5 reasons of why Messi is so difficult to stop: SPEED There are plenty of players who could outrun Messi in a 100-meter dash. But running with the ball is a different story. Messi can control the ball at close to top speed, making him an excellent dribbler. Also, its his acceleration rather than his top speed that cuts up defenses. Few defenders can keep up when Messi revs up from standstill, creating space for his left-foot shot. BALANCE Like former Argentina great Diego Maradona, Messi uses his short stature to his advantage. His low center of gravity enables him to make quick turns and to stay on his feet when challenged. Often, the only way to knock him off balance is to foul him. Defenders at the World Cup have been taking turns tackling Messi to spread the risk of getting booked around the team. ACCURACY Messi is one of the worlds top free-kick takers, striking the ball with impressive accuracy with his magic left foot. Almost always he hits the target or just misses it - you rarely see Messi blast a free kick five meters over the crossbar. In Argentinas final group-stage match, Nigeria gave Messi two free kick opportunities near the penalty area toward the end of the first half. He elegantly curled the first one over the wall, but goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama was well-positioned and stopped it. By the second free kick, Messi had fine-tuned his aim, and struck the ball perfectly inside the post. Enyeama jokingly asked the referees during the break to not give Messi any more free kicks. PATIENCE Patience is perhaps an underrated virtue for a football player, and its one that has served Messi well in the World Cup. Every opponent has come with a plan to stop him, by closing down his space and tackling him as soon as he touches the ball. As a result Messi has looked out of the game for long periods. But instead of hanging his head and getting frustrated, Messi keeps looking for openings, patiently awaiting a moment when defenders take their focus off him for just a split second. Thats when he strikes. Against Iran, that moment came in injury time when he scored his second goal of the tournament. Against Switzerland, it happened in extra time as he set up Angel Di Marias winning goal with a piercing run down the middle. INTELLIGENCE Messi also stands out for his ability to read the game, mapping out paths to the opponents goal in his mind before the opponent does. Thats key to understanding why hes such a prolific scorer. Knowing by instinct where a gap will open up for a quick pass or shot gives him an advantage over others, though it can also complicate things for the team. Sometimes Messi lets chances slip away by being too smart for his Argentina teammates, who arent in sync with him to the same degree as Andres Iniesta and Xavi Hernandez at Barcelona.
Posted on: Sun, 13 Jul 2014 01:22:56 +0000
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