ShiftyPowers;3091777 said:Not really that much different. He still scores goals, drifts over the pitch, plays great passes, runs with the ball like a demon. He's a false 9 now instead of a winger, but I don't think he's that much different.
I disagree, Messi used to have a poor passing range and Barca relied on the midfield for creativity. Messi plays great passes to the runners now, and although his range of passing is still not as good as it would be for a perfect player playing in the AMC zone, he has pinned down the assists part, and in a few years, assuming his game doesn't draw him back to dribbling more than passing, he could get close to Xavi's passing ability.
Highly doubt he ever will be as good a protoypical playmaker as Xavi, but it won't ever matter since Barca produces other playmakers so Messi can keep being Messi.
I still rate Xavi higher, though, but I'll always value passing over dribbling, and no one beats Xavi's passing, although a few players are close, some practically on par, like Iniesta, Sneijder and a few others I won't mention.