Following the Merseyside Derby on Saturday some Liverpool fans and many fans from opposing clubs were calling Luis Suarez a diver after Jack Rodwell tackled him. At first look, the tackle looked bad but then replays show that it was not that bad a tackle and Suarez may have milked it.
The FA have today (Monday ) announced that Jack Rodwell’s red card will be rescinded as Everton appealed that sending off, suggesting now that Suarez overreacted for that challenge.
Two ex-Liverpool players spoke out after that game and both believe that Suarez should not have reacted the way he did after that challenge.
Graeme Souness said, “I’ve played in Latin countries and I’ve worked in Latin countries and I think they, at times, can exaggerate that situation.
“I think he [Suarez] is a fabulous football player, but I think he’s also a very cute player. He’ll be a great asset for Liverpool, but I think yesterday he overplayed that”
Whilst Ray Houghton went on to comment, “He did catch Suarez but does that mean that he should have screamed at the top of his voice before he hit the ground? Probably not but that is the way football has gone unfortunately.
“If you want to stop challenges like that then we may as well go and play a different game. I don’t think it was a red card. I don’t think it was a yellow card, it was just a very good challenge.”
Now being a Liverpool fan, I have to try stick up for our players as best as I can and I defended Suarez when the debate began that he dives and goes to the ground too easily. But now that the red card has been rescinded, we have very little leverage now in our defence for Suarez.
The likes of Ronaldo, Drogba and Torres, when they first came to the Premier League, they went to the ground too easily but over a couple of seasons they learnt that they have to stay on their feet as much as possible and hopefully the same will happen to Suarez. In my opinion he does not go down as easily as those three I have mentioned.
What is your take on all of this?
I think the point for giving Rodwell the red card is his manner of attacking the ball. It looks like he meant to stop Suarez by whatever means. It looks very strong attack right from the start. He shouldnot be that aggressive. So looking at the manner he looked, there is reasonable explanation why he received the red card. In addition, giving the red card made everyone of both teams fully aware of injuries they might cause to others or in other words the red card prevented the unreasonably aggresive attacks by other players of both sides. That was why the game run smoothly afterwards. So we should thank the referee for giving it out.
I don’t know where you get the idea the game ran smoothly from, as Hibbert should have followed Rodwell down the tunnel for his tackle on Adam, I think he should now be given a retrospective red.
Absolutely Jam, I agree with you. Rodwell’s approached Suarez with his studds showing. He very quickly lowered his leg, but, that didn’t prevent him from making contact with Suarez; thus the red card.
I think you need to go and take up bally dancing u bad melt
I think the challenge although fair was a strong one and did catch Suarez, albeit after the ball was played first. He did overreact. But I think Souness (why is he still qualified to pass comment on Liverpool, I know he’s a legend but he has tarnished his rep) is out of order blaming a whole culture, especially when players all over the world dive and exagerrate. It’s part and parcel of the game. I heard a british pundit recently say that if you feel contact in the box you have to go down as a striker. Hypocrites.
This is a strange one, i dont think it was a red card and Rodwell was unlucky there. But i dont think it was Suarez reaction that did it as the Ref almost instantly took out the red card AND he was only stood a yard or 2 away when it happened.
Very true Nick. It is amazing how it has apparently become “fact” that the red was only due to the reaction of Suarez? This stance it not even questioned…it is just the new fact. The reality is that everyone thought it looked bad in real time and Suarez was smart to jump out of the way (and add a little afters maybe). Ref was on top of it and brought that card out immediately. If he can be so influenced by a shout from Suarez when he has seen it up close…well that would be the problem/issue to discuss!
The challenge was fair, but he still caught Suarez – no doubt about it. Suarez looked pretty ginger to me afterwards, so I’ve no reason to believe he over played the tackle or should now be cast as a diver and there is absolutely no way he should be framed in the same light as Drogba when he arrived. Do people remember just how bad he was? And that interview when he admitted diving?
Fact is very few footballers now are tough enough for Souness’s liking, which arguably shows how far the game has advanced in terms of focussing more on technical strength, but I really don’t think his comments carry much credibility, especially if they are based simply on that one incident.
Also, am I imaging this, or was Suarez clattered a number of time on Saturday and get up and get on with the game?
I agree, why the focus on Suarez? If the ref got it right there would be no problem. If we were to accept critisism of our players it might be of the players who ran up to the ref as soon as he blew. Evertonians are keen to blame anyone but there own team, but even before this tackle there had been more than one reckless challenge that might have resulted in cards, they were trying to intimidate Liverpool, and paid the price; although acceptably to the wrong player.
