Sunday, 21 April 2013

The Luis Suarez Roadshow Continues

Say what you like about Liverpool's controversy magnet striker Luis Suarez, he doesn't half generate easy content.

Suarez the footballer and Suarez the idiot are two sides of the coin. For everytime the Uruguyan has a masterful performance, he often follows it up with a moment of controversy. This ranges from modern footballing evils like diving to more such stonking rule-bunding like deliberate handball and the downright unlawful like racism.

This weekend, both sides of Suarez reared their heads as Liverpool and Chelsea played out a match at Anfield. Suarez again showed he is key to the attacking play of this Liverpool side, playing many passes, having a sense of purpose when others (most notably Stewart Downing) didn't and being a firecracker up top.

This firecracker sense ended when he made two decisive contributions. The first an expert cross on par with the critically-acclaimed Gareth Bale delivery during the day's early kick-off for Spurs' equaliser. Then, with time ticking out, Suarez delivered a masterful header beyond Petr Cech to give Liverpool a share of the points and maintain any remote hopes Brendan Rodgers' side have of European qualification.

Admittedly he had set up Liverpool for a defeat with an unfortunate but correctly-penalised handball when unsighted by teammate Glen Johnson. But again his contribution heightened the sense that the striker, who is the Premier League's top scorer, is one of the biggest box office draws in the league at present.

However that contribution was overshadowed by the fact he really shouldn't have been on the field to score the goal in the first place.

With the score at 2-1 to Chelsea, Suarez and Chelsea's Serbian defender Branislav Ivanovic tussled for the ball on the edge of the six yard box. This tussle continued until Suarez, for some inexplicable reason, bit Ivanovic just over the elbow.

Suarez has previous, which has perhaps amplified the predictable reaction. While playing for Dutch side Ajax, Suarez bit then-PSV Eindhoven midfielder Otman Bakkal during a tussle towards the end of a fiery game. The "Ajax Cannibal" was duly handed a two game club ban, which was upgraded to a seven game league ban, and was duly sold to Liverpool shortly after.

The Premier League's only real precedent went by unnoticed. It came when Jermain Defoe reacted a mistimed tackle by then-West Ham midfielder Javier Mascherano by taking a nibble. This earnt him a yellow card, which is a bit much given the referee had indeed seen it, but then the England international hardly chomped down on his opponent like he was playing against an all-you-can-eat buffet.

It is an unusual offence and a long way from the common-place extreme offences including biting in ice hockey and rugby, or even the infamous game in Spanish football when a Sevilla player bit a teammate on the dick in celebration.

That one is a bit extreme but did happen.

While he may not have bitten Ivanovic on the dick - although the mocking would be a joy to behold - the more severe bite of Suarez's is likely to earn him a whopper of a ban.

Liverpool seem to have been more mature in dealing with their number 7's latest antics than they did on previous occasions. Their club's reputation was tarnished when Kenny Dalglish inexplicably defended Suarez after the FA had found him guilty of racially abusing Patrice Evra and Dalglish duly ducked the question.

This time Rodgers and club managing director Ian Ayre have come out and said he is an idiot, which is fair enough as he was. Suarez himself has also apologised, both in a statement and to the player himself. Any ban now would be justifiable, and it could arguably be left there. But then the worldwide focus of the game and endless coverage means it won't be the end of it.

All rhetoric surrounding the striker is amplified because he seems to get in trouble every week. The striker came with the reputation after a deliberate handball that denied Ghana a winning goal in a World Cup Quarter Final, and the afformentioned handball incident.

However things have got even more out of control since he put on the red shirt of Liverpool. Some of these have been petty, with Stoke's Tony Pulis in particular taking the biscuit after saying Suarez should've been banned for a simply hilarious dive.

Equally petty and dive-based was the comical dive in front of David Moyes after Everton's manager said his antics were ruining the Premier League ahead of a Merseyside Derby. Though at least these could be brushed off.

Some have been more serious, such as the Suarez-Evra debacle. The eight game ban was fair enough as it was proven he had used racist language, even if his explanation made little sense. This ban was also more uncomfortable was it was extended to nine when he brandished his middle finger at Fulham supporters.

Each individual incident earns it's own myriad spin. This is the way football coverage is nowadays - every voice rants and wails and divulges a tidal wave of opinion that duly swallows up debate.

But at the same time, there is surely a point when Liverpool fans must think "Is Suarez really worth the baggage?"

He is a talented player - one of the best in the league. Without him Liverpool would be nowhere near their current position as few of their players have 30 goals a season in them. But it's a painful situation to be in when the red mist descends, and there is no guarantee this is the last time.

The FA are duly going ahead with an investigation - though if recent form is anything by Suarez should get away with it - and Liverpool can duly assess what they can do with their talented idiot.

What they do is anyone's guess.

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