₦airaland Forum

Luis Suárez, much more than
a centre forward

Two summers ago, FC Barcelona announced the
signing of Luis Suárez from Liverpool. The idea was
to provide Luis Enrique with an out-and-out centre
forward, and the Uruguayan was the perfect man for
the job, having just won the Golden Shoe for his
exploits at Anfield and regarded as one of the most
prolific goalscorers in the game.

Because of the FIFA suspension, he’d have to wait
four months before he joined Leo Messi and
Neymar Jr in what has turned out to be arguably the
greatest attacking party ever to appear
together on a football pitch. A record breaking 122
goals in a single season is testimony to that. Suárez
himself contributed 25 of those (16 in the league, 2
in the cup and 7 in the Champions League), and had
added a further seven this time round (4 in the
league, 2 in the Champions League and one in the
Spanish Super Cup). But he has played a role in no
fewer than 57 goals, because in addition the ones he
finished off, he also provided the passes for another
25.


Team comes first
Luis Suárez has everything a coach could want from
an attacker. He creates moves, he opens up the
game, he finds space, he drops back to defend, he
reads the game to perfection and he is also
remarkably unselfish for somebody who plays in a
position that is usually about seeking self-glory. That’s
certainly not something Luis Suárez could be accused
of.

Luis Enrique has heralded the way his striker creates
pressure, dribbles with speed and passes accurately,
and this conviction is reflected in how the coach has
used him more than any other player this term, for a
total of 1,176 minutes, more than Sergio (1,148),
Mascherano (1,174) or Rakitic (1.073).

Far from being the archetypical centre forward,
Suárez has not been the player to have the most
shots in the team’s Liga and Champions League
games this season. In that facet, he’s surpassed by
Neymar and Messi.


Goal provider
The way he receives the ball and then gets it
circulating into space is ideal for players around him
to exploit. The Neymar-Suárez-Messi ‘trident’ is now
famous around the world after leading Barcelona’s
march to the second treble in club history. And
although Suárez remains one of the finest goal-
getters on the planet, he is also now one of the
greatest providers of assists. Last season he laid up
21 goals (14 in the league, 4 in the cup and 3 in the
Champions League) and has added another 4 so far
this time round (2 in the league, 1 in the Spanish
Super Cup and 1 in the European Super Cup). That’s
25 since he came to Barça, all but four of which have
been put in the back of the net by either Messi (11)
or Neymar (10).


Suárez's assists
The amazing relationship that Suárez has developed
with his two main attacking colleagues doesn’t only
add up in terms of assists, but also in passes and
combination plays. Because Suárez is a centre
forward with a difference. He not only possesses an
innate knack for scoring goals, but also plays
generously and creates moves too. It’s a joy to have
him here at FC Barcelona!

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More

Some pix frm before and after last weekend's match

EzePromoe:
[color=#DC143C]Kuszczak was injured. It was Van der Saar, I'm sure about it. The match was against Portsmouth and Kanu played in that match. [/color]

You must have mistook it for another match cos I watched that particular match

Here is a link
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/fa_cup/7272806.stm

Man Utd: Van der Sar (Kuszczak 46), Brown,
Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Ronaldo, Scholes, Hargreaves

(Carrick 68), Nani, Rooney, Tevez (Anderson 68).
Subs Not Used: O'Shea, Park.

Sent Off: Kuszczak (76).

Booked: Rooney.

Portsmouth: James, Johnson, Campbell, Distin,
Hreidarsson, Utaka (Lauren 74), Diarra, Diop,
Kranjcar (Hughes 81), Muntari, Kanu (Baros 54).

Subs Not Used: Ashdown, Mvuemba.

Booked: Diop, Diarra.

Goals: Muntari 78 pen.

Att: 75,463

Ref: Martin Atkinson (W Yorkshire).

BBC Sport Player Rater man of the match:
Portsmouth's Glen Johnson 7.40 (on 90 minutes).

Op

Xavi has received a red card once in an el clasico. Real madrid won 4-1 in 2008

EzePromoe:
[color=#DC143C]Vandersar received a red card against a side in an FA cup match. I could recollect vividly. That was the first time I saw Ferdinand being a goalkeeper.
Carrick received a red card in ManU's 6-2 loss to Liverpool at Old Trafford. That should be around 2009 or 2010. If I start going down memory lane I may find half of your list flawed.[/color]

That wasn't van der sar. It was tomas Kuszczak. Van der sar was subbed at half time

Mourinholic:
I really wanna see Neymar as a 'stand-in-right back' in a 4-5-1 setup of Jose Mourinho playing with Ramires and co.......

