenge to win the ball and score. It simply was not there.

I found myself thinking... if that had been Alec Young, he'd have wiped a bead of perspiration from his brow - the Golden Vision perspired, he didn't sweat like mere mortals do - and he'd have caressed the ball with his forehead beyond Adrian in the West Ham goal.

Fred Pickering, Joe Royle, Bob Latchford, Graeme Sharp, Duncan Ferguson, even Gary Lineker and certainly Tim Cahill ahead of flattening the nearest corner flag with a right hook, they would all have buried the chance. Andy Gray would have probably waited till the ball dropped to knee height before launching himself amidst the flailing boots to score.

What did we see from Romelu Lukaku, well I'm not quite sure how to describe it but, it sure as eggs is eggs was not the attempt of a man desperate to score, earn his side victory and keep them in the hunt for a Champions League place.

You may suspect that I'm fuming, and you would not be far wrong.

I like Lukaku, I really, really do and some of the goals he's scored during his time with Everton have been quite exceptional, but and it's a big but... he thinks he should be playing Champions League right now but he hasn't yet earned it.

He talks lucidly and eloquently about 'working hard to be the best player I can be' - laudable sentiments, but actions need to speak more and louder than mere words.

He's 23 and with a glorious future ahead of him if he applies himself better than he did on Saturday and if he earns and has that glorious future with Everton rather than seeking it being handed him on a plate by a mega-money move elsewhere, then nobody will be more pleased than me.

Messi is 29 and has been lauded as the best player - arguably with Ronaldo - in the world for maybe five years if not longer... and his work rate, desire and will to win are as prevalent and strong today as when he first appeared on the footballing scene.

This isn't about Romelu Lukaku being anything like the all-round player that Lionel Messi is - it's about having the same level of work rate, desire, committment, and will to win.

Lukaku talks about being the best and right now, comes up short of the mark.

Messi does his talking on the pitch - being the best.

 

[kev]

First
Good post with a valid view point. @AndyC


*I admit to being a little disappointed however, I saw the thread title and assu it was another @iamEverton thread

 

[brieverton]

It's not just about Lukaku. Each individual must take responsibility.

I was not at the game on Saturday, but if travelled/paid for a ticket, I would have felt short-changed and cheated, it was an enormous waste of time even watching on TV.

Bar a few exceptions, ALL of them looked like they couldn't be arsed.

 

[Deulofeumygod]

The whole team lacked desire and will to win on Saturday. Rom is an entirely different player to messi but I can't deny he can be lazy.

Money makes it too easy for players to make mega moves and sadly the same will happen with rom. The highest bidder will probably win.

 

[Saint Domingo]

Great post. The best players take it on themselves to settle games, they don't look to others. I've only seen Rom do that in one game for us, the Chelsea QF. When I saw that first goal go in I thought 'it's finally dropped, he's taken us to Wembley by himself, now he realises how good he is'. Since then though this hasn't happened since. There's been a few strolls in the sunshine at Goodison where he's put Bounemouth to the sword etc. but in those big games where you look to your best player, he is looking to someone else to do it for him. Indeed I'd say since Cahill left we haven't had a single 'go to' player, someone who thinks 'this is on me to win this because I'm better than the rest'. Barkley talks the talk but that sort of pressure seems to detract from his game.

The semi finals were perfect examples of this. Hazard came on for Chelsea and had the air of a player who knew every team mate was looking to him to deliver and he knew that he could. Same with Sanchez, when Arsenal's players looked for a leader he took the fight to City. Through gritted teeth Coutinho does the same for Liverpool, team rocking in the Derby he settles it himself. We've got no one, regardless of talent, who has this mindset. This isn't about being as good as Messi, he is the combination of supreme talent and mindset. The issue is we don't have one single player in our team who will take responsibility on themselves. It should be Rom, and until he does it he won't be fulfilling his dream of leading the line in the CL anytime soon. Does anyone think Lewandowski, Ibrahimovic, Griezemann, Ronaldo, Messi, Higuain etc. look to other people to make something happen in a game? Not a chance.

 

[Bud McBlokeski]

Words.

Spot on lid.

 

[Joey66]

It's not just about Lukaku. Each individual must take responsibility.

I was not at the game on Saturday, but if travelled/paid for a ticket, I would have felt short-changed and cheated, it was an enormous waste of time even watching on TV.

Bar a few exceptions, ALL of them looked like they couldn't be arsed.

Jags- Davies - Holgate - Lookman for having two shots was about it - the rest were on the beach sunbathing - the team away is never set out right so let's also look at the managers away form at home top notch - away we look like a different team it a mystery to me?
so frustrating , and lets praise the blue fans who travelled to have to see that very vocal once more

 

[Boss_Blue]

Players - and let's be brutally honest now - like Romelu Lukaku, talk about wanting to play in the Champions League; some feel they have almost a divine right to do so on the back of some fine form.

I offer you one instance from Saturday when, second half, Mason Holgate put in arguably the best cross of the afternoon, right into the danger area where Rom was waiting... and we waited, we wait still... for a leap and a challenge to win the ball and score. It simply was not there.

What did we see from Romelu Lukaku, well I'm not quite sure how to describe it but, it sure as eggs is eggs was not the attempt of a man desperate to score, earn his side victory and keep them in the hunt for a Champions League place.

You may suspect that I'm fuming, and you would not be far wrong.

I like Lukaku, I really, really do and some of the goals he's scored during his time with Everton have been quite exceptional, but and it's a big but... he thinks he should be playing Champions League right now but he hasn't yet earned it.

