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Messi: I can’t win games all by myself

Comment: 0 October 5th, 2011 by: admin

LIONEL Messi has been criticised for not delivering the goods for Argentina. He is back in his home country and will try to break the slump when he dons the national colours again.

Messi arrived in Buenos Aires on Tuesday to prepare for Albiceleste’s World Cup qualifiers on Friday against Chile and next Tuesday’s away tussle away to Venezuela.

Stressing the value of teamwork, the 24-year-old Messi said he can’t win matches all by himself.

“No one player alone wins a game,’’ he told reporters. “This is true with the national team, with Barcelona and everywhere. It’s important the team plays as a team.’’

Despite not showing his best for Argentina while playing in top shape when he is in Barca uniform, Messi was the best Argentine performer in this year’s Copa America where they were eliminated in the quarterfinals by eventual champions Uruguay.

Messi has not found the target for Argentina in the past 16 official games (7 in World Cup qualifiers, 5 in the 2010 World Cup and 4 in the Copa America).

The Argentines are playing under new coach Alejandro Sabella, who replaced Sergio Batista after the latter was fired following the country’s ouster in the Copa America last July.

Sabella has already steered Argentina in four friendlies but their coming clash with Chile is the first with more importance.

The former Estudiantes boss has been praised in his first matches as coach with his better tactical acumen than Batista and another previous Argentina mentor Diego Maradona.

Sabella said he is looking forward to linking up with Messi. “He has set up more goals than any other player. There is no reason to go crazy if he is not scoring goals. Almost all of Argentina’s goals come from his feet or his head.’’

Messi will spearhead the bid of Argentina anew as two regulars from the Copa America squad were dropped by Sabella – Inter Milan defender Javier Zanetti and Manchester City forward Carlos Tevez.

Sabella said the World Cup qualifiers are a different kind of tournament. “It is harder than any other.’’

But with Messi around, the Argentines could have a much easier time this early.

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