Liverpool FC Forum

Liverpool FC's charm offensive is in full flow, and Luis Suarez is in the crosshairs. The Uruguayan star may have been reduced to a supporting role on Saturday, as Anfield paid a fitting tribute to one of its all-time greats, but there is no keeping him out of the spotlight.

Steven Gerrard’s day, Luis Suarez’s headlines.

Gerrard, a man who has experienced the temptations of football first hand, had spent the build-up to this game, his game, doing his utmost to convince his team-mate that his future lies on Merseyside.

His words were strong and they were genuine.

And here, the Liverpool supporters took on the baton.

Suarez’s arrival, 61 minutes into this most routine of 2-0 wins, was greeted with rapturous applause from all four corners of the ground. Sporadic choruses of Depeche Mode followed. If the 26-year-old’s summer of discontent has damaged his standing in the eyes of supporters, then it didn’t show. Forgiven, for now.

The message is clear; Liverpool fans want Suarez to stay. Badly. There may well have been an air of desperation about their actions – Xabi Alonso received similar treatment when it emerged that he could be on his way out of the club some years ago – but their affection for Suarez is genuine Their noise, their songs, their support; it will surely have left its mark on the player.

There will be those who argue, of course, that no player, be they from Salto or Speke, should ever need persuading to stay at Liverpool. That the lure of Anfield, the roar of the Kop, the honour of pulling on that red shirt, should be enough.

It’s a reasonable argument. Supporters, genuine supporters, put their heart and soul into their club, and expect similar from the players whose wages they pay.

For them, the idea that any player would feel they could better themselves elsewhere is an affront. The idea that they could better themselves at Arsenal is plain insulting.

Yet Suarez’s importance to Liverpool is such that principles are having to be compromised across the board. The age-old mantra dictates that no player is ever bigger than the club – Brendan Rodgers said as much after the game on Saturday – but the gap is being narrowed year upon year. Players make clubs.

Suarez’s reputation has soared as Liverpool’s has stagnated in the past two-and-a-half years. He is one of the world’s elite players, a true world-class talent, being asked to settle for another season chasing, at best, fourth spot in the Premier League. He is being asked to play beneath his level, to take a risk on Rodgers and his evolving side delivering on their promise in the next couple of years.

It’s a big ask, but there is also the “loyalty” question.

Liverpool fans, and indeed the club itself, have jumped through hoops for Suarez. They have defended him, fiercely and often to their detriment in the eyes of the wider footballing public, when he has erred. They have placed him on a pedestal due to his enormous talent, and their support has helped him morph from a gifted, sometimes wayward support striker into the Premier League’s finest all-round forward. At 26, his best years are still ahead of him, and Liverpool want them spent at Anfield.

As yet there has been no definitive statement from the Suarez camp about his future, only off-record briefings laced with thinly-veiled messages. There has been no transfer request, and Liverpool insist that they will not entertain the kind of offers Arsenal have been faxing across in the past few weeks. Rodgers even suggested here that Suarez is worth the kind of nine-figure transfer fee placed by Tottenham upon Gareth Bale’s head.

All of which, together with the media’s obsession for a saga, means that this story is likely to run for some time yet. But with just four weeks until deadline day, time is running out fast. Liverpool, never mind Suarez, need a resolution, one way or the other.

Their £21m pursuit of Atletico Madrid striker Diego Costa, they insist, is not linked to Suarez’s future, but Rodgers and his recruitment team will surely have a contingency plan should the worst come to the worst. His scouting network has already been challenged heavily this summer; if Suarez goes, its workload will treble.

In the meantime, the charm offensive will continue. Suarez, Rodgers suggested, would have been “humbled” by the reception he received from Liverpool’s supporters here. He will surely have noted the reverence afforded not just to Gerrard, but also Jamie Carragher and Robbie Fowler, who made welcome appearances as second-half substitutes. Legends are made at Liverpool, and legends are remembered.

Suarez too, will be remembered. He is that kind of player, that kind of person. But whether he is remembered as a true Liverpool great, or as the ungrateful urchin who broke the Kop’s heart, only time will tell.

Anfield has made its feelings clear, crystal clear. Now it’s over to you, Luis.




http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/liverpool-fc-analysis-steven-gerrards-5585807

Great piece from Neil Jones .

