Hopefully the euro collapses by then as well

comment by Neo (U9135)
posted 14 minutes ago
Liverpool signing Florian Wirtz while Arsenal are signing Christian Noorgard. Levels to this game.
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That is an odd signing. I think Norgaard is actually a very decent player but given they're supposed to be signing Zubimendi it's 31yr old squad filler.

comment by Neo (U9135)
posted 19 minutes ago
Liverpool signing Florian Wirtz while Arsenal are signing Christian Noorgard. Levels to this game.
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He's 6ft1 and takes a long throw

comment by KLS - Mick Lynch for prime minister (U1695)
posted 23 minutes ago
comment by Robbing Hoody (U6374)
posted 1 hour, 34 minutes ago
comment by フレッド - #TWENTYTIMES (U3979)
posted 20 seconds ago
comment by The Duality of Van (Dijk) (U21747)
posted 17 minutes ago
comment by フレッド - #TWENTYTIMES (U3979)

Physically, defending was rougher and referees protected players less—

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So you agree with me despite calling my view archaic

I didn't say anything about Messi not being dominant, but rougher tackling was allowed and Messi would probably have had more injuries - literally all I said
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You said defenders would snap him in two or words to that effect. I think he’d find it easier to evade tackles in the 1980s than he does today tbh.
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What?

I’m guessing you weren’t actually alive in the 80s??
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Fred you watch Messi through his career and he’s played in an era where the wind blows and you get a foul, on pitches like bowling greens.

In the 80’s pitches were like potato fields and you had the likes of Vinny Jones deliberately trying to end people’s lives. Now the likes of Maradona and Best before him put up with all that.
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And Messi would too, faster and stronger defenders couldn’t touch him what makes you think these defenders could?

I think a lot of people view football from these eras with a huge amount of nostalgia. It’s significantly better now in all aspects.

Not sure that’s true either Fred, there’s definitely an increase in physicality, but you’ll see many pros say that technique is nowhere near the same levels.

Regardless, Messi isn’t just ghosting past players because defenders can’t get near him, it’s because they can’t cut him in half.

I’ll ask again though, were you even alive to see the players you’re commenting on, because it doesn't sound like it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygVgxYa3mlo

1988

End of Messi’s career!

Here’s 9 minutes of Messi getting smashed. These tackles weren’t even yellows in the 80’s

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=X27mTNyPqsw

You’ll notice Messi rolling around crying after each one btw.

Doped up with hormones or not, I reckon Messi gets folded up back then.

comment by Robbing Hoody (U6374)
posted 12 minutes ago
Here’s 9 minutes of Messi getting smashed. These tackles weren’t even yellows in the 80’s

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=X27mTNyPqsw
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I preferred the game then

comment by Robbing Hoody (U6374)
posted 8 minutes ago
You’ll notice Messi rolling around crying after each one btw.

Doped up with hormones or not, I reckon Messi gets folded up back then.
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I’d stand by the fact they’d get nowhere near him, that video of the Souness tackle kinda proves my point. The speed of the game is nothing compared to when Messi played.

Anyway, agree to disagree on this one.

I know taking the middle ground isn't really the done thing on the internet but I'm going to give it a go.

IMO, neither is true.

No chance Messi just strolls past the likes of Maldini, Baresi, Rijkaard, Kohler, Ruggeri etc etc. None whatsoever, they're accomplished defenders.

Equally, there's no chance the 80s hatchet men would have subdued a player like Messi. He's too quick, too skilful. Just as Maradona was.

Just an aside what do we think the difference in world records for the 100m is between 1985 (when everyone was running in callipers) and now (when humans have genetically evolved into far superior athletes)?

0.35 seconds.

Enough of the two drug addicts

Here’s some Melissa Content

https://www.instagram.com/melissa_reddy/p/DJhWhx5IRvp/

comment by Robbing Hoody (U6374)
posted 10 minutes ago
Just an aside what do we think the difference in world records for the 100m is between 1985 (when everyone was running in callipers) and now (when humans have genetically evolved into far superior athletes)?

0.35 seconds.
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The 100m world record in 1985 was 9.93 seconds, set by Calvin Smith in 1983.

That time’s been broken over 470 times since—not just by one-off freaks, but by a whole generation of sprinters. And that’s in a sport where the margins are absolutely tiny, and every fraction of a second counts.

So if we’ve seen that much progress in something as specific and finely tuned as sprinting, it pretty much proves the point—athletes have moved on.

Now imagine what that kind of evolution looks like in football, where it’s not just about speed but endurance, agility, decision-making, pressing, tactical awareness—the whole lot.

