Steven Gerrard. The End of a Golden Era at Liverpool?

Steven Gerrard has been 'Mr. Liverpool' since coming on the scene as a buzz headed 18 year old before becoming a regular in the first time by the time he was 20. What he's achieved at the club since then has been remarkable, not just for the awards themselves (see below) but the manner in which he captured them. His proudest and most iconic moment was his headed goal in Istanbul in 2005 and stating a historic turnaround. Seeing his side 3-0 down and completely outclassed in the opening half against AC Milan Gerrard scored a wonderful header and urged his team on to more. By the end of the enthralling match, Gerrard had helped lead his Liverpool team with a lion heart courage and determination to his 1st and the clubs 5th European Cup victory. What happened that night in Turkey will never be forgotten by any Liverpool, or real football fan that watched it. His dynamic play, technical power and driving will have made him the best English midfielder in the past decade. Praise from players such as Zinedine Zidane speaks for brilliance of Stevie G.

The generous quotes, personal and team awards, although plentiful do not include one important thing, a league winners medal.  Gerrard surely would have had at least a couple of these had he joined Chelsea when Jose Mourinho came calling in 2005.  It looks unlikely at this stage in his career to end with an elusive Premiership Winners medal in his trophy cabinet.  The club, and Gerrard has been looking to get back to winning ways in the domestic game every since the early 1990's.  Gerrard has enjoyed some great success in domestic cup competitons (includung the Gerrard FA final against West Ham in 2005/6) but he longs for the league title for his home town club as do the clubs new owners who have set about making that happen after taking over from the disasters reign of Hicks and Gillett. 

With Brendan Rodgers now at the helm after taking over from King Kenny, Liverpool is in a rebuilding phase.  The squad has been overhauled to suit Rodgers preferred system and style of play (a possession based 4-3-3).  Rodgers demands great work rate, concentration and commitment to the greater good which has seen many comings and goings this summer.  The main ones being the loan move of Any Carroll to West Ham, the sale of Charlie Adam to Stoke, and the freezing out of Jordan Henderson (all players who didn't fit into Rodgers system or plans) and various new technical players arriving at Anfield, including Joe Allen, Nuri Sahin and Fabio Borini. As the new boys set in, there is a legacy of the old guard that Rodgers looks keen to shake off to show he is the man in control at the club although he was undermined by FSG on the final day of transfer action.  Rodgers, after getting rid of Carroll expected to get the American Clint Dempsey in from Fulham, the Liverpool owners wouldn't bid more than £4 million and instead watched their manager's prime target join cross town London rivals, Spurs, for a meager £6 million.  They also turned down the option of signing Chelsea's Daniel Sturridge on a permanent deal, all this frugal transfer business after FSG had previously let Damien Comolli and Kenny Dalglish splash the following...

Player	Signed	Cost	Came from
Andy Carroll	31 January 2011	35,000,000	Newcastle United
Luis Suarez	31 January 2011	22,700,000	Ajax
Stewart Downing	July 15 2011	20,000,000	Aston Villa
Jordan Henderson	9 June 2011	16,000,000	Sunderland
Charlie Adam	July 2011	7,500,000	Blackpool
Sebastien Coates	30 August 2011	7,000,000	Nacional

Source www.liverweb.org.uk

This reversal in transfer policy looks to mean the New Englander's don't want to splash anymore cash.  Rodgers has spent close to £30 million bringing in talent, but also made £10 million selling, loaning and cutting the wage bill.  What does this mean to Liverpool's captain...