Now it's neymar not Enrique today right. The blow west ham dealt your club today is really having a bad effect on you.

benedictnsi:
I tot it was chinwetalu Agu

Lol

that'd be weird

And his nigerian fans were quick to correct him

Ovuoh LE R OY
Usher it's #Igbo not #Igdo


Zubix Ike
#Igbo bro and not #Igdo Usher


Chinonso Nwankwor
Usher #igbo not #igdo# & I believe you are part of it

He posted this on his Facebook profile

Buildin with my bro and friend Chiwetel Ejiofor.
#greatconvo #truth #history #Igdo #inhisnature
#peace and #respect next time #gamenight

lordfalcao:
he is good no doubt, but it's reality

Pep is a winner. He wins wherever he goes

lordfalcao:
If gaurdiolar comes to EPL ,his nyash go open. The competition is tough

Same old excuse. A good coach is a good coach

martineverest:
klopp, who was supposed to be our next coach is now on Liverpool

I like klopp. He's passionate about good football; barca style but the rumors of him being our coach started when we had internal crisis last season

martineverest:
ancelotti won't go to Chelsea. He will be Barcelona next coach, when Enrique leaves

We don't want ancelloti. He's had a sweet romance with madrid

Mourinholic:
Below average? I meant very good coaches with respectable records that money can make a success Like it did to Enrique......

M not in the mood for arguments pls

Very good coaches? Respectable records? So mourinho all of a sudden doesn't tick these boxes anymore. Good to know. I understand u nt in d mood 2 argue. Who would anyway? After the rapïng from west ham


And thinking about it now, whatever success mourinho has had was down to d fat cheques he always had in the clubs he managed

Austeenx:
Beht, beht, it's not yet May 2016.

Bwahahahahaha. He even asked for a screenshot

Mourinholic:
I don't get it......where is the coherence?

You posted these

Mourinholic:
Martino is below average and even at that he lost the league on The last day.......And lost the UCL 1/4 final to the eventual finalist.........

VilanovA from his sick bed won the league with 100 points......
Enrique has had a bang average career before Barca.....Did he achieve anything 6/10 in his career before that?

Mourinholic:
Enrique is a coach that goes into every game in his Barca career as the favorite,never an underdog........

He couldn't even be average with Roma where he had very little competition......

NO one takes Luis serious except the Catalans

And now you're open to the idea of hiring a coach who's average like Barca did?

Mourinholic:
I was thinking of the same thing.....But we Know Roman

you're thinking the same? Some lies can end corruption in Nigeria. Just yesterday you were on barca thread calling Enrique an average coach. According to u he won the treble because he coaches barca now you changing mouth. Hypocritical much?

Mourinholic:
Mourinho should just resign......
If Jose leaves,who is next?
Ancelotti has 3 league titles in 19 years Coaching very top teams in europe....
I can't think of anyone else

Bwahahahahaha. Mou should resign? Coming from you? I thought u said he was the best thing since fried dodo and can wonders with average teams. Hell your moniker even has his name in it

Mourinholic:
He did it with Porto................Twice...........
Can you look at yourself and think about how possible that is.......
Porto.... treble.....Twice..........
Repeat again

I'd av continued the argument but of out pity for your club especially with the way u guys get sodomized these days and today's result i'll pass. So peace

For Luis Enrique all that
matters is beating Eibar


Words for Johan Cruyff
Luis Enrique also used his press conference to say
some words in support of Johan Cruyff, who has lung
cancer. “It is very sad news” he says. “I wish him
every strength and encouragement. I’m sure he’ll get
through this as he always has done until now.”

Luis Enrique spoke to the press at the Ciutat
Esportiva after the final training session before
Sunday’s game with Eibar. “They are a dangerous side
and very clear about they have to do” he said about
an opponent that has got its campaign off to a very
solid start indeed. “It’s the same kind of difficulty we
expect from any side we play, but they’re in
especially good form and haven’t lost away from
home this season. It’s an important challenge for us.
People are asking about clean sheets, but for me the
most important thing is just to make sure we win the
game.”


The Barça manager commented that there is a
chance that Andrés Iniesta will be fit in time for the
6.15pm CET kick-off, adding that “we always need
him, regardless of what the team is doing. He has
looked okay in training this week but we’ll make our
final decision tomorrow.” Asked about the injury
woes he is facing at the moment, the Asturian was
keen to play down the matter, explaining that “I don’t
think it’s quite as extreme a situation as people are
making out. These things are only to be expected in
such a packed fixture list.”


Luis Enrique was asked about a wide range of other
topics, but generally waved those matters aside,
preferring to concentrate on the game his team has
to play tomorrow.


Leo Messi
“He’s gagging to play again. He’s going through the
normal recovery process of any injured player, and
the more time passes, the closer we are to getting
him back.”


Neymar Jr
“I’ve always liked him, he’s such a special player. He
makes a big difference and scores goals too. I don’t
think it’s a case of him playing especially well right
now, he has always been a top quality player and like
any other, he’s developed over time.”


Luis Suárez
“He’s not a player that needs to be motivated. His
character does that alone. He brings so much to the
team, not just in attack but in defence too, and he
doesn’t just score goals but he provides assists too.”


Transfer window
“They have told me that there is the option of signing
new players in the winter market, but these are
things we only talk about internally. If we can bring in
new players then that’s always good news.”

Mourinholic:
Enrique is better than Martino.....sure
Vilanova was better than Mourinho that season.... just one,his worst.....

If you can't do something great with average dudes and you achieve something excellent with super stars..... its simple, your players are the ones making you

A vilanova who was on sick bed better than an active mourinho! Dats a big shame cos I wonder how a coach will go trophyless with an expensive squad like r.madrid. Guess mourinho isn't special after all. And if dat was mourinho's worst season what will you say about dis current season, calamity? Players make the team click and our players are born champions with a winner's mentality but the manager also deserve huge credit especially when he win trebles and fifa will do justice to that in January. If mourinho is so special let him go win trebles with hull city, levante and lecce

Mourinholic:
Martino is below average and even at that he lost the league on The last day.......And lost the UCL 1/4 final to the eventual finalist.........

VilanovA from his sick bed won the league with 100 points......
Enrique has had a bang average career before Barca.....Did he achieve anything 6/10 in his career before that?

You only write history when you win and if Luis Enrique is doing what martino couldn't do then he's surely better. It's that simple.

Remember it was against your mourinho that vilanova won the league with 100 points so there goes your logic out the window. Guess mourinho is average too for allowing a sick coach beat him to the title

Give honor to whom its due

Mourinholic:
Enrique is a coach that goes into every game in his Barca career as the favorite,never an underdog........

He couldn't even be average with Roma where he had very little competition......

NO one takes Luis serious except the Catalans

Football is about winning and a coach can only manage what's put in front of him. Like him or not but he has actually achieved a lot. When he collects his fifa manager of the year award in January you can lodge a complaint to fifa

Chelseafan1:
Madrid should buy him already, Mou is an arsehole.

Hazard, I wish you well in Madrid, go and shine with the big boys in Spain.


Chelsea is a fvcked team.

You a Chelsea fan wants madrid to buy your best player? Wonders shall never end

Ibime:
Rijkaard was another donkey sustained by Barca.

Relegated Sparta Rotterdam from Eeredivisie. World Champion with Barca, back to donkey at Galatasaray and a complete @zz at Saudi Arabia.

Donkey Tata Martino managed to finish above World renowned coach like Ancelotti in the league.

Pep Guardiola took Bayern from World Champions to mere local champions that get disgraced every UCL semifinal.

Dead men even win titles from hospital bed with Barca.

And you want me to suddenly acclaim someone who was donkey at Roma because he found himself successful at Barca?

Na lie. My eye don shine. I no fit enter one chance. I must see you petform outside Barca first.

Y didn't mourinho win anything with madrid in his last season, or win anything for Chelsea last 2 seasons, or even his 3rd year in his 1st spell as Chelsea boss. Is he a donkey too?

homesteady:
Many people still want Messi to leave barcelona before they admit that he is good, so I'm not surprised.

Dats not gonna happen. Haters can go jump in d lagoon for all I care

Great win for us guys although dis injuries are getting 2 much

I couldn't travel there, but I am supporting from
home!

- LIO

Messi, Neymar, Luis Suárez,
Iniesta, Rakitic and
Mascherano, candidates for
Ballon d'Or



FC Barcelona's Lionel Messi, Neymar, Luis Suárez,
Andrés Iniesta, Ivan Rakitic and Javier Mascherano
have been included in the list of 23 candidates for
the FIFA Ballon d'Or. On 30 November, FIFA and
France Football will announce the names of the three
finalists at an event to be streamed on the internet.

Here is the full list of 23 players nominated for the
best player of the year:


Sergio Agüero (Argentina / Manchester City), Gareth
Bale (Wales / Real Madrid), Karim Benzema (France /
Real Madrid), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal / Real
Madrid), Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium / VfL Wolfsburg /
Manchester City) Eden Hazard (Belgium / Chelsea),
Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden / Paris Saint-Germain),
Andrés Iniesta (Spain / FC Barcelona), Toni Kroos
(Germany / Real Madrid), Robert Lewandowski
(Poland / Bayern Munich), Javier Mascherano
(Argentina / FC Barcelona), Lionel Messi (Argentina /
FC Barcelona), Thomas Müller (Germany / Bayern
Munich), Manuel Neuer (Alemaya / Bayern Munich),
Neymar (Brazil / FC Barcelona), Paul Pogba (France /
Juventus ), Ivan Rakitic (Croatia / FC Barcelona),
Arjen Robben (Netherlands / Bayern Munich), James
Rodríguez (Colombia / Real Madrid), Alexis Sánchez
(Chile / Arsenal) Luis Suárez (Uruguay / FC
Barcelona), Yaya Touré (Ivory Coast / Manchester
City), Arturo Vidal (Chile / Juventus / Bayern Munich).


Best coach
Not surprisingly, FC Barcelona head coach Luis
Enrique is among the candidates for coach of the
year. The nominees this year are: Massimiliano
Allegri (Italy / Juventus), Carlo Ancelotti (Italy / Real
Madrid), Laurent Blanc (France / Paris Saint-Germain)
Unai Emery (Spain / Seville), Pep Guardiola (Spain /
Bayern Munich), Luis Enrique Martínez (Spain / FC
Barcelona), José Mourinho (Portugal / Chelsea), Jorge
Sampaoli (Argentina / Selección de Chile), Diego
Simeone (Argentina / Atlético de Madrid), Arsène
Wenger (France / Arsenal).