Official 2012/13 Premier League thread

[MDK]

I'd give Walker a go on the right wing, it can't hurt. And when Townsend can't come back soon enough for your lot.

[Hobo]

That is not what I said.

I specifically mentioned two incidents, Zidane headbutting Materazzi and Roy Keane/Alf Inge Haaland.

All three events were avoidable and reactionary on behalf of the perpetrators. But one of those events was the reaction to something that had occurred three years prior.

Does whatever Materazzi said exuse Zidane for headbutting him? No. He's a professional footballer, he should just get on with it and if its that bad file a complaint or something. Just because someone is a 'cunt' doesn't mean you're allowed headbutt them.

Nor is Suarez biting Ivanovic any different morally to what Zidane did. Suarez is frustrated and annoyed and takes it out on a Cheslea player.

But what Roy Keane did was cause Haaland an injury that was later revealed to be a revenge attack for something Haaland said three years before.

No one can defend any attack on any other person, and that is not what I have been saying.

I would argue Keane/Haaland is morally worse. Premeditated attempts at hurting someone else are morally worse than something stupid done in the heat of the moment. This does not excuse someone from reacting in the heat of the moment but their actions should be judged accordingly. Still stupid and wrong, but at least Suarez didn't go out there planning to hurt anyone. Which would've been worse.

Related: Suarez has, from what I read this morning apologised directly to Ivanovic.

[MDK]

Yeah, but Suarez is a cunt, you have to remember that.

[Summers]

Frustrated and annoyed leads to people sometimes making rash tackles, shoving people, mouthing off, throwing tantrums.. biting someone is different. He turns around and tries to maul his arm. If a dog did that, it'd be put down. This isn't a one off incident. This is a mental case who continues to hurt people. He makes Barton look well adjusted.

[Dan]

It's not like it's the first time Suarez has bitten someone though is it. He's a cunt, in Holland he was a cunt, at the World Cup he was a cunt (remember the Ghana game?) and since he came over here he's been a cunt with the diving, biting and the whole racial abuse though.

[brenchill]

Cracking player, though.

[Lineker]

IAN AYRE COMMENTS - FROM LIVERPOOL FC WEBSITE:

Liverpool FC managing director Ian Ayre today provided an update on the incident that occurred involving Luis Suarez during Sunday's game with Chelsea. Here is what he had to say in full.

I think the most important thing is that we acted swiftly yesterday. Luis issued his apology and then we spoke with him last night and then again this morning. We've taken action to fine Luis for his actions. Brendan has spoken to him and I've spoken to him, and Brendan will be working with him further on his discipline. You can see when you speak to him how sorry he is about it and he's certainly shown quite a lot of contrition to us - and as part of that, he's also asked we donate the fine to the Hillsborough Family Support Group. I think he felt like he let a lot of people down yesterday. We'll work with Luis - Brendan particularly - on this side of his character in his game. Hopefully that puts the matter to rest from our point of view and we'll wait and see if there's any further action from the football authorities.

Have you had any contact with the owners regarding this situation?

Yes, of course. With any incident like this, any major incident at the club, we're in direct dialogue with the owners, always. I spoke to them last night and they were happy with the way we were handling the matter.

Will the events of the last 24 hours have any bearing on Luis's future at Liverpool Football Club?

Not at all. It affects his future in the sense that we have to work with him on his discipline - but Luis is a very important player to the club. He's a very popular player with his teammates. As we keep saying, he signed a new four-year contract last summer and we'd all love to see him here throughout that contract. He's a fantastic player, top scorer and everything we'd want in a striker, so there's no change there. This is more about getting him back on the right track and it's largely down to Brendan now to work with him on that side of his character.

[Nerf]

He's been fined and will be undergoing an anger management course. Liverpool are awaiting further action from the FA but this is unlikely to affect his future at the club, apparently.

Or what Lineker said

[Hobo]

None of those are excusable either.

There has up now, been a marked improvement in him from last season when he was far more prone to petulance. He has acknowledged, in fact, Saturday he spoke about how his wife told him off for his temperamental streak. Which is manageable. He has shown it is such. I don't think he's a vindictive cynical guy (whereas Barton has a general air of arrogance and aggressiveness), he doesn't give that impression. He does seem highly emotive and just has a hot streak that manifests itself when he is frustrated.

Do I think that excuses him? Not at all. I think it can be worked out.

I'm sure the club have been working with him internally too. And they probably will do more now.

[Jimmy]

Just found out me & my two friends are in with the Wigan fans for Spurs/Wigan. Hopefully their stadium will be so empty we can just move as far away from them as possible.

[Nerf]

To be honest, I think giving him the psychological help he clearly needs is the best route. Everyone's calling for him to just get shipped off (again). What does that achieve? He'll just go and do the same shit somewhere else. If he clears up his act, we get brownie points for both taming the beast AND standing by him yet again. I am kinda worried that it may result in him losing his edge though. It seems to be that same passion and frustration that makes him such a class player. We'll see.