Gerrard's spot in the team looks the most troubled it's been since his full debut.  Even during the summer sagas that previously played out with Gerrard and Chelsea his place in the Liverpool starting XI was never really in question.  Other than suspensions and injuries, Gerrard has been a constant starter from Liverpool, and his passion, ability and leadership has made him, rightly so, the face of Liverpool.  Liverpool's terrible start to the season (including an opening day defeat at Liverpool's old assistant Steve Clark's WBA, and a poor home defeat last time out at Anfield against Arsenal (who hadn't scored in their 2 previous games) has got some fans worried.  More worrying is the lack of cohesion between Gerrard and his teamates so far.  Liverpool's only goals coming from set-pieces against Manchester City (Srktel - from a corner, Suarez - from a free kick).  Gerrard has given the ball away too often and this has directly lead to a couple of goals (one against West Brom and one against Arsenal).  His movement is sporadic and often too direct and reckless for Rodgers system, leaving holes punctured throughout the midfield 3 (similar to what happens to England when Gerrard plays with Lampard).  His roaming, marauding style of play makes him a fans favourite and means he gets the opportunity to shoot plenty and arrive at the edge of the box to create or score.  Now there is a more rigid system based on standardized teamwork rather than individual players showcasing their talent and driving the rest of the team forward he looks lost at times.  Gerrard is a fantastic player, and I don't think Rodgers can drop him without losing the dressing room and the support of the crowd, but I think he would if he could, to suit his system better.  Sahin looked rather off the pace but comfortable in possession in his debut against Arsenal, Allen is the midfield lynchpin who keeps the ball moving, then there's Gerrard.  His long diagonal passes, drifting movement pulled the team out of shape, and although he likes to drive forward he was pretty ineffiecient at linking up with Suarez (misplacing a pass led to Podolski goal) Sterling, or Borini. With Lucas out injured and the Liverpool squad pretty thin Gerrards position is safe for now, but unless he gets to grips with the system quickly or Rodgers adjusts it to get more out of Gerrard (very unlikely) this could see the frustrating end to what has quite simply been a fantastic Liverpool career for Super Stevie G. The lack of quality throughout the squad -Downing looking impotent, Maxi Rodriguez gone, Henderson average, and no new blood to challenge the Captain's place means he's going to play.  Sadly for Stevie, and us Liverpool fans, we need him more than ever and in this system, he just doesn't look like half the player he can be.

Club

• FA Cup (2): 2000–01, 2005–06
• League Cup (3): 2000–01, 2002–03, 2011–12
• FA Community Shield (2): 2001, 2006
• UEFA Champions League (1): 2004–05
• UEFA Cup (1): 2000–01
• UEFA Super Cup (2): 2001, 2005

Individual

• FWA Footballer of the Year (1): 2009
• PFA Players' Player of the Year (1): 2006
• PFA Young Player of the Year (1): 2001
• PFA Fans' Player of the Year (2): 2001, 2009
• PFA Team of the Year (7): 2001, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
• Premier League Player of the Month Award (5): March 2001, March 2003, December 2004, April 2006, March 2009
• Liverpool Top Goalscorer (3): 2004–05, 2005–06, 2008–09
• Ballon d'Or Bronze Award (1): 2005
• UEFA Club Footballer of the Year (1): 2005
• UEFA Champions League Final Man of the Match (1): 2005
• UEFA Euro Team of the Tournament (1): 2012
• UEFA Team of the Year (3): 2005, 2006, 2007
• FIFA/FIFPro World XI (3): 2007, 2008, 2009
• FA Cup Final Man of the Match (1): 2006
• Goal of the Season (1): 2006
• England Player of the Year (1): 2007
• Member of the Order of the British Empire: 2007
• Honorary Fellowship from Liverpool John Moores University: 2008
• BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award – 3rd Place: 2005

Source - Wikipedia

The 'Magic' of the FA Cup final - Dwindling

The FA cup final used to be the only game televised all year when I was a boy on my terrestrial TV back in England, and it was the season's best game (because it was the only one everyone could see!) It was the biggest of the footballing calender, something that everyone would be at least aware of if they weren't watching the game live.  Nowadays you can watch 50+ games from across the world's top leagues in just one week!  Maybe it's this or rise of the Champions League and the money of the Premiership but England's, and the worlds oldest club competition, has steadily declined in sync with the Premier and Champions Leagues' ascent.