Didn't think it would be this controversial to say Maradona had more physicality than Messi, have any of you seen that clip where a fight breaks out and they're all drop-kicking each other on the pitch

comment by The Duality of Van (Dijk) (U21747)
posted 2 minutes ago
Didn't think it would be this controversial to say Maradona had more physicality than Messi, have any of you seen that clip where a fight breaks out and they're all drop-kicking each other on the pitch
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Maradona wuz fasterer n strongerer than Messi

comment by フレッド - #TWENTYTIMES (U3979)
posted 32 minutes ago
comment by Robbing Hoody (U6374)
posted 10 minutes ago
Just an aside what do we think the difference in world records for the 100m is between 1985 (when everyone was running in callipers) and now (when humans have genetically evolved into far superior athletes)?

0.35 seconds.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
The 100m world record in 1985 was 9.93 seconds, set by Calvin Smith in 1983.

That time’s been broken over 470 times since—not just by one-off freaks, but by a whole generation of sprinters. And that’s in a sport where the margins are absolutely tiny, and every fraction of a second counts.

So if we’ve seen that much progress in something as specific and finely tuned as sprinting, it pretty much proves the point—athletes have moved on.

Now imagine what that kind of evolution looks like in football, where it’s not just about speed but endurance, agility, decision-making, pressing, tactical awareness—the whole lot.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

We’ve seen 0.35 seconds of progress, the rest is just filler. You weren’t even alive to see it Fred.

comment by 4zA (U22472)
posted 12 minutes ago
comment by The Duality of Van (Dijk) (U21747)
posted 2 minutes ago
Didn't think it would be this controversial to say Maradona had more physicality than Messi, have any of you seen that clip where a fight breaks out and they're all drop-kicking each other on the pitch
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Maradona wuz fasterer n strongerer than Messi
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I don't know about fasterer tbh...young Messi had insane acceleration and was also fast over longer distances

comment by Robbing Hoody (U6374)
posted 8 minutes ago
comment by フレッド - #TWENTYTIMES (U3979)
posted 32 minutes ago
comment by Robbing Hoody (U6374)
posted 10 minutes ago
Just an aside what do we think the difference in world records for the 100m is between 1985 (when everyone was running in callipers) and now (when humans have genetically evolved into far superior athletes)?

0.35 seconds.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
The 100m world record in 1985 was 9.93 seconds, set by Calvin Smith in 1983.

That time’s been broken over 470 times since—not just by one-off freaks, but by a whole generation of sprinters. And that’s in a sport where the margins are absolutely tiny, and every fraction of a second counts.

So if we’ve seen that much progress in something as specific and finely tuned as sprinting, it pretty much proves the point—athletes have moved on.

Now imagine what that kind of evolution looks like in football, where it’s not just about speed but endurance, agility, decision-making, pressing, tactical awareness—the whole lot.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

We’ve seen 0.35 seconds of progress, the rest is just filler. You weren’t even alive to see it Fred.
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Literally no point continuing this debate if you think 0.35 in 100m times isn't a massive amount of progress.

Nunez for Napoli looks like a good move for all tbh, a decent price for us and a good move for him.

I mean there's also that thing about the tracks enhancing sprint times

I mean if we can wxtrapolate it footballers are probably only 0.25 seconds faster.

Tbh, this should have stopped when you said Diaz was on Maradona’s level, which I think most would agree is one of the daftest things ever written on 606 and shows an incredible lack of knowledge, so much so, that you should probably get a short term ban from admin for your own good.

comment by Michael Edwards FC 2.0 loading…I am your Premier League Champion (U2720)
posted 17 seconds ago
I mean there's also that thing about the tracks enhancing sprint times
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And technology doping

comment by Michael Edwards FC 2.0 loading…I am your Premier League Champion (U2720)
posted 2 minutes ago
I mean there's also that thing about the tracks enhancing sprint times
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Which maybe accounts for 0.05 seconds? They were running on rekortan synthetic tracks, not dirt ffs.

comment by Robbing Hoody (U6374)
posted 6 minutes ago
I mean if we can wxtrapolate it footballers are probably only 0.25 seconds faster.

Tbh, this should have stopped when you said Diaz was on Maradona’s level, which I think most would agree is one of the daftest things ever written on 606 and shows an incredible lack of knowledge, so much so, that you should probably get a short term ban from admin for your own good.
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Put a player like Luis Díaz—with his speed, endurance, tactical awareness, and technical level—into a game in 1985, and he’d look like a cheat code. He’d be the best player on the pitch, hands down. But today? He’s a very good player—not a Ballon d’Or contender.

The entire sport has levelled up. The baseline has shifted. Players who were once generational talents would now need to adjust to the pace, intensity, and complexity of today’s game just to keep up.

So yeah—sport evolves. And 0.35 seconds in sprinting is massive. In football, it's not just 0.35 seconds—it’s that every player on the pitch has improved by that margin, in every direction.

Out of interest, in your opinion who wins? 1985/86 Liverpool or 2024/25 Liverpool?