Coutinho: style over substance

[HC]

He managed 5 goals and 5 assists last season but despite an incredibly average return for an attacking midfielder in the premier league, he made the pfa eleven and has become a bit of a media darling.

What can we expect of him next season? On the evidence of his goal and assist return surely he's replaceable and upgradeable if he does leave In the next few years

Does he flatter to deceive?

 

[Fabio]

He's a player which much greater ability that the numbers display. I expect those numbers to increase with a better forward/more natural striker in front of him, as well as his own natural development

He's an excellent player

 

[leftpeg]

His numbers don't set the world alight but he is a superb footballer who is only going to get better. The skill and technical ability is all there so with a combination of experience and coaching he should be able to improve his decision making as that's what can let him down. He's a tough little nut and I like his attitude. If the club is serious about being a major player in England and Europe we have to hang on to Coutinho...to lose him would be to the detriment of the team and it would send a terrible signal to the remaining players as well as to those we wanted to attract...not to mention any potential new manager at some point down the line.

 

[gkmacca]

I think he'll be great for us but it'll take a bit more time. Some players seem to evolve almost imperceptibly, whereas other ones develop so jerkily someone may as well hold up chapter headings. Coutinho is one of the latter cases. Take his shooting. A season or so of dragging daisy cutters wide, then last season a flurry of ambitious shots that led to a few great goals, followed by an almost robotically predictable routine, cutting inside and shooting from exactly the same position, with defenders and keeper waiting for it to happen. Hopefully next season he'll move on to the stage where he'll mix it up a bit, and also acquires the patience that will stop him trying to thread the ball through a crowd of players into the centre of the area.

 

[HC]

All of those things are great. It's lovely watching someone with great vision and ability but he HAS to Start delivering more, surely?

Could a top 3 side justify an attacking midfielder that will contribute 5 goals and assists and goals per season. Can a side aspiring to reach those dizzying heights rely on someone with those sort of figures?

It's a lazy and fairly innnacurate comparison but he feels like another Lil Luis' Garcia. They certainly add value but are in no way dependable for the duration of a seaon

 

[Rosco]

Two things :

1. It hardly needs to be said that goals and assists aren't s good way to judge attacking midfielders

2. Even if it was, what people think is average is way out of sync with what it really is.

What should a good attacking midfielder score and assist in a season? Double figures in both?

If that's the case there's probably only one attacking midfielder in the Premiership who is above average.

 

[HC]

Also, there must be a reason he's not being linked with the top clubs and it'll be nothing to do with his remaining contract..

 

[Rosco]

All of those things are great. It's lovely watching someone with great vision and ability but he HAS to Start delivering more, surely?

Could a top 3 side justify an attacking midfielder that will contribute 5 goals and assists and goals per season. Can a side aspiring to reach those dizzying heights rely on someone with those sort of figures?

It's a lazy and fairly innnacurate comparison but he feels like another Lil Luis' Garcia. They certainly add value but are in no way dependable for the duration of a seaon

Yes.

Oscar's season stats are very similar.

 

[Fabio]

Can't imagine mata having much more

 

[Tinto]

When Coutinhno plays well the team plays well. Our best team performances in the Rodgers era has almost always been when Coutinhno has had a good game.

 

[Rosco]

I think 4 midfielders hit double figures in goals this season? And there's what, 120+ midfielders in the league?

And probably the same number with double figures in assists.

The average Premier League midfielder barely gets a regular game. Coutinho would walk into at least 16 of the teams of the league.

His fantasy football stats aren't great but he's a very good player

 

[gkmacca]

The club hypes up its own players far too eagerly these days. I remember Thierry Henry's look of bemusement when told that Coutinho was now being hailed as 'the little magician'. As he said at the time, he'll need to score a few more goals and dominate far more games before that kind of nickname is earned.

 

[Mors]

It didn't help that he had junk infront of him to send the ball to all season. If he'd had a fit and in-form Sturridge or Suarez, he might have had a significantly higher assist/goals figure.

 

[HC]

Did he do Much better during Suarez' last season then?

I liken him, he's class I'm just not sure whatever midfielder combination we currently have access to is good enough for a top team.

