Coutinho

[Mystic]

Before the match, I kept banging on about how important the game was for him last night. We've been overrun in midfield in the past with him at the top of a three because he provides next to no cover for the midfield, and if he ever wants to have that position he's going to have to learn to cover and work really hard, as well as do what he does best. Well last night he was phenomenal, worked his arse off, gave us presence in the middle, and did his Coutinho bits of magic. My question is, with a Coutinho who plays the position like that, are Lucas, Gerrard, Allen and Henderson enough to last us the season? I'd suggest maybe so, hence why Rodgers has been checking out Salah, Konoplyanka etc.

 

[mark1975]

Really impressed with last night, he put in a shift and looked back to his old self in the middle of the park.

 

[Fabio]

Great performance. Hopefully it continues

 

[Gerry_A_Trick]

Yeah, I think so. Defensively and in midfield we actually have enough talent, it's just most of them are injured.

We have a back four out(Johnson, Agger, Sakho, Enrique) who would arguably all be first choice, and two CMs(Lucas and Allen), at least one of whom is first choice. Besides that we have Coutinho, Sterling, Suarez and Sturrigde, all of whom are great, but the gulf in class below that is massive. Aspas, Alberto, Moses are all currently miles away from being effective enough.

 

[Buddha]

Sexy little fucker so he is.

 

[the count]

If we don't get Champions League footy next season there will be a few team trying to temp him away this summer I reckon

 

[dmishra]

Even at his wasteful worst, his ability to hold on to the ball in the middle of the park is priceless. His control is unbelievably good. Very difficult to dispossess unless he gives it away himself (which unfortunately has been happening a lot this season).

To use an Americanism, his ceiling is probably Kaka. I just fear that he'll go on to have a Joe Cole type career. That isn't necessarily the worst player in the world, but it's upto him and Rodgers to see that he maximises his potential.

 

[Mystic]

Champions League football next season would be perfect for him to help evolve his game to the next level. We really need to make it, we could go on to massive things from here.

 

[gkmacca]

He just needs a goal. Since he was talked to about dragging so many shots wide, he's clearly been working on his composure and technique and now he's hitting loads straight into defenders. Just one goal and he'll relax again.

 

[Mersey86]

Yeah, I think so. Defensively and in midfield we actually have enough talent, it's just most of them are injured.

We have a back four out(Johnson, Agger, Sakho, Enrique) who would arguably all be first choice, and two CMs(Lucas and Allen), at least one of whom is first choice. Besides that we have Coutinho, Sterling, Suarez and Sturrigde, all of whom are great, but the gulf in class below that is massive. Aspas, Alberto, Moses are all currently miles away from being effective enough.

I'd put a word in for Alberto. I don't think he deserves to be lumped into that bracket. From the little time we've seen him on the field.

 

[Markeh]

If we don't get Champions League footy next season there will be a few team trying to temp him away this summer I reckon

I read Athletico would be interested but that was in relation to the biannual Arda Turan nonsense, so very likely to be fiction.

 

[dantes]

He just needs a goal. Since he was talked to about dragging so many shots wide, he's clearly been working on his composure and technique and now he's hitting loads straight into defenders. Just one goal and he'll relax again.

It's not composure. He's just not hitting them with enough power and he knows that which is why he is cocking up his technique by trying to belt it. Suso and Sterling were also similarly good at scoring against midget goalkeepers in the reserves/spain, but then in our first team they both seemed to think they could just carry on floating the ball towards the corner and expect the keeper to stand still as it goes in.

Coutinho at least is making an effort to hit the ball hard because he is infinitely more intelligent and has worked all of this out already. He'll get there in the end.

 

[Gerry_A_Trick]

I'd put a word in for Alberto. I don't think he deserves to be lumped into that bracket. From the little time we've seen him on the field.

Why not, he hasn't actually produced anything yet. Yeah, he may well do, and is more likely to than the others, but at present, he's not adding much to the team, and we could do with better. In a year or two, he may well be good enough, but that doesn't help us now.

 

[RolandG]

Coutinho is by no means the finished product be he is the classiest. Give the lad a little time and he'll come good. You mark my words 🙂

 

[gkmacca]

It's not composure. He's just not hitting them with enough power and he knows that which is why he is cocking up his technique by trying to belt it. .

The fact he snatched at countless shots and dragged them wide was certainly down in part to composure.

 

[dantes]

The fact he snatched at countless shots and dragged them wide was certainly down in part to composure.

I put it down to him trying to hit them too early to beat the keeper, or else trying to hit them too hard. He is consciously electing to do those things as he is trying to develop a way to score goals consistently. I don't like saying that is a lack of composure as it implies that he doesn't think and panics in the box or something. He definitely doesn't do that as he has way too much class and confidence.

 

[dantes]

Coutinho is by no means the finished product be he is the classiest. Give the lad a little time and he'll come good. You mark my words 🙂

Those words were marked in January 2013. They no longer need to be marked.

 

[C/O]

Dantes, you're boring me.. Staahp

 

[Fallon]

Why not, he hasn't actually produced anything yet. Yeah, he may well do, and is more likely to than the others, but at present, he's not adding much to the team, and we could do with better. In a year or two, he may well be good enough, but that doesn't help us now.

He's had 2 starts (in cup games), and a few 5-10 minute sub appearances (in which he has looked alright, and assisted) so not really fair to judge his ability that much right now. I wish we had bought more senior players in summer too, but hopefully this kid has something, he certainly looks classy on the ball.

 

[Frogfish]

Alberto - guy has class but with very few minutes bar sub appearances he hasn't been able to settle in or get up to speed. I think he'll be an excellent, classy, player for us.

Coutinho - Love him to bits, quite superb player. But he needs to improve on two things a) he needs to know when to release the ball, often he just tries to beat everyone, a bit like Milan, and ends up being dispossessed or loses it himself and b) his shooting must improve and I agree it's his composure.

 

[Gerry_A_Trick]

He's had 2 starts (in cup games), and a few 5-10 minute sub appearances (in which he has looked alright, and assisted) so not really fair to judge his ability that much right now. I wish we had bought more senior players in summer too, but hopefully this kid has something, he certainly looks classy on the ball.

I think you missed my point. He hasnt offered us much. Granted he hasnt played much, he may have done if he'd played more, he may not. But the manager hasnt deemed him good enough to play more, so having him in the squad hasnt really added anythinh to the team. He may well do in the future, but that's no good to us now. We could do with someone currently better tham him and the others that will help us finish this season strongly.

 

[RolandG]

Alberto has the tools to excel but he needs to toughen/bulk up a fair bit.