Towards the end of our game against Zenit on Thursday Luis Suarez stood on the back of defender Tomas Hubocan, right in front of the extra official operating behind the goal line and in full view of the referee. Suarez didn't alter his stride to move his foot towards his opponent and he didn't bring his foot down with any extra force, he simply continued running as he had been doing and the player fell in front of him where he was about to stand. Could Suarez have managed to avoid contact between his foot and the other man? Well, we've all seen how quick his feet are in the penalty area so I'd have to conclude yes he could.
So is Luis Suarez guilty of stamping? It's sort of a 'yes and no' answer isn't it. In my opinion he knew where his foot was going to land, but also in my opinion he knew he wasn't going to actually hurt his opponent. He trod on him to annoy him, to attempt to wind him up and gain an edge, it's part of the 'anything to win' mentality all the very top players have possessed over the years in football. He didn't tread on him with any intention of injuring him. For me this is key.
I'm not totally convinced by retrospective bans after video evidence has been used, and our match on Thursday threw up some perfect examples of my reasons.
But firstly I must say that when a player tries (or manages) to injure an opponent, or tackles recklessly in a manner that could severely hurt an opponent punishment at a later date is without question correct. But I think for minor incidents or occasions where there was no real danger the officials decisions should be respected.
I don't like bans being handed out after the match as I think it gives referees and there assistants a cop-out option. If the extra official on Thursday had felt 95% sure Suarez should have been sent off he should have raised this and had the player red carded, but knowing that he could avoid the decision until he's seen the video replay gives him an easy way out, and this wouldn't have been fair on Zenit. I'm in favour of making referee's jobs easier, but I'm not in favour of giving them a way out of making tough calls.
Also on Thursday evening Liverpool should have had two penalties, one right at the start of the second half and one right at the end, both for clear handballs. Even with our poor conversion rate over the last couple of seasons you'd fancy us to have scored one of them. This would have taken us through and knocked Zenit out of the competition. So if you ban Luis Suarez for something the officials saw and decided wasn't an offence it would be logical to also eliminate Zenit from the tournament and put Liverpool through to face Basel as the officials made the wrong calls on incidents that would have had a far greater impact then whether or not Suarez deliberately stamped on Hubocan.
If any of you actually think I'm seriously saying Liverpool should be reinstated into the competition you're missing my point. I'm saying that changing a referee's decision after a game is petty and pointless (which is why I think UEFA may ban Suarez, but UEFA's incompetence is another story...) and once we begin doing this it could go on and on. Like I mentioned earlier, players should be banned for seriously hurting or trying to seriously hurt an opponent, but other than in these circumstances they should be left alone, what happens on the pitch stays on the pitch and it's handshakes all round at the final whistle.
if they ban suerez should they not also ban others that the did not think worthy of a card one player constantly brought Suarez down and was not even carded another almost ripped his shirt off his back are these not also offences worthy of at least a yellow card
ReplyDeleteI think the match is over now and there were plenty of fouls but nobody got hurt and nobody tried to hurt anyone so there's no need to take any further action on the game.
ReplyDeleteYou're right if they look at Suarez they should look at others but in my opinion it should all be let go now, it's in the past.
WOW, we are so petty when it comes to Suarez,some people will just not let up, they are so pethitic,surely you can write something on the other +- 300 players playing in Barclays Prem. Just admit that you love the guy and whatever you say about him -he responds by scoring week in and week out. what a General.
ReplyDeleteYou're dead right we're petty about Suarez, you should see the page view stats for my posts with 'Suarez' in the title compared to those that don't! That was actually kind of my point, it was more or less a nothing incident and should be moved on from and not punished, like I said in my last comment, let it go, it's in the past.
ReplyDeleteHe scores every week, his attitude is exactly right, he loves Liverpool, Liverpool loves him and in my view he's been player of the year this season, ahead of Van Persie (who is a better finisher but contributes far less in general play).
Hi Jay, I find the media very quite on MANU, Mr Fergurson has ignored the media (Real Madrid),he did not shake the hand of Mr Benitez - such a bad example to the public. A couple of monthe ago Suarez was pulverized by the media for his bad behavoiur, the wheel turns slowly, but it definately comes around - and Ferdinand is surely going to be reprimanded for his actions (Real Madrid and Torres) or is MANU in a different league altogether - it's surely pay back time. They say, whatever you do unto others, whether good or bad, it will always come back to you.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure supporters of all teams feel their rivals get it easier than they do but it certainly does seem that some clubs get an easier ride than others. The hanshake thing with Benitez is funny because Ferguson himself heavily criticised one of our players for not shaking hands last season.
ReplyDeleteI've read in several places that Man Utd sometimes ban certain journalists from their press conferences so that means other journalists don't want to ask questions that will lead to them getting banned as they are then no use to their employers, a football writer who isn't allowed into an Old Trafford press conference isn't any use to a newspaper is it?
Hi Jay
ReplyDeleteWhat an exstremely dissapointing game, I have never seen a Liverpool side play so badly after such an amazing win against Spurs. Glen Johnson for me is not the same player he used to be, always out of postion, permanetly gives the ball away, yet plays week in week out, the poor defenders sitting on the bench must be demoralized, either he plays the ball back or he gives it away time after time. His performance over the last couple of months has been dismal/shoddy, he needs sit a bit on the bench.We have just brought in a number of good upfront players but overlooked our defence - bigtime! Something is wrong - I am starting to think that we are a middle of the table side, no more than that - honestly!
Hi Jay
ReplyDeleteAston Villa - Johnson again out of position?
Yep, not where he should be defensively again, but still almost scored for us in the second half. Would be good if his defending improved but maybe that's just his nature as a player. Speedier centre backs would help if he got caught out of position. People still remember and love Roberto Carlos and defending wasn't his strongpoint as a full back either...
ReplyDelete