He talks lucidly and eloquently about 'working hard to be the best player I can be' - laudable sentiments, but actions need to speak more and louder than mere words.

He's 23 and with a glorious future ahead of him if he applies himself better than he did on Saturday and if he earns and has that glorious future with Everton rather than seeking it being handed him on a plate by a mega-money move elsewhere, then nobody will be more pleased than me.

This isn't about Romelu Lukaku being anything like the all-round player that Lionel Messi is - it's about having the same level of work rate, desire, committment, and will to win.

Lukaku talks about being the best and right now, comes up short of the mark.

Andy?

 

[Eggs]

....the contrast between Messi and mere mortals is perhaps little unfair because true galacticos not only have an abundance of talent they have an abundance of attitude. I posted a similar theme to @Andy C after I witnessed the Man Utd game at Goodison. More specifically, the contrast between Lukaku and 35 year old Ibrahimovic who led the line, ran the channels and went to war with our back four.

Lukaku is a top drawer goalscorer but he's some way off being a complete CF.

 

[brieverton]

Jags- Davies - Holgate - Lookman for having two shots was about it - the rest were on the beach sunbathing - the team away is never set out right so let's also look at the managers away form at home top notch - away we look like a different team it a mystery to me?
so frustrating , and lets praise the blue fans who travelled to have to see that very vocal once more

It is a huge worry heading into a new season. People go on about our away record at "big" clubs, but it is last Saturday's type of fixture that we need to be taking the 3 points at more often than not to have any hope at all of pushing up the league.

Having thought about this for a long time, I can only put it down to a lack of leadership in the squad - we just don't have enough shouters and rousers and everyone is looking for someone else to step up.

I thought the pressure would be off and they could play with a certain freedom, but no. I was actually quite angry in the wake of the game, it was a disgrace, let's call it what it was.

At least Koeman acknowledged it, that is a positive. When they are assessing transfer targets now and over the summer, I hope they can see that we need a few leaders, down the spine of the team.

 

[Lanolin]

I think the bit about Messi not scoring in the last 6 games in the Bernabeu is pretty relevant though isn't it? Even the greatest player of a generation - possible ever - has regularly failed to affect the biggest games. And yet because Lukaku can't score in what is effectively a dead rubber it's conclusive proof that he's either not good enough or lazy. Boss logic superblues.

 

[orly]

Yet barely 96 hours later he was up and ready to take on Real in the Bernabeu.

And still growing taller way into his adult years.

He's a medical miracle, that's for sure.

Agree with the point about desire / application though.

 

[AndyC]

I think the bit about Messi not scoring in the last 6 games in the Bernabeu is pretty relevant though isn't it? Even the greatest player of a generation - possible ever - has regularly failed to affect the biggest games. And yet because Lukaku can't score in what is effectively a dead rubber it's conclusive proof that he's either not good enough or lazy. Boss logic superblues.

It's not so much that he didn't score mate...
1. it wasn't a dead rubber
2. the incident I referred to for me, was indicative of a shortage - at times - of genuine desire.

Where did I state he's not good enough and I didn't use the word lazy.

I want him to succeed and become the player he wants to be, but most of all I want him to do it in the blue of Everton, not the colours of the biggest waver of a cheque book.

 

[Lanolin]

It's not so much that he didn't score mate...
1. it wasn't a dead rubber
2. the incident I referred to for me, was indicative of a shortage - at times - of genuine desire.

Where did I state he's not good enough and I didn't use the word lazy.

I want him to succeed and become the player he wants to be, but most of all I want him to do it in the blue of Everton, not the colours of the biggest waver of a cheque book.

It was, as I said, effectively a dead rubber.

I think saying he hasn't earned the chance to play in the Champions League is equivalent to saying he's not good enough isn't it?

I mean, just look at what you're saying there for a minute. Not that he's not as good as Messi or Ronaldo, but that he isn't good enough to play in the Champions League. Leigh Griffiths is, and Vincent Janssen is, Michy Batshuayi is, but Lukaku isn't. It's an utterly ridiculous assertion and one that keeps getting repeated. He's easily good enough to play in the CL for the rest of his career, the only question is whether one of the very very few teams who can afford him believes he's the best option available to them and worth the money we want.

You didn't use the word lazy, but you did say he had less desire than Latchford and Ferguson, and neither of them were exactly renowned for their work ethic so it stands to reason that's what you're getting at surely.

 

[EFC78]

Was wondering where you were going with the comparisons initially because as you rightly pointed out, Everton are a long way away from teams (clubs) like Real Madrid and Barcelona. I also think the comparison and criticism you have made is pretty much aimed solely at Romelu Lukaku and maybe to an extent Ross Barkley. Lukaku is the only player in our squad who could have a legitimate claim to be talked about in the same sentence as Barcelona and Real Madrid due to his goal scoring exploits and I agree with the points you have made about him. I feel it's the main reason why he hasn't got his dream move yet, because he lacks that desire when it really counts.

Similarly, I think Barkley, whilst very talented, should be standing up in comparisons with Dele Alli and I think Alli is streets ahead of him at the moment in many areas that Barkley should be at a similar level. I don't think Alli has many attributes that make him clearly better than Barkley, but he managed to apply himself in nearly every game. It seems to me that the main difference between them is confidence, desire and belief in their own ability. Talent wise I genuinely think Barkley is at least as good as him.

Good post though and I enjoyed reading the stuff about Messi, for me the greatest player during my lifetime and one of the best ever.