Former Liverpool defender Mark Lawrenson believes that Luis Suarez is building a reputation for 'going down too easily', and he has called on Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher to 'have a word' with the striker over his (alleged) diving.
Lawrenson, who formed a formidable defensive partnership with Alan Hansen in the 1980s, argued:
"The truth is he has got a reputation for going down too easily. Refs notice it, officials notice it and the fans are looking out for it.
"Of course if you are touched then, as a striker, you can go down. But something similar happened with Didier Drogba. Drogba was a wonderful player...but it took a few players from his own team to just have a word and tell him to stop diving.
"Maybe someone like Jamie Carragher or Steven Gerrard needs to do the same with Suarez. He is such a brilliant player that it would be fabulous to focus on him purely for what he does on the pitch.
"The biggest hope must be that he doesn't become a player with a reputation that makes people say: great talent, but..."
I definitely agree that Suarez goes down too easily, but from what I've seen so far, I don't think he is a deliberate, calculating, cynical diver. The world's best players always attract the most fouls, and Suarez is no exception.
However, perception can be a dangerous thing in football, and the growing perception is that Suarez is a diver, and this will overshadow the excellent work he does on the pitch.
I'm not sure Steven Gerrard is the best person to talk with Suarez though; it's not like he has a spotless history when it comes to 'going down too easily' ;-)
Jaimie Kanwar
Lawrenson, who formed a formidable defensive partnership with Alan Hansen in the 1980s, argued:
"The truth is he has got a reputation for going down too easily. Refs notice it, officials notice it and the fans are looking out for it.
"Of course if you are touched then, as a striker, you can go down. But something similar happened with Didier Drogba. Drogba was a wonderful player...but it took a few players from his own team to just have a word and tell him to stop diving.
"Maybe someone like Jamie Carragher or Steven Gerrard needs to do the same with Suarez. He is such a brilliant player that it would be fabulous to focus on him purely for what he does on the pitch.
"The biggest hope must be that he doesn't become a player with a reputation that makes people say: great talent, but..."
I definitely agree that Suarez goes down too easily, but from what I've seen so far, I don't think he is a deliberate, calculating, cynical diver. The world's best players always attract the most fouls, and Suarez is no exception.
However, perception can be a dangerous thing in football, and the growing perception is that Suarez is a diver, and this will overshadow the excellent work he does on the pitch.
I'm not sure Steven Gerrard is the best person to talk with Suarez though; it's not like he has a spotless history when it comes to 'going down too easily' ;-)
Jaimie Kanwar
Adam and Gerrard in the middle simply does not work, cannot wait to have Lucas back in the side
ReplyDeleteyou can see why torres and Meireles wanted to join a bigger and better side like Chelsea playing CL football and challanging for the title.
ReplyDeleteLawrenson should wind his neck in, he's becoming an embarrassment to the club.
ReplyDeleteWe are already saying "Mark Lawrenson, great player but..." about him.
Gerrard and Carragher need to have a word with themselves. Gerrards passing was woeful yesterday, both him and Carragher are off the pace. Gerrard understandably, but with Adam ( slow ) Im not sure what he offers the team? and an ineffective Downing and Johnson who knows. Carroll seems to be getting lots of abuse but to be fair the other 11 had 80 minutes and couldn't find the back of the net before he came on. The buck stops with Dalglish Comolli and Clarke. Bad purchases, bad decisions, bad treatment of Mereiles and Aquilani. Fenway need to get in there and go with their instincts rather than pandering to the scouse lobby boys.
ReplyDeleteChelsea are only the 3rd biggest team in London, you belter!!!!!, Newcastle are bigger than Chelsea by miles!!!!
ReplyDeleteI seem to remember a whole article you devoted to Suarez being a CHEAT and a diver.. and now you say you "think hes not a cynical deliberate blah blah".. oh how quickly we forget eh Jaimie? I wish I had some way of drag-dropping your articles into an online trash can..
ReplyDelete@areebbee,why don't gerrard and adan work in the middle? if we'd our shooting boots on and a bit more luck we could/should have won 5 or 6 nil.a home game against norwich requires creativity,lucas doesn't provide that.i thought the problem lay with downing on the right yesterday,his worst performance yet,he was shocking.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, Lawro is right.
ReplyDeleteSuarez is a fantastic player but He needs to focus on his own game instead of going down easily.
Meanwhile, the most important thing is that Suarez has a terrible and unfair attitude towards his team mates: it seems that He considers himself as the only player allowed to make an error on the pitch.
Suarez needs to change quickly his attitude for the best interests of the Club.
Suarez must become the driving force of Liverpool Football Club, as for now He's only a star Who costantly blame his team mates.
in 12-18 months time Suarez will no longer be playing for Liverpool. Mark my words.
ReplyDeleteinteresting news, greating from Poland, and LFCPoland.com
ReplyDeleteI agree 100%. He's playing for a move.
ReplyDeleteSouth American players seldom stay with clubs for the long haul. Suarez will move if he doesn't see trophies.
ReplyDeleteDidn't he voice his desire to play for Barca recently?
Fergie gave that reputation last week and the Refs bought it
ReplyDeleteit's well known that his agent is pep guardiolas brother.
ReplyDeletehe'd walk into their starting 11,he's a far better and more versatile player than david villa in my opinion.
he just didn't seem focussed enough yesterday,he needs to cut out the diving and wayward finishing.
How did Chelsea get on today ??
ReplyDeleteLucas doesnt provide that..... correct, he does however provide cover for gerrad to play further up and create or score them
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure I agree with you that he'd walk into the Barcelona side. Only premiership player who'd walk into the Barca midfield or attack is David Silva.
ReplyDelete@bigbob.......or wan*erbob?,....QPR???
ReplyDeleteSo Lawrenson is an embarrassment to the club because he tell's the truth. Let us be honest Suarez is a great player but he is a cheat. He has had one player sent off and others booked and only a third of the season is over. If he played for any other club the knives would be out. Suarez is on his way to beating the master cheat Alonso who had about a dozen opposing players sent off.
ReplyDeleteas a lfc supporter i must be honest and say suarez is going to ground too much..he needs boots with better studs plus hes beginning to be greedy all the time.he must realise that there are other players are around him in the penalty box and play more as a team player.we have the players and they all must play as a team if we are to score more goals
ReplyDeleteLiverpool should have kept the same shape as against Man United and rather dod a like for like swop. Spearing should have come in for Lucas.
ReplyDeletePlayers moving at speed changiing angles faster than the plodders are more easily unbalanced. Suarez is not only regularly fouled but it is done by several players so the risk of a booking is reduced. Some tackles though appearing fair are to disable or injure the more skillful player and one of the reasons for lack of skilful players in England is that this philosophy is built from junior level. In the match against Stoke it can be seen that a player tries to foul Suarez but he is too quick. Refs ignore shirt pulling, holding, obstruction in the premiership, God forbid that skilful players should be allowed to play it would make the dinosaurs extinct.
ReplyDelete