When Barcelona picked up Luis Suarez this summer, there were expectations that he would form a three-headed monster alongside Lionel Messi and Neymar.

And who could question those expectations? In 2013-14, he scored 31 goals. A year earlier, he put together 23 strikes in 33 matches.

But alas, things have yet to pan out as expected. This season, Suarez has no goals in the seven domestic league games, though he has two goals in three European matches.

But this is far from the performance one would expect of the man that tied Cristiano Ronaldo for the European Golden Boot. This is a man who is at the peak of his powers and capable of taking down defenders with his sheer strength--and his teeth--a man who has tremendous speed and an agile foot.

So what has gone wrong for the Uruguayan superstar?

Before delving into the issues, it is essential to point out the positives. And there are many.

Despite his lack of goals, Suarez has managed to provide five helpers for his team in Spain and is on pace for roughly 18 assists if he plays the remaining matches this season. Suarez finished with a career-high 12 last year. His passing statistics are the best they have been in his entire career. His 76.3 passing success is better than his career 72.6 career passing percentage. He is averaging 1.1 crosses per game, up from his career average of 0.7. He is making 2.7 key passes per game, matching the average he accumulated last season with Liverpool.

His poor touches per game are down to 2.1 per game from the 2.8 he averaged with Liverpool. Part of that might be due to the fact that he is playing with far better players. He is also being dispossessed at a lower rate than in previous years; he loses the ball 1.9 times per game while his career average comes in at a 2.2 per game.

Goal scoring is a bit tough for Suarez at the moment for a number of reasons.

He started the season late and did not get to train with the club until the season was underway. He is playing in an unfamiliar system that unfortunately started losing its efficiency just as he arrived. Regardless of whether it is his fault or not, Blaugrana's dominant tiki taka has looked mundane and has lacked in creativity. For perspective, the team, which relied on a bevy of goal scorers early on (of its 22 goals prior to the Real Madrid, the team got goals from 10 different players) has now seen six of its last 13 goals scored by Lionel Messi. Neymar has just two goals in the last five matches despite getting off to a blistering start.

In the past, many questioned whether the team could live by solely depending on Messi. Now their struggles are an indicator that he can hold them above water, but more is needed to keep the team at its peak.

The other major issue with Suarez is his position. He is a natural center forward, who is used to making runs behind the defense and using his speed to score. With Barcelona's style of play, there is rarely any space to run in behind the defense. But moreover, he is not playing his natural position because Messi is allowed to roam wherever he pleases. The Argentine has oscillated between a nine and ten, forcing Suarez to the wing area, where he is not as effective. That is limiting his shots per game significantly. When he scored 31 goals in 2013-14, Suarez was averaging 5.5 shots per game. He was obviously Liverpool's main offensive threat, something he is not on Barcelona. But he is only shooting at goal at an average of two times per game. This clearly points to an alteration in his role and a necessary adjustment period.

This is not unusual and Suarez can take some solace in that. Other forwards brought in to play in Barcelona's system include Thierry Henry, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and David Villa. What did they all have in common? A drop in production and some adjustment periods with the squad. In the case of Henry and Villa, adoption came. Ibrahimovic scored goals but faltered to work with the system as he put himself before the team.

At the moment, Suarez's assists indicate that he is not playing with that same mindset. If he needs some consolation, all he must do is look across at his Brazilian teammate Neymar. The Brazilian had his ups and downs in 2013-14, but has settled in quickly and is making an impact. He knows his role and is starting to thrive. Goals are down, but wins are ultimately what matters. If Suarez can do the same, then Barcelona will be fine.

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