Captain wrote:
There was space at the near post for Messi; he overdid it. It was good from Chesney and he has shown that before but Messi should have done better given his ability and reputation.
I was just watching the highlights back, and when I saw Messi's chance, I remembered you saying this yesterday. There was space at the near post, but I think you're not seeing the genius of Szczesny there.
I think it's moments like that which separate good goalkeepers from great ones. That split-second decision, getting a read from somewhere as to what the forward is going to do. He read Messi's intentions and then made it almost impossible for him to beat him in that way, once a forward shapes his body or makes his decision running at speed, it's almost impossible to change what he's going to do. We all know that from playing park football. So Szczesny sort of gave Messi the near post because he knew he wasn't going there, it's a gamble because he might have read him wrong, but it's also absolute genius at the same time.
Whatever it is, Messi's body shape or a look towards that corner from him, or watching tapes of Messi when he finishes from that angle, or his chip over Almunia fresh in his mind, whatever it is, Szczesny has read what he's going to do.
You look at what Messi was facing as he went to chip the ball, it's almost impossible for him to score. Szczesny has got it bang on the money.
The view from behind further shows how well Szczesny had closed it all down, it was a massive moment, and he kept calm, and made Messi miss.
It's all about decision making, and being able to make the right ones when the pressure's on, and this kid does it over and over again.
