7 - Philippe Coutinho - V1

[EdmondDantes]

21 goals and 14 assists this season playing in a midfield 3, 70% of the time and 30% wide left in a front 3.

Despite being injured for the first 2 months of the season for Liverpool and being injured in his first month with us and not being eligible to play in the Champions League knock out phase.

The boy is dynamite. As some have alluded now with Andres leaving and obviously ageing, Coutinho is second only to Messi at Barca - and since I've read Neymar's name brought up here, Neymar could only dream of having Coutinho's close control and turning circle.


He's not even fully adapted yet, next season he'll explode.

 

[xXKonan]

I feel like a couple of guys are underrating Coutinho a bit especially against the likes of Isco and Hazard.

Hazard has the ability but not the mentality to push himself to be up there best imo. you see it with Chelsea where he will go missing and gets outshone by the likes of Willian who while doesn't have the talent Hazard has he's still a good player who works hard.

Isco another talented player who still struggles with consistency. Even at his age since he came to Real he would show flashes of brilliance but he will also struggle with consistency and one of the biggest flaws that he still struggles with is that he can be a selfish with the ball hogging. His best moments came last year when Zidane put him at the tip of the diamond in a 4-4-2 but despite that he hasn't really shown that same form again this season.

As for Ney vs Coutinho I consider them two different players somewhat. But funny though Coutinho has been here for only half a season without CL and his goal scoring has been rather superior to Neymar's final season here.

 

[dakt]

21 goals and 14 assists this season playing in a midfield 3, 70% of the time and 30% wide left in a front 3.

Despite being injured for the first 2 months of the season for Liverpool and being injured in his first month with us and not being eligible to play in the Champions League knock out phase.

The boy is dynamite. As some have alluded now with Andres leaving and obviously ageing, Coutinho is second only to Messi at Barca - and since I've read Neymar's name brought up here, Neymar could only dream of having Coutinho's close control and turning circle.


He's not even fully adapted yet, next season he'll explode.

For sure. Fits us much better then Neymar. Far more intelligent with the ball, better decision making, close ball control and is more deadly with his shots then Neymar. What a player!

 

[BBZ8800]

The only player currently who offers something new to our one-dimensional predictable play.

The only guy who has courage not to pass ball to Messi in every action and who is willing to try longrange shots.
Iniesta is horrible at shooting, Rakitic is not shooting anymore for some reason, Busi is horrible at shooting, Luis is horrible at everything lately, Dembele is young and scared, Alba is Alba.
Coutinho is currently the only threat in our team not named Messi.

 

[Messi983]

He should continue to shoot from long range in last 5-10 minutes, we'd have better odds to score than with crossing into the box.

 

[Icarium]

He is a fine addition to the team. Glad we signed him. Let's sign Griezman and bench suarez.

 

[ASordidGod]

I feel like a couple of guys are underrating Coutinho a bit especially against the likes of Isco and Hazard.

Hazard has the ability but not the mentality to push himself to be up there best imo. you see it with Chelsea where he will go missing and gets outshone by the likes of Willian who while doesn't have the talent Hazard has he's still a good player who works hard.

Isco another talented player who still struggles with consistency. Even at his age since he came to Real he would show flashes of brilliance but he will also struggle with consistency and one of the biggest flaws that he still struggles with is that he can be a selfish with the ball hogging. His best moments came last year when Zidane put him at the tip of the diamond in a 4-4-2 but despite that he hasn't really shown that same form again this season.

As for Ney vs Coutinho I consider them two different players somewhat. But funny though Coutinho has been here for only half a season without CL and his goal scoring has been rather superior to Neymar's final season here.

Well it seems I'm outvoted here, ha ha. Fair enough; I'd expect nothing less on a Barca forum. Though I stand by what I said; Coutinho's very good, but not amongst the world's best and in all likelihood never will be. Whereas Hazard, and Isco too, you say they don't have the mentality to be so (and with Hazard I agree to a certain extent), but they do undeniably have the talent, and with it the potential to be so. (though admittedly at 27 Hazard might be cutting it fine to truly fulfil his.) Coutinho doesn't quite have that same level of talent imo, his ceiling's a little lower. To clarify, I like him, think he's good, sometimes very good, but wasn't overjoyed when we signed him and despite how highly I value his ability to come inside and shoot, overall I've been slightly underwhelmed by his contribution. And I know someone will just throw his stats at me now, which admittedly are impressive, but I'm talking beyond goals, I'm talking his all round game, in particular his carelessness and frequency of misjudged chipped through balls. I know I might be perceived as hostile here, as nitpicking, and honestly that's not my intention, but for the money spent I expect a bit more. Hopefully that'll come next season. ps excellent performance yesterday by the way. More like that and I'll quickly become converted for sure.

 

[Devils]

I'd play him as a CF over current Suarez. Not joking either.

His dribbling, ability to turn his marker, link-up play and finishing has been incredible. Suarez's finishing may be decent, but in the other three categories he's nothing short of woeful.

 

[Joan]

He can finish. I'm really looking forward to this guy.

 

[Luftstalag14]

I don’t rate Hazard either. He has not been consistent enough and has had some motivation issues (sounds like a perfect match for us, doesn’t he?) and he seemed to have hit a plateau and is not going anywhere.

 

[soul24rage]

Thank god we signed him. One of the three reasons (Messi and Mats) that I am looking forward to next season

 

[Joan]

Thank god we signed him. One of the three reasons (Messi and Mats) that I am looking forward to next season

I thought I was in Mina thread and had to double check

 

[Andrew M]

Well it seems I'm outvoted here, ha ha. Fair enough; I'd expect nothing less on a Barca forum. Though I stand by what I said; Coutinho's very good, but not amongst the world's best and in all likelihood never will be. Whereas Hazard, and Isco too, you say they don't have the mentality to be so (and with Hazard I agree to a certain extent), but they do undeniably have the talent, and with it the potential to be so. (though admittedly at 27 Hazard might be cutting it fine to truly fulfil his.) Coutinho doesn't quite have that same level of talent imo, his ceiling's a little lower. To clarify, I like him, think he's good, sometimes very good, but wasn't overjoyed when we signed him and despite how highly I value his ability to come inside and shoot, overall I've been slightly underwhelmed by his contribution. And I know someone will just throw his stats at me now, which admittedly are impressive, but I'm talking beyond goals, I'm talking his all round game, in particular his carelessness and frequency of misjudged chipped through balls. I know I might be perceived as hostile here, as nitpicking, and honestly that's not my intention, but for the money spent I expect a bit more. Hopefully that'll come next season. ps excellent performance yesterday by the way. More like that and I'll quickly become converted for sure.

It's fine that you want to highlight Coutinho's shortcomings, but why are you extolling Isco and Hazard with such vigour? Sometimes Isco is all foreplay and Hazard not top 10 in my view.

 

[ASordidGod]

It's fine that you want to highlight Coutinho's shortcomings, but why are you extolling Isco and Hazard with such vigour? Sometimes Isco is all foreplay and Hazard not top 10 in my view.

Well Hazard because he'd have been the ideal Neymar replacement imo, and Isco because he was the first person I thought of when thinking of someone similar but, well, a little better; I could just have easily said De Bruyne.

 

[JamDav1982]

Well Hazard because he'd have been the ideal Neymar replacement imo, and Isco because he was the first person I thought of when thinking of someone similar but, well, a little better; I could just have easily said De Bruyne.

Hazard would not have been the ideal replacement.

Coutinho is better and more versatile player and proven to be great as par

Isco is not in same class as Coutinho.