Philippe Coutinho

[niallers]

Let's get him,sterling and Henderson tied down asap. Great news.

[Kant]

Yep, fantastic news. Get it done.

[Grinch]

Good timing.  Right before the window shuts with the squad clearly nowhere good enough to finish in the top four.  Budget's been spent though, so no complaints really.

 

Coutinho signing long term is good news.

[Lee909]

Like a new signing

[Jose Jones]

He's been really good recently.

If he can improve his finishing and dead ball delivery he'll be fucking amazing.

 

If we're keeping the 3421 I would definitely play Sterling and Coutinho behind Sturridge (now he's fit). 

I wonder if Rodgers will try changing it back to a 433 though to get Gerrard in the team?

[TalkSilly]

I like Phil, I really do. But why the fuck can't he find the goal with his shots? Sick of him hitting it like a 4 year old girl. He is a magic player and it is the only thing preventing him from being world class.

 

It's strange that he can do the difficult bit i.e. work himself into fantastic positions in front of goal in ways very few players can, then rarely makes a decent connection with the final shot. If he learns to do that in the next couple of years he will be one of the best around.

[Mook]

He's been really good recently.

If he can improve his finishing and dead ball delivery he'll be fucking amazing.

 

If we're keeping the 3421 I would definitely play Sterling and Coutinho behind Sturridge (now he's fit).

I wonder if Rodgers will try changing it back to a 433 though to get Gerrard in the team?

If he does, his coat will be on a shakey peg come May.

 

Time to start preparing for life without Gerrard.

 

[VladimirIlyich]

We dont sign new players in January any more we just give out new contracts. While I think Coutinho is definitely worth it,it doesnt cover up our need for another striker and increased competition for a DM.

A new contract is often double speak for 'off in the summer' so i hope this isnt the case here.

[Dr Nowt]

Good news, fantastic player.

 

I'm a fan of Brendan generally, but his following line on this news sums up so much of what grinds people's gears about him:

 

"He has got a wonderful strike on him, inside and outside the box."

 

No Brendan, no he hasn't.  Hopefully he improves his shooting (and his consistency away from home), and if and when he does, we'll be talking about a player who can hold his own in any company, but at present that's like saying Andrew Lloyd-Webber has a wonderful face.

[bouncebrigade]

What's this obsession with how hard he strikes a ball?

 

Would people prefer Thomas Hitzelsperger instead?

 

I don't recall Fabregas, Xavi, Iniesta or Silva (to name a few) having a thunderbolt of a shot on them but that wouldn't stop any manager in the world in the world wanting them in their side.

 

If he keeps up providing assists like Saturday I couldn't care less how he strikes a ball.

[VladimirIlyich]

My problem is not really how he strikes the ball,its his hesitation in not shooting enough and an extra touch or two when not needed.

I suggest its simply a confidence in front of goal thing,a more positive attitude in some situations.

[kalasoma]

I didn't realise he was on £35K a week. The new deal doubles his weekly wages now apparently.

[Dr Nowt]

I couldn't give a blue fuck how hard he strikes a ball, per se. 

 

If he continues to place them either outside of the goal or into the keeper's hands dead centre of it, he won't score many goals.  Clearly the fact he doesn't is mitigated by what an excellent player he is, but him doing so would be a welcome extra which improved his value to us immeasurably.

 

None of that relates to my point however, which is that he doesn't at present have "a wonderful strike on him, inside and outside the box."

[bouncebrigade]

I couldn't give a blue fuck how hard he strikes a ball, per se. 

 

If he continues to place it either outside of the goal or into the keeper's hands dead centre of it, he won't score many goals.  Clearly the fact he doesn't is mitigated by what an excellent player he is, but him doing so would be an extra which improved his value to us immeasurably.

 

None of that relates to my point however, which is that he doesn't at present have "a wonderful strike on him, inside and outside the box."

 

You said "hopefully he improves his shooting."

[Dr Nowt]

You said "hopefully he improves his shooting."

 

Do you think he has a wonderful strike on him, inside and outside the box?

[Jose Jones]

Seems a strange thing to get annoyed about.

[Dr Nowt]

Without wanting to get into the semantics game, I'm not annoyed about it.  It's just an observation as to why I think a lot of the fanbase appear to think he's a bit cringey. 

 

I like the guy.  I think his overuse of the word wonderful for things which are anything but is daft.

 

It's of about as much import as most views fans express on their club or manager to while away a bit of time.

[bouncebrigade]

Do you think he has a wonderful strike on him, inside and outside the box?

 

That's not my point.

 

My point is that Coutinho's game is primarily built on dribbling, creativity and providing assists.  Whether he has a good shot (or whether Brendan thinks he does) is irrelevant to me.  But it seems to bother a lot of people on here.

 

Sure a few more goals would be nice, but his career won't be made or broken on goals scored, in my opinion.

[ratcatcher]

Wonderful players. Yes, his shooting needs to improve and he's getting extra coaching for that. Would still be one of the first names on my teamsheet.

[Dr Nowt]

That's not my point.

 

My point is that Coutinho's game is primarily built on dribbling, creativity and providing assists.  Whether he has a good shot (or whether Brendan thinks he does) is irrelevant to me.  But it seems to bother a lot of people on here.

 

Sure a few more goals would be nice, but his career won't be made or broken on goals scored, in my opinion.

 

This appears to be a completely pointless exchange.

[The Golden Eel]

That's not my point.

 

My point is that Coutinho's game is primarily built on dribbling, creativity and providing assists.  Whether he has a good shot (or whether Brendan thinks he does) is irrelevant to me.  But it seems to bother a lot of people on here.

 

Sure a few more goals would be nice, but his career won't be made or broken on goals scored, in my opinion.

 

No, but he's missing/not taking chances, it's not that he's not getting them.  So, he could be even better than he is if he learned to shoot properly.  I said before, and i stand by it, that i think he looked better shooting when he first came here, like he's actually got worse.  That said, I obviously still rate him.  I don't know why people get so uptight about others criticising parts of a player's game who they rate.  

[Ginny]

Coutinho needs to start scoring more goals and hitting the target more. That's a fact. Brendan should be drilling that into him. Not taking anything away from him cos I love the little guy but there is defo room for development and development should be the focus. It's all good.

[bouncebrigade]

This appears to be a completely pointless exchange.

 

If you think so.

[bouncebrigade]

No, but he's missing/not taking chances, it's not that he's not getting them.  So, he could be even better than he is if he learned to shoot properly.  I said before, and i stand by it, that i think he looked better shooting when he first came here, like he's actually got worse.  That said, I obviously still rate him.  I don't know why people get so uptight about others criticising parts of a player's game who they rate.  

 

I'm all for constructive criticism but I think criticising a young lad who has been arguably our best player this season for not having a stronger shot is a bit futile.

 

Criticise defenders who can't defend, keepers who don't command their area, strikers who don't score, for sure.

 

Anyway, all a bit pointless this.

[Reckoner]

Of course he needs to improve his shooting,nothing wrong with that. I have no doubt he and Sterling will. They are both capable of better shots at times, so it may be a keeping your head thing.

If he scores a few defenders will close him down, creating more space for strikers and him when he threads those little balls through. He may have big balls however, I don't know.

 

Has anyone mentioned he benefits from having strikers move in front of him yet ?