RED BEERGOGGLES » Mon Aug 05, 2013 5:24 pm wrote:

Greavesie » Mon Aug 05, 2013 4:22 pm wrote:So ambition is directly proportional to the amount of money the owners pour into the squad? Modern day football is depressing

Have a look the post before yours mate ,Benny's day just got darker 

I want him to stay, of course I do but this whole saga needs closed before the start of the season. I don't understand why he'd swap everything he has with us for that neutral, nothing, tight fisted, no personality of a football club down south. If it was a bigger club abrod then fair play, as long as we get a deal that suits us then great. This isn't just anyone though, this is an absolute magician with the ball at his feet. He definitely appreciates us so I doubt that everything that's being said is true

Greavesie » Mon Aug 05, 2013 5:26 pm wrote:

Benny The Noon » Mon Aug 05, 2013 4:32 pm wrote:Or we get owners in like city who bankroll both players and facilities and commercial backing to allow them to start to become one of the biggest clubs in England and Europe and win titles

You want us to become another Chelsea or City? PSG or Monaco?

Come on Benny, get real, the owners are trying to get us the best deals possible and trying to expand our market into Amcerica while maintaining markets elsewhere. If you want them to do none of that and just p!ss money into the club then that's your prerogative. I personally cannot wait for Abramovic to get bored of Chelsea and see how they cope without his funds, City too, and the rest. I want long term stability for Liverpool Football Club and maintain the soul of this wonderful club. If you'd sell everything we've built for the league tomorrow then fair dos Benny but that is most definitely not the reason I love this football club

So when is Abramovic going to get bored then ? Been there ten years now -in that time we have had 3 different owners - people have been waiting for him to get bored for years now and he is still there whilst his team compete for the highest honours

Expand our market ? Is that why we now have the most disgusting set of playing kit ever seen. What exactly has that expanding markets done for us - under the present owners we have had our three worst finishes in decades upon decades

What's this soul built on then ? Success - that's what built our club up -success in our own league then in Europe. With that success came the quality players. I'm sure you didn't mind the club spending big fees on players like Kenny ( record transfer ) Rush ( record transfer for youngster ) Beardsley ( record transfer ).

I want my club to be back amongst the elite playing in the biggest comps and challenging for the biggest honours - to do that we need to get quality players and that means buying quality players.

We can slate PSG and Monaco etc but they have what we don't - success. You can be satisfied with mid table finishes and fighting it out for 5/6/7th spots trying to sneak a Europa Spot - I aim a lot higher than that and it appears our best player aims a lot higher as well.

Greavesie » Mon Aug 05, 2013 5:33 pm wrote:

RED BEERGOGGLES » Mon Aug 05, 2013 5:24 pm wrote:

Greavesie » Mon Aug 05, 2013 4:22 pm wrote:So ambition is directly proportional to the amount of money the owners pour into the squad? Modern day football is depressing

Have a look the post before yours mate ,Benny's day just got darker 

I want him to stay, of course I do but this whole saga needs closed before the start of the season. I don't understand why he'd swap everything he has with us for that neutral, nothing, tight fisted, no personality of a football club down south. If it was a bigger club abrod then fair play, as long as we get a deal that suits us then great. This isn't just anyone though, this is an absolute magician with the ball at his feet. He definitely appreciates us so I doubt that everything that's being said is true

Because currently that club is a step up from us on the football pitch.

That's what Suarez sees - a club playing in the top club tournament in club football , a tournament where the best play against each other and get to test themselves against the very best - that's what he can get at Arsenal and not with us.

Greavesie » Mon Aug 05, 2013 4:33 pm wrote:

RED BEERGOGGLES » Mon Aug 05, 2013 5:24 pm wrote:

Greavesie » Mon Aug 05, 2013 4:22 pm wrote:So ambition is directly proportional to the amount of money the owners pour into the squad? Modern day football is depressing

Have a look the post before yours mate ,Benny's day just got darker 

I want him to stay, of course I do but this whole saga needs closed before the start of the season. I don't understand why he'd swap everything he has with us for that neutral, nothing, tight fisted, no personality of a football club down south. If it was a bigger club abrod then fair play, as long as we get a deal that suits us then great. This isn't just anyone though, this is an absolute magician with the ball at his feet. He definitely appreciates us so I doubt that everything that's being said is true

I think Rodgers has tried valiantly to draw a line under this sorry saga ,but the media just find it inconceivable that he could be wearing our
colours next season. So now its 'a source close to' ,'or a close personal friend ' that the press have headlined papers with to fabricate their
own dearest wishes.

Do you really think the "saga" has been finished with ?

Are you really that naive to think that these "sources" are just made up - Suarez wants to leave - its clear this saga is far from finished and there is lots to play out yet. Many sources are released by the players agents to get stories into the news to try and force through transfers - it's exactly what happened when we were trying to buy him from Ajax despite their constant claims he wasn't for sale.

Benny The Noon » Mon Aug 05, 2013 3:57 pm wrote:

RedAnt » Mon Aug 05, 2013 4:54 pm wrote:Pffffft. If you want it like that Benny, play footie manager and do the trick of selling all your cra*p to Man U for all their cash. I don't envy Chelsea or City for buying the trophy. Those trophies are worthless in my eyes.

