Coutinho Magic
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An "In" is his nickname.
He's brilliant to watch. If Lallana can put in the same level of consistency and Studge stays fit imagine a front four of
Lallana Countinho Sterling
Sturridge
Lallana Countinho Sterling
Sturridge
When Coutinho plays like this, there is no other playmaker in the EPL I'd swap him for – not Oscar, not Ozil or Casorla, not Nasri, not even Silva. He was just gliding past people at will, no one could touch him. And the amount of defensive work he puts in is really extraordinary for a #10, especially a Brazilian one. This was a really world-class performance from him.
I couldn't help but tell everyone around me everytime he got the ball last night just how much I love watching him play, hes absolutely sensational, hes a real joy. Maybe its hope, but I think hes getting closer to scoring the goals he needs to get to the next level, you can see his decision making is improving, its probably related to him maturing as a player as he gets older, but I think if he continues this run of form, and formation undoubtedly helps, the goals will start coming.
He seems to be hitting a lot more shots on target than last season (wish I had the stats, can you help @King Binny? 🙂 ). But now his shots are either getting blocked (like yesterday) or they are too close to the keeper. Anyway, there is visible progress – far less scuffled shots that we were used to from him.
BTW about shooting, it looks like Gerrard's groin seems to have finally healed enough that the power in his shot has returned. That shot in the first half was almost like Gerrard in his prime. For the previous 2 seasons it was nowhere to be seen.
BTW about shooting, it looks like Gerrard's groin seems to have finally healed enough that the power in his shot has returned. That shot in the first half was almost like Gerrard in his prime. For the previous 2 seasons it was nowhere to be seen.
I'm a fan if Coutinho, but stats of 2 goals & 2 assists are not the mark of a player taking the Premier League by storm - there are a lot of better & more effective attacking midfielders in the league (Lallana's key stats are better for example).
He's looking good, but his gliding past players & his flicks & touches need to result in the ball landing in the net more often for me.
I've said this before, but I realise I'm probably being overly harsh on Coutinho - he is young & he has very high it entail ceiling to what he can achieve.
He's looking good, but his gliding past players & his flicks & touches need to result in the ball landing in the net more often for me.
I've said this before, but I realise I'm probably being overly harsh on Coutinho - he is young & he has very high it entail ceiling to what he can achieve.
I think we need to start viewing Coutinho less as a goalscoring AM and more as a playmaker. Rodgers is trying to transform him into a number 8, and I think he's showing some tremendous promise in that role. He's doing a lot of defensive work, and most importantly having a big influence on our attacking play.
Playmakers should be judged by influence, and not goals and assists. Case in point is Iniesta, who has a very modest goalscoring record, but is a very influential player on the pitch nonetheless.
Playmakers should be judged by influence, and not goals and assists. Case in point is Iniesta, who has a very modest goalscoring record, but is a very influential player on the pitch nonetheless.
Yes!
Spot on - and as for lack of assists - he's hardly had the most mobile of strikers ahead of him creating space he can pass into ( sterling aside )
Yes, Coutinho is well-disposed to be a #8. BUT... He has something in him that the likes of Iniesta or Silva don't – that desire to cut opposition to shreds rather than pass them into submission. That's why I think Ryan's comparison with Aimar – a "classic" #10 – is merited. Coutinho's heroes growing up were Ronaldinho and Kaka and clearly that's the kind of player he sees himself and is trying to become. You can see this by the amount of shots he takes, for instance – even with bad technique he keeps shooting and hoping to score. Iniesta would never do that, he is far too reserved and humble for that.
So yes, you can judge him on influence, but I think he himself will pride himself much more on goals and assists. That's the central conflict of Coutinho – his skill set currently matches the profile of #8, but his goal and dream is to be a great #10. I hope with Rodgers' help this conflict with result in shaping a very unique profile of a player who has qualities of both #8 and #10 – the last such player was Zidane.
I just hope we don't fuck up his contract situation whenever that arises. I suspect he will be attracting the attention of the Spanish big two
Philippe Coutinho open to new Liverpool contract
Philippe Coutinho has told the Daily Mail he would be keen to commit his long-term future to Liverpool.
Coutinho signed for the Reds from Inter Milan in January 2013 and has become an important player at Anfield, scoring 10 goals in 65 Premier League games from midfield.
The 22-year-old's current contract does not expire for another three-and-a-half years, but regardless he is open to staying on Merseyside beyond 2018.
Coutinho said: "It is not a hot topic for me about signing a new contract. But I would be very happy to stay here for a long time and, maybe, I could become like one of the great players who have been here. I want to win trophies here of my own."
The Brazil international went on to praise the influence of manager Brendan Rodgers, who has helped him adapt to the physicality of the English game.
"He has helped a lot," Coutinho said. "He gave me time to adapt. The physicality takes you by surprise. When you put your head up in England, you see two or three players ready to hit you.
Philippe Coutinho is a creative force for Liverpool.
"The intensity, the speed is what really takes time to adjust. You can never relax for a minute in one game. In Brazil, Italy and Spain you have time and space to play the ball."
Coutinho also reflected on his time at Inter, where he struggled to make an impact and was loaned out to Espanyol before his move to Liverpool.
"I trained with Inter for two days when I went to sign," Coutinho said. "I met [Jose] Mourinho and had a couple of conversations with him.