Steven Gerrard has just realised that Stewart Downing has 3 years left on his current deal

Now the FA Cup kick off is shifted around on a day with Premiership games.  It's almost an afterthought after both semi finals have been hosted at Wembley.  I refer to it as Wembley, and not 'the new' Wembley like so many, seeing as it's not that new anymore having opened in 2007.  Two big teams fought out this seasons 2012 Budweiser sponsored FA Cup, Chelsea and Liverpool.  These two teams are no strangers having played over 30+ times against each other in the past 8 years which is quite staggering.  Maybe it was the fact that it was these two teams playing each other, again, the late kick off, the fact Liverpool aren't very good or that Chelsea have one eye firmly fixed on the Champions League final but there was no spark or excitement surrounding the build up to this game, compared to say, that of the recent Manchester derby or the Champions League semi-finals first and second legs.


The first hour of the game was incredibly dull.  After Jay Spearing gave the ball away in a bad area for the 6,000 time this season Ramires' energy and pace put him past a decaying Jose Enrique and his shot straight at Pepe Reina was straight through the Spaniard (who's suffered his worst season in his 7 at Anfield this year) and that was the only moment of note in a slow, and bland first 45.  After Didier Drogba had his customary Wembley goal Liverpool looked completely dead and buried.  The introduction of Andy Carroll did change Liverpool's attacking impetus and finally Luis Suarez had another red shirt inside the opposition half with him!  Jordan Henderson, Jay Spearing and Stewart Downing all had atrocious games and one wonders what was ever seen in them.  Spearing was a product of the Academy (which doesn't bode well as he's dire) and the other two were signed for close to 40 million quid by good old King Kenny!  Incredible to think about that waste of finances for two players who wouldn't stand out in a league 2 side.  The 'Caveman' Carroll got his second Wembley goal in a matter of weeks (adding to his semi final winner over Everton) and his decent return in big games (he also scored on his England debut at Wembley) but alas, it was too little, too poor, too late for the Reds, and Chelsea, by default rather than incredible play, were rightly Cup winners for the 4th time in the past 7 years.

Chelsea. FA CUP Winners...again

I miss the magic of the FA Cup, the giant killings, the small minnows of the non-league taking on the big dogs of the top tier, the support, Wembley way, the suits, the walking out onto the Wembley pitch, the iconic trophy being hoisted aloft after the long trudge up the Wembley steps for the valiant losers... These are all distant and past memories like the Crazy Gang beating Liverpool in '88, Charlie George in '71 and Crystal Palace taking Man U to a 3-3 draw in 1990.
Even the cup final of 1992 between Liverpool and Sunderland was more exciting.  I was up at the crack of dawn wearing my full Liverpool kit, drinking squash out of my Liverpool mug and swinging my Red scarf around my head as I went nuts in the living room 6 hours before the game even kicked off.  The anticipation was extraordinary.  I barely remember the game or the goals, but I can clearly remember the excitement of it all, the fantasy of one day maybe I'd be playing in final, what it would be like to lift the old trophy and get a medal from a member of the Royal family.  All that magic is still alive in me, but not for the current versions of the FA Cup, I wonder if  kids nowadays whip themselves into a frenzy for this game, or if they'd rather play out their own cup final on the Playstation on FIFA 2012?!  I must be getting old and bitter as I'm reminiscing about the 'good old days' of FA Cup finals and football, but I don't think I'm the only one that wants to recast the magical spell of the FA Cup back over English football once again.  

Arsenal and United teach their rivals a lesson

Game management is something that mangers talk about a lot in the premiership. It's all about how their players 'managed' the game after going down a man, or a goal, or scoring a goal. This weekend saw Liverpool and Tottenham outperform their opposition but fail to capitalize on their superiority and collect the much needed 3 points. This is the business end of the season (which is stupid really as all games during the season carry equal point value - but every result in the run in is scrutinized and can create positive runs of form which can see a team over the finish line or dips which can drag them down in the doldrums), this weekend, Arsenal and then Manchester did the business by staying alive in games they were for large parts dominated in, but managed to come away with great away results.

