Luis Suarez

[jd_1984]

Did anybody see last night's FA cup game between Mansfield and Liverpool.
Liverpool won 2-1 but the second goal was controversial as the ball was seemingly controlled by Luis Suarez's hand before it went into the net. By all accounts the ref deemed the hand ball as unintentional, meaning that there was no deliberate attempt by the player to use his hand it meerly bounced up and hit his hand. Therefore the goal stood.
This morning however, the hate squad are out for Suarez again. I find it very unfair the level of crticism this player gets. The officials deemed it as unintentional (they are paid to make that call) yet Suarez is being slated for not owning up to it? What striker in the world would?? The opposition manager was dignified in defeat and didnt call Suarez, accepted the decision and moved on. Why cant the press do the same thing? It appears as though they promote the hatred against this player and wind opposition fans up even more, let the matter be. Mansfield did their club proud last night and fought hard against a club that on paper should have put 10 goals past them.
But I wonder how much damage is done to a player when most fans (bar LFC fans) happily label you as a racist and a cheat, he was doing his job on the pitch and if Mansfield had got a goal in these circumstances, it would have stood and it would have been hard luck to Liverpool.

[rowanwitch]

A sensible and reasoned post I wonder what the manager would have done to him if he'd said sorry ref it went in off my arm He'd have been given a rocket up the bum

[jd_1984]

One would imagine that even if Suarez confessed to the ball hitting his hand, the ref's decision is final he wouldn't turn the decision around anymore than he would for any other protest from a player. It would undermine his authority on the pitch. The Liverpool manager will happily accept the decision (in this matter) as would any other manager. Not sure what he would say to Suarez if he had indeed confessed, but like I said in the OP, what striker would??

[T&S]

Even the Mansfiled manager said he'd expect a striker of his to do the same in that position. It's instinctive. It wont stop the press getting on Suarez's back though.

[jd_1984]

Like I said he has a large following of haters, in the press and opposing sides. The Liverpool fans admire his brilliant football and perhaps have thier blinkers on slightly to him being a bit of a menace. However, it is a form of bullying the abuse that he receives from opposing fans and the press. He served his ban for the alledged and I do mean alledged racism charges, he served his ban for accumulating 5 yellow cards and last ights goal came from a "non-deliberate" hand ball (of which there is dozens every weekend in all teams). So they guy should not be continually hounded by the press...... Am I wrong here?

[redman41]

Could not agree more with your Post jd-1984. Well said !
Long live King Luis....:-)

[BlueToffee]

Skilled footballer.....yes

Racist and cheat......yes

There should be no time in the English game for Suarez, and many like him, and LFC belittle themselves by constantly standing by him.

[redman41]

Luis is great ! :-)

[BlueToffee]

As I said redman....

Skilled footballer.....yes
but also......
Racist and cheat......yes

[jd_1984]

BlueToffee - No prizes for guessing who you support. I have Evertonian friends and without opening the rivalry/banter can of worms with you, I would suggest that you are especially intolerant of Suarez. LFC knew his temperament when they bough him from Ajax, but he is also after RVP the best player forward in the league, if he was your player, how would you regard him? He served his bans and that should be the end of it, last night was a non intentional hand ball, ref and opposing manager accepted that, yet he is all over the back pages labelled as a cheat, that is what I disagree with! On the racism front, he has become the poster boy for racism and the ideal candidate for an example making just when the FA needed one. I could talk conspiracy theories, Fergie's input to the matter, Evra's deceptions until I am blue in the face, bottom line its in the past. He has (not without some blame) become the focus for everything that is wrong with the modern game and its players and it simply is not fair!

[Mick-Talbot]

He's a cheat.

[jd_1984]

Mick, I assume your reflexes are sharp enough to move your arm away from a ball that you cant see and that is travelling over 50mph?

[Mick-Talbot]

You assume correct, jd.

I would have let the ball pass my arm and overhead kicked it into the back of the net.

[Canary42]

////if Mansfield had got a goal in these circumstances, it would have stood ////

You think so ?

Get real. The Big Money clubs rule.

[jd_1984]

Then you are half man/half cat!

[jd_1984]

I cant get you an example right now Canary but you will see examples of the lower league clubs getting decisions all over the weekend fixtures if you studied highlights. I have reviewed the Suarez hand ball and my honest opinion is he couldnt have moved his arm away and he didnt move his arm up towards the ball intentionally. The ref and linesman had a good view and are under so much pressure these days to make the right call I would hate to think that they have given in to "big club" pressure!

[razza]

Its a pity he didnt score a hat trick,then he would have got both hands on the ball.

[Mick-Talbot]

'The cat' does sound similar to my nickname.


On a serious note I watched this with my rebel 9 year old son who jumped up and down when the cheat scored.

I asked him if he thought it was ok to do that, he just shrugged his shoulders................so I gave him a bit of a talking to, basically telling him if he ever did that when playing football I would be ashamed of him.

I would give acts of blatant cheating after match bans.

[jd_1984]

Mick - could be fair for "blatant" cheating..

[ChillDoubt]

Brendan Rodgers is wrong to back him IMHO.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/20929151

This was Suarez's, Liverpool's but more importantly football's chance to gain a little bit of redemption, show a bit of honesty and common decency and do the right thing but no, at the end of the day his manager condones unsporting behaviour thus setting another great example to young impressionable fans of the game, the next generation of footballers.

As ever it's back to the cheating, diving, feigning injury in order to get your fellow professional sent off and abusing match officials.

Well done Brandan Rodgers, well done.

[sir.prize]

Suarez handled the ball contrary to the laws of the game. Suarez often dives contrary to the rules of thee game. Suarez cheats, contrary to the rules of the game.

Simple isn't it?