Luis Suarez Makes Ballon d’Or Shortlist, and Other Wednesday Notes

By: Noel | November 2nd, 2011

Football federations are clueless at best, corrupt at worst, and in other breaking news the sky is blue. At least when it’s not overcast. Though even then it’s probably blue above the clouds. Unless there are no planes flying overhead and so nobody to see it, because then you’re getting into trees falling in the forest territory. Which seems as though it’s something that really shouldn’t be much of a conundrum, at least scientifically, but then it turns out that observation actually does effect outcome, at least on the quantum level, so who the hell knows…

*Yesterday, Luis Suarez made it to the shortlist for FIFA’s World Footballer of the Year award, leaving him as one of the twenty-three men who could take home the Ballon d’Or in January. He won’t, of course, with Lionel Messi a virtual lock to look a bit like a child dressed up by his parents in a suit he doesn’t quite know how to wear as he sheepishly accepts his third trophy in a row.

Suarez does clearly seem a more worthy member of the shortlist than many this year, as once one moves past the obvious finalists it looks a group made up largely based on reputation. There’s Suarez’ Uruguayan strike partner Diego Forlan, coming off arguably the worst club season of his career and a largely invisible showing at the Copa America, who made it to the list largely based on his accomplishments the year before. There’s Iker Casillas, not even the best goalkeeper either in Spain or from Spain over the past 12 months, who also makes the list as the only stopper largely through inertia and reputation. Karim Benzema, Mesut Ozil, Nani—next to that sort of competition, one would have to think that Suarez is safely in the top ten somewhere, closer to the likes of Xavi, Xabi, Ronaldo, and Messi than those added to round things out.

And just as surely as Suarez won’t win it, Liverpool’s best player of the past 12-18 months didn’t even make the shortlist. Which is really no surprise, since Lucas couldn’t even make the various shortlists for the Premier League’s player of the season last year, though I’m reliably informed by the English media that Scott Parker is the best thing since cleated bread. The closest thing to a nod to defensive midfielders everywhere from FIFA comes in the form of Bastian Schweinsteiger making the Ballon d’Or shortlist, while Gerard Pique joins him as the token centre half—both at least more worthy inclusions than the 2011 model Casillas.

* Any player who isn’t an attacker may struggle to get the respect he deserves when it comes to the Ballon d’Or, but back with Liverpool, Anfield Index looks at the Opta stats and wonders if Maxi Rodriguez is in fact getting the respect he deserves from his current club after seeing a scant 13 minutes of Premier League action over the first quarter of the season. Given that after a bright start many have found Stewart Downing’s recent contributions lacking, with the costly arrival yet to find the back of goal or register an assist, there has been an inevitable swell of support for either Maxi or Craig Bellamy to be given more time on the left. And when one looks back at how much better the entire team played last season whenever Maxi was in it—and just how poorly they performed when he was out—it does become increasingly puzzling as to why the player who along with Raul Meireles seemed most involved in making last season’s side click offensively under Kenny Dalglish has been so unceremoniously dumped aside.

* And of course, no News and Notes would be complete without a Steven Gerrard injury update. Sadly, there’s still nothing groin related for us to snicker and snark about, but there is confirmation on Monday’s speculation: Liverpool’s captain will miss the match against Swansea on the weekend, and he has also been officially ruled out for England’s two friendlies in the coming international break. Elsewhere, top scientists are working on creating a suit of high-impact packing foam that Gerrard will be contractually obligated to wear at all times—including on the pitch, at least if the suitcase full of unmarked bills makes it to FIFA’s head offices before the Chelsea match on the 20th.

We’ll be back later if there’s even the slightest chance to call FIFA either corrupt, incompetent, or corrupt and incompetent, but in the meantime, anybody with a cat coping with a Gerrard-esque ankle knock and subsequent infection might want to invest in a pair of Kitten Mittens…

Some Related Liverpool Posts:

Category: International Duty, Miscellaneous, Season Review, Team News

« Liverpool’s Deep Defensive Line | Home | Liverpool Loan Watch »

Preavin

it's gonna be suarez surely...he did well during copa america....YNWA suarez!!
Mike

I understand the nominees are there because of their work done a year ago. Still. Van persie and Neuer next year....done.
boogerso

If you put Nani in a box with explosives and don't look inside, there is the chance that he is simultaneously both dead and not dead at the same time.

Although it looks the same with Nani either way.

See what I did there? Schrodinger's Cat? Anyone?!....

(weeps softly)
Suarez from the car park...

I think you missed getting Schroedinger's cat into that lead Noel. No self respecting journo would have missed getting that one into the forest conundrum.

I hate that Maxi doesn't play. Makes you think that they're trying to get him off the wage bill.

We better not make a meal out of the Swansea game.
Seanster

Stick the boy Shelvey on that list. Hat trick away to Leeds, stick that in your handsome pipe Casillas! Ronaldo...Messi...Ozil...Benzema..you boys took one hell of a beating.
Guest

The whole "Maxi not playing" situation led me to consider something else, which is Dalglish's substitution patterns, or lack thereof. In ten league matches so far, Dalglish has:

-only used all three subs in five of the ten matches (Bolton, Stoke, Spurs, Everton, Norwich).

