7 - Philippe Coutinho - V1

[El Gato]

We pay that much for Gomes and similar.

Sorry, don't wanna rob you.

I insist.

 

[serghei]

The solution is stick him down to LAM/LW and give him a pressing duty at most. You don't need him dropping any deeper than within 10m of the halfway line.

Milinkovic-Savic would be better for the Iniesta job.

[MENTION=22475]FCBfan22[/MENTION] [MENTION=22463]Joan Laporta[/MENTION]
50M for Benzema. Deal?

I'd like him to come from the 2nd line. Makes him more unpredictable. He'll lose the surprise factor if he's playing too advanced and everyone expect him to appear in the box or everyone knows he'll try a 1 vs 1. He is best used as an AM who switches between midfielder and forward roles. We just need mobile and hard working players around him to track his runs and cover for his incursions in offense.

A more mobile midfield setup would be great.

 

[messi2140]

You can have Benzema if you want?

I'd take Benzema over Suarez in an instant , heck there arent alot of Forwards if any Id take over Benzema, especially a focused and motivated Benzema.

 

[El Gato]

I'd like him to come from the 2nd line. Makes him more unpredictable. He'll lose the surprise factor if he's playing too advanced and everyone expect him to appear in the box or everyone knows he'll try a 1 vs 1. He is best used as an AM who switches between midfielder and forward roles. We just need mobile and hard working players around him to track his runs and cover for his incursions in offense.

A more mobile midfield setup would be great.

I.e. Milinković-Savić. No brainer. Lots of time to shape him into what you need him to do in attack as well. Much better expenditure than random offensive talent you're not desperate for.

I'd take Benzema over Suarez in an instant , heck there arent alot of Forwards if any Id take over Benzema, especially a focused and motivated Benzema.

This gives me hope that there are people out there in Europe who would actually be willing to pay to take him off our hands. Superb.

 

[Joan]

I insist.

50m and LaLiga title, you say?

 

[messi2140]

I.e. Milinković-Savić. No brainer. Lots of time to shape him into what you need him to do in attack as well. Much better expenditure than random offensive talent you're not desperate for.



This gives me hope that there are people out there in Europe who would actually be willing to pay to take him off our hands. Superb.

Well you do have a competent President in Perez , so he probably wouldn't sell him. Maybe Real fans should be glad they dont have a fool who would accept just 50 Mil for a forward like Benzema

 

[henias]

I don't think so though. He's one of those that has quick acceleration and can leave the defender dead in a short burst; but he isn't nearly quick enough to make longer runs or any of the kick the ball and run sort of runs that someone along the lines of Neymar, etc. provide.

I don't think he should play Iniesta's successor either though. How do you get him to play LAM and still have someone covering the wing? That's a question I don't have an answer for, and it might involve changing how we use Messi, or switching to a 3 at the back system. Either way, we will lose our ability to counter effectively with Coutinho at LW. Having just one quick player in Dembele is not enough; you need at least 2 quick players upfront. Messi, doesn't even bother making runs for the counter nowadays anyway, so it's critical.

Funnily enough, it was Neymar's sheer pace that was actually most useful at Barca. Aside from his clown act, he was most useful with the ability to beat defenders in a foot race. However, it doesn't look like we're buying any winger anytime soon, so Coutinho on LW might be the only alternative that a plain jane and clueless tactician like Valverde sees, if at all he sees even that.

No use having too much pace if the winger isnt an effective one on terms of decision making, first touch, control. Coutinho operates in the half space and with Alba as LWB, too much width is often not required. Agree some sort of raw pace is required but Coutinho can be equally deadly on the counter. Problem EV doesnt really utilise pace to run at defenders as he prefers more on strong possession on the ball which is why he prefers Coutinho over Dembele as a winger, and of course, the inability to drop Suarez. Coutinho-Messi-Dembele would albeit still be a very good counter attacking side, very much better than Coutinho- Suarez-Messi.

Right now, I think Coutinho still is able to effectively fill the LW place. Main issue now is who is going to replace Iniesta, we are in dire need of a CM/LM.

 

[El Gato]

50m and LaLiga title, you say?

That's generous. I'll take that. Will make a nice double to go with Icardi Golden Boot.

 

[te amo barca]

That's generous. I'll take that. Will make a nice double to go with Icardi Golden Boot.

Yes, take the CDR. About time you win it.

 

[Joan]

That's generous. I'll take that. Will make a nice double to go with Icardi Golden Boot.

No, no... thank you. We are all about good buildup and beautiful one-twos.

After we sack Fraudverde.

 

[Donatello]

I'd like him to come from the 2nd line. Makes him more unpredictable. He'll lose the surprise factor if he's playing too advanced and everyone expect him to appear in the box or everyone knows he'll try a 1 vs 1. He is best used as an AM who switches between midfielder and forward roles. We just need mobile and hard working players around him to track his runs and cover for his incursions in offense.

A more mobile midfield setup would be great.

+1

 

[Calidad]

I'd like him to come from the 2nd line. Makes him more unpredictable. He'll lose the surprise factor if he's playing too advanced and everyone expect him to appear in the box or everyone knows he'll try a 1 vs 1. He is best used as an AM who switches between midfielder and forward roles. We just need mobile and hard working players around him to track his runs and cover for his incursions in offense.

A more mobile midfield setup would be great.

I agree fully, and I’m amazed at how many seem to see him best as a LW/LWF. Essentially he’s a playmaker who has the pace, trickery and vision to wreak havoc in midfield, but will never really stretch defences as a winger. He reminds me a lot of iniesya when he was younger, where he tended to get pushed to LWF where he was more than competent but you could always see his true position was in midfield.

However, if he was to play in midfield the club would need to look for a LWF, and I’m not sure how many top draw options are out there. Neymar was perfect for that position. Hazard could be perfect. Reus also.

Bailey, Martial, Oyarzabal, Lozano could be others who are gettable/affordable. Not sure if any of them are truly good enough though.

I don’t believe Valverde see him as a midfielder though, as there have been no real links with wing forwards.

 

[Joan]

What a buy.

 

[Flavius]

What a player he is...just awesome. I.m sure he will do wonders next season!

 

[serghei]

It's pretty interesting to see that all 3 of our midfielders have been the best Barca players at this World Cup (Coutinho, Rakitic and Busi), while the defenders have been so-so, and forwards pretty poor.