Why are they worthless ? Because they bought quality players to get a quality team to win trophies ? That's pretty much the same as every single club that wins trophies on a regular basis. No club wins without buying quality players.

Well when we won in Istanbul it was much sweeter knowing that Gerrard and co won it through passion and determination. When I look to Chelsea and Man City with their ever changing squads and staff, watching their fans jumping up and down, I don't feel envy. I almost pity them. I've known true glory many times as a child, all thanks to our beloved team. And I hope to know it again, one day, through the same means that have gotten me through life this far, patience, hard work, understanding, and a bit of good luck.

It's why I've always supported Liverpool. Alignment or something.

RedAnt » Mon Aug 05, 2013 4:50 pm wrote:Well when we won in Istanbul it was much sweeter knowing that Gerrard and co won it through passion and determination. When I look to Chelsea and Man City with their ever changing squads and staff, watching their fans jumping up and down, I don't feel envy. I almost pity them. I've known true glory many times as a child, all thanks to our beloved team. And I hope to know it again, one day, through the same means that have gotten me through life this far, patience, hard work, understanding, and a bit of good luck.

It's why I've always supported Liverpool. Alignment or something.

Its all about getting it mate ,some people are simply  lost to the concept.

RedAnt » Mon Aug 05, 2013 5:50 pm wrote:

Benny The Noon » Mon Aug 05, 2013 3:57 pm wrote:

RedAnt » Mon Aug 05, 2013 4:54 pm wrote:Pffffft. If you want it like that Benny, play footie manager and do the trick of selling all your cra*p to Man U for all their cash. I don't envy Chelsea or City for buying the trophy. Those trophies are worthless in my eyes.

Why are they worthless ? Because they bought quality players to get a quality team to win trophies ? That's pretty much the same as every single club that wins trophies on a regular basis. No club wins without buying quality players.

Well when we won in Istanbul it was much sweeter knowing that Gerrard and co won it through passion and determination. When I look to Chelsea and Man City with their ever changing squads and staff, watching their fans jumping up and down, I don't feel envy. I almost pity them. I've known true glory many times as a child, all thanks to our beloved team. And I hope to know it again, one day, through the same means that have gotten me through life this far, patience, hard work, understanding, and a bit of good luck.

It's why I've always supported Liverpool. Alignment or something.

We arent the only club to play with passion and determination! And let's not forget in the Istanbul we had a fair amount of quality players on the pitch that were bought. Is their winning the title not "true glory" ? Why not ? .

Do we forget that in the last we haven't had a problem buying top players to get success ? Did we not embrace both Torres and Suarez yet they both cost millions ? The same millions that other clubs pay for players .

When we won trophies we didn't do it any different to other teams - we got quality players into the squad then beat all the other teams to win

RED BEERGOGGLES » Mon Aug 05, 2013 5:59 pm wrote:

RedAnt » Mon Aug 05, 2013 4:50 pm wrote:Well when we won in Istanbul it was much sweeter knowing that Gerrard and co won it through passion and determination. When I look to Chelsea and Man City with their ever changing squads and staff, watching their fans jumping up and down, I don't feel envy. I almost pity them. I've known true glory many times as a child, all thanks to our beloved team. And I hope to know it again, one day, through the same means that have gotten me through life this far, patience, hard work, understanding, and a bit of good luck.

It's why I've always supported Liverpool. Alignment or something.

Its all about getting it mate ,some people are simply  lost to the concept.

The concept has us fighting for 6th with the bitters - the supporters expectations have been downgraded and mediocrity has been fully accepted

Benny The Noon » Mon Aug 05, 2013 6:01 pm wrote:

RED BEERGOGGLES » Mon Aug 05, 2013 5:59 pm wrote:

RedAnt » Mon Aug 05, 2013 4:50 pm wrote:Well when we won in Istanbul it was much sweeter knowing that Gerrard and co won it through passion and determination. When I look to Chelsea and Man City with their ever changing squads and staff, watching their fans jumping up and down, I don't feel envy. I almost pity them. I've known true glory many times as a child, all thanks to our beloved team. And I hope to know it again, one day, through the same means that have gotten me through life this far, patience, hard work, understanding, and a bit of good luck.

It's why I've always supported Liverpool. Alignment or something.

Its all about getting it mate ,some people are simply  lost to the concept.

The concept has us fighting for 6th with the bitters - the supporters expectations have been downgraded and mediocrity has been fully accepted

Would you have been content with the club entering administration for spending money it didn't have? That's how close we were. You want us to fight for the title, tell us how you'd do that in three summers?

