Philippe Coutinho (Liverpool > FC Barcelona)

Correct! I heard he was in and out of the bogs more times than George Michael at the public toilets on Hampstead Heath.

Wham!

Correct! I heard he was in and out of the bogs more times than George Michael at the public toilets on Hampstead Heath.

 

Villarreal is famous for it's tiles, looks like Phil may have been giving them a good dousing

https://twitter.com/TheAnfieldChat/status/728570688127143937

Nobody blows more hot and cold in our team from the sublime to absolutely anonomous.

Nobody blows more hot and cold in our team from the sublime to absolutely anonomous.

I really don't think he had a fantastic season, way too inconsistent and more poor games than good ones.

Really would like to see him more centrally and have a couple of quick players that are more prone to making runs in behind the opposition's defense.

Sick fed up with his inconsistency.

The guy is not world class - he's very good but nowhere close to world class. He needs to grow a pair and stop shirking.

He sums up the entire squad - unbelievable on his/their day, but lacking the steel and winning mentality to push things to the next level.

Think people massively overplay his inconsistency this season, but he was woeful tonight. He's had a very good season though and he did get an assist tonight (though that was down to Sturridge's world class ability).

The frustrating thing about Coutinho is, no matter how poorly he plays, he's still capable of pulling these world-class goals at crucial moments (as ironic as this may sound). Personally I would have taken him off tonight before anyone else, but we could all understand why Klopp decided to keep him on the field. Even though he had been woeful for the last couple games, most of us wanted him to stay on so that he could produce one of those moments of magic.
I didn't think he had a particularly good season. I remember the many great goals he scored, but very few games where he put on a MOTM performance. Didn't have that many assists either.

Coutinho and Sturridge are probably the only players in the team with the ability to turn a game on its head (if you discount the likes of Mignolet and Moreno on the other end). The issue is, they both are very inconsistent. Origi is full of potential, but he needs more time. With Benteke and Balotelli hopefully gone this summer, I feel we should still try to bring in another consistent goal scorer to the team if we hope to challenge for top 4 next year.

Can't express how disappointed I am with his effort today.

Only knew he was playing half way through the first half.

Went missing again but in the biggest game of our season and according to a mate (as I didn't notice it), he said that even when the teams were lining up at the start of the match for their handshakes, Couts looked a million miles away. Wonder where is mind was because it certainly wasn't in Basel.

Probably the most frustrating player last night as we all know he has so much talent, at least Firmino was still doing his defensive duties but Phil completely disappeared.

He's a great player, but even those have off nights sometimes.

He's a great player, but even those have off nights sometimes.

I really think that's down to him being shunted on the left. For me, same happened to Sterling too.

Coutinho is absolutely majestic playing those through balls and dribbling from deep, but on the left, he's just too predictable against full backs that are generally suited to 1v1 situations. Coutinho is wasted there and should be at the tip of the midfield, and perhaps then we'll see a bit of consistency from him.

Yea, very disappointing last night. Even in the 1st half when we were on top, he was hardly mentioned.

But he was by no means the only one who didn't perform. It's just we feel it more when he goes missing, cause we depend on his attacking and creativity so much.

I've been looking for him too. People tell me he and his good friend Bobby went for early summer break together. They were last seen landing in Basel a few days ago and have been missing since... Maybe they're up in the Alps.

After this final I think we desperately need someone like Gotze, Coutinho has let us down in the most important match of recent years. Superb player, but not enough experience at the top level. Remember the penalty vs Man City (Carling Cup final). I'm not bashing, but we need reliable players, Coutinho has not lived up to this now.

we need a left winger so he doesnt have to play out wide.

we need a left winger so he doesnt have to play out wide.

Coutinho have to play out wide because Klopp preferred Firmino at no.10 mate, IMHO.

And that is, for me, one of the most disappoint. Firmino IMO possess all attributes to play up top/wing forward, better than Coutinho for sure. And vice versa, Coutinho more suit central attacking midfield than Firmino, despite Firmino better move with and without the ball and Coutinho sometimes overplay with the ball but I think it's more of lack of option up front to use his god blessed final pass.

I wonder with current squad at later of the season it's best suit to play diamond formation. Sturridge/Firmino/Origi/Ojo even Benteke play two upfront with Coutinho play no.10, Milner/Hendo/Allen/Lallana behind him and Can/Lucas protect the pre-school back line and GK. Isn't that look better than play Coutinho out wide that limit his capabilities, play only one Striker and lack option to penetrate opposition defense and play two CM without a DM to protect our defense which everybody  on the planet know they can't defend.