At Anfield on Saturday morning, Kenny Dalglish will again be than happy with this overall team performance as they outplayed, out-passed and out-shot Arsene Wengers men. The difference in the game was the quality in front of goal. Liverpool have struggled to put the ball in the back of the net all season. Luis Suarez is undoubtedly dangerous, slippery and skillful and can work magic out of nothing, but he has come up short with this final product more often than not this season. 6 league goals so far in his stop start season (missing 9 games mid season for his FA bans) is no where near his form in the Eredivisie where like Dirk Kuyt he found goals a lot easier to come by. Andy Carroll, never prolific at Newcastle, hasn't found his scoring touch either. That leaves the midfield with a huge responsibility to chip in with their fair share, which they have failed to do. Stuart Downing has hit the woodwork a few times, but other than that has rarely threatened this season, his last Premiership goal came against Liverpool for Aston Villa in the penultimate game of last season. Charlie Adam looks monotonously slow and seems to only score deflected efforts from outside the box and doesn't assist like he did for Blackpool last year. Jordan Henderson may yet become a top player, but at the moment it's way too much too soon for a lad that would have been better suited to developing for 2 more seasons at Sunderland before a move to a bigger club. Jay Spearing, clearly nothing more than a squad player cannot fill Lucas' boots and looks like he's put his own pair on the wrong feet at times with his wayward passing and awkward lunges. What happened to Maxi Rodriguez? Who knows? With Bellamy and Gerrard (Liverpool's only real midfield forces) injured or too old to consistently perform you can see why they won't finish in the top 4 this year.

Liverpool's penalty taking this season show's just how inefficient in front of goal they are. 6 from 10 penalties missed in the league this season with 5 different takers, and that doesn't include the near horror show of last weekends Carling Cup shoot out. Dirk Kuyt after having his initial effort well saved should have buried the rebound but seemed more focused on Jordan Henderson coming in behind him than smashing the ball home. How long till they give Pepe Reina the responsibility? Surely he can take a decent spot kick. While on the subject of Reina, I don't remember him having a 'good' game in goal for Liverpool all season. Wojciech Szczesny his opposite number was in fine form on Saturday and kept his side in it. Reina on the other hand was only called into action 3 times, he saved once and failed to react to the other 2. The second Robin Van Persie strike was a side foot volley from 12 yards to his near post, something a goal keeper of his caliber is expected to save, and on the day something that his opposite number would have made look routine.

Arsenal other than their striker and goalkeeper were poor again. Thomas Vermaelen and Laurent Koscielny flatter to deceive. Vermaelen has a big reputation, but like Chelsea's David Luiz I think it's more to do with his skill at scoring goals rather than preventing them. Koscielny's own goal on Saturday gets worse every time you see it, and you wonder how much better Arsenal would be with a half-cut Tony Adams playing at the back with knackered Steve Bould! Their midfield was over-run and Arteta was out of sorts giving the ball away easier than I'd ever seen him even before he got knocked out after an accidental collision with Henderson. But for all their shortfalls this season they have one shining light of outstanding quality, Robin Van Persie. RVP, fitter, stronger, hungrier and more deadly than ever is simple having a career defining year. The Arsenal faithful sing 'He scores when he wants, he scores when he wants' and he obviously want's to score a lot as his record in front of goal is frightening. 25 goals in 27 league games. Without him Arsenal could be anywhere in the league, but certainly no where near as high as they are now. RVP loves London, and the club, that's no secret, but without Champions League football next season you can see him leaving with a host of top European clubs willing to part with mega cash for his services. Arsenal may well make it into the Champions League next season, but without strengthening this summer they will struggle to get through the group stages and then face being humbled in the first knock out round like this season, something that RVP will be mindful of when making his decision this summer. He is too good for Arsenal at the moment, and on a different level to the rest of the team in terms of ability and aptitude. Wenger might finally have to dip into their record profits to sign some world class support for their world class striker. If he was in red on Saturday he would have had at least 4, but instead in blue, settled for 2.

