Luis Suarez - Trouble Maker or Mistaken Genius?

Recently, a string of world-class performances have put Luis Suarez's name on everyone's lips for the right reason. Having previously been the target of media attacks following a number of high-profile episodes of misconduct on his part, Suarez has answered his critics this season. Although he missed the first five games through suspension, he burst back onto the Premier League scene, currently sitting on 15 goals and topping the goalscoring table. As a football fan, it's refreshing to see someone who has been badly behaved in the past get their head down and play some good quality football (e.g. Mario Balotelli in Milan).

Born on the 24th January 1987 in Salto, Uruguay, Suarez was the fourth of seven brothers. His family moved to Montevideo when he was seven and his parents split when he was nine years old. He then lived with his mother and brothers (but still maintains contact with his father) and learnt to play football on the streets of the city. He joined Nacional's youth team at the age of 14, but he made it to the world stage when he joined Ajax in 2007 - where he would go on to make 110 league appearances, scoring 81 goals. He was signed by Liverpool in 2011 and he hasn't looked back since. 

Throughout his footballing career, Suarez hasn't been far from controversy. At the age of 15 - when playing for Nacional - he was sent off for head butting a referee. He also had a shaky disciplinary record at his second club, Groningen, receiving three yellow cards and one red card in the space of just five games. Excessive amounts of yellow cards, a tunnel altercation with a team mate and a biting incident worsened his reputation as a behavioural liability. And then came the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. During a quarter final game against Ghana, Suarez blocked a shot off the line with his hand and gave away a penalty which was missed by Asamoah Gyan. Suarez was sent off and was not able to take part in the penalty shoot out which saw his country progress in the competition. He was, however, slated as a villain and a cheat.

His disciplinary record extended when he came to the Premier League with Liverpool. The first incident was the high-profile racial abuse inquiry he faced after a 1-1 draw with Manchester United in October 2011. Suarez was found guilty of racially abusing Patrice Evra and handed an eight match ban along with a £40,000 fine. However, he didn't stop there. Nearly two years later, in April 2013, Suarez appeared to have bitten Chelsea player Branislav Ivanovic in a 2-2 draw. Suarez received a ten match ban, which took him into the current season of Premier League football. 

The cameras got a good view of Suarez's bite.

However, it seems Suarez has burst - albeit late - out of the blocks this season. Despite having missed the first five games, he has the most impressive attacking record of any player in the league, currently on 15 goals. Suarez has averaged 1.36 goals per game this season, scoring three braces, one hat-trick and one four goal master-class against Norwich. He has even managed to calm down his temper, receiving only one yellow card in the ten games he's played so far.

So this poses the question, are Suarez's behavioural problems a thing of the past? Has he finally matured and focused on his football more than anything else? Personally, I'd like the Uruguayan fulfil his potential this season and prove himself to be one of the best in the world. If not for himself then for the worldwide reputation of the Premier League and its players.   

     

What's Happening at Manchester United?

From champions of England to mid-table battlers in six months, Manchester United are currently going through one of the roughest patches in their Premier League history. Last season, United finished top of the league comfortably, looking like true champions for the duration of the season. However, they have seemed and entirely different team this season - with many results below what has come to be expected of them - and alarm bells are certainly ringing for the fans at Old Trafford. But what has caused this sudden dip in form for the red half of Manchester? Besides the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson and his backroom staff - and the subsequent introduction of David Moyes and his own backroom staff - in the summer, not much has changed since the end of last season, but performances are still below par and unrest is becoming apparent among the fans...

A key feature during the matches in which United have underperformed - like the draw against Southampton, and the losses to West Brom, Everton and Newcastle - has been a distinct lack of creativity and effort from the players. Players such as Cleverley, Nani and Fellaini have been agonisingly inconsistent so far this season, often falling short of requirements in games where they should be dominating (i.e. against the likes of Cardiff). Also, the style of play currently being exhibited at Old Trafford has been a major complaint from the stands. Fans aren't enjoying seeing midfielders and defenders passing sideways - and sometimes backwards (unnecessarily) - to no avail, which often results in them losing the ball and putting David De Gea in danger. 

However, some performances this season have been more exciting and solid. The 1-0 defeat of Arsenal and the 4-2 win against Bayer Leverkusen spring to mind when looking for examples of the type of football that United played under Ferguson.

Nani is one player who has been slated for his
inconsistency.

Another possible explanation for the demise of the United team is the change of manager. David Moyes arrived in the summer with a new backroom staff, shaking up the system that so many of the players had become used to under Sir Alex. Whereas Ferguson is an iconic managerial figure who demanded respect from his players, Moyes seems a less imposing figure on the sideline, perhaps the players don't give him the same respect as his predecessor? That is certainly the case in the stands, as you can get the sense from a visit to Old Trafford that the fans are beginning to get sick of the poor performances. Many pundits predicted that Moyes would need a transition period at the start of the season, which is expected. But how long can a transition period last? Moyes had the summer to acquaint himself with his squad, and he only brought in Marouane Fellaini in the transfer window - a player who he already knows from his time at Everton. Surely by December a manager should have a strong grip of his squad and know his strongest starting eleven, something which it appears Moyes does not. An example of someone who has done this is Moyes' replacement, Roberto Martinez, whose Everton side currently sit at 5th. 

Whatever it is that's happening at Manchester United at the moment, it will take a colossal effort to turn it around. A huge January signing? Drastic tactic changes? Personally, I don't think it's time for 'Moyes out' signs just yet, but I do question how much longer the Old Trafford faithful will put up with mediocre performances when they're used to world class results.

Just a Quick One

Apologies for the stoppage in posting recently - which came about as a result of a combination of things - but I intend to get back into the blog soon. The 'What to Expect From... This Season' series of blogs is obviously no longer relevant, so that will be stopped. From now on I'll be doing topical subjects and possibly the odd focus on an individual player or manager etc. and I'll be writing at least one piece a month. Here's hoping it all goes well.