This is all moot of course, if he does actually step up and dominate next season.

At this point in time, losing sterling will have a greater impact on the club than losing Coutinho , in my opinion

 

[Silver Sean]

He's alright.

 

[HC]

He wouldn't start for Arsenal though would he Sean?

 

[gkmacca]

That's a plus.

 

[hmmmmm1]

Team should be build around countinho

 

[ILD]

Coutinho is an excellent ball carrier for us. I want to see him play alongside Milner, Lallana, Sturridge and Sterling for an extended period of time. Especially the first two actually. Milner and Lallana have a good first touch game and are 'give and go merchants'.

 

[ILD]

Oh it would also be nice if he had a decent fit striker to link up with next season.

 

[gkmacca]

He's great when he is moving ahead with the ball, two teammates cross over in front of him and the space opens out. Last season they usually just stood around and watched him cut inside on his own. In the circumstances he did quite well, but, as with all players with that kind of talent, he' got to push on each season, and his teammates need to support him better, too.

 

[Silver Sean]

He wouldn't start for Arsenal though would he Sean?

No idea. I don't watch those cunts.
When he's on his game he's a decent player but he goes missing far too often.

 

[Ryan]

People get seduced by him because he's Brazilian, is sexy on the ball and has every trick in the book. I get it - he's a breath of fresh air, and he's more than good enough to be playing every week.

But he's the perfect example of people getting overly enamoured with style over substance. Not in one million years does he produce for us what say, Dirk Kuyt did, or what Rooney does in the 10 role. But he's young, he's got all the ability in the world, and he's only going to get better I guess.

He's a marvellous talent, the next stage of his career is going to define whether he becomes a great player or not.

 

[hmmmmm1]

Haterz always going to Hate.

 

[keniget]

"Attacking midfielder" covers a range of different players with different skill sets and roles within their teams.

Who are you comparing Coutinho to? What's his primary function in the side?

Not in one million years does he produce for us what say, Dirk Kuyt did

What?

 

[Dahuge]

People get seduced by him because he's Brazilian, is sexy on the ball and has every trick in the book. I get it - he's a breath of fresh air, and he's more than good enough to be playing every week.

But he's the perfect example of people getting overly enamoured with style over substance. Not in one million years does he produce for us what say, Dirk Kuyt did, or what Rooney does in the 10 role. But he's young, he's got all the ability in the world, and he's only going to get better I guess.

He's a marvellous talent, the next stage of his career is going to define whether he becomes a great player or not.

What about your man Joe Allen, how does he compare to that 'baller'?

 

[ILD]

What about your man Joe Allen, how does he compare to that 'baller'?

This forum has a habit of using player x as some sort of dig at a poster when player y is being discussed. Why bring up Allen (a different player to Coutinho) as a dig to Ryan because he made a comment about being seduced by style over substance? Look at all the compliments to Coutinho in his original post. It's not as if he doesn't rate Coutinho.

he's a breath of fresh air, and he's more than good enough to be playing every week.
But he's young, he's got all the ability in the world, and he's only going to get better I guess.
He's a marvellous talent

I love watching Coutinho but I do see where Ryan is coming from. Often we are seduced by style over substance. Coutinho wows us with his amazing deft touches and dribbles but we should all be hoping he takes his game to next level next season. That is taking nothing away from his current talent.

 

[jexykrodic]

I've noticed some negativity towards the club and the players in recent months.

Now Coutinho isn't all that. There's a definite trend.

 

[Tinto]

He's good for enough for a top four side for sure. I don't understand the doubts about that. I mean are the likes of Oscar, William, Navas, Walcott and Oxlade Chamberlain any better? If we swapped one of those for Coutinhno, I don't think we would be any better.

If the doubts are about whether Coutinhno is absolutely top drawer then that's more understandable

 

[ILD]

HC's original post is a bit extreme like. Coutinho is one of our best players, if not best player. Fingers crossed he kicks on again next season. He is sublime at evading a few tackles and driving at defenders, we just need him to make the right decisions and impact games more and more. I think he will improve again next season and hopefully he'll have a sexy forward to work it.