Tottenham did their best impersonation of Liverpool on Sunday against United. They hustled and out-worked United in midfield, created some good opportunities in front of goal but lacked the killer instinct and then went to sleep at the back leaving their most dangerous strikers free to head home easy goals. It was classic United in north London. They played poorly, didn't produce much, but ended up comfortable 3-1 victors. Like Arsenal they have one outstanding goal threat, Wayne Rooney. Rooney marked (or not marked in this case) by Kyle Walker at a corner powered a header past a static Brad Friedel to snatch the lead before half time. One chance, one goal, RVP style. In the second half, the provider of the first goal, Ashley Young topped of a great week for him personally when he added to his International goal at Wembley with a technically beautiful brace at White Hart Lane. The first a smart right foot volley after a sharp counter attack, the second a trademark curling effort from the edge of the box when the Spurs defenders continually backed off. It was daylight robbery. The Manchester club did what they have done so well in the past, not played well but got a result. That is the epitome of top class game management. Don't give up any silly goals, ride your luck at times, but then make quality decisions and execute excellence when the chance presents itself, something United and Arsenal did superbly, and Liverpool and Tottenham need to learn to do.

It's an all Manchester affair for the title race, with a possible title decider between United and City in late April and with Chelski sacking AVB to no great surprise, Arsenal could even catch Spurs to get into the automatic CL place of 3rd as Chelsea seem certain to slip up and out of contention.

Liverpool lucky not to pay the penalty!?

Liverpool have won their first piece of silverware for six long years, something a club with Liverpool's great history and winning story has found hard to swallow.  At the end of the game, before Kenny Dalglish picked up his first winners medal since lifting the Premier League crown with Blackburn in 1995, the Liverpool boss looked to have shed a tear.  The tears of joy are something Dalglish denied, but it could have so nearly been tears of sorrow after the boys from the Welsh capital did the Championship, their club, and country, proud.  Liverpool won't take too much from the performance other than the result, but the game showed their problems this season.


At the back they are fairly solid and limited Cardiff to only a few real chances, the difference between the two teams was how clinical they were in front of goal.  Where Cardiff were clinical and efficient, Liverpool were again lacking and deficient.  All season Liverpool have created chances for their forwards and midfielders, but just haven't converted enough of these opportunities.  One reason they haven't score as many goals as they should is perhaps down to three of their 'new' signings, Stuart Downing, Jordan Henderson and Charlie Adam.  Downing, although voted 'Man of the Match' for his performance yesterday, (which took a few by surprise) had a pretty poor final ball and even when he did get to the byline or made space for a cross more often than not it didn't beat the first man, or floated over the head of Liverpool's flat footed forwards.  Jordan Henderson looked off the pace against more experienced, and frankly better Championship players.  His level looks to be Championship at best at the moment, his season was encapsulated by his reckless yellow card.  In a good area with the ball on the edge of the box he took too long to make a decision, dallied and lost the ball then went straight through the man who had dispossessed him with a desperate lunge.  John W. Henry the Liverpool owner may have wondered why he parted with the better part of 20 million quid for him as he was hooked off after 58 minutes. Charlie Adam, so deadly from dead ball situations at Blackpool last year ballooned his penalty in the shoot out so badly it showed how far he's dropped off from his credible form last season, maybe it's all the extra running he does now in midfield and the fact he's not the focal point of the attack, again, the harsh truth is, he's just not good enough to do that and boss the midfield in Liverpool or any other Premiership team worth their salt.


All this doesn't take away from the fact that they dug in and got the result the club needed.
It will be interesting to see if this result spurs Liverpool on for the rest of the season, and helps them get a good run in the FA Cup and maybe the final Champions League spot.
With the strength of the squad looking the best it has in a long time, but still far off the pace in the title race it'll be a few seasons more of building before they get up to where they, and King Kenny, believe they belong.

A wins a win, a trophy is a trophy and although it was nerve racking for all the Liverpool fans, the right result (for them) came in the end. Lucky for us Anthony Gerrard (part of the Stevie G family clan) takes a penalty like his more famous cousin. Not very well. Well played to Cardiff, and congratulations to Liverpool! Carling Cup Champions 2011/12, and a thought for Anthony Gerrard, sad day for him as he announced on twitter after...
“Sorry to everyone!”
“I can’t close my eyes wid out seeing that penalty!! It’s goin to haunt me for the rest of my days! Head is mashed!”

