Luis Suarez is our new number 7. First of all, let me kick off with a summary of how I feel about the whole situation.
The process began in the dying hours of January’s transfer window, as we all know – we broke premier league records across the board by bringing in Carroll for a whopping £35mil, and literally hours later we lost torres at a price of £50mil. Many people thought that original price for Carroll was FAR too much, and, truth be told – we’ll be waiting to see how the price will work out for at least a few weeks as he trains through his injury. We’ve learned from past mistakes that there is no way to tell how effective a player will be for Liverpool until he actually arrives at Melwood with a good level of fitness: saying that, it’s true across the board, take Forlan at Man U for example. This aside, the previous week we had sealed the deal on a quiet but enterprising Uruguayan.
Our problem with Torres for the past season or so has been his work ethic. There’s no question that he’s one of the best players in the world, and arguably the best to grace the Kop these past few years, but all that pales into insignificance if he’s not showing the drive to prove his worth. Replacing a world-class superstar that doesn’t do enough running for 10% of his wage with a good quality player that could keep Dirk Kuyt busy is an inspired move, I say. If we factor Andy Carroll back into the equation (despite having paid enough for 7/8 Andy Carrolls) we’re looking at a match made to succeed.
Luis Suarez loves to run in behind the flick on at the high end of the pitch. There are countless videos on the net of him dropping off his marker and picking up a flick-on to come up against a keeper one on one and convert. Failing that, he’s got a penchant for driving his run at the back post and creeping a flick back into the box. Andy Carroll has the most refined version of attacking the ball in English football. Drogba is a machine, it has to be said, but in comparison to the towering frame of an enthusiastic Carroll he looks like a dribbling infant begrudgingly representing his school team. If Andy isn’t flicking the ball on for Suarez he’ll be putting his head through the Uruguayan crosses like a Rhino with a vendetta.
Some people are sad to see Torres go, but the vast majority are angry that he would “defect” to Chelsea. Yes, they’re one of the teams we love to hate the most, but I’d sooner he wore royal blue than the alternatives. The only other teams in the English league that would be willing to pay for him are Man U; where the passion for hate often outweighs the forces at work in Stamford Bridge, or City where the superstars are signing up at the gates of a soon to be unstoppable steam-roller of a club. I found it difficult to see why people would be angry with Torres – he’s an honest lad looking to further his career and get his name up in lights; I agree that he’s made a poor decision, especially with us findng our feet (the transfer gossip for the summer window has already started), but there’s no malice.
Looks like he’s re-considering his own financial situation and creating a bespoke Torres brand of wealth protection (services are available, as linked, but there’s no telling how much protection you’re going to need as the most expensive player in premier league football). Recently I was given an opportunity to join the ranks of those that dislike him for the way that he left after coming across the send off that Ajax gave Luis Suarez (it’s in Dutch, but you can glean the main points from the visual):
Liverpool is renowned for it’s following and for the style of support – the Kop is an amalgamation of fans from all over the country, and they stand as brothers in arms:it’s always been a family business – we’d gladly have given Torres the same sort of reaction if only he’d let us, rather than slipping off like a ship in the night.
I will miss Torres, but I wouldn’t change the transfer for the world. Luis Suarez is looking good, the prospect of Carroll is exciting and Torres had lost his passion long before he started proving so infront of his new blue blooded fanbase. the sad truth is that we never begrudged his underperformances – Chelsea fans are likely to be as forgiving, I fear.
You’ll never walk alone, but things will feel pretty different from here on out, Nando.