[Summers]

It isn't passion that makes you hurt people, kick people and bite people.

Liverpool and it's fans can support him & like him all they like but the excuses are pathetic.

[Nerf]

Who here has made any excuses for him?

And yeah, it is his passion that turns him into a monster. That much is clear to see. By all accounts he's the nicest guy in the world off the pitch.

[MDK]

Unless you look like a ham burger

[Summers]

"it's his passion"

"biting isn't as bad as spitting"

"just frustrated"

"not as bad as Barton"

"not vindictive"

"nicest guy in the world off the pitch"

blah blah blah.

If Barton was doing the stuff Suarez is, you'd be saying none of that. It's madness. We see passionate footballers every week, they don't try and bite people. He got tackled, fairly, and tried to bite a chunk out of Ivanovic's arm.. that isn't passion. It really isn't. He's an animal with serious issues - racist and violent.

Like I said - like him, and choose to support him - he's a good player. Liverpool are doing the best thing for them as a club by holding onto a very good footballer.. but that doesn't change his personality or attitude, which is down right horrible. He does need help, obviously. He's unstable and dangerous, that much is clear to see.

[Jimmy]

None of those are excusable either.

There has up now, been a marked improvement in him from last season when he was far more prone to petulance. He has acknowledged, in fact, Saturday he spoke about how his wife told him off for his temperamental streak. Which is manageable. He has shown it is such. I don't think he's a vindictive cynical guy (whereas Barton has a general air of arrogance and aggressiveness), he doesn't give that impression. He does seem highly emotive and just has a hot streak that manifests itself when he is frustrated.

Do I think that excuses him? Not at all. I think it can be worked out.

I'm sure the club have been working with him internally too. And they probably will do more now.

Genuinely disagree. Couple his actions with some of the stuff you see on the field from him; like making dirty tackles, leaving his foot in. I think his quite vindictive and he knows exactly what he's doing when he makes tackles like that. He just happens to bite people, too. There's too many repeated offences to defend his character, in my eyes. Obviously I'd still have him in my team because he's phenomenal, but I'd just acknowledge he's a horrible little man on the pitch.

[Nerf]

"it's his passion"

"biting isn't as bad as spitting"

"just frustrated"

"not as bad as Barton"

"not vindictive"

"nicest guy in the world off the pitch"

blah blah blah.

If Barton was doing the stuff Suarez is, you'd be saying none of that. It's madness. We see passionate footballers every week, they don't try and bite people. He got tackled, fairly, and tried to bite a chunk out of Ivanovic's arm.. that isn't passion. It really isn't. He's an animal with serious issues - racist and violent.

Like I said - like him, and choose to support him - he's a good player. Liverpool are doing the best thing for them as a club by holding onto a very good footballer.. but that doesn't change his personality or attitude, which is down right horrible. He does need help, obviously. He's unstable and dangerous, that much is clear to see.

None of those things you listed are "excuses," except the Barton comparison, which I haven't seen anybody say. The rest are just trying to find a method to the madness, rather than outright condemn, which is absolutely the correct way to approach the situation. Again, just because other passionate footballers aren't as mentally unstable as Suarez doesn't mean it's not down to his passion for football. It's the passion that brings out both sides of him, Jekyll and Hyde. You can see it brewing most of the time. I'm not defending him in the slightest - I was probably the most outspoken about the incident at the time. It's an absolute disgrace, but let's not pretend that there are clearly deeper psychological issues that need resolving here. A normal human being does not behave like that. Mike Tyson had the same problems and rightly received the help he clearly needed. Suarez needs the same.

For the record, I don't believe for a second he has "serious issues with racism." That was one isolated incident that could have easily been misconstrued.

[Dan]

[Colly]

I like the bit where he's asked for his fine to go to the Hillsborough Fund. Next time I get fined for anything I'll be sure to instruct that particular body to use the money in a manner to make me save face slightly. Or at least fix the potholes on my road.

[Dynamite]

None of those are excusable either.

There has up now, been a marked improvement in him from last season when he was far more prone to petulance. He has acknowledged, in fact, Saturday he spoke about how his wife told him off for his temperamental streak. Which is manageable. He has shown it is such. I don't think he's a vindictive cynical guy (whereas Barton has a general air of arrogance and aggressiveness), he doesn't give that impression. He does seem highly emotive and just has a hot streak that manifests itself when he is frustrated.

Do I think that excuses him? Not at all. I think it can be worked out.

I'm sure the club have been working with him internally too. And they probably will do more now.

I'd say the stamps on Mirallas (and injuring him in the process), Distin, David Jones and all the other little snide kicks make him look a pretty vindictive and aggressive guy. Hell, he just punched Gonzalo Jara in the face the other month whilst on international duty. Does that really show a 'marked improvement' this season?