Lionel Messi official tracking thread (2011-2012 season)

[MagicianHishon]

http://www.goal.com/en/news/12/spain...ture-of-little

I think Barca have found Valdes' replacement.

[luongoisdaman]

Messi's record might be broken in the same year by Gomez. 4 goals with 20 minutes to go.

[Vasilevski]

Originally Posted by Ronaldo

http://www.goal.com/en/news/12/spain...ture-of-little

I think Barca have found Valdes' replacement.

[metric]

There's 233 for Messi. All-time leading goal scorer for Barcelona. 24 years old. Simply amazing.

[Vasilevski]

hat-trick, 234... best player ever

[metric]

...and hat trick again.

[NMF78]

54 for the season in 45 games, insane

[Savi]

Wow. Possible record breaking night for him, so what does he do? 3 goals and 2 assists.. Simply amazing. All time top goalscorer for Barça, only needed 5 years less than Rodriguez

[gary69]

I would never had believed somebody could achieve that amount of goals for Barcelona by the age of 24. Absolutely amazing.

Even if his scoring pace were to slow down somewhat in the next decade, he could end up with around 400 goals for them.

[Chimaera]

doesn't hurt with what he has around him, but he's an alien. Just not from here.

[AlanHUK]

[Jussi]

Originally Posted by Savi

Wow. Possible record breaking night for him, so what does he do? 3 goals and 2 assists.. Simply amazing. All time top goalscorer for Barça, only needed 5 years less than Rodriguez

Since when do the give assists for rebounds goals?

[Tomas Sandstrom 28]

I am not attempting to disparage Messi here, but have a question out of sheer curiosity. It is widely known that Messi suffered from Growth Hormone Deficiency as a child, and his treatments were payed for by Barcelona.

Could it be possible that Messi's talent is at least somewhat improved by the treatments he recieved? I am not educated on the Hormone Disorder, but have read that typical treatments consists of injection of growth hormone regularly.

While it is clear that Messi is of small stature and he does not exactly have the physique of Barry Bonds, I am just wondering if there is any effect...

[Savi]

@Jussi: I was being generous but he did have a foot in all 5 goals though..

Originally Posted by Tomas Sandstrom 28

I am not attempting to disparage Messi here, but have a question out of sheer curiosity. It is widely known that Messi suffered from Growth Hormone Deficiency as a child, and his treatments were payed for by Barcelona.

Could it be possible that Messi's talent is at least somewhat improved by the treatments he recieved? I am not educated on the Hormone Disorder, but have read that typical treatments consists of injection of growth hormone regularly.

While it is clear that Messi is of small stature and he does not exactly have the physique of Barry Bonds, I am just wondering if there is any effect...

It helped him physically, but hormones don't influence skill now don't they?

[Vasilevski]

Originally Posted by Tomas Sandstrom 28

I am not attempting to disparage Messi here, but have a question out of sheer curiosity. It is widely known that Messi suffered from Growth Hormone Deficiency as a child, and his treatments were payed for by Barcelona.

Could it be possible that Messi's talent is at least somewhat improved by the treatments he recieved? I am not educated on the Hormone Disorder, but have read that typical treatments consists of injection of growth hormone regularly.

While it is clear that Messi is of small stature and he does not exactly have the physique of Barry Bonds, I am just wondering if there is any effect...

without those he couldn't have played professional soccer, so yeah, they helped him... but not talent or skill wise...

[Dom]

His deficiency could have helped him in the sense that being so small at first, he had to rely essentially on skill and timing to be good instead of on physical attributes. When his growth spurt finally hit due to medication, he was able to grow in his body and not loose a step skill-wise.

[Vasilevski]

[NMF78]

Originally Posted by Tomas Sandstrom 28

I am not attempting to disparage Messi here, but have a question out of sheer curiosity. It is widely known that Messi suffered from Growth Hormone Deficiency as a child, and his treatments were payed for by Barcelona.

Could it be possible that Messi's talent is at least somewhat improved by the treatments he recieved? I am not educated on the Hormone Disorder, but have read that typical treatments consists of injection of growth hormone regularly.

While it is clear that Messi is of small stature and he does not exactly have the physique of Barry Bonds, I am just wondering if there is any effect...

without it he would have been to small to play on a professional level, he is still quite small though but not weak (strong on his feet), the skill has always been there

[Tomas Sandstrom 28]

I guess my question is: hypothetically, do you think Messi would still be the same player had he never suffered the hormone disorder and subsequent treatments?

He obviously has great tactical, technical ability and creativity, which can not be gained from a drug. But what about things like shielding/shouldering off stronger defenders, quick muscle movements, reflexes etc?

[Vasilevski]

Originally Posted by Tomas Sandstrom 28

I guess my question is: hypothetically, do you think Messi would still be the same player had he never suffered the hormone disorder and subsequent treatments?

He obviously has great tactical, technical ability and creativity, which can not be gained from a drug. But what about things like shielding/shouldering off stronger defenders, quick muscle movements, reflexes etc?

IMO no, he wouldn't have been the same

[the edler]

i was on growth hormone medicine from age 7 to 15 so i kind of know what it's about

i've read that barca financed his treatment when he was 13 so i assume that's when he started on the meds, but at what age did he stop the treatment?

[the edler]

i'll also say that i think his height fits him very well as a player, i mean he's a football player not a basketball player

look at iniesta and xavi and you'll see the same stature, look at maradona and he was even smaller

[Vasilevski]

Originally Posted by the edler

i was on growth hormone medicine from age 7 to 15 so i kind of know what it's about

i've read that barca financed his treatment when he was 13 so i assume that's when he started on the meds, but at what age did he stop the treatment?

He had the treatment for 3 years... so until he had 16/17

[denniscasa]

Originally Posted by viktors89

He had the treatment for 3 years... so until he had 16/17

Let's say he continued to receive treatment till he's 19. will he be taller than what he's at right now? or does the growing stop at 17

[EchoesoftheEighties]

I had growth hormone deficiency myself. I can tell you that while injecting it, I was more lean and grew taller. That's about it. It maybe helped him stay in better shape, but if he's an athlete he was always going to be in good shape.