"He was helpful because it was someone who spoke Portuguese. I never got the chance to work with him as he left in the summer I joined. By then, Rafa Benitez had come in. He was very helpful. Training was good but I didn't play well at Inter. I didn't have confidence."
Yep, lets get him tied down asap.
In the league:
(2013/14 Opta Stats: 1st column in the table here, 2014/15 Opta Stats: retrieved from here)
This season vs last season
19 Games played 33
1,402 Minutes Played 2,334
16 Starts 28
2 Goals 5
0 Penalty Goals 0
701 Minutes Per Goal 466.8
14 Total Shots on target 27
15 Total Shots off target 44
48.3% Shooting Accuracy (%) 38.0%
Perhaps, but there was a recent interview with Coutinho where he said 'Brendao' was trying to turn him into a no. 8, and it was something he was very open to.
Also, re: Zidane - I always thought he was slightly lazy when it came to defensive work; so I'm not sure if he was really suited to be a no. 8.
Nononono - that's so far from the mark it's not funny. At his height he clocked in goals and assists enmasse.
http://www.espnfc.com/player/17566/andres-iniesta?season=2011
http://www.espnfc.com/player/17566/andres-iniesta?season=2012
Coutinho should CERTAINLY be expected to be one of our most assisting players. Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease people, behave!!!
Wow, thank you for that! I should call on you more often 🙂
So the shooting % is up by 10.3% compared to last season, not bad. And that is already diluted by the period in the first month of the season when he was very wasteful which led to him getting benched by Rodgers. Since our team's upturn in form, his shooing % should be well over 50%.
Can you believe he's only 22 ?
Imagine what he'll be like when he reaches 27 where most players begin to peak.
Imagine what he'll be like when he reaches 27 where most players begin to peak.
He's from Brazil so don't get your hopes up.
Yeah but he'll be Scouse by then.
The assist stat only really shows how good your goalscorer is and not how good a passer you are. You can be the best passer in the world but if the guy you're passing it to misses all the freaking time, you won't get many assists. Coutinho would have an assist last night but Gerrard hit the post instead. This doesn't change the fact it was a wonderful bit of play from the Coutinho to make that chance.
Assists is a rubbish stat to judge a player with.
Statistics statistics and damn lies. We all know that song.
If we keep winning and Coutinho is in the starting XI he can make 0 assists and 0 goals for as long as he wants. Correct. That's just not a very realistic scenario. If he doesn't assist and score we won't keep winning for very long or he won't keep appearing in the XI for very long - or as you rightly noted Sterling and Gerrard - missing sitters provided by Coutinho - will swiftly be absent.
At the end of the day we are all measured on the numbers. Suggesting that Coutinho shouldn't assist/score is nonsense. Be that as a 10 or an 8. Everybody has to clock in.
Iniesta has clocked in about 7/10 goals and about 15 assists per season in Barca. We need Coutinho to reach the something similar if we want to go places. Especially as (80%?) of our creative outlet flows though him right now.
The discussion of the quality in front of him is another story. As you say he provided at least 3 perfect assists last night as I recall - You cant ask for more and I'm sure BR is more than pleased with him.
But saying that he isn't required to score/assist just hurts the eyes...
@Wiberg
Iniesta has topped 7 goals for Barça once in his career. And he's been one of the best midfielders of the decade. (I'm including the domestic cup goals in that)
http://us.soccerway.com/players/andres-iniesta-lujan/329/
Also, it will not be 80% of our creativity by any measure. You're making a very strong point that doesn't need to be made and is either too impatient or just completely wrong. He's gotten significantly better this year than last year. Lets give him the time and support he needs. Because he looks like he loves it here and has scary potential.
Iniesta has topped 7 goals for Barça once in his career. And he's been one of the best midfielders of the decade. (I'm including the domestic cup goals in that)
http://us.soccerway.com/players/andres-iniesta-lujan/329/
Also, it will not be 80% of our creativity by any measure. You're making a very strong point that doesn't need to be made and is either too impatient or just completely wrong. He's gotten significantly better this year than last year. Lets give him the time and support he needs. Because he looks like he loves it here and has scary potential.
Hey Lucas
I'm making the point because it was said that he didn't need to assist and that Iniesta didn't assist much either.
Which is so wrong it hurts.
I got a bit annoyed with the Modo thing and was probably a tit about it.
But coutinho must assist... A lot... Obviously... And he should clock in 7 goals a season, easily.
I'm making the point because it was said that he didn't need to assist and that Iniesta didn't assist much either.
Which is so wrong it hurts.
I got a bit annoyed with the Modo thing and was probably a tit about it.
But coutinho must assist... A lot... Obviously... And he should clock in 7 goals a season, easily.
Hey back at you. I feel like we should make an emphasis to start the good vibes now that this place is clean of that cancer. It was too much, he started becoming the persona people hated more and more.
I, in theory, could see a setup where he did not get those goals/assists and we were still very successful and no one ever thought less about Coutinho. But its not probable. Especially, with the amount he shoots and looks to make defense splitting passes. I think he will get to 7 goals this season. He won't get to enough assists without Sturridge though. I'd prefer to look at a chances created stat. Maybe even a highlight reel of every chance created rather to judge him. Sometimes you get a lucky assist, others a chance created goes begging. He's probably been good enough for a title winning team in the past few weeks.
Iniesta undoubtedly did pile up the assists in the best team of the decade. Those are mighty high standards. Hope we reach them; don't care if its Sterling, Ibe, Lallana, Coutinho, Markovic or any other player pulling the strings.
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