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Luis Suarez: The Genius, The Fighter, The Bizarre

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Luis Suarez goalAS the sun moving towards the west cast a shadow over Anfield on Sunday, everything seemed set for an almighty tussle between Rafa’s newly rampant Chelsea and Rodgers’ feigning Redmen.

The first moment of lunacy had come and gone when Suarez raised his hand in the box and gave away the penalty; a penalty that undermined the progress that Sturridge had made since coming on as a half-time substitute, having an immediate impact.

The SAS partnership clicking once more, the sublime pass into Sturridge for the equaliser showing when the partnership clicks it’s truly a wonder to behold.

The second when he was out muscled by Ivanovic and thought he’d bite himself free.

Condemnation has rightly come from every corner, respected and some not so respected journalists are all appalled, PR experts on Sky News ‘disturbed’, current and ex pro footballers who find themselves now in punditry or in the twitterati are not shy in their forthcoming condemnation for what is, ultimately an indefensible act.

Let’s be clear from the start, I’m not trying to defend Suarez, what he did was wrong. He has been punished and we hope he will learn and will move on.

However one has to ask what drives one of the most gifted footballers I’ve ever seen turn to acts which defy logic both with a ball and without? Will anyone forget against Norwich at home this season, the gasp of literally most in Anfield when Suarez turned the Norwich fullback when the space wasn’t there – when the move was quite simply impossible?

Off the ball he’s bitten, punched, kicked and dived. On the ball he’s scored goals of a quality which for the normal pro are not simply part of their toolkit. He’s tormented defenders of the highest quality all season, with most still probably trying to work out how he did what he did to them.

One has to put into context the good, the bad and the ugly of Suarez.

Suarez was raised in a country where the street is where the sparks of genius are first ignited. Alex Ingelthorpe said himself recently that the reason Suarez can cope with the physical nature of the Premier League is how he used his ‘street quality’ on the pitch.

He uses all of his body to dodge, to allude, to push, nudge and move players out the way when trying to get past or to steal the ball. In short Suarez is a street fighter, which is something in this country we just can’t truly understand.
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He will resort to almost anything in order not to come out on the losing side, he’s a warrior and as he said recently in an interview with Jonathan Northcroft of the Sunday Times that he’s a player who has to play on the edge; that it’s a necessity for who he is and what he is.

But he also said his wife and Liverpool FC want him to be on the edge but to exercise control. He felt he was getting there, but clearly he’s not.

The problem with playing on the edge is that the lines are clearly blurred, and when you’re that good, almost too good, sometimes you cross the line and there’s no stopping you once you’re over it.

What I do find hard to accept is the moral high ground taken by so many. None of us want to see that behaviour on a football field, or anywhere else.

Yet for me, I personally find players who try tackles knowing full well they could end someone’s career more disgusting, more repugnant and more morally reprehensible than biting someone on the arm.

Lately we’ve had two cases where the FA has had endless video footage of such incidents and have subsequently not taken action as it’s not been seen by the referee. Even so such action is violent and reckless it’s not violent misconduct.

Again let be clear, I’m not using this to say Suarez should not get a ban, he absolutely should, but the FA must look at themselves and ask why players can get away with potentially career ending tackles yet punish what is a bite.

I find it more outrageous when the normal fan has been priced out of the market of the beautiful game, or when matches are arranged which means fans won’t be able to travel home. More than anything, I find racism on the field and off it more repugnant than any bite or dive.

For Luis Suarez, the time has come to truly face his demons; any psychologist will tell you to look at yourself is the hardest thing you’ll have to do. You must admit there’s flaws in your character, which for anyone is never easy, let alone a genius; let there be no doubt about it Suarez is a genius.

However the trick with Suarez is to be able to stay on the edge and keep on the right side of it. Dr Steve Peters helped Bellamy turn a corner, now the Doctor’s door must be shown to Suarez to see if he can help El Pistolero.

Here’s to Suarez for next season and let’s hope we can see more of the genius and less of the villain. Let’s hope to, the FA sorts themselves out and see this for what it truly is…bizarre.
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Lifelong LFC fan from Edinburgh, now living in Wales. I fell in love with Liverpool seeing the amazing team of the late 80's. My favorite player is a strong tie between Sammi Hyypia & Xabi Alonso with Dietmar Hamman coming a close third. Senior marketer by day, father and husband by night. A passion for booze, boats and all things good in life. My proudest achievement is somehow convincing my wife to marry me and creating my beautiful daughter.