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In defence of Liverpool’s Luis Suarez
Let me just prefix this by saying that ordinarily I’m fully on-board the ‘Luis Suarez is a horrible little cheat’ bandwagon. However…
Jerome Thomas’ challenge on Suarez was a foul, end of story. Of course you expect a home crowd to be highly-partisan, but it’s been a bit disappointing that in retrospect Suarez is still being tarnished with the accusation of cheating – especially given that he was quite brilliant throughout the game.
“I think the 25,000 people watching, even the Liverpool supporters, will probably agree with me that it looked like a very, very harsh decision and there was certainly no intention to foul the player or give away a penalty.”
That was from Roy Hodgson’s post-match interview, and I completely disagree. Realistically, no player has the ‘intention’ of fouling a player – or at least, rarely. That’s not what a penalty is given for, Lee Mason – through his linesman – pointed to the spot because Jerome Thomas impeded Suarez and brought him down. Penalty. That’s not the result of intention, it’s the produce of a winger finding himself in his own box and having poor tackling technique.
Really, it wasn’t a harsh decision – it was unfortunate. There is a difference too, because harsh would insinuate that it was incorrect, which it wasn’t.
Of course you expect the player who has been fouled to then being booed for the rest of the game – it’s an irritating but accepted part of our game – but there was absolutely no suggestion that Suarez played for that penalty. In fact, if you watch the replay of the incident he bounces back to his feet almost immediately – no mock-agony, no rolling around.
I’m getting bored of the ‘we were cheated by the ref’ brigade, sometimes you have to just accept that your side was badly outplayed.
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Best & worst of the weekend: Chelsea & Everton
Best…
Frank Lampard’s hat-trick
Compare Lampard’s reaction to that of Glen Johnson last season, who after having his form questioned by Paul Merson went on a childish and deeply unprofessional Twitter rant against the ex-Arsenal star. Lampard has been dismissed and belittled by almost every section of the media – ‘England career over’, ‘should be dropped by Chelsea’ etc – yet you haven’t heard a word from him. Get on with, get your head down, and answer back on the pitch. An example that others would do well to follow.
‘But he only scored three tap ins’ is a claim that I’ve read more than once today, and it needs to be dismissed. The hallmark of Lampard’s game has always been his goalscoring, which in itself is predicated on his late arrival in the box and the chances that that creates. That the goals he scored on Sunday were fairly routine is a testament to him and his ability to read the game.
His legs may be ageing, but his mind is still sharp – a good moment for all those who dislike the knock-you-down culture of our media.
Worst…
Jack Rodwell’s red card against Liverpool
If a fixture has historically produced a lot of red cars, then maybe a referee with Martin Atkison’s fondness for dismissing player is not the right choice of official?
The first, and most obvious, point is that the decision was incorrect – all ball, no studs showing, no intent, and not even a foul. The default defence available to referees is that the game moves so quickly, that it’s difficult for them to weigh all those factors into the decision they make – irrelevant in this case, Martin Atkinson wasn’t even two yards away. To make a decision of that magnitude so early in the game, surely you need to be completely convinced that it was a dangerous and reckless tackle. Atkinson guessed, and in so doing ruined the game as a contest. Later tackles by Tony Hibbert and Marouane Fellaini were also both worse and punished less-severely – a mystifying refereeing performance.
Not that Luis Suarez was an innocent bystander in this, as his three-stage (Jump-roll-scream) delayed reaction encouraged intervention by the official. It’s a shame, became Suarez is such a gifted player that the negative frills of his game just detract from perceptions of his ability – but his constant simulation, melodrama, and petulance are as prominent as his goals. Watch him next time he’s tackled, he does exactly the same ‘agony face’ every time.
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