7 - Philippe Coutinho - V1

[Total-Football]

levels above the entire team its like he is playing for different incentives to his teammates`.

 

[serghei]

He's growing into to that CAM role in the Midfield.

One of those players that has to play as much as he can.

Playing Rakitic more than him would be moronic. Probably our best player after Messi.

 

[PhilS]

No, I don't think Coutinho should play as much as he can. He never has. Some players hold up playing excessive minutes. Like Rakitic, or Messi, or Alves. There is a reason why none of his managers have played Coutinho too much, he just is not up for it.

Now, Coutinho might lead this team this year in games played, because he is proving to be a superb sub.

 

[Ripsta]

Iv said this before but he's the only player at the peak of his career. Others are young and the rest over the hill.

What an idiotic thing to say. Busquets, Alba, Messi and MAtS are still at their best. I don't particularly like Rakitic, but he's still about the same as he was in 2015, always been a slow coach, had a fantastic World Cup.

The problem in the side at the moment is the centre-backs, right back and centre-forward role. Until that is sorted the Champions League might just be a stretch too far unless Messi can pull a rabbit out his arse.

 

[Calidad]

He needs to stay in midfield. It lacks creativity and goals without him.

 

[Cule4life]

I still think his best position might be LW but with our struggles in MF that won't happen especially not with Valverde.

 

[Joan]

Moving Coutinho to the LW doesn't make much sense unless you want to bench Dembele. So far, Couts seems adapted to his role in the midfield, hoping he continues growing into it.

 

[xXKonan]

He's going to be a CM/CAM fulltime now with both Barca and Brazil.

Tite moved him to the center of the field because of how lacking Renato Augusto and Paulinho were in creativity and it allowed Tite to start Douglas Costa/Willian on the RW. It's the same story here in Barca, Valverde moved Coutinho into the Middle as Iniesta's replacement and it allowed Dembele to start.

It was the same with Liverpool as well. Coutinho was the creator in the middle while having the likes of Salah, Firmino, and Mane to thrive up front during the time he was there. Hell even before Rodgers played Cou in the middle with Suarez, Sturridge and Sterling up front.

 

[Cule4life]

Moving Coutinho to the LW doesn't make much sense unless you want to bench Dembele. So far, Couts seems adapted to his role in the midfield, hoping he continues growing into it.

Coutinho-Messi-Dembele

As i said i don't expect him to play there but i'll always wonder what could have been....

 

[Joan]

Coutinho-Messi-Dembele

As i said i don't expect him to play there but i'll always wonder what could have been....

Wouldn't mind seeing it either. More as a surprise that a standard system.

Speaking of Messi's position...

Preferred position
I like it most where I play now. Teams put a lot of people in the middle and it’s easier getting the ball a little bit further back and coming inside from further out. Moving to the wing, the wide players often don’t know what they are meant to do. In the middle it’s harder to get the ball, because there are fewer spaces and a lot of people.

Luis Suárez
He gives me so much. Having him there up front, giving passing options, coming to get the ball, losing his marker, pressing the first man… he gives so much as a number 9. He helps me to be an inverted winger.

 

[Cule4life]

Luis Suárez
He gives me so much. Having him there up front, giving passing options, coming to get the ball, losing his marker, pressing the first man… he gives so much as a number 9. He helps me to be an inverted winger..

And most of all he protects me from getting dropped

 

[FCB1987]

Didn't Messi used to hate being on the wing? Maybe that changed under Lucho

 

[Barcilliant]

What an idiotic thing to say. Busquets, Alba, Messi and MAtS are still at their best. I don't particularly like Rakitic, but he's still about the same as he was in 2015, always been a slow coach, had a fantastic World Cup.

The problem in the side at the moment is the centre-backs, right back and centre-forward role. Until that is sorted the Champions League might just be a stretch too far unless Messi can pull a rabbit out his arse.

Busquets 😂. Can't take you seriously. Alba peaked last season. Mats has yet to peak. Messi is past his prime....

 

[FinBarcelonafan]

Rakitic was great last season.

 

[behindbrowneyes]

Individually, LW might be his best position. A player has to play where the team needs him most though and that is C(A)M in Barcelona. However, I'm confident he'll do great things in both positions. Somehow you can compare him to the Don in this regard. I will never forget the Clásico when Don Andres fucked Real playing as LW.