With 9-minutes to go before full-time he trudged off the Anfield turf, looking forlorn. He couldn’t believe his number – the iconic number-7 – was being held aloft again, calling an early end to his game. A clap of appreciation towards the Kop was accompanied by a mutter as he headed towards his replacement on the side-line. A handshake and a quick hug was afforded the club captain, but not the man who’s decision it was to withdraw him from the fray with Liverpool 2-1 up, but far from convincing. There was no hiding Luis Suarez’s displeasure as he passed Kenny Dalglish without making eye contact, head still shaking before taking his frustration out on a water bottle, then slouching down in his seat on the bench. He had scored the winner, but there was also disappointment.
Unlike other media outlets, I am not suggesting for one second that Suarez is unhappy with life at Anfield, or that this act of histrionics imply something similar – I’ll leave that to the trouble-causing tabloids and the likes of Talk Sport. This is about whether it is correct for the manager to take what seems to be an over-protective approach of a player who has been Liverpool’s best performer and most dangerous player since joining the club in January.
Of the eight league and cup games Liverpool have played so far this season, Suarez has started all bar one (away to Arsenal). However, he has completed 90-minutes just once. Indeed, his 81st minute showing versus Wolves on Saturday represented his longest period on the pitch this season, normally being ‘given a rest’ from around the 60th-75th minute. It’s no wonder his frustration is beginning to show. If his performance levels were well below par, then this would be a mute point, and the player could have little to complain about. But his form this season has drawn rave reviews and is of a consistently high-level – especially when compared to certain other players on the pitch, who are nowhere near the Uruguayan’s level, performance or effort-wise.
Far from appearing to be a prima donna, what adds to this is his burning desire to play the game and improve the clubs level. Uruguayan’s are renowned for their courage, and never-say-die attitude – an unquenchable will to win. Marrying this ferocious work-ethic to his sublime technical ability equates to being the oppositions worst nightmare – they are relieved to see the back of him, whilst he wants to play every minute. His own ‘tweet’ after the game stating: ‘I felt really sad and sorry because I always want to help my team to win the match!! Thanks for your support!’ and the man who made the decision to replace him, Kenny Dalglish also admitting as much: ‘He wants to be involved all the time. He wants to play for as many minutes as he can and he wants to score. The fans take to him because he is so genuine and 100 per cent committed’.
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It’s difficult balancing act for managers, on the one hand they have trainers and physicians advising them how long a player should play in each game and then you have players who just wanna play as much as possible and maybe show their irritation at being substituted at the heat of the moment, but after a little while and once the manager has explained his logic to the player, I’m sure the player would then understand that it was in his best interests.
I dont think kenny was protecting him, quite simple who else could he take of? we can rule out Reina and the back four, Kuyt had come on early as a sub so we can rule him out along with Downing as then we would have nobody to play on the left. Which leaves us with Suarez, Carroll, Adam and Lucas. We can rule out Lucas as he is a defensive mid and Wolves were fighting for a draw. Perhaps Adam could have gone off but since Gerrards fitness is still not 100% it would be a gamble which could have cost us. As for Carroll he had his best game in a red shirt and he is currently low on confidence and completing the full 90 mins will have been good for him also he is able to contribute more defensively to the game than his strike partner. that only leaves us with Suarez who had a great game but to me seems the best choice to be taken off at that stage of the game.
It was 10 minutes, its not like he missed a lot of the game! Get over it.
i think we are supppose to be treasuring this guy. he had a great game and i don’t see why he had to be replaced. adam should gone off for gerrard. he had a bad game plus swapping him for a midfielder makes sense.
if the guy ends up being unhappy we would end up loosing the best and probably the only stand out player in the team. frankly speaking the rest are just pure garbage. i’m not being sceptic, but our chances of reaching top 4 is close to impossible with the bunch average players we have right now.
it kills me wathcing adam and hendo starting every game when these guys could at best be a fulham or bolton player
If taking him off was meant to be a way of protecting him then I dont know how valuable a 10 minute rest is considering he had been played in a carling cup game, a competition where all other big teams rest their key players. He could have been rested the whole 90 minutes then or come on maybe in the last 10-15 midweek to afford him a proper break.
The one getting a proper break is the one Maxi Rodriguez who is now a Carling cup player despite contributing 10 goals last season sparked by an on pitch understanding with Suarez and the other bench warmer, Kuyt who was our top scorer.
I maybe over-analysing the situation but for me some selections are defying logic as well as the standard substitutions around 70minutes when clearly some players are not up to task.
I have my reservations about Mourinho but at least when he sees a player is not up to task even before half time, he subs him and usually his teams improve immediately.
If Kenny really wanted to protect Suarez in fear of burn-out or injury, then why did he play him in the Carling Cup against Exeter and Brighton?
Because they would probably beat us!?
He’s immature like most South Americans!
thanks pete. Anybody that watches suarez closely will realize he is also improving game by game despite the fact that he is already a top player. And dalglish’s ideal of protecting him will only hinder his progress besides while can’t he protect carol, lucas, or adam. Suarez is a player that wants an improvement game by game and should not be discourage or you will end up being his enemy.
he’s not protecting him at all he’s only making the stupid managerial decision that force meireless out of the club and blame it on lack of loyalty. He has done the same to likes of maxi, spearing, kuyt. What does those players have to prove to him again before he can be handling them 90min of play time in every game. Soon they all will leave and we will be left with our average and lazy players.