But you're missing your own point Benny mate. City and Chelsk had fortunes pumped into them. They then spent fortunes. Those players are there because money bought them and money assembled a squad that would need success, else players/managers would move on, by choice or some else's choice. Then someone else would have a crack at it. Same name, same colours, but a new thing entirely. This culture has destroyed football as I and many others remember it. But some clubs and fans fight to keep tradition in the game, and fight to keep its roots with an English flavour as in my eyes it should be.

By gum, when I were a lad, a team could only have 3 foreign players. Each was a star in their own right. They made the game so much better. Times change, but that dosent mean that we have to sell out to a new age. Embrace it and use it, yes, but don't let it dilute what you stand for.

Benny The Noon » Mon Aug 05, 2013 5:41 pm wrote:

Greavesie » Mon Aug 05, 2013 5:26 pm wrote:

Benny The Noon » Mon Aug 05, 2013 4:32 pm wrote:Or we get owners in like city who bankroll both players and facilities and commercial backing to allow them to start to become one of the biggest clubs in England and Europe and win titles

You want us to become another Chelsea or City? PSG or Monaco?

Come on Benny, get real, the owners are trying to get us the best deals possible and trying to expand our market into Amcerica while maintaining markets elsewhere. If you want them to do none of that and just p!ss money into the club then that's your prerogative. I personally cannot wait for Abramovic to get bored of Chelsea and see how they cope without his funds, City too, and the rest. I want long term stability for Liverpool Football Club and maintain the soul of this wonderful club. If you'd sell everything we've built for the league tomorrow then fair dos Benny but that is most definitely not the reason I love this football club

So when is Abramovic going to get bored then ? Been there ten years now -in that time we have had 3 different owners - people have been waiting for him to get bored for years now and he is still there whilst his team compete for the highest honours

Expand our market ? Is that why we now have the most disgusting set of playing kit ever seen. What exactly has that expanding markets done for us - under the present owners we have had our three worst finishes in decades upon decades

What's this soul built on then ? Success - that's what built our club up -success in our own league then in Europe. With that success came the quality players. I'm sure you didn't mind the club spending big fees on players like Kenny ( record transfer ) Rush ( record transfer for youngster ) Beardsley ( record transfer ).

I want my club to be back amongst the elite playing in the biggest comps and challenging for the biggest honours - to do that we need to get quality players and that means buying quality players.

We can slate PSG and Monaco etc but they have what we don't - success. You can be satisfied with mid table finishes and fighting it out for 5/6/7th spots trying to sneak a Europa Spot - I aim a lot higher than that and it appears our best player aims a lot higher as well.

Sometimes I don't know if you're serious

Greavesie » Mon Aug 05, 2013 6:35 pm wrote:

Benny The Noon » Mon Aug 05, 2013 6:01 pm wrote:

RED BEERGOGGLES » Mon Aug 05, 2013 5:59 pm wrote:
Its all about getting it mate ,some people are simply  lost to the concept.

The concept has us fighting for 6th with the bitters - the supporters expectations have been downgraded and mediocrity has been fully accepted

Would you have been content with the club entering administration for spending money it didn't have? That's how close we were. You want us to fight for the title, tell us how you'd do that in three summers?

That was three years ago ! We can't fight for a CL spot let alone for the title ! And with the money we have spent in the last 3 years we should be fighting for the CL spot. Even last season we spent £50mil and yet got nowhere near. Our squad isn't good enough and needs quality players to arrive to get us to the CL - the owners need to fund that - if they don't want to then sell us to someone who will fund it.

Look at the business Spurs have done this summer - bought a quality Brazilian international within mins of the window opening , then followed it by a highly talented Belguim then the cherry on top is Soldaldo arriving - £60mil on quality signings that massively improve their chances of CL - their manager and owners have shown ambition and intent to get to the CL. They have paid the fees and wages needed to get the players. That's intent

RedAnt » Mon Aug 05, 2013 6:37 pm wrote:But you're missing your own point Benny mate. City and Chelsk had fortunes pumped into them. They then spent fortunes. Those players are there because money bought them and money assembled a squad that would need success, else players/managers would move on, by choice or some else's choice. Then someone else would have a crack at it. Same name, same colours, but a new thing entirely. This culture has destroyed football as I and many others remember it. But some clubs and fans fight to keep tradition in the game, and fight to keep its roots with an English flavour as in my eyes it should be.

By gum, when I were a lad, a team could only have 3 foreign players. Each was a star in their own right. They made the game so much better. Times change, but that dosent mean that we have to sell out to a new age. Embrace it and use it, yes, but don't let it dilute what you stand for.

That's modern football now - that's not going to change - it's a business and money matters, either we jump on that wagon or we fall away like other teams.