BBZ8800
Senior Member
Well, guys, if you want to get into EV's head and compare Arthur with similar players:
1. Coutinho was a starter in his 1st La liga match when he was in a squad:
Alaves 66 minutes
Espanyol 90 minutes
Getafe 62 minutes
Eibar, a sub +27 minutes
Girona 90 minutes
Las Palmas, a sub +33 minutes
So, Coutinho was a starter in his first available La liga match.
And he played in all 6 first matches (4 times as a starter and twice as a sub for around 30 minutes).
Further, Paulinho:
1st round H Betis: not in a squad
2nd round A Alaves: a sub, +2 minutes
3rd match: H Espanyol: a sub, +17 minutes
4th match, A Getafe: a sub, +13 minutes
5th match: H Eibar: a starter, 90 minutes
6th match: A Girona: a starter, 66 minutes
7th match: H Las Palmas: a starter, 45 minutes
8th match: A Atletico: a sub, +11 minutes
9th match: H Malaga: a sub, +14 minutes
10th match: A Bilbao: a starter, 90 minutes
So, since Paulinho was available in a squad list, he played in all first 9 La liga matches in a row.
And he was a starter already in matches 4, 5, 6 and 9.
Arthur:
1st round: H Alaves: a sub, +13 minutes
2nd round: A Valladolid: -
3rd round: H Huesca: a sub, +14 minutes
4th round: A Sociedad: not in a squad
I'll add a CL match here since the sample is small:
5th match: H Psv: a sub, +7 minutes
Dembele:
1st match available: H Espanyol: a sub +22 minutes
2nd match: CL H Juventus: a starter 72 minutes
3rd match: A Getafe: a starter, injured later
I know, each player is unique.
Each player develops under different pace.
And a coach can change his mind.
But for now, according to stats, imo, is is safe to say:
1. EV rated Coutinho the highest right from the start
2. Dembele quite high also
3. Paulinho lower than them, but played in every single match as a sub and soon turned as a starter
After 1st match matches available:
Coutinho had 335 minutes in the first 5 La liga matches
Dembele was a starter twice in 3 matches and got injured.
Paulinho had 184 minutes after first 5 La liga matches.
Arthur has 34 minutes after first 5 matches. Again, I know that I included a CL matches, but a sample is too small so I had to do that.
Anyway, maybe you guys should lower your expectations, there are lost of possibilities:
1. maybe EV doesn't rate Arthur that highly (as you). Me neither.
2. maybe EV thinks that Arthur needs slower integration than Coutinho, Paulinho, Dembele
3. maybe EV likes different type of midfielder since he played Rakitic the most, Paulinho a lot and Gomes a lot. Maybe Rafinha, Denis and somewhat Arthur are not his first pick.
* I know that Arthur is not the same as Denis and Rafinha, but if we would make a black and white scenario with: either stronger or lighter midfielders, then Arthur is closer to short and light midfielders.
Anyway, anything is possible and a coach can change his mind, but according to Arthur's start and comparing him with starts of Coutinho, Paulinho and Dembele, he plays less and is probably trusted less by a coach.
Btw, even Semedo and Deulofeu played more in opening matches than Arthur.
1. Coutinho was a starter in his 1st La liga match when he was in a squad:
Alaves 66 minutes
Espanyol 90 minutes
Getafe 62 minutes
Eibar, a sub +27 minutes
Girona 90 minutes
Las Palmas, a sub +33 minutes
So, Coutinho was a starter in his first available La liga match.
And he played in all 6 first matches (4 times as a starter and twice as a sub for around 30 minutes).
Further, Paulinho:
1st round H Betis: not in a squad
2nd round A Alaves: a sub, +2 minutes
3rd match: H Espanyol: a sub, +17 minutes
4th match, A Getafe: a sub, +13 minutes
5th match: H Eibar: a starter, 90 minutes
6th match: A Girona: a starter, 66 minutes
7th match: H Las Palmas: a starter, 45 minutes
8th match: A Atletico: a sub, +11 minutes
9th match: H Malaga: a sub, +14 minutes
10th match: A Bilbao: a starter, 90 minutes
So, since Paulinho was available in a squad list, he played in all first 9 La liga matches in a row.
And he was a starter already in matches 4, 5, 6 and 9.
Arthur:
1st round: H Alaves: a sub, +13 minutes
2nd round: A Valladolid: -
3rd round: H Huesca: a sub, +14 minutes
4th round: A Sociedad: not in a squad
I'll add a CL match here since the sample is small:
5th match: H Psv: a sub, +7 minutes
Dembele:
1st match available: H Espanyol: a sub +22 minutes
2nd match: CL H Juventus: a starter 72 minutes
3rd match: A Getafe: a starter, injured later
I know, each player is unique.
Each player develops under different pace.
And a coach can change his mind.
But for now, according to stats, imo, is is safe to say:
1. EV rated Coutinho the highest right from the start
2. Dembele quite high also
3. Paulinho lower than them, but played in every single match as a sub and soon turned as a starter
After 1st match matches available:
Coutinho had 335 minutes in the first 5 La liga matches
Dembele was a starter twice in 3 matches and got injured.
Paulinho had 184 minutes after first 5 La liga matches.
Arthur has 34 minutes after first 5 matches. Again, I know that I included a CL matches, but a sample is too small so I had to do that.
Anyway, maybe you guys should lower your expectations, there are lost of possibilities:
1. maybe EV doesn't rate Arthur that highly (as you). Me neither.
2. maybe EV thinks that Arthur needs slower integration than Coutinho, Paulinho, Dembele
3. maybe EV likes different type of midfielder since he played Rakitic the most, Paulinho a lot and Gomes a lot. Maybe Rafinha, Denis and somewhat Arthur are not his first pick.
* I know that Arthur is not the same as Denis and Rafinha, but if we would make a black and white scenario with: either stronger or lighter midfielders, then Arthur is closer to short and light midfielders.
Anyway, anything is possible and a coach can change his mind, but according to Arthur's start and comparing him with starts of Coutinho, Paulinho and Dembele, he plays less and is probably trusted less by a coach.
Btw, even Semedo and Deulofeu played more in opening matches than Arthur.