The Carling Cup Final

They say it's not important, but 'they' aren't in the final, and regardless of its reputation the Carling Cup is a very useful competition for many reasons.  Yes, the big boys don't play full strength squads and see it as an opportunity to blood some youngsters, and yes there is rarely capacity crowds to watch the games, and yes no one gets too excited about it. But, regardless of all this, and the negativity that surrounds the Carling (previously the Football League, Milk,  Littlewoods Challenge, Rumbelows, Coca-Cola, and Worthington) Cup, this is still the first 'real' (Community Shield excluded) competition of the season to be won and both Liverpool and Cardiff will give it their all this Sunday to walk up the Wembley steps to collect the shiny trophy.

You don't have to go back far to see what makes this competition less fashionable than it's big brother, the FA Cup. Last seasons final can be seen as a bit of a poison chalice.  The winners, Birmingham, were promptly on a downward spiral after picking up the trophy.  A few months after their big day out at Wembley they were relegated from the Premier League, lost their manager to bitter cross-city rivals Aston Villa, set about selling the majority of their cup final squad (I think it's up to 14 now that have jumped ship) and saw their owner, Carson Yeung, facing charges of money laundering in Hong Kong. All-in-all not a great turn of fortunes for the boys in blue.  Giving the Birmingham support the option before the game of losing that day and staying in the Premiership, keeping McCleish and the squad together you may have got a lot of takers, but in hindsight, winning that day and the events that followed probably weren't such a bad thing.


-The Carling Cup was a highlight of the season and a great day out for all the Birmingham supporters, something that many clubs fans never get to experience.  There is still a magic to walking up Wembley way alongside the opposition support on the big day, and the walk out and down the same route after as winners is a special feeling.
-Alex McCleish is perhaps the most negative manager in the Premiership and the brand of football he instilled is not missed.  Chis Hughton, his replacement has done a remarkable job on domestic and European fronts this season with a completely different set of players and no where near the financial backing McCleish enjoyed.  Their recent FA Cup draw at Stamford Bridge shows how far they've come this season under his unassuming guidance.
-Getting rid of the over-payed playing staff who couldn't cut it in the Premiership has meant consolidating their finances and giving a chance to younger players and academy graduates, something most clubs are afraid to do in their charge for bounce back promotions.
-If they lost they might have done an 'Arsenal'


'Arsenal'.
Last seasons Carling Cup runners-up saw the wheels fall off almost immediately after Obfemi Martins' winner a year ago.  The Gooners downfall trajectory and subsequent crisis is frightening, and enough to make teams not want to make it to Wembley in case history repeats itself and flushes their teams prospects down the gary (Glitter).  It's hard to put a positive spin on what has happened to Arsene Wenger and his club since that defeat, and Kenny Dalglish and his men will be keen not to follow suit.


Talking of suits, it will be the first time Liverpool will appear at 'new' Wembley having last rolled up at the old stadium in those famous cream Armani suits in 1996.  The faux pas wasn't just the Spice boys choice of clobber that day as Eric Cantona volleyed home the winner to send the Reds home empty handed.  Dalglish, and the clubs new owners will be eager to get their first piece of silverware, in this - his first full season back in charge.


Liverpool have been a cup team in the past decade. 2001 saw them win a treble of trophies and the Worthington Cup the first of the three, followed by the FA Cup and then the UEFA Cup (and even later and not part of the treble - The European Super Cup).  Gerard Houiller created a winning mentality in that squad that fell well short in pushing for the title, but gave the club some real success in the form of 3 trophies in one season.  In 2003 Houiller led his men to victory in the League cup again, followed by his successor Rafa Benitez winning the Champions League (and European Super Cup again) in 2005 and then the clubs most recent bit of silverware the FA Cup in 2006.  There was a winning culture at the club.  All of those finals took place across the border at the Millennium stadium in the Welsh capital, Cardiff.  A shame for many fans then, that the cup is now back in London.  Liverpool enjoyed great support and a good record at the Millennium and playing against the home town team this year would have made for an electric atmosphere and pulsating game.  The cup sponsors will be hoping for a same kind of verve in London, but the traveling fans from both sides would have probably chosen the Millennium given the option for location more than anything!


