THE VOTE Do Glasgow Rangers play ‘anti-football’? (Lionel Messi thinks they do)

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25th, October 2007

18 Comments

77459272.jpgLittle Lionel Messi, probably the best player in the world right now, has accused Rangers of playing ‘anti-football’, after the Scottish club held Messi’s Barcelona to a 0-0 draw at Ibrox on Tuesday in the Champions League. Messi said: ‘It’s incredible. Rangers didn’t want to play football. They practised anti-football from the first minute and it’s a shame we couldn’t take victory because we created a good number of chances. We just didn’t put them away. I think that when they come to the Nou Camp everything is going to be very different.’
Fighting talk from the young Argentine. So Rangers may not be the most attractive team in the world, but to accuse them of playing anti-football (whatever that might be) is a bit harsh. Does Messi have a point, or should he shut his mouth?

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18 Comments

  1. Rich says:

    Yes, he does have a point.
    “I think that when they come to the Nou Camp everything is going to be very different”
    Glasgow or Barcelona, not two cities destined for a ‘spot the difference’ game are they? :)
    I say, good on Rangers for having the discipline to stick to ‘anti-football’. If that’s the way to get a point against one of the finer teams in Europe (if not, the world?) then that’s the way to play.
    I wonder if he’ll threaten to take his ball home if they don’t agree to be nicer next time?

  2. Ollie, Pies Ed. says:

    Agreed Rich – why should Rangers commit footballing suicide by trying to outplay Barca? Use your resources in the best way possibe; Walter Smith is not stupid.

  3. ze says:

    anyway, they play antifooball and u cant disagree with that (even if its kind of success for them)

  4. Adam says:

    Every time Arsene Wenger says something similar, he’s pounced on by rabid fans.
    But, just like it’s Arsenal’s responsibility to break down a stubborn defense, it is Barca’s as well, and complaining about it just makes you look bitter (whether it’s justified or not).

  5. Jim says:

    14.07 Absolute tosh. They just play to their strengths. Against Barca their main task was to stop them from scoring, as they have the best attacking unit in club football right now. I don’t think little Messi saw Rangers stuff celtic at the weekend, so his comments are quite naive. Barca just had a bad game and Messi is sulking about it.

  6. Miguel says:

    When you play at home, in front of your fans, any team should try to put on a show for them, not just try to stop one. That’s the mentality of teams that have nothing to offer the game or their fans.
    The saddest part is to see football fans justify it.

  7. noah says:

    Coming from a player who employs such tactics as “hand of god” goals, this criticism is meaningless. Rangers had some good chances as the game wound down, and defense is just as important a part of the game as offense. Quite pitiful that the supposed best attacking force in the world can’t score against them.

  8. T to the J says:

    I don’t really care bout Rangers but if the “ultra-awesome” Barca can’t score on them then Messi the cheat better STFU instead of crying about anti-football. What, no chances for scoring fluke hand goals on Tuesday?

  9. Does “anti-football” mean using your hands?
    *rimshot*
    I seem to recall Rangers playing a more attacking style of football against sides they could actually attack. This was no different than the Man U v. Reading game at the start of the season. Walter Smith knew his best bet was to steal a point here and save the attacks for Lyon and Stuttgart. Messi’s just showing sour grapes.

  10. OmegaSupreme says:

    He always says that. Thing is Lionel ( i know he reads ) not everyone is as good as you and Diego so they have to do what they can.

  11. JeffreyG says:

    I’m really tired of this philosophy that teams must play beutifully. The supporters at Ibrox certainly didn’t seem to care and were excited to get a point. A point that will most likely see them through to the next round,I might add.

  12. Bombossa says:

    he does have one point from the draw
    but he’s talking shit
    that’s why i voted no

  13. Joe says:

    Will someone please hold a giant ‘DUH’ sign in front of young Lionel’s head? Lost African Headhunter tribes could have told him that Vauxhall Vectra-clubs like Rangers are only ever going to beat Audi R8-clubs like Barcelona if they ‘shut the door’, so to speak.
    If your frontline consists of a man named after a corn crisp and some bloke whose name I forget, You’re never going to get past a defense line containing Puyol and his buddies. Plus, if you’d try that, you’d expose your backline to a whole batallion of world class prima donnas, so it is absolutely ridiculous for Rangers to try it. Grow some brains, Mr. Messi.

  14. Pete Young says:

    Mr Messi has lost the plot. Conning refs, scoring with the hand, falling about like a nancy boy after merely brushing against another player, trying get opponents sent off by rolling around in ‘agony’ and waving imaginary cards is anti-football. He can’t compare state-sponsored Barcelona and Rangers. Brilliant result, great tactics. Anyway, German and Italian teams are the experts at the type of anti-football he mentions.

  15. miguel says:

    Rangers is a perfect example of why British people love the way Brazil plays. They know they won’t get that type of play in Britain, so might as well root for a team that actually puts on a show.
    Also, everyone talks about the “hand of god”…how about the goal after that? (talk about sour grapes)
    Even anti-football couldn’t stop that. Tactics…righhhht
    PS: No one fell in love with the way Italy won the last world cup.

  16. David says:

    Rangers are scum. Teams like rangers are the reason the away goal rule came to exist (coincidentally barcelona were involved in that dilemma)

  17. wullie G says:

    rangers are cheats pure and simple they con scottish referee’s every game especially kyle lafferty pretending to get headbutted and dramatically collapsing like a ton of tatties then winking at the player when the opposition player gets sent off. scottish referee’s and the sfa have favoured rangers for decades, but since the carry on with the NO POPE sign from hugh dallas things have’nt been going there way anymore and they have the hard neck to say that scottish referee’s are against them, WHAT CRAP THEY HAVE BEEN GETTING AWAY WITH HACKING PLAYERS AND DELIBERATELY GETTING THE OPPOSITION SENT OFF, EVEN WHEN TEAMS THAT PLAY RANGERS GET A WINNING GOAL AGAINST THEM THERE GOAL IS CHOPPED OFF SEASON 09/10 ESPECIALLY

  18. Anonymous says:

    adviser

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