I think this debate has been streched on for far too long…I was the first person to admit it was barely a foul, let alone a red card however we seem to have forgotten that both Ronaldo and Drogba didn’t not only dive in the first couple of seasons in the PL, but they both do it till this very day!!! Suarez is definitely not guilty of diving, it was a strong challenge and in my honest opinion, one reason why the challenge did not end up hurting Suarez is because he jumped out of the way…therefore I definitely do not agree that Suarez should now be accused of diving and play acting. We should also look at the many challenges that Suarez has suffered and did not get the foul for!!!
well said jonis…the incident was not worth a red card. Having said this, refs today personalize their own game they ref, another referee would probably not have brandished red but who is to say that he might have shown a red to hibbert and cahill for the successive tackles..the truth of the matter is that it all really boils down to the consistency of the referees…or the lack of it in this case! in our case we get a lot of calls against us, this one happened to be in our favor and a whole fiasco erupted!! everton’s appeal was successful and rightly so…but referees are becoming more and more inconsistent and that is what the topic should be week in week out, if players know that they can fool the refs so easily to get a player of the opposing team sent off, then it is clear they will but the refs should be on their game to know what should and shouldnt be a foul, especially if they are a meter away.
Remember when they scored from a corner they shouldnt of had…
Jack Rodwell’s foot was high as he approached Suarez. He lowered his foot before making contact with Suarez. It was clearly a foul, but. No one but Suarez can explain the extent of pain; so the opinions that has followed are all supposition and not facts. I don’t think that Suarez wanted to get Rodwell sent off neither do I agree that Suarez is a cheat.
pity no-one comments when Wayne Rooney does it eh – same as when he elbows opponents from behind and we hear from the likes of houghton ‘you cant take the aggession out of waynes game’
“Bill” above has taken the words out of my mouth as Hibberts tackle on Lucas just after was a potential leg breaker and the ref didn’t even blow his wistle !!!
I think by this time he had realised he had made a mistake and decided to over-look this one.
Do you not think that refs very often do this, for example when they realise after, that a penalty they have given was dodgy,they soon give another to the other side ??!!
no disrespect mate but if your gonna call upon particular instances atleast get the parties who were involved right… Hibbert on Adam and Fellaini on Lucas… never the less not a senting off at a pivotal point of the match
hey come on lads do we care we beat those blue twats so lets look 4 ward 2 those red twats down the east lancs and beat them lets hope shrek gets a red card the ugly twat so come on the boys
Suarez learning from the master…
http://www. youtube.com /watch?v=uVb2gbMtN3I
Irrespective of wot happened dis weekend. taggin Luis a diver smells an equal bit of sentimentality and envy. Suary is one of those players who can be accused of stayin on his feet too often. admittedly, av seen him go down a little too easily a few times including once against Spurs in the 2nd half after controlling a difficult ball in the air in front of the CBs, then goin down easily to win a tackle in front of the box.
Suarez strikes me bra very very hungry footballer who’ll do almost anything to win. In conclusion,Suarry is a very brilliant fighter …….fighter!! not a diver or cheat as some suggest. He goes down easily (as opposed to diving) only once in a while (just like Messi)lol
oops……made a lot of typos… clumpsy me
Of all the things to question after a good derby win,you,ve chose to have a dig at suarez.unbelievable.if he doesnt get out of the way of that challenge then jack plodwell goes right through him,simple.so what if he over reacts? You buy these players warts and all.plodwell was looking to go through one of our players all game as where the rest of them.no it wasn,t a red card but if suarez had of been a fraction slower it would of been.what about hibert,s assault on adam or fellaini on lucas or cahill,s usual studs up challenge on adam? So plodwell,s red card has been recinded,maybe retrospective action should be taken against hibbert? Point is everton go into a derby with an attitude from the eighties…lunge in at every opportunity.i loved them derbies but you cant do that anymore,like it or not.remember beglin getting his leg snapped in half by gary stevens? How there wasnt more of that must of been down to luck.they were too wound up on saturday.knowing that every crunching over the top tackle gives their fans a hard on.kenny,s pre match talk was of keeping composed and a cool head.thats what is more likely to win you a derby nowadays and we were saturday.as usual in the national media we didnt get any credit but moyes and everton are adept at deflecting away from their inadequacies by focusing on percieved injustices.they,re already getting the attention switched to suarez,s reaction to the tackle.they,ll be talking about this for the next thirty years! Suarez,s plus points far outway a bit of over reacting when tackled.getting fed up of defending our players from our own fans.if its not carroll its henderson..or adam..or downing..
Listen, it wasn’t a red, it wasn’t a foul, LFC won 3 points, but there are no bragging rights. End of debate.
why are we even focusing on Suarez. He didnt dive, he didnt dive. Lets talk about the next game, and leave the bitters to do the compiaining.
We have gotten our 3 point
its been said how many times now if you go in harsh with both feet youl’ll get sent of and at the end of the day any amount o pressure on the back of your heel hurts like hell so i dont think he overeacted that badly the contact was definatley there and rodwell went in without a care to what the out come could of been to suarez i’m glad he got sent off when he did because if he kept going in like that it wouldve only bibn a matter of time before he catches someone much worse, didnt see the bitter toffes going mad over gerrards sending off for going in with both feet the last time.