but he hasn't been able to control and win games on his own yet. He did it against Iran and Nigeria in the World Cup, but the team utilizes him in a number 10 role, where he hasn't been able to be the difference. Not yet anyway. Its counter-intuitive to put him in when he hasn't had any rest in years, just for the promise that he may be able to be the X-factor one day. He hasn't been in his best form for Argentina since the World Cup qualifiers. Also, building the team around Messi has evidently taken a bite out of Higuain, Pastore, and Aguero's effectiveness. Sure it says more about the system Tata and Sabella used, rather than about Messi, but if Messi doesn't work in your system, you have to take him out, or change it all-together. Football isn't as simple as having the best player in the universe, its about getting the best out of your best player. If you can't get the best out of Messi, and he gets marked out of every game and your strikers aren't benefitting much from him, then you have to try a plan B. Argentina got eliminated from the 2010 World Cup and the 2011 Copa America because they relied way too heavily on Messi. They reached the 2014 World Cup final because the defense put in a fantastic shift, and they may just get eliminated in this Copa America if they don't improve. Taking Messi out could be the answer.