-in two of those five instances, Dalglish had to make an early emergency sub (Skrtel for Kelly 30 min. versus Bolton, Coates for Agger 27 min. versus Spurs).

-Extracting the Kelly and Agger emrgency substitutions, as well as the precautionary 57 min. Henderson for Lucas substitution in the United match to protect the winded Brazilian from picking up a second yellow (the lone sub of that match), Kenny has only once made a substitution earlier than the 67th minute, which was the Kuyt for Henderson substitution in the 61st versus Sunderland.

My questions are as follows: Should Dalglish be using the full three subs more often? Is it the case that using only 23 subs in 10 matches is a bit scant? Is waiting to the 70th minute (or around that point) a little too long, and should tactical substitutions be made closer to the 60th?
Latortillablanca

rly interesting point that. we've had several instances to question dalglish's game mgmt. to be brutally honest, it just doesnt seem to be his strongest attribute as a manager. maybe it comes from being such a successful ex player that he thinks it's on the players to perform better on the pitch and battle through tough spells, rather than his role as a manager to switch things around. it's a really interesting juxtaposition with rafa's mgmt style where he was a genius with in game changes, but struggled with the inspiration, man-management side of things. rafa was also not a top player like dalglish (although a couple seasons at madrid is nothing to scoff at). mourinho was never more than essentially football league level, he tends to make drastic changes in game. guardiola was a maestro as a player, and he tends to tinker with players selections, but the barca formation is basically set in stone week in/week out.

im not knocking his mgmt style cuz we've really improved under him after that 2 year blackhole, but the in-game stuff is something to keep an eye on when we're back in europe and are faced with those mid-week chess matches...
PDubz18

Keep in mind that the players on the pitch are facing problems gelling, and the only way to help a squad gel is to have them play with each other. As far as I can tell, having them play 15 minutes more and finish the game out can never hurt the team chemistry.

I think he will make sure that the squad is clicking before he starts rotating players too heavily.

That kind of outlines the reason that Maxi has been left out; it is not because he is not a good player. But at the beginning of the season Maxi was seen as a good bit-part player but not a big match starting-11 type player. Now that Maxi has to see some time on the bench or in the Carling Cup so that the new player in Maxi's place that does have potential to be big match starting quality can start firing on all cylinders, people call for Maxi to come back.

Give it time. Kenny has been doing everything right with this club so far, back to front.
Red2death

I think it does reflect a lack of reliance the bench. Though in his defence, in almost all our matches this season (except against Spurs), we've been playing well and there hasn't been much need to make any tactical change. Even against Stoke, Utd and Norwich, we were bossing the game and consistently creating chances, so there was no need to change things up - of course we didn't actually put those chances away, but that's another story. And there's no indication a substitution would have made it any different, because it's not like we have a goal poacher on our bench who can increase the conversion rate.

If we're outplaying the opposition, which is most times this season, I guess I don't blame Kenny for sticking with the players on the field. Occasionally when we look bereft of ideas and start hoofing it to Carroll I'd want him to bring Maxi on. Or of course when Hendo was completely out of his league against Spurs, he could have done something about it. But on the whole, if we're doing well why change things up? Logic dictates that if you're bossing a game around, it's just a matter of time before chances created translates into goals scored. And you just hope that logic isn't flawed.
Mulldawg

Goals for jonjo at blackpool?!?!
Geoff Twentyman

I did a post 2/3 weeks ago about our lonaees, so here's an update on what they're doing:

Shelvey (19) has now started 6 times for Blackpool notching up 4 goals including a hat trick against Leeds. He had played 400 out of 450 minutes having been subbed off twice.

Dani Pacheco (20) has been on the bench 9 times and has seen the pitch 7 times comprising 192 minutes so far in the Spanish top flight. He’s now averaging 27 minutes a game.
Gulacsi (21) has had 3 starts and has now had 2 sub appearances in the Championship with Hull since my last update.

Stephen Darby (23) has been ever present at Rochdale notching up 15 starts and 1 sub appearance for them. Since joining them, Eccleston (20) has seen 237 out of 270 minutes from 3 starts notching up 1 goal.
David Amoo (20) hasn’t featured in the last 3 Bury matches, so I’m not sure what has happened – whether he’s carrying a knock or just out of favour.
Martin Hansen (21) also hasn’t featured since my last update.
Noel

Hansen's was only a one month loan and it wasn't renewed—he's back at Liverpool now. Which I know because I have a Loan Watch post sitting in Word just waiting for a quick edit before it goes up later tonight. I'll have to talk to Nathan Eccleston about seeing if the Masons can put some kind of curse on you for stealing my thunder.
Geoff Twentyman

Noel - just remove my post - no hard feelings!
Suarez from the car park...

