What a ridiculous analogy. If the claim that we are a better team with Suarez is true, then his return should improve us in some way. You are claiming causation just by saying that Suarez causes us to be a better team. Without Suarez, we know that we are capable of going on runs of 7-2-1. So now, tell me, how does he improve on that? Clearly, e hasn't really improved our level of performance because we can't keep the ball for shit as evidenced by the last 2 games and our midfield is still a shambles. He hasn't improved our results yet (it's only 2 games though). So we will have to wait to see what affect Suarez has on Liverpool over the next 8 games.
You are selectively using some games for your sample. The more games for your sample, the better. So why are you ignoring the loss to Southampton and then the 3 consecutive draws after that. I am using every game that I can without Suarez as my sample. As I said, if the claim is that Suarez makes us better, then you are going to have to show that Suarez's inclusion leads to us picking up more points than when he is not playing and he is replaced by someone else.
The bottom line is that we don't miss him from a results standpoint when he is not playing so you have to question just how important he really is. If he was sold in his summer, I have no reason to believe that we wouldn't continue picking up points at a similar rate to what he have ben doing since he has been gone. By the same token, you can take a look just how much we missed Lucas from a results standpoint, and just how much he improved us amongst his return to show his importance. But for Suarez, the same can't be said about missing him, and weather he improves us, remains to be seen.
Fantastic post I've thought this for awhile now.
The problem with the analysis is however (playing Devil's Advocate) that in between the run of 7-2-1 we've lost key, important first team players over the transfer window (Downing) and to injury (Johnson, Coutinho). All three are creative forces that arguably allowed us to play without Suarez because the wings, especially on the right, were creating prolific chances that allowed for Sturridge to shine.
Now without those players the stats comparison is muted, I feel. If the formations and personnel were the same (433 instead of a modified 352 because Aspas / Sterling just won't work on the right of a 433) then the analysis would be justifiable.
Not saying I disagree, I'm firmly on the fence as to whether Suarez makes us a better team when a larger sample size is available. I don't think he's all that, he has flaws in his game that are readily apparent and imo like another poster said, put him firmly in the tier below the highest bracket of players, i.e very good but not one of the greats. The stats are compelling as well. Remember last season, even before he was bitten, the stats were roughly win 86% of games without him and only 36% with him. Many people on here chalked it up to it being because it was Bro-dgers' first season, early game fixture difficulty, etcetcetc. Well, the stats since he was banned roughly back up the 86% - won 7 drawn 2 lost 1. The stats since he's been back are 50% - won 1 lost 1. It'll be interesting to see in 8 games whether it goes down to the 30+ percent that was the norm early last season.