This competition is important for Liverpool.  It's important for them to get back amongst the trophies and bring back that culture of success and confidence that can once more breed through the club and go a long way to speeding up the rebuilding process.  If they do win this cup, then it may give them that extra push and bolt of drive they need to push on in the FA Cup and pip their rivals to 4th place, and the final Champions League spot in the Premiership.  On the flip-side defeat here could take the wind out of their sails and see them tumble down the league and crash out the FA cup as confidence and clout is sucked out of them as it was Arsenal.


Cardiff and their Scottish manager (see previous blog 'McCarthy and the rise of the Scots' for more on our northern bredin and their power in the managerial game) Malky Mckay will have something to say about Liverpool's success on the day.  Although heavy underdogs they will look to last seasons final for inspiration.  For where it fills Liverpool with fear of suffering an defeat, the Bluebirds will be hoping to emulate Birmingham's upset even if it does mean some hard times down the road.  The Welshmen have less to lose.


They can't take trophies away from you, or the memories of a victorious Wembley final, even if it is only the Carling Cup.  

'Carlsberg don't do trophies, but if they did, it wouldn't be the League Cup...'
Either way, a win is a win, and all that, and a win is what Liverpool need.

Suarez vs Cantona

Luis Suarez should have shook Patrice Evra's hand before the game this past Saturday at Old Trafford.  No excuse.  Even if the Uruguayan felt hard done by with his 8 match ban after being found  guilty in a hear say trial he should have shaken his hand. He had to to put the issue to bed.  Evra was ready, even offered his hand, but the man they call 'El Pistolero' declined, instead going to David De Gea and then Rio Ferdinand who didn't shake Suarez's hand in return.


He told the club he would, he told the manager he would, but crucially at the last moment he didn't.  Suarez, with this small but significant non action, has created a firestorm surrounding a fairly average match where United came up winners after a defensive lapse from Glen Johnson at a corner and an awful giveaway on the edge of his box from Jay Spearing (don't get me started).  The man in all the headlines actually scored late on after Johnny Evans made his huge usual mistake and Rio Ferdinand showed everyone why he's half the player he used to be with his snail like reactions and poor body shape.


Sir Alex Ferguson came out after the game and made some pretty huge statements.  Labeling Suarez a "disgrace" and declaring he should never be allowed to play for Liverpool again.  I'm not sure if Kenny Dalglish had heard these sentiments before he was interviewed, but King Kenny, clearly riled, didn't paint himself or the club in the best light by saying the interviewer was "bang out of order" and Luis Suarez was not to blame for anything.  Kenny has since apologised for his comments after the match, but I think they're more understandable than what they may have first seemed.  Sir Alex, the greatest Manager the game has ever seen in my opinion, jumped up on the high horse (which he is entitled to have after his years of success in the game and the vast experience he had) but commenting on another clubs player like that is not only out of character for him, but also as Kenny said "bang out of order".  Fergie defends his players just as Dalglish does.


Suarez was found guilty and served his ban. He still believes his innocence and feels harshly done by.  Claiming a player should never play again for a club because he didn't shake someone's hand is a little much, especially when you consider Ferguson's players previous behavior on and off the pitch.  Eric Cantona kung fu kicked a fan and I don't remember Fergie declaring that behaviour as the last he should ever make on the pitch.  Sometimes the great players have an edge.  Suarez, the player of the tournament at the last Copa America, is an amazing talent.  Like Cantona, he has made mistakes, but like Cantona, is supported by his own fans through thick and thin with a type of blind love only the greatest players can muster from the public.  Many football fans were horrified by what Cantona did, and while Suarez racially abusing and then not shaking Evra's hand is horrific enough it is not as in your face and dramatic as what Cantona did.  Kids watching at home will not have been able to lip read "negrito" and probably won't have seen the non hand shake from Suarez, but if they did, they will have also seen Ferdinand not shake, and if there's one thing we tell kids - 'two wrongs don't make a right.'  Suarez like Cantona was wrong and paid the price, apologised and now has to let his football do the talking.  Rio Ferdinand should try and do the same thing, as I can remember not too long ago him being out for 9 months for failing a drug test.  (Failing to show up counts as failing of course.)  One thing that is beyond question, just like Cantona, Suarez was wrong - but maybe that wrong is what helps make them so 'right' on the football pitch...