Really enjoy your posts GT, keep them coming.
Noel

I was joking, mate. Besides, what's going up in a few is really more of an extended bitching session with a few updates sprinkled in as an afterthought.
MScho

For those fans whom have been following the NextGen Series Liverpool are a virtual lock to qualify for the 2nd round as today Wolfsburg and Molde played to a 3-3 tie (Molde came back from a 3-1 deficit in stoppage).
Latortillablanca

that is Massive.
Ryan

lemme just rape that list here, mmk:

-Eric Abidal was the best left back for one month, then had cancer, and now can only last 45 minutes on the pitch
-Sergio Aguero, ok, ya, he's been great.
-Benzema? scored a bunch of goals. So did Dirk Kuyt. and only really showed up to a big game in the spanish supercup with a good assist and bumbled in another. 4 months prior to this year, he was embarrassing to watch
-Casillas. What else is there to say here? Real Madrid got their asses served in every competition to Barcelona except the Copa Del Rey, where the whistling Pinto played instead of Valdes. He's good, but like I said. Dirk Kuyt is too.
-Cristiano Ronaldo. Hellz Ya
-Dani Alves. I actually agree with this one here. barely missed a minute for Barcelona, they don't even have another right back. Stood strong amongst Barcelona's defensive issues last spring.
-Samuel Eto'o. Are we now giving out awards to the biggest money whores now? Then I want Robbie Keane involved!
I just saw Diego Forlan so I'm gonna go eat cat shit now.

My list would be something like (no order):

-Lionel Messi
-Crisitano Ronaldo
-Javier Mascherano
-David Silva
-Ashley Young
-Luis Suarez
-Mr. Hummels
-Mario Gomez
-Radamel Falcao
-Robin Van Persie
-Lucas Leiva
-Javier Hernandez
-Victor Valdes
-Thiago Silva
-Gerard Pique
-Sergio Aguero
-Luka Modric
-JFUCKINGCOLE
Gav - loves - kop

i choked when u added ASHLEY YOUNG of all pple to tht list - ryan what the fuck? its a ballon d'or award not a PFA award period.
Latortillablanca

dont front on abidal, man - he's a top 5 CB AND a top 5 LB year in year out.
alex_snow2

Ummmm Samuel Eto'o scored 37 goals in all comps for Inter last season. If that doesn't earn a Ballon D'Or nomination I don't know what does. Kthanksbye.
Ryan

Ya I admit I was trying to be negative. My bad. I have this issue where I type very fast and forget that there's this process known as editing.
Noel

Easy, kiddo—don't want Ed to have to castrate your comment.

Though in particular Modric and Falcao being left off the FIFA list given some of the names that made it is shocking.
Latortillablanca

fantasyland scenario right quick: atleti calls up and offers falcao for carroll & kuyt? pull that trigger?
Gav - loves -kop

HELL YEAH!!
Luis Suarez dentist

Ashley Young?

How, what, why?

A flat track bully who has no impact in big games. Seriously he wouldn't make the worlds top 1000 players list!
mardia

The Ballon d'Or list is insane. Suarez's inclusion is one of the few non-controversial things about it, honestly. When the list was leaked a few weeks ago, Cesc Fabregas even said he didn't deserve to be on it, seeing as how little he played last season. As for Casillas--I don't get why he's on this list when, say, Victor Valdes (who just set a Barcelona record for most minutes without conceding a single goal) or Manuel Neuer aren't.

I don't get why Maxi's not playing more, tbh. Would love to see him play against Swansea, and I personally think we'll need him against Chelsea and City.
Bertrand

Can't say Benzema and Nani and Ozil especially aren't as deserving as Suarez, tbh. Although Forlan's presence is puzzling. So is Fabregas's.. You'd think Van Persie had a better year than Fab
JPR

If Van Persie keeps playing the way he has he will certainly make the list next year. Would think RVP is more concerned with whether Wenger will offer him a competitive contract over the summer which will have to be around $200,000 per week to keep him. RVP is now on $80,000 per week. No Arsenal player now is over $100,000 per week. Wenger's history has shown he may not be wiiling to do this. Although he did do it for Henry, that was the one exception. Wengers wage strategy has been to offer even "average" players $50K to $60K per week, so he is limited at the higher end.
Suarez from the car park...

we pay a lot in wages for middling players too. Agents add 20% just because it's lfc.
JPR

Interesting Jonny. We seem to be willing to offer our very top players top dollar. Stevie G. $140K/wk. Wenger just won't go over $100K/wk. Fabregas was at $110K/wk, no one else over $100k though. In Wenger's case, his board gives him an annual salary budget and he has to stay within it. His philosophy is to pay all 1st teamers a min of say $60k/wk. That limits what he can offer to his stars. The FFP rules will mean that only the big revenue clubs will be able to offer the $200/k/wk salaries. We'll see how it all shakes out.
Daniel Cadenas

Forlan had a great Copa América. He was close to steal the best player award from Suarez.
Latortillablanca

that is true. but the inter form is attrocious across the board all season so far.