At Dortmund Klopp have strong defense and good keeper, with the team he build up himself played together long enough and full of capabilities so no problem to play with two CM without DM specialist. But here, at this time, especially against Sevilla I expected the diamond formation or 4-1-4-1 even a 4-3-3 with compact midfield but, not sure about others, I myself disappoint the way we lost.

Coutinho have to play out wide because Klopp preferred Firmino at no.10 mate, IMHO.

And that is, for me, one of the most disappoint. Firmino IMO possess all attributes to play up top/wing forward, better than Coutinho for sure. And vice versa, Coutinho more suit central attacking midfield than Firmino, despite Firmino better move with and without the ball and Coutinho sometimes overplay with the ball but I think it's more of lack of option up front to use his god blessed final pass.

I wonder with current squad at later of the season it's best suit to play diamond formation. Sturridge/Firmino/Origi/Ojo even Benteke play two upfront with Coutinho play no.10, Milner/Hendo/Allen/Lallana behind him and Can/Lucas protect the pre-school back line and GK. Isn't that look better than play Coutinho out wide that limit his capabilities, play only one Striker and lack option to penetrate opposition defense and play two CM without a DM to protect our defense which everybody  on the planet know they can't defend.

At Dortmund Klopp have strong defense and good keeper, with the team he build up himself played together long enough and full of capabilities so no problem to play with two CM without DM specialist. But here, at this time, especially against Sevilla I expected the diamond formation or 4-1-4-1 even a 4-3-3 with compact midfield but, not sure about others, I myself disappoint the way we lost.

During our 'almost' title winning season. Coutinho was played as a CM many times and did well.

3-2 vs city


5-1 vs arsenal


4-0 vs everton


He does a 'ok job at left midfield in general. But against the better opposition and without the pace and the foil down the other wing (aka sterling) we are exposed with a lack of pace and creativity in the wide areas. Especially when we play Lallana, Firmino and Cou all at the same time.

I think playing Coutinho at CM could be a good idea. But the issue is that we cannot rely on him to defend like a CM would.

I think playing Coutinho at CM could be a good idea. But the issue is that we cannot rely on him to defend like a CM would.

it worked before, the only issue was gerrard was our CDM

you can't just plonk him in central midfield after he vanished in the biggest game of his career so far. he doesn't stay in a game in any capacity, he floats in and out when he wants, might float out for a couple games at a time. how do you expect to just plonk him in central midfield just cos we did 3 years ago with a completely different team, manager, style, system. can and milner were our best central midfielders this season because they put it on themselves to try and run a game and they bust their balls, coutinho can't do this. he wasn't even a genuine working CM, he was the attacking third to the working 2/3s of hendo and gerrard

I think playing Coutinho at CM could be a good idea. But the issue is that we cannot rely on him to defend like a CM would.

Coutinho is a very hard worker. If Klopp manages to develop Can into the defensive midfielder that he looks like he wants, then Can, Henderson/Dahoud, and Coutinho would have a very nice balance. You'd have a tonne of energy, creativity, and a fair bit of end product.

I don't think Coutinho at CM will happen, but for another reason: I don't think Klopp will regularly play a 4-3-3. I think a 4-2-3-1 is how he'll go with the occasional two striker system.

it worked before, the only issue was gerrard was our CDM

That wasn't an issue. Gerrard was brilliant in 13/14.

you can't just plonk him in central midfield after he vanished in the biggest game of his career so far. he doesn't stay in a game in any capacity, he floats in and out when he wants, might float out for a couple games at a time. how do you expect to just plonk him in central midfield just cos we did 3 years ago with a completely different team, manager, style, system. can and milner were our best central midfielders this season because they put it on themselves to try and run a game and they bust their balls, coutinho can't do this. he wasn't even a genuine working CM, he was the attacking third to the working 2/3s of hendo and gerrard

Can and Milner both vanished in that game too yet you've just called them our best centre midfielders this season... Logic. He floats in and out when he's on the wing as most wingers do. Other than Messi, you'd struggle to find someone who plays mostly on the wing who doesn't come in and out of games. Coutinho does work his balls off. It's pure revisionism to say otherwise. That's a massive plus you get with him.