Messi and Kaka

[mr_dude]

Does anyone else think they had sublime tournaments? I disagree with people who say that they underperformed, they made their respective teams tick.
Every good move Argentina had was made by Messi. He'd pick up the ball, dribble with it, and shoot or pass it off. It was a combination of fantastic goalkeeping and him playing deeper than we're used to that kept him off the scoresheets, but his influence was all over everything good that Argentina did, and Argentina did do a lot of good things.

Kaka also showed class in my opinion. One of my favourite goals of the tournament was created by him, I believe it was against Chile, Brazil counter-attack, Robinho on the left squares to Kaka just outside the box, and Kaka plays a one-time through ball to Fabiano, Fabiano smashes home. Beautiful assist. Anyway, again, Kaka was at the heart of so many Brazillian moves. If he didn't get the assist, he likely got the second-to-last pass. Kaka was kept off the scoresheet mainly because he'd rather pass than shoot.

Just because they didn't score, or because their teams didn't go as far as possible, people have been saying they flopped, which they clearly didn't.
Opinions?

[Rome_Leader]

Yes, I think the fact that we are used to seeing them take over their respective teams played a big role in us labeling them as busts. Really, they worked behind the scenes this WC, and team movements came through them, or as a result of their work, but didn't result in them being on the finishing end.

Kaka has really dropped off as a whole, lately. I hope he can find his stride again in the upcoming season. Messi was just awesome; just couldn't get the finishing touch.

[Hugh]

Kaka lost the ball a lot

Messi had a good tourney though.

[panchester07]

messi was awesomee the first game, pretty freaking good the second, and as maradona started making him the cm, and played without a cm (wtf), he started slowlyy fading away. Definetly not his fault, and he definetly gave 15150% for the albiceleste shirt, its just that they had no midfield, and he had to do things particularly alone.

Kaka, I didn't follow so closely, so I don't know his story.

The one that did suck balls with Cr7.

[Juice]

Agree, both where good...
It feels like messi got a "too" free role in the midfield. I think that in barcelona, messi is more used to knowing what to do when he have the ball and also when he dont have the ball.. But in Argentine it where more like "get the ball to messi and let him do what ever he wants". It looked like he where a bit uncomfortable with that. But still he handled it good.

[klc123]

If my sources are correct, Alan Hansen is still wanking over Kaka's assist against Chile.

[LiveTheDream]

I wouldn't say they were sublime, but I wouldn't say they were crap either. They both contributed to their teams, they just didn'y go goal crazy or whatever like everyone seemed to be expecting them to. Wayne Rooney, on the other hand...