When scoring achievements are mentioned, it’s usually about the inhuman contest between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. Count Luis Suarez into that bunch as well, as the Liverpool striker kicks off his season with 8 goals in only 6 matches, being the main reason his team are going to be in the race for a Champions League spot until the end of the season.
The 4-4-2 tactics used by Brendan Rodgers might not have been the best thing for Liverpool right now. Usually, it limits them in terms of creating chances – Jordan Henderson limited to tactical work on the wing, while Steven Gerrard usually stays too far behind, close to Lucas, and Philippe Coutinho struggles in recreating the ability of last year’s arrival.
But Fulham are a broken team, and two set pieces tore the match wide open. Liverpool could have easily scored more than the 4 they settled for, as Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge provided some hair-raising misses. Suarez, thanks to some excellent delivery from Steven Gerrard and even a rare act of playmaker’s vision from Jordan Henderson, got on the scoresheet twice.
In the world outside the realm of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, which right now is untouchable for mere mortals not names Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who is usually on a different astral plain on his own, Luis Suarez has to be the best player right now. Not just his impressive scoring ability, already joint scorer in the Premier League despite missing the first five league matches of the season but that incredible hunger and drive which makes him impossible to truly mark and blanket during matches.
Liverpool just need to cross their fingers he’s good enough to get them far enough in order to make hims satisfied about staying with the team. There’s no mythical release clause, and Suarez seems to be too much of a pro to let the disappointment of not being let go affect his ability on the pitch, but there’s only so many times a player can ask to leave and eventually not get his way.
If Liverpool will truly fail this season to show progress, which probably means finishing in the top 4, but depending on how the season goes, any European spot next year might be enough to satisfy the front office, keeping Luis Suarez is going to get more and more difficult. After all, one of the best players in the world wants to play for more than just sixth place in the Premier League, and the money being offered for his services at some point might sound a bit more alluring to Liverpool if even his ability isn’t enough at the top of the club’s food chain to get them to the promised land.
Right now, there isn’t a single player who means more to his team in the Premier League than Suarez, although Liverpool did enjoy a great start without him in terms of results, not ability. He’s the one that puts it all together for the team, but even his incredible scoring and playing abilities won’t be enough if Brendan Rodgers doesn